Preventative Maintenance, follow the manual?

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Just looking for some advice from my fellow OCD BITOG members. I'm about to change the cabin and air filter on the ST and while looking at the scheduled maintenance I noticed that Ford really doesn't list too much.


20k - cabin filter
30k - air filter
100k - coolant change
100k - spark plugs
150k - manual trans fluid

And that's it. Besides the filters I was just planning on lubing doors and hinges. Do you find these recommendations to be too far stretched out? And what else would you add to the list?
 
Depending on the type of trans fluid, I may change that one, but all of the others look acceptable to me. I believe Ford/Motorcaft Gear oil is supposed to be some of the best there is.
 
Unless you drive in dusty conditions or drive like a crazy person those are fine. You also have to rotate the tires and change the oil/filter.
 
The mtf looks like a very long time period. Maybe if all the 150k miles were on the highway. Otherwise I'd change at 30k if mostly city miles or 50k with half and half(city/hwy).
 
No crazy driving. And yeah I do 6 month OCI's and rotate the tires once a year when the winter wheels go on.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
The mtf looks like a very long time period. Maybe if all the 150k miles were on the highway. Otherwise I'd change at 30k if mostly city miles or 50k with half and half(city/hwy).


150k also seems long to me too, but 30k for MTF? If it's an easy job I'll do it, if not, I'd say 50-60k would be the point where I'd be itching to change it.
 
I would do a trans fluid change if you are going to keep the car for a long time.
 
I'd do the plugs at 50k and use OEM plugs. Just to make sure they don't freeze in the heads.

I had a set of Champion double platinum that were shot at ~25k. Very disappointing.
 
I'd change the manual transmission fluid earlier. But that's just me.

Probably every 100k.

I'd flush the brake fluid every time I had to touch the brakes.
 
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I would do the first MTF change at 30K, if it looks clean then stretch it out.
Get the early wear-in particles out.
I'd also change PSF at 30K (again for wear-in) and brake fluid every 2-3 years.
My Matrix has a 5-speed known to be problematic.
I changed the MTF at 22k and it looked "dirtier" and felt grittier than the fluid in my previous Hondas after 30K.
Also changed the PSF early and it was pretty dark with black specks.
 
After finding this site, I now do only what is in the manual and no sooner. I wish I had found this place years ago when I obsessed and changed stuff that didn't need it. Overmaintaining is nothing more than flushing your money down the toilet.
 
I'm going BITOG-anal and changing my MTF at 5k.
Otherwise, not much over-maintaining. Getting out break-in debris from the gearbox seems like a good idea, although not practiced or preached all that often here.
 
MTF at 150k miles is not possible for me to sleep well at night(or day). First change should be around 30-35k miles, if fluid condition is good then 50k miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I'd do the plugs at 50k and use OEM plugs. Just to make sure they don't freeze in the heads.

I had a set of Champion double platinum that were shot at ~25k. Very disappointing.


50K is too early. Buy the right plugs and you won't have a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
I would do the first MTF change at 30K, if it looks clean then stretch it out.
Get the early wear-in particles out.


This is a big plus on long-term keepers. I have over the years seen many comments from fleet managers that early over-maintenance pays off big time on the back end. If this is a car you want to keep past 100k to high mileage, consider doing early change on PSF and MT fluid, like say at 10k. With brake and cooling systems not having gear sets wearing in, it's not needed on those.

- Coolant fills are good to 100k on the factory fills on most new coolants, but subsequent ones are usually spec'd 50k.
- If your plugs are iridium, then I'd pull one after 60k and check it, and then another one every 15k. 100 to 120k is usually a good life with quality long-life iridium plugs. Fine wire ones wear out much earlier, more like platinum life span. Not all iridiums are equivalent.
- Once a year squirt some tri-flow or lock-ease in your ignition and door locks (if that car has them).
- Once a year I lube my door, sunroof, window, trunk seals with sil-glyde.
- Brake fluid every two to three years as mentioned.
 
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Seems fine to me what they recommend. The cabin filter and air filter you can judge to do earlier or stretch it out. The rest the same..you would have to be the judge. I am pretty conservative with stuff..I dol change the oil way too often though
smile.gif
 
****Loving sarcasm****

And of course your tires, brakes, hoses, belts, and car finish require no maintenance. You have not listed storage conditions for the vehicle nor driving frequency; every vehicle is different. I test my motor oil and change it when the lab tells me to. Likewise, I do NOT change brake fluid or antifreeze at "recommended" intervals; there are empirical and inexpensive tests...I don't like paying for unneeded maintenance or destroying the earth with petroleum pollutants.

Change brake fluid when the test strips show copper contamination: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E6TX...ailpage_o02_s00

Do you want to spend $120 because some grease monkey says your brake fluid "looks" dirty? Or would you like to KNOW the condition of the fluid for $9? (Actually $4.50 because you get two strips for $9). Can you afford $4.50 per year to know your brake fluid's condition?

Likewise, do you want to spend $90-120 to "flush" your cooling system; or KNOW the condition of your coolant for $9: http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Trak-311519-C...eze+test+strips For this $9, you get more test strips than you will ever use. Store them in a cool dry place, like a toolbox drawer. Test when you feel like it.

My vehicles are stored at night in a heated garage, my wife's antifreeze has NOT been changed in 11 years; her ph is good and the fluid is translucent NOT opaque. Similarly, her brake fluid has been changed once in 110K miles and tests copper free and usable.

I enjoy taking good care of my vehicles; I don't like unqualified advice or unneeded maintenance, of which there is plenty, including in service manuals. Remember, the manual was written by engineers who want to sell you another new car in 3-5-6 years...And if you can keep it running long enough, they'll quit making parts for it. But that's a rant for another day. Enjoy the smell of your newer vehicle.
 
Well my Scion TC says that the ATF is lifetime and no maintenance will be needed for 90 to 100k. Every. Single. OUA of Type IV ATF shows the fluid is spent at 30 to 40k depending on driving conditions. I have seen a few other manuals over the years that have oil and ATF intervals that are far far too optimistic.
 
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