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| Thread ID: 129193 | 2013-02-09 02:32:00 | Looking after motor vehicles. | Nomad (952) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1327158 | 2013-02-09 06:20:00 | Mitsubishi Diamante - 2003 model, V6 3.5 ltr, Change oil + filter every 6 months, since it's an older engine now, and starting to get more dirty I run an oil flush through (Nulon brand to be specific) when I do the oil change. Use a thicker 15w40 oil now too (since it's older). Mechanic looks after all the internals, just too time consuming for me to do it. Also risky since I don't have the years of professional experience. Better to let them handle it. More cost effective time wise too, they do it faster than I can. Brakes & associated fluids are kept topped up & changed out/Flushed every 2x years, of course the pads are changed out based on wear. Radiator, again, flush and change out every two years unless there is a need to change or excessively top up the coolant. The rest (trans & internal work) is all carried out by the mechanics, simply for convenience and times sake. I can save a decent amount of money by doing the oil, especially when I did it last week, got 5L of Castrol oil + Filter for $36 from Supercheap :D - especially cheap!!. But usually it costs around $80 to buy the oil, filters and flush. Oil change is one of the simpler car jobs you can do and the most regular. Our garage charges $150 to do it, using Genuine Mitsu parts which probably accounts for some of the extra costs involved, + the labour. Other maintenance I keep an eye on, but in big highly technical machines such as the Diamante it's better paying them to do an "C" service every 12~24 months. You can pay that off by "saving" on the oil change costs. The '57 Morris minor on the other hand, I stripped that down to bones and put it back together in a few days. Simple and reliable. No worries there. You don't change anything on that. If it breaks then you glue it back together and it doesn't use fluids... No brakes no worries :devil: If I had the time and knowledge (which I'll gain over my life probably) I'd do all the semi-major work myself on a modern car. 3.5 L? What do you use it for? Tow a launch or something? Yeah I try back off from internal stuff. Maybe a head gasket/rocker cover. There were the days before mass jap imports, were I and older family members did valve grinds, clutch bands, cam profiles, head/trans/diff swaps, cranks regrounded, bearing caps, pop in oil seals and rings, etc. Mainly because there were few cars - and parts available at the time. Supercheap - also super thin and super light. Not keen on their suspension parts (look a bit brittle), and CV joint/steering rubbers (Transteering brand). They have split after 3 years use. kahawai chaser - that's comprehensive, not even on the schedule, maybe the dealer's service jobs thou. I am sorta questioning whether all that stuff is essential, VTNZ's WOF may be more difficult, a few may even say it's unnecessary. We do the lil jobs, obviously many would just send it to the franchise mechanic place when they don't have the expertise and don't really know who independent garage to trust. Those costs do add up. $130 Midas does a oil/filter change which specify a $20 value oil/filter. If people pick up a 6 or 8yr old Japanese import use it for say 8 years, are they essential? If one has a 30yr old car around it's looks a bit out of place too :D Yeah .. the book says mileage and years (or months) whichever earlier. Was it 6,000 miles or 3 months every oil/filter change. We do 6 months. Yeah maybe over kill WOF service check or not. But like to make sure sensor/electronic diagnostics/ mecahnicals are all good. Have been stranded with broken timing belt while back. Or a simple worn contacts or distributor carbon brush/dirty cam sensor (the angular degrees plate). I mean it's all not just the time faithful oil change that needs be done - well for cars a few years old. |
kahawai chaser (3545) | ||
| 1327159 | 2013-02-09 07:08:00 | Might have a look at the computer thing, read that some link to their smartphone :D Just needa learn about the flush and the fuel filter for the scheduled checklist, some dang cars have it under. So much easier in the engine compartment like our Camry. They generally have more room as well and better located for the daring DIY, while I have seen others they have the alternator and water pump near the bottom which means that one you had to dismantle the front part of the car and the radiator just to get in :annoyed: Leave the belts to the pro's. Gotta learn the sparks too doesn't seem too difficult. I enjoy doing things myself could spend an extra few nights overseas :D |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 1327160 | 2013-02-09 07:47:00 | There are smartphone/laptop apps/utilities for diagnostic checking. Works on bluetooth or USB and requires a dongle (often 16 pin connector). Or plug in battery code readers/scanners that connect. Tons online/ebay for sale varying in price and quality. They yield more specific data ("p" codes (www.troublecodes.net) - e.g. for Toyota) than the simple cel "2 jumper pin - paper cl (www.youtube.com)ip" (video for Honda) code flashes. Yeah water pumps are a pain - I replace with timing belt to do 2 jobs at once. Usually though just remove the engine mount (and sometimes alternator, power steering pump, and belts) and use two jacks/supports - one to carefully raise the engine 2 inches or so eyond the horizontal steering axis, and one to support frame/suspension. This vastly improves access to timing cover/pump. Remember if replacing fuel pump - to find and remove it's fuse/relay and start engine to expel ecess fuel. Or pull fuse when engine running 'till it shuts off. Otherwise high pressure fuel will spray out if you don't disable pump relay during removal. |
kahawai chaser (3545) | ||
| 1327161 | 2013-02-09 07:53:00 | Shifting a tonne of stuff around :D, Surprisingly on the welly masterton run it uses *about* the same amount of petrol as the Pugget (2001 Peugeot - 1.4 ltr) but for the added comfort and power when you need it, the Mitsy is much better. Also, despite the size it costs half as much to maintian. Only thing is, it KILLS in the city, moving off with a car that size, crikey! But cruising it's fantastic!. Not sure on litre-age but it gets me from welly to mtown and back on $50, with a little to spare for around J'ville before I need to fill up. Cruises at about 8-10 litre per 100km, I could improve that efficiency with a little tuning but since It's not 100% mine I haven't bothered. When she's all mine I'll probably strip it down a bit and clean it up. I think there's an oil leak somewhere but not too sure. As far as Supercheap goes, the Ryco oil filter I used isn't too bad. It will do the job fine, maybe later I might but a more expensive one on but I had the time to do the job and wasn't about to go finding a high quality filter which would probably only cost a few bucks more but take another week to arrive! Bring back the day when it was possible to even get the rocker covers OFF without dismantling the engine!! Let alone tune anything! On cars with a distributor, that rotor can give you grief. My mate's (who's studying to be a mechanic) had his car die... I say check for spark, NA MATE SHE'S JUST A BIT FLOODED EH!!! (yeah well no sh** you could smell the car was getting fuel, know it's getting air.... what's missing genius!!) a few hours of failed starting later, his gnarly old man whips down and sands the blazes off the dizzy cap and his car roars to life :rolleyes: Still give him **** about that hahah. But they can be fickle things. If it's new, the only thing you can really do yourself is change the oil. Pre '95 and you can pretty much do what ever but after that the japs and electronics come into play. Nomad: Those OBDII readers are great... IF THEY WORK! If you're serious about using one, make up cut and pay up the price of a good quality one. I paid $25 for mine from dealextreme, it's a bluetooth one. It works fine but it's not very compatible. Can't detect the ECU on the Mitsu or the Peugeot. Works on a VW Pasaat but only got the coolant temp from memory. I recall you live close to me, so if you want to borrow it and see how it goes flick me a PM. If you buy one of the more expensive Serial/USB or WiFi ones, they tend to be much better. The Bluetooth ones are good but update slower due to limitations of Bluetooth. If I get money I'll look into getting a 'proper' one. |
The Error Guy (14052) | ||
| 1327162 | 2013-02-09 09:57:00 | If it's new, the only thing you can really do yourself is change the oil. Pre '95 and you can pretty much do what ever but after that the japs and electronics come into play.. True. Error codes tend to accumulate, from electronics/electrics slowly compromising for early mid 90's vehicles. Oil leak - Crank seals and/or rear cam seal/O - ring might be starting to pop. I would check starter motor for oil contamination. Yeah been put of buying cheap OBII brandless scanners, having read about compatibilty issues, lack of firmware updates, adpaters required, etc. One I want is the OEM one or near enough - > 400 US dollars used. Stick to my paper clip method for now. |
kahawai chaser (3545) | ||
| 1327163 | 2013-02-09 21:07:00 | Just bought 1997 Honda CRV a week ago, and part of the deal is that the dealer is going to replace the cam belt in it . It has very low kms 87,670 . In the manual it says that the cam belt should be done at 100,000 miles, not kms and I would like to know what the general consensus is on this for the future . Should it be miles or kms? My old Honda Accord had the cambelt done twice, once at 110,000 kms and again at 119,000 kms . LL |
lakewoodlady (103) | ||
| 1327164 | 2013-02-09 21:10:00 | Around the 100,000 kms mark. :) |
Trev (427) | ||
| 1327165 | 2013-02-09 21:17:00 | I would reckon Kms too | gary67 (56) | ||
| 1327166 | 2013-02-09 21:17:00 | Thanks Trev. By the way, that last figure I posted should have read 219,000 not 119,000. | lakewoodlady (103) | ||
| 1327167 | 2013-02-09 21:49:00 | Or 10 years | prefect (6291) | ||
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