General Engine Care

[TopCat]

Gonna get to know my car a bit better this weekend. Planning on giving her a general service, replace all the plugs, oil filter, clean the air filter etc, and replacing one of the rocker cover gaskets that's a seems to be letting out a few drops of oil.
Just wondering, is there anything else I should look out for or replace while I'm under the bonnet?
Thanks as always,
TC

[d_dan]

sump leakage, and if ya want maybe pressure yest the cooling system

[kevinod]

Some suggestions - check all fluid levels, clean stepper motor, check brake fluid looks good and isn't breaking down... change gearbox oil.

Check belts don't look worn too maybe... no rust (e.g. hidden under fuse box)... check battery contacts are clean...

[TopCat]

Cheers for the suggestions lads.
As for cleaning the stepper motor, is it a big job? I know there are guides about, so will do a search, but will it take long to do? And is it worthwhile even if there is no sign of trouble from it at the moment?

[Bernard]

Cheers for the suggestions lads.
As for cleaning the stepper motor, is it a big job? I know there are guides about, so will do a search, but will it take long to do? And is it worthwhile even if there is no sign of trouble from it at the moment?

Prevention is better that cure... Even with my limited knowledge it was only a 5 minute job.
No hassle at all.

[Dragonheart]

As dan pointed out look at the underneath of your sump, just make sure its not rubbing too low on speed bumps or anything, if it is scratched and the damage is close to the plug for the oil sump then I'd recommend draining the oil out with one of those gravity pumps rather than relaesing the plug, cause if its in tight and the sump is damaged it could cause weakness.

[Myfeckin FTO]

........As for cleaning the stepper motor, is it a big job? I know there are guides about, so will do a search, but will it take long to do? And is it worthwhile even if there is no sign of trouble from it at the moment?

The stepper motor has been replaced before so it shouldn't be too bad.
The Denso iridiums went in with 120K kms on the clock and they last 100K more kms so I'll leave you to do the maths.

Pretty much all the bushes were replaced and the F & R droplinks - I'd imagine though that the droplinks could possibly need to be replaced a further 2/3 years down the line.

I would just assume that theres been no maintenance on this FTO since I sold it two years ago - hence brake/transmission/engine oil could probably all do with a change.

[TopCat]

I would just assume that theres been no maintenance on this FTO since I sold it two years ago

Yeah, that's kinda the premise I'm going on. Any time I buy a car I always give it a service, and at least that way you can be confident in the current state.

The Denso iridiums went in with 120K kms on the clock..

Crap, didn't realise you had changed the plugs so recently, so I've already ordered a new set. Don't suppose anyone is after a set?
I might still take you up on the offer of putting her up on your mechanic friends lift some evening maybe next week if you're still on for that?