Maintain the car yourself. A service checklist?

[GTO]

Lets compile a scheduled maintainence chart for those of us who maintain cars ourselves. The Vtec is due for a major service (60,000 kms). What all should I get done?

Also, what intervals would be appropriate for some of these tasks? E.g. I get the radiator flushed every 20,000 kms. What about you?

1. Engine oil & oil filter – Mobil 1.
2. Clean K&N air filter.
3. Wheel rotation, balancing & alignment.
4. Radiator Flush and coolant change.
5. Change transmission / gear / differential oil. Especially important for 4x4 vehicles.
6. Brake line bleeding and brake fluid change.
7. Top-up / change power steering fluid.
8. Change fuel filter.
9. Check and clean brakes. Replace brake pads, if necessary.
10. Check and replace (if necessary) all spark plugs.
11. Valve adjustment.
12. Injector cleaning (fuel).
13. Clean / adjust throttle body.
14. Check engine idle settings.
15. Check and adjust all belts. Replace if any are cracked / worn out.
16. Check all hose pipes. Replace if any are cracked / worn out.
17. Change timing belt every 55,000 kms. Replace water pump along with?
18. Check wiper blades. Adjust washer nozzles.
19. Check wheel & tyre condition. Include spare wheel.
20. Check suspension status.
21. Complete cleaning and waxing of the car.

[jkdas]

1. Engine oil & oil filter – Mobil 1. : 10k
2. Clean K&N air filter.; Yet to, ist almost new; a Green though
3. Wheel rotation, balancing & alignment; 5K
4. Radiator Flush and coolant change. ; Guess routine 5K service does it
5. Change transmission / gear / differential oil. Especially important for 4x4 vehicles. : Guess routine 5K service does it
6. Brake line bleeding and brake fluid change.: Guess routine 5K service does it, I do check it now and then .
7. Top-up / change power steering fluid. ; same as above.
8. Change fuel filter. ; should we? New to me!
9. Check and clean brakes. Replace brake pads, if necessary. ; more careful about this as I drive a lot. Replaced fronts at 51K
10. Check and replace (if necessary) all spark plugs.; Think I changed it at 40K
11. Valve adjustment. ; No idea;
12. Injector cleaning (fuel). ; along with sparks at 40K
13. Clean / adjust throttle body. ; no idea
14. Check engine idle settings. ; Guess routine 5K service does it
15. Check and adjust all belts. Replace if any are cracked / worn out. : Guess routine 5K service does it and when I hear them squeaking

16. Check all hose pipes. Replace if any are cracked / worn out.; Guess routine 5K service does it
17. Change timing belt every 55,000 kms. Replace water pump along with? ; Guess routine service does it.
18. Check wiper blades. Adjust washer nozzles.; topple up water as needed. New wipers twice a year.
19. Check wheel & tyre condition. Include spare wheel.; 5k ; spare not used.
20. Check suspension status.; goes along with tyre/alignment checks
21. Complete cleaning and waxing of the car.[/quote] Once evry 2-3 weeks. Polish, every other month.


I check the manual when it goes for service and as if this or that was done or has to be done.

[rks]

I leave most of this stuff to Hyundai authorized service, except that I get the wheel balancing/alignment and tyre rotation done separately.

I tried to get Sanjay Hyundai (Pune) to check my wheel bearings, but they replied "You will know when the wheel bearings need replacement". That makes me feel extremely uneasy as I do not want to know it in the way they expect me to. My car has done some 25000 kms since the last time wheel bearings were checked. Next service I am going to have to insist.

Regarding fuel injector cleaning, Sanjay Hyundai does not routinely do this ("we do it only if there is a problem, necessary only once in 30000 kms"). However, they seem to do throttle body cleaning routinely during service. Anyway I use Speed 97, so hopefully the cleansing additives will get the job done and fuel injectors will not need frequent cleaning.

What about the steering components? I had to get this serviced at 58000 kms as there was heavy knock (kat-kat sound) from the steering on bad roads or while cornering hard.

Fuel tank cleaning -- suggested this at many service outlets, but in vain. Nobody seems to be interested in it and I think it may be overdue in my car as it has done 65000 kms now. Given our adulterated fuel, I think this is essential, assuming it can be done competently by the authorized service outlets (which I am beginning to doubt with each passing year).

A/C service along with cleaning of the air flow ducts needs to be done maybe every 2-3 years, since our roads are very dusty and dirty. Got this done after nearly seven years (55000 kms) when cooling was not at all effective. Now there is good air flow and A/C cools well, but unfortunately the gas pressure was set very high and A/c overheats if switched on during idling or in summer heat.

Battery distilled water level in case of m/c-free batteries is another thing that worries me. I doubt if Sanjay Hyundai is checking this during service (supposed to be done every 4 months or so). I am relying on the level indicator on the top of the battery; can't see the actual levels from the side.

[GTO - Touring]

Agreed with some of your service intervals, jkdas. But these are way off and aren't really required every 5,000 kms.

Originally Posted by jkdas

4. Radiator Flush and coolant change. ; Guess routine 5K service does it
5. Change transmission / gear / differential oil. Especially important for 4x4 vehicles. : Guess routine 5K service does it
6. Brake line bleeding and brake fluid change.: Guess routine 5K service does it, I do check it now and then .

Originally Posted by rks

A/C service along with cleaning of the air flow ducts needs to be done maybe every 2-3 years, since our roads are very dusty and dirty.

Battery distilled water level in case of m/c-free batteries is another thing that worries me.

Good points, rks. Added air-con and battery check / service to my checklist.

[tsk1979]

I maintain the car myself(from past 25K kms), and therefore follow the user manual which comes with indica.
Whenever I go for any job done, I write down the odo reading, and note down what all got changed.
After that its just a matter of reading the service manual and deciding what needs change.

[RJK]

GTO,

very offtopic but can you tell me a good mechanic for I have to get a few repairs done to my car viz. wheel bearings change, oil change and some other things. I'm not going to Linkway as the prices are ridiculous. Thanks in advance.

[esteem_lover]

Greasing all door hinges, bonnet lock, boot lock etc - every 5000 kms.
Check for corrosion (under body) - all the time.

2 things that i had failed to do in my car for sometime.

[gigy]

my maintenance schedule:
DIY part:
Engine oil & oil filter - was every 5k till castrol magnetec, now every 10k with mobil 1.
Clean K&N air filter. (cleaning ractive every 3-4k.
Radiator Flush and coolant change- not very strict schedule but when colour change is observed. use only bottles of distilled water with concentrate for max life.
Brake line bleeding and brake fluid change - yearly just change it and bleeding is mandatory(have to bring a friend along)
Top-up / change power steering fluid. same as transmission
Change fuel filter - 20k( replace faster if there is lot of highway driving
Check and clean brakes. Replace brake pads, if necessary - yearly
Check and replace (if necessary) all spark plugs - yearly
Check wiper blades - yearly. Adjust washer nozzles.( this i have to do every week since the guy cleaning car always disturbs it.)
waxing - 3-4 months

service support:
Wheel rotation, balancing & alignment.- balancing every 5k and alignment only if there is drag, else every year when i change any of the front suspension parts.
Change transmission / gear / differential oil. Especially important for 4x4 vehicles- yearly
Valve adjustment - 50k
Injector cleaning (fuel) - 2 yearly
Clean / adjust throttle body. yearly
Check engine idle settings. as per use
Check and adjust all belts. Replace if any are cracked / worn out - check yearly. keep a set of belts(alternator and compressor) in car if possible. clutch cable is also recommended if there is lot of highway driving
Check all hose pipes. Replace if any are cracked / worn out - as per use
Change timing belt every 55,000 kms. Replace water pump along with? 50k
Check wheel & tyre condition. Include spare wheel - do check before long drives and while filling air have a casual look.
Check suspension status - as per use and when noise changes( yearly for mumbai roads)
Complete cleaning - cleaning monthly,
Complete service AC every 2 years.

[king_julian]

GTO,

This is a great list and I would like to add a couple more points from my experience so far:

1. Check condition of wheel rims
2. Check alternator output voltage
3. Check the battery voltage
4. Check for battery fluid leakage (will corrode the engine bay)

This list will be very helpful for those of us who have to deal with service centers which just wash the car and give it back to you, when you give the car for servicing.

Till recently I used to think that my car is sluggish and unresponsive as it has aged a lot. But after searching through this forum, I compiled a list of items (most of which are on your original list) and asked the mechanic to check these items specifically in front of me. This has improved the car's performance significantly. A big thanks to Team-BHP for that!!!

Amit.

[GTO]

Here is some further fine-tuning of the original checklist.

Every 10,000 kms

• Mobil 1 – Change engine oil & oil filter.
• Check and top-up all fluids (coolant, power steering, brake, transmission etc.).
• Clean K&N air filter (best done at 7,500 km mark).
• Wheel rotation, balancing & alignment. Check condition (include spare wheel).
• Check and adjust all belts. Replace if any are cracked / worn out.
• Check all hose pipes. Replace if any are cracked / worn out.
• Check wiper blades & adjust washer nozzles.
• Check all lights.
• Check / service battery.
• Complete cleaning and waxing of the car.

Annually OR Every 20,000 kms

ALL FROM STEP ONE, PLUS:

• Replace wiper blades.
• Replace fuel filter.
• Check and clean brakes.
• Check brake hoses and lines.
• Check spark plugs.
• Check engine idle settings (speed & CO).
• Check clutch release arm travel.
• Check suspension (include dampers, bushings, tie-rod ends etc.).
• Check steering gearbox & boots.
• Check driveshaft boots.

Every Two years / 30,000 kms

• Radiator flush & engine coolant change.
• Change transmission / gear / differential oil. Some 4x4’s may require this on an annual basis.
• Brake line bleeding and fluid change.
• Change power steering fluid.
• Replace spark plugs.
• Clean fuel injectors.
• Clean / adjust throttle body.
• Check distributor cap, roter and ignition wiring.
• Check PCV valve.
• Check ignition timing.
• Check valve clearance and adjustment
• Complete air-con service.
• Check brake pads. Replacement may be necessary, especially for German cars.

Every 60,000 kms

• Change timing belt / balancer. Water pump replacement recommended.
• Revamp suspension (some cars may require this earlier).
• Change all drive belts.
• Change all hose pipes.
• Change K&N air filter?
• Check status of clutch plate and related parts.

ETC.

• Check Tappet clearance. This is car specific, so best to check your owners manual for when / if tappet settings are required.

[tsk1979]

One size fits all?
I don't think so
For example
1. Oil change. Some engines require a change at 5000kms, or atmost 7500km and its specified clearly in the owners manual
2. Many cars require bearing change every 20K kms, some require brake pads change at 15K(actually depends on driving conditions and style)
3.Timing chain/belt change is specified for many cars at 100K kms. So 60K is overkill, 90K is more like it.

So for things like power steering fluid/Transmission fluid etc., and many other things the owner manual clearly gives the frequency. What should be replaced when

[GTO]

1. Oil change. Some engines require a change at 5000kms, or atmost 7500km and its specified clearly in the owners manual

On a single change of synthetic oil, any petrol engine can safely run for 7,500 - 10,000 kms. That is why I started the point with "Mobil 1". On regular lubes....yes, 5000 would be best.

2. Many cars require bearing change every 20K kms, some require brake pads change at 15K(actually depends on driving conditions and style)

Ok on the bearings. Which car requires a brake pad change at 15K?

3.Timing chain/belt change is specified for many cars at 100K kms. So 60K is overkill, 90K is more like it.

Technically correct. This list was actually compiled for my Vtec, for which even Honda recommends a timing belt change at 100K kms.

Butttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Psycho insists that it is best to change at 60K. Also remember Iraghava's timing belt which snapped a LOT before 100K from his last change.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

One size fits all?
I don't think so

and it applies mostly for petrol cars. Now we have hordes of members who are diesel car owners. A simple example would be a diesel car needs oil change every 10K kms against 5k for petrol cars

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by mobike008

and it applies mostly for petrol cars. Now we have hordes of members who are diesel car owners. A simple example would be a diesel car needs oil change every 10K kms against 5k for petrol cars

This thread is very useful when we look at it from a preventive maintenance point of view. Great effort GTO.

Many factors like driving style, kind of usage, periodic service, reliability of parts etc comes into picture when we look at replacement of parts. I believe preventive maintenance gives peace of mind and saves money in the long run.

My Petrol Getz requires oil/ filter change every 10000 kms/ 6 months. I change oil/ filter every 3500 kms/ 3 months. I do that because I drive in bumper to bumper traffic most of the time and short distance travels. I will change to Mobil 1 once I cross 15000 kms.

[GTO]

A simple example would be a diesel car needs oil change every 10K kms against 5k for petrol cars

I presume you meant it the other way around? All things equal, a diesel engine will require MORE frequent oil changes than a petrol.