I had recently picked up a 02 Sebring with the 2.7l with approximately 155 k. The previous owner was running Castrol 5w30 and had did an o/c shortly before selling.The oil was clear so I ran with it instead of changing the oil as soon as I buy a used vehicle which is my usual habit. The vehicle now has 161k and during that time it used 2.5 qts which were replaced with 2 qts of Castrol Hi Mileage and a pint of Valvoline white bottle oil treatment.
I usually also do a tune up when I get a used vehicle but the PO stated he had did a tune up when he bought the car at 110k so I didn't do one. All of that being said leads to this.... my best friends son just graduated the auto repair program of the local technical college. So time to get a tune up ,give the kid some experience and save my 60 yr old back some strain.So an order to RockAuto was placed.
When the parts arrived I took the car over and dropped it off at their home along with a 5qt jug of Shell red bottle 5w30 and a luber-finer synthetic oil filter and instructions to save the old parts for inspection.I returned that afternoon and got a report from the kid.
The oil change -old oil filter was installed correctly,not overtightened, he said the oil plug was way over tight and they had to put a extended handle on the wrench to break it loose.
Tuneup- the old cannister type air filter had turned brown and had miscellaneous debris(straw, dead wasp, bird feathers).
PCV valve -the old one when shaken kind of thunked instead of a good rattle.So it was definitely time to replace it.
Spark plugs- PO had used Autolite standard plugs ,they had good color and when checked displayed a gap of .042-.052, gap is supposed to be .042 so time to replace.The replacement plugs were the appropriate Champion platinums.
The kid remarked that the car ran really good and that the spark plugs were not as difficult to do as the plugs on their Honda minivan. I asked what I owed him and he named a low amount because he said he kept my car all day.So I gave him more than he asked which was still a good deal for me and gave him some money for the weekend. the car runs well and seems to be maintaining a 23 mpg combined.
I usually also do a tune up when I get a used vehicle but the PO stated he had did a tune up when he bought the car at 110k so I didn't do one. All of that being said leads to this.... my best friends son just graduated the auto repair program of the local technical college. So time to get a tune up ,give the kid some experience and save my 60 yr old back some strain.So an order to RockAuto was placed.
When the parts arrived I took the car over and dropped it off at their home along with a 5qt jug of Shell red bottle 5w30 and a luber-finer synthetic oil filter and instructions to save the old parts for inspection.I returned that afternoon and got a report from the kid.
The oil change -old oil filter was installed correctly,not overtightened, he said the oil plug was way over tight and they had to put a extended handle on the wrench to break it loose.
Tuneup- the old cannister type air filter had turned brown and had miscellaneous debris(straw, dead wasp, bird feathers).
PCV valve -the old one when shaken kind of thunked instead of a good rattle.So it was definitely time to replace it.
Spark plugs- PO had used Autolite standard plugs ,they had good color and when checked displayed a gap of .042-.052, gap is supposed to be .042 so time to replace.The replacement plugs were the appropriate Champion platinums.
The kid remarked that the car ran really good and that the spark plugs were not as difficult to do as the plugs on their Honda minivan. I asked what I owed him and he named a low amount because he said he kept my car all day.So I gave him more than he asked which was still a good deal for me and gave him some money for the weekend. the car runs well and seems to be maintaining a 23 mpg combined.
