scheduled maintenance....

[D_Train]

Originally Posted by IHateHacks

Don't bring your car to the dealer, they will rape you. They will charge you $1000 to change the timing belt which is the biggest scheduled maintenance item on MK3's. You can do it yourself for $30, the cost of the timing belt from a dealer. Add $150 if you want to change the tensioner also, I highly recommend replacing it since it probably spins like an old roller skate and the dealer will not do it even for $1000.

Biggest 2 items are timing belt and fuel filter for scheduled maintenance. Unless you count the head gasket.

The head gasket is where i'm a little iffy about.

The previous owner needed to have the Main Bearing replaced. I am unaware what that isexactly, but isn't it something that you have to take the engine apart for thus retorqueing the head? He would have done this at like, 45K i'd say. it is now at 90k

I am just a nubbie when it comes to some of this stuff. I need to get in touch with KUBAN who i used to chat with on this board. I haven't seen him around in a while.

[D_Train]

bump for response :-)

[IHateHacks]

Sorry works a bitch.

Main bearing? Well you have 7 of them and they are all inside the oil pan and they are not something you normally replace. They hold the crank in place. Has nothing to do with the cylinder head.

I was half joking about the head gasket, but it really should be listed in scheduled maintenance.

[D_Train]

Originally Posted by IHateHacks

Sorry works a bitch.

Main bearing? Well you have 7 of them and they are all inside the oil pan and they are not something you normally replace. They hold the crank in place. Has nothing to do with the cylinder head.

I was half joking about the head gasket, but it really should be listed in scheduled maintenance.

And it's too late to just retorque it or something? I'm only at 90k right now with no symptoms. I know how notorious our cars are for BHG's though and No 7m is immune to it! Lol.

[IHateHacks]

Do not touch those head bolts unless you are taking them out and the head off.

Just watch your overflow bottle, it is the best free way to examine the condition of your cooling system. If the level is always getting lower with no signs of leakage, or if the level doesn't move at all from a cold morning to when you drive the car and fully warm it up, then you can bet the head gasket is on its way out. If the overflow bottle "overflows" onto the ground, then you better stop driving it ASAP.

[D_Train]

Originally Posted by IHateHacks

Do not touch those head bolts unless you are taking them out and the head off.

Just watch your overflow bottle, it is the best free way to examine the condition of your cooling system. If the level is always getting lower with no signs of leakage, or if the level doesn't move at all from a cold morning to when you drive the car and fully warm it up, then you can bet the head gasket is on its way out. If the overflow bottle "overflows" onto the ground, then you better stop driving it ASAP.

Yah. I had a radiator cap issue a few months ago that was giving the exact symptoms as a BHG so I know what to look for (i also went through the headache of assuming it was a BHG and testing it for that and all that headache stuff).