Every 3,000 Miles Maintenance tasks
by Miller | November 3, 2008 | In Routine Maintenance | 3 Comments
Maintenance to be done every 3,000 Miles (5,000km).
Do all the more frequent tasks and in addition:
- Check the car underneath. look at the rubber dirt excluders on the steering ball joints. Check the flexible hydraulic pipes for the brakes ( one at each front wheel, one just inside each rear suspension forward pivot), for rubbing or leaks.
- Check under the car for oil leaks (or new oil leaks if minor seepage already occurs).
- Lubricate the grease nippled on the king pins. Jack up the car to get the weight off the front suspension. Clean the nipples ( one each side ). Pump in grease till it extrudes clean at the ends of the king pin. Wipe off excess grease ( a little left around helps keep out wet ).
- Check the fan belt tension. It should be possible to press it down 1/2 inch ( 1cm ) using one finger and hard pressure. To tighten, undo the three nuts clamping the two parts of the dynamo pulley, and move a spacer from between the two halves to the outside. Do not over-tighten or the dynamo bearings will be overloaded. Excessive slackness wears the belt by slipping. New belts stretch, and require checking two or three times in their first few hundred miles.
- Gearbox and differential.Check oil level which must reach the bottom face of the plug fitted on the right side of gearbox. If necessary, add FIAT W 90 (SAE 90 EP) oil.
- Steering box.Check oil level which must reach the bottom face of the plug fitted on box left side. If necessary, add FIAT W 90
- Air cleaner.Clean cartridge accurately by shaking off the dust and blowing with a low-pressure air blast. Replace cartridge, if clogged.
When dusty conditions prevail, clean and replace cartridge more often. - Generator and fan drive belt.Check and, if necessary, adjust belt tension; correct sag under a pressure of 22 lbs (10 kg): about 3/8” (1 cm). (see page)
- Ignition distributor.Check breaker point gap which must be .0185” to .0209” (0,47 to 0,53 mm).
- Spark plugs.Clean spark plugs and check if electrode gap is .0 197” to .0236” (0,5 to 0,6 mm).
- Brake fluid reservoir.Check level and, if required, top up to the strainer. Use exclusively the special FIAT blue brake fluid (or equivalent non-mineral HI) fluid).
- Tires.To equalize tire wear, rotate tires in criss-cross fashion.
- Battery.Check terminals and clamps for tightness and cleanliness,
