annual service items

[xcentric]

about to service my superlight R for the first time. What are the standard service items?

I assume:

• oil filter
• oil change
• plugs (?)
• general check for looseness on most bolts
• pads if needed (is there an easy way to check or do people wait for squealing.....)

anything else? not got to worry about air con regassing or pollen filters, at least :-)

[tomwoodis]

Having just done mine, you may also want to include the following (depends on whether it's a minor service or major one that you're doing really and how long it's been since these were last done. You could add some or all of these to your list:

- air filter (so cheap you might as well)
- brake fluid change (depends when last done but wants doing every couple years)
- Diff oil replacement
- replace the gearbox oil

With regards to the brakes. Take the wheels off and look at the state of the discs and the pads. If they need changing then the fronts are extremely easy, back ones a little more difficult but by no means tough.

How old and how many miles? Has it had major items like Cambelt changed in not too distant past? Is the auxiliary belt in good condition still?

Tom

[xcentric]

R reg, 20k miles, recent engine work before i bought it from dealer, so all stuff done fine before i got it.
thanks for the reminder about air filter. Agree with gearbox and diff - both easy?

[tomwoodis]

Diff oil is only difficult in the sense that it's not very accessible, or at least that's the case with the BMW diff which is what I have. Might be easier with the ford diff which I assume is what you've got?

Just a case of finding the filler plug on the diff, taking it out, extracting the oil with a Pella oil extractor or similar and then refilling. I bought a large syringe and plastic tubing to help with the refill. It's full once the oil starts coming out the filler hole.

Couple of ways to do the gearbox. One is through a filler hole on the side of the gearbox. You access it through an access hole in the transmission tunnel. You'll probably have a large rubber grommet in the hole at the moment, remove it to reveal the filler plug location. Other option, and almost easier in my opinion is to pull off the transmission tunnel cover and access the Allen key bolts which hold the top cover on the end of the gearbox. It's a bit of a fiddle to get your hands down the tunnel but it's possible. Then with the top plate removed you can extract the oil and refill through the top of the box.

[mharris]

The owners handbook has a page that lists the service schedule and gives a checklist of the items that need servicing each year.

I follow that when servicing my car.

[Steve Campbell]

Also, take a look at James Whiting web page, he has a service list on there.