Maintainance...

[carbonman]

Hey
As you most likely know by now I am new to surfs...
What are people generally doing regards to servicing their surf? :-0

I have been told by a garage mate that to be on the safe side and to keep the engine spritely to service it (I think he is meaning oil change, filter etc.. not major service) every 4000 miles...
what do you all think about that...?

Also my main run in the surf is through town to and from work everyday... which I get up to a great speed of about 25mph tops...
I know this isn't exactly giving the engine a stretch... I do take it out on A-roads on the weekends and obviously plan to do copious amounts of off roading when poss.. excluding the kerb rides..
Should I be regularly running redex through it, blatting when I get a chance on a A-road, or will it be fine either way...

Any advice or opinions be great...

Friday w00t.... play time tomorrow...

[Koi]

Hey
As you most likely know by now I am new to surfs...
What are people generally doing regards to servicing their surf? :-0

I have been told by a garage mate that to be on the safe side and to keep the engine spritely to service it (I think he is meaning oil change, filter etc.. not major service) every 4000 miles...
what do you all think about that...?

Also my main run in the surf is through town to and from work everyday... which I get up to a great speed of about 25mph tops...
I know this isn't exactly giving the engine a stretch... I do take it out on A-roads on the weekends and obviously plan to do copious amounts of off roading when poss.. excluding the kerb rides..
Should I be regularly running redex through it, blatting when I get a chance on a A-road, or will it be fine either way...

Any advice or opinions be great...

Friday w00t.... play time tomorrow...

Oil changes are recommended every 3000 miles and the filter every 6000, but most on here agree its better to change the oil and filter at the same time.
Giving it a bottle of redex every so often ain't a bad thing followed by a good blast up a motorway or dual carriage way.
Keep all the joints greased up as well via the grease nipples.

[robnw67]

Servicing

Most motor manufacturers seem to regard town driving as severe conditions and advise more frequent servicing accordingly.

It's all a combination of low engine speeds, frequent starting, high brake use, and high A/transmission/clutch use - leads to increased engine wear. In additon, if the engine doesn't get warm enough to evaporate all the moisture/condensation in the engine - oil contamination can occur.

I guess the long and short of it is - even if you change the oil on a more frequent basis than recommended, you're going to do no harm. I usually change mine every 5000 miles, but may reconsider given what your mate has said.

My mate reckons the Audi TT only requires an oil change every 12000 miles - wouldn't fancy that!

[Guest]

Change the Oil and Filter every 3000-4000 miles (if you are doing most of the journeys round town then do it every 3000. Use a good synthetic oil, I'd recommend an oil additive as well (Wynns is good).

Personally I'd disconnect the EGR valve as well but then that is my opinion and others have different opinions. My main reasoning for this is that recirculating exhaust gas into the intake also reintroduces carbon particles and these get into the oil and prematurely age it.

Alternatively you can just give it a good old blat down the Motorway every now and then just to keep it all clean and running nice.

Also change the Fuel Filter every 10,000 miles and the airfilter when it gets dirty but at least every 10,000 miles - more often if you do a lot of off roading.

As Koi said, keep all the UJs and ball joints greased up regular and give it a good pressure wash every now and then underneath to get all the muck off it. Check the Diff oil levels when you change the engine oil and check the oil levels (engine and Transmission) every week also the coolant level as well. Transmission level should be checked with the engine running, handbrake on and in park having warmed up the engine and cycled through the gears (i.e. move the lever slowly from park through to 1 and then back again while the engine is running).

Cheers

[carbonman]

Nice one

Thanks guys thats all good info, will make sure I keep that up... I plan on having my surf for some time yet!
Cheers appreciated...
CM

[da SLUG man]

i service mine 2 times a year... when its starts getting cold (winter) and when it starts to warm up again (summer)... no definate mileage interval... obviously keep an eye on it all, oil condition, peek at the air filter and check for obvious wear or damage. i think the stated service intervals are for people who don't have a clue what their motor's doing and never check the oil etc.. for safety more than anything else.
it's a good idea to whip the wheels off now and then too, so you can have a look at the breaks and give the tyres a quick once over for damage... with the wheels off it also gives a bit better view of what's underneath.

[JimL]

whatcha mean dabig, the wheels really can come off ?

[Rob]

Do mine every 10,000km (6,250miles). Which is once so far! I do about 12-15,000 miles a year.

[Guest]

whatcha mean dabig, the wheels really can come off ?

Generally only with te aid of a big hammer. Point to remember for those with Alloys, wipe some coppaslip around the studs and the mating faces of the brake drum (especially around the hub part of the brake disk that the wheel slides onto. That way you won't have a problem getting the wheels off when it's Pi**ing with rain and you just got a puncture on Boxing day (not that it ever happened to me !!!!)

Cheers

[da SLUG man]

whatcha mean dabig, the wheels really can come off ?

esp. if you wanna put some big shiny new ones on!