Just Bought A 1.6 Focus - Things To Do?

[Dreamz]

Hi all,

New here, previous Alfa owner but have given that up for a little while to reduce running costs :D

I've bought a second hand Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr (petrol) with about 110k on the clock, generally she runs really well, although the coil pack had a problem 2 weeks after buying which caused a few issues, but seems ok now.

So, i wanted to give her a good seeing to this weekend, changing oil/filters all that kinda stuff, anyone fancy giving me a list of things I should renew/clean/change etc to get the best out of her?

Seems the aircon has also run out - rough cost for a re-gas?

Cheers!

Paul

[georgen]

there's the normal,

Air filter

oil filter

Plugs

oil

Aux belt

Pollen filter if you have one.

You will also have to check if its had a timing belt done or if it needs one.

Then there engine flush to add to oil before you drop it,

Injector cleaner, dont have to much petrol in tank so it stays more concentrated.

And what nearly everyone with a petrol engine forgets, A fuel filter.

Check any engine breathers for build up of crap, clean out and also check for perished breather and vac pipes.

P.s As for leaving Alfa, you just wanted a car that wasn't wired by a lunatic with a sense of humor, don't you LOL.

[Dreamz]

heh my 156 was easily the best car i've driven - i hate the new generation of Alfa's though, disgusting :(

thanks for the list, i'll get on it over the weekend :)

[georgen]

heh my 156 was easily the best car i've driven - i hate the new generation of Alfa's though, disgusting :(

thanks for the list, i'll get on it over the weekend :)

Scratched that itch too :P

[Dreamz]

aww she's gorgeous, sold her? i'm going to get another... just for fun/mods etc :-) i'd like 2.5-3l engine though, sounds amazing :-)

anyway! stop making me want to go find another for £1,000! :)

where can i get a replacement ariel mount too - this one's been snapped off (the thread) so need to replace the base?

also car ramps or jacks etc? thinking ramps would be much easier/safer than jacking (esp for someone new to it :))

[Lenny]

where can i get a replacement ariel mount too - this one's been snapped off (the thread) so need to replace the base?

also car ramps or jacks etc? thinking ramps would be much easier/safer than jacking (esp for someone new to it :))

Aerial base can be purchase here

http://www.european-parts.net/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/58_62/products_id/1477/osCsid/f0vm0117dfh6bnkglo41ifdnt7

And personally ramps are better for your suspension and bushes, so I'd go for ramps

And go to your local motor factors or Halfords

Purchase a can of Wynne's engine flush,

Costs around 7 pounds, put it in your engine oil 5 minutes before draining and run the engine,

It breaks down carbon lumps in your dirty oil helping to clean inside out.

Looks like a red bull can and opens much the same way but don't drink it lol

[georgen]

Yeah sold about 2 year back, it was the second Alfa Ive owned ans strangely neither had electrical probs LOL,

and Ill second Lenny, ramps are better, just make sure you chock the wheels on the ground, safety first.

[btmaldon]

I had one of those in the Sportwagen. Fabulous to drive. I was just paranoid about the cambelt going.

[Dreamz]

ah i bought a kit in the end, £49 for the axel stands, jack, roll trolley etc (which i'll probably only use when im decorating the skirting boards in the house lol) but cheaper than the £80 ramps they were selling and also they had it incorrect marked (should have been £69) :)

i'll give it all a go tomorrow, where's the best place to jack the car up (dont say the driveway haha)

[Lenny]

ah i bought a kit in the end, £49 for the axel stands, jack, roll trolley etc (which i'll probably only use when im decorating the skirting boards in the house lol) but cheaper than the £80 ramps they were selling and also they had it incorrect marked (should have been £69) :)

i'll give it all a go tomorrow, where's the best place to jack the car up (dont say the driveway haha)

There are specific jacking points under the car close to each wheel,

And jack it up on concrete or tarmac etc.

Don't ever jack on gravel, or any loose terrain

[Dreamz]

thanks lenny, oil change morning today, got the redbull ready, jacking up on concrete drive :-)

[Lenny]

thanks lenny, oil change morning today, got the redbull ready, jacking up on concrete drive :-)

Sweet,

Do us a guide on oil change mate, its something I fear doing myself encase I get leaks or something.

[Dreamz]

Changed the filter but couldnt get sump nut off :-( (wrench/spanners/maul grips/hammer etc - not budging) so may need to take to garage and ask them just to change the oil with the oil i've bought :( (hate being defeated lol) glad i jacked the car though, never done it so more confident with that now :)

Noticed whilst under there that the 1st muffler is a `little` wobbly - notice it going over speed bumps sometimes (slowly) as can hear it knock sometimes - this normal?

It had it's MOT done not so long ago and they changed the exhaust pipe that you can see if you look over the back of the engine, downwards, however, im sure they told me they changed the whole exhaust (as was one peice) yet the pipes under the car are the old/original/semi rusty ones - only that top one is `shiny`

[Lenny]

Changed the filter but couldnt get sump nut off :-( (wrench/spanners/maul grips/hammer etc - not budging) so may need to take to garage and ask them just to change the oil with the oil i've bought :( (hate being defeated lol) glad i jacked the car though, never done it so more confident with that now :)

Noticed whilst under there that the 1st muffler is a `little` wobbly - notice it going over speed bumps sometimes (slowly) as can hear it knock sometimes - this normal?

It had it's MOT done not so long ago and they changed the exhaust pipe that you can see if you look over the back of the engine, downwards, however, im sure they told me they changed the whole exhaust (as was one peice) yet the pipes under the car are the old/original/semi rusty ones - only that top one is `shiny`

Try spray some WD-40 on the sump plug, and reach across to spray,

To avoid it splashing you in the face,

The exhaust section your referring to is the flexi down pipe

Its held on with rubber exhaust mounts, the same as the back box and is designed to have some level of free play.

The straight section goes from flexi down pipe to rear silencer box.

[georgen]

For the sump-plug you need a spanner with a ring with 6 flats in it, so its shaped like the nut and a good fit, the hit the spanner with a metal bar of something heavy and metal in the right direction,(anti clockwise) the shock of the metal hitting the spanner shock's the bolt loose, failing this its a trip to a garage, you local backstreet would be best/cheapest for this

[Dreamz]

ill have another go this weekend, i beat the crap out of it at the last attempt so reckon it'll be a quick stop into a garage so they can loosen it/replace the nut.

also, is this car like hyper sensitive to fuel types? ie i put in £30 (about 25ltrs) from Tesco, just bog standard stuff, and did 170ish miles on it so reckon about 30mpg.

this week i put £20 in (16ltrs) from M&S/BP shop/garage, and i reckon i'll hit 80miles by the same point the fuel light comes on - this is equivilent to around 22mpg.

thing is, this week ive driven really conservatively to try and get the best mpg i can, but its just not doing it - now to the point im thinking is the car just old/fked and worth replacing...

just curious about the fuel though, as had a similar experience on holiday in Menorca with a rented 206 and 2 different garages :)