Do it yourself tips for the engine

Engine Cleanup

To make it easier to service your car, clean up the engine compartment. You could use some kerosene or Diesel with cotton waste. Take care to ensure that the engine is not hot while carrying out this operation. Also ensure that all the kerosene is wiped before attempting to start the vehicle.Cover the alternator, distributor cap and coil with plastic bags, securing them with string. Remove air cleaner and cover the carburettor in a similar fashion. Wipe all over the engine and engine compartment, avoiding electronic or electric components.

Allow it to soak in a few minutes, and then hose it off. If the engine is not clean, repeat the procedure using a small brush to work the cleaner into particularly dirty spots. If the engine won't start when you've finished, clean any moisture from distributor and coil wire cables, then spray them with a water displacing lubricant.

Engine Tuneup

The complete power plant maintenance procedure should be performed when you first purchase a car (second hand specifically)and at regular intervals thereafter. For cars with contact breaker (points) ignition, plan on doing this service at 10,000 Km intervals, for cars with high-energy electronic systems, perform the service at 15,000 to 20,000 Km intervals. Some enthusiasts replace all high- wear items when they first purchase their cars. This strategy will give you a baseline for future reference-you'll know just how old these components are. Maintenance items include air filter, PCV valve, sparkplugs, fuel filter, distributor cap and rotor, ignition cables, and, in cars with contact breaker ignition, points and condenser. Begin the maintenance tune up by removing all of the sparkplugs. Carefully note the condition of the old plugs. Depending on type of fuel used and model year of the car, their colour can range from white to grey to light brown. However, it should be clear that all of them were operating. None should be markedly darker than the others and all of them should be dry.

Compression Testing

If some of the plugs look wet and oily, you should perform a compression test. Before you can test compression, you have to arrange some means of holding the throttle and the choke open. Then, disconnect the negative wire from the coil and cover its terminal end with a piece of electrical tape.
With a compression gauge held firmly in place or threaded into the No 1 sparkplug hole, crank the engine five revolutions or until the gauge goes no higher. Write down the compression reading and move on to the next cylinder. Cranking the engine the same number of revolutions. Continue until all cylinders have been tested, and compare your readings. All should be within 75 percent of your strongest cylinder and each should at least reach the minimum pressure found in the spec table of your repair manual. If readings are not up to spec further diagnosis will be necessary to determine the cause.
If your car has high-energy electronic ignition and if the plugs look okay and are no more than 20,000 Km old you may want to clean and regap them. Check for rounding of the sharp edges on both inner and ground electrodes. If they look good and are all nearly the same colour, clean them with a wire brush and a sharp knife,(ideally you could have a broken hacksaw blade sharpned ) Use the awl to clean any deposits from around the insulator. Take care not to break the ceramic/plastic insulator body. On cars with contact breaker ignition, sparkplugs should be replaced at 15,000Km intervals regardless of condition.

Replacing the Plugs

Before installing the plugs, check the gap with a wire sparkplug gauge. Use the gap tool to bend the electrode if the gap is not to specs. Don't try to close the gap is not by hammering the electrode .You could crack the insulator.

Reinstall the plugs, starting each one by hand to make sure it doesn't cross thread. If possible, tighten them to 20 ft lb. With a torque wrench .In any case, don't overt tighten them. If you can't reach the sparkplug hole easily, try slipping a length of rubber hose over the terminal end of the plug. This will act as an extension handle. Inspect the plugs, starting each one by hand to make sure it doesn't cross thread. If possible, tighten them to 20 ft.lb. With a torque wrench. In any case, don't over tighten them. Inspect the plug wires for checking cracks, burns, brittleness or other visible damage.

Clean any corrosion from the terminals. The boots must fit securely on both the plugs and the cap. Replace the set if any are damaged. Silicone rubber jacketed plug wires- such as those used on high-energy ignition applications-offer far better heat and current-leakage protection than conventional wires.

Checking the Cap and Rotor

Once the wires are installed, remove the distributor cap and clean the inside with a dry rag. Look for cracks, fractures or any evidence of carbon tracking. Carbon tracks are lines running from one outer terminal to another or from one terminal to the centre terminal. If tracking or physical damage is noted, replace the

cap. If the cap looks okay, clean all corrosion from the terminals. If it cannot be scraped from the terminals with a small knife, replace the cap. Remove the rotor and examine it. It should be replaced if it is cracked, chipped or carbon tracked. Clean corrosion from the tip with a knife. If the rotor is to the point where it cannot be cleaned easily, it should be replaced.

On cars with electronic ignition, the distributor service ends here, assuming of course that there has been no ignition related performance problem. If an ignition problem is affecting engine operation, diagnostic procedures must be performed. This differs from car to car, and in some cases substitution testing with known good parts is part of the procedure. Therefore, you may want to let a dealer or large independent service facility handle such problems.

Replacing the Points

If your car has a contact breaker ignition system, replace the points and con- denser. Begin by rotating the engine until the rubbing block of the points is on the high point of the distributor cam. Disconnect the distributor's primary wire and the condenser wire from the points before removing the points and condenser. Don't drop the screws or you may have to spend hours recovering them. On most cars, the screws that hold the points need only be loosened for removal. Install the new points and condenser and attach both wires to the points. With the rubbing block of the contact set touching a high point of the distributor cam, adjust the

point gap to specification using a feeler gauge

Lubricate the distributor dam with a small amount of cam lubricant or white lithium grease. A very small amount is enough. Don't overdo it. If the distributor is equipped with a lubricating wick( like a Maruti 800) that touches the cam, don't attempt to oil it. Replace it instead. Reinstall the distributor rotor and cap. If you have a dwell meter, start the engine and check point dwell. Readjust if necessary.

Choke Adjustment

Remove the air cleaner and check the filter. If it appears dirty replace it. Replace the fuel filter. On most cars, it's in the fuel line or behind the inlet fitting on the carburetor. Clean the choke mechanism and linkage with carburetor cleaner. Ensure the choke cable is free and the same same does not remain in an engaged position. Carry out any adjustment as required.

Checking the Timing

Warm the engine and check ignition timing with a timing light. On late model cars, you'll, find specs and general instructions on the vehicle information label under the hood.

Once you've checked initial spark advance check vacuum advance by accelerating the engine to 1,500 rpm. Then, while holding it at this speed, connect the vacuum advance line to the distributor. Timing should advance. If not, replace the vacuum diaphragm unit. Disconnect the

vacuum advance line and check centrifugal advance by accelerating the engine to 3,500 rpm while watching the timing marks with your light.Timing should advance. If it doesn't, remove the distributor cap and check the centrifugal weights for binding on applications where weights are located directly under the rotor.

Where weights are not located under the rotor, the distributor will have to be removed and disassembled to service the centrifugal advance mechanism. The latest engines have no vacuum or centrifugal advance, as a computer controls engine timing.

PCV Valves

Replace the PCV valve and the PCV filter every 40, 000Km. Check and clean then every 20,000. To check the PCV valve, remove it from the intake manifold or rocker cover and start the engine.

Check for vacuum at the end of the valve with your thumb. If you feel nothing, the valve or hose is clogged. Replace any hoses that don't look good. If vacuum is present and the hoses look okay, shut off the engine and remove the valve. Shake it. You should hear the needle rattle inside. If it doesn't rattle, the valve must be replaced. Before you call your maintenance turn up complete, you should check the condition and connections of all vacuum hoses. If they're cracked or brittle, replace them. A vacuum leak will make the best tuned engine idle roughly

Lubrication Service

If you want to prolong the life of the engine, you should change your oil at regular intervals. While some manufacturers recommend far longer oil- change intervals, most mechanics will tell you that the best thing you can do to make your engine last a long time, particularly with an older car, is to change the oil frequently. Warm the engine completely before changing the oil. Drive the car for at least 20 minutes. Idling it won't make it warm enough. The vehicle needs to reach operating temperature. Once the engine is warm, shut it off and raise the car on jack stands or ramps. To do the job correctly, the car must be level. This means you'll have to lift the front and rear. Getting the car up in the air will also allow you to inspect the chassis components and other under car parts. Place a drain pan under the car that is large enough to hold all the oil. Use a socket wrench or box wrench to remove the drain plug. If the plug has a square hole in its centre, use the square drive of a ratchet to loosen it. Allow the warm oil to drain completely. While the oil is draining, remove the filter. If your drain pan doesn't extend to the area of the filter, use another pan to catch the filter spillage or wait until the oil has drained. Don't shortchange the drain time, though. Make sure the oil has stopped dripping from the plughole. Needless to say if this may sound too messy or you may not have the space to carry out this operation the same needs to be carried out at a local service station.

Oil Filter Removal

Use a filter wrench to loosen the canister-type filters that are found on nearly all latest-model vehicles. Make sure the old gasket comes off with the filter. Clean the filter mounting area and partially fill the new filter with some of the oil that will be used to fill the crankcase. Lube the filter gasket with the clean oil as well. Install the filter, tightening it according to the directions printed on it.

Older model cars may have a cartridge-style filter, contained within a metal canister. The canister is held onto the mount by means of a bolt through its centre. Remove the filter by loosening the bolt. Dump the old cartridge into your drain pan and clean the can thoroughly with solvent and a brush. Install the new filter element in the can and lube the gasket with engine oil. Make sure that the old gasket has been removed, and reinstall the filter can. Once you're sure that the oil has drained completely, reinstall the drain plug. Tighten it with moderation. Don't make it as tight as you possibly can, this may result in the nut slipping. In case this happens the repair would need to be attended to by a proffesional service centre.

Choosing an Oil

Check your owner's manual to determine proper refill oil if your car is relatively new or under warranty. Carmakers recommend SF grade oils for the latest petrol engines and SF/CC or SF/CD oils for the latest Diesels. For older high-mileage cars, use a slightly thicker multi grade oil. If your car has a new engine, use SF 2OW40 . Fill the crankcase with the correct amount of oil and run it for a few minutes, checking the leaks from the filter or drain plug. Shut it off wait for ten to fifteen minutes and check oil level on the dipstick.

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