Service Tips

[Skezza]

Hi,

Just looking for some tips on servicing my missus KA, 2003 duratec engine.

Firstly, oil change. I've heard that KA's filters sit horizontal at the back of the engine. Is there any undertray or anything like that? Is it possible to access from the engine bay, or is it a car in the air job?

Is this oil compatible:

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/Ford_Ka_1.3_2003/p/car-parts/car-lubricants-and-car-fluids/lubricant-and-fluids/engine-oil/?521772231&1&4a4d9337c47fc354ce999aa33f2dde08db817fc6&1&000398

At that price, it's not even worth considering taking it to a garage.

Changing the air filter, I can't find any kind of advice apart from a few fairly abstract tips regarding disconnecting the airbox. Is this necessary? Is it just a lid off job or disconnect the full airbox, remove then open?

[delboy]

You will need to jack the car up or buy some wheel ramps to use as you need to get under the ka to do the oil filter change from memory

The oil you chose will be fine

If you use a jack then make sure you use axle stands and chock the opposite corner wheel your jacking up ie. Jack front off side then chock rear near side

[Skezza]

Hi mate,

I have both (ramps and stands), I'll probably use stands though because it's just quicker and easier in my opinion. I still find ramps a pain in the !Removed! to get up at times, even with the stop bar! My dad swears by them, but I just find them horrible to use in my Lupo and my missus was probably moan about me driving up them.

It'll be a good time to do the exhaust flex pipe as well.

Ok, I'll get that oil and a new Mann filter. oil change for under £20. Bargain.

Is there any engine undertray on KA's? I've been told there was on Fiesta's and Mondeo's but not on the KA. I'm just wondering if there's anything i'll need to expect?

Cheers

[delboy]

an undertray od the older ka no never has been one and i cannot remember there being one on a fiesta pre mk6

[Skezza]

That's ideal then. I'm thinking of swapping to topside oil changes you see, so it would be great if I could get the oil out nice and quick, jack it on one side, one axle stand, boom. Change oil filter. Could be done in a matter of minutes :D

With an undertray, that'd be kind of awkward but with no undertray, that would be dead easy.

I should have looked the last time I was under but heh, never thought to.

[delboy]

best way to get oil out is run the car for a few mins to get oil warm as it will flow out easy then. when you do the oil change add a bottle of tappet additive to the oil as it will clean the tappets and lubricate them properly and stop them pinking.

[Skezza]

best way to get oil out is run the car for a few mins to get oil warm as it will flow out easy then. when you do the oil change add a bottle of tappet additive to the oil as it will clean the tappets and lubricate them properly and stop them pinking.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/engine-oils-fluids/fuel-oil-additives/wynns-hydraulic-valve-lifter-350ml

Is that the kind of stuff? I'll go and buy some tonight and put it in. Anything to keep the little thing running for longer. It's on 100k miles now, but the engine was rebuilt about 10k miles ago.

Did the oil change yesterday. I'm not a big Ford fan, in-particular the KA (sorry guys :P) but I have to say, the oil filter location on the KA Duratec is superb. I did a topside oil extraction as opposed to a traditional drain because I didn't have any replacement washers (I tend to drop once every 3 changes as I'm never sure if all the sludge gets out topside), so I extracted the oil, got the car up in the air, only to realize you can actually access the filter from just under the front bumper as it's right at the front of the engine block. To be fair, it was seized on solid so that might have been a problem, but I got my filter removal tool on it (never used it before, but it's like a big jaw that grips the filter and you ratchet it), and after putting a hell of a lot of effort in, it slowly started to go and came. Oiled up the gasket on the new filter, so next time I change the oil, I'm going to try and do it without getting the car in the air. If I can, then I reckon I'd be able to do an oil change in about 20 minutes. NO excuses for my missus now not to change her oil.

By the way, not sure what oil it had in before, but it was absolutely disgusting. Very black, and having let it settle for a night, a strange orange layer of filth has appeared on the top. Never seen that before.

Anyone had this before? Is it just because it's old oil (been nearly 11k miles since it was last changed)? Or is it just cheap oil?

Edit: Have to say, filling it up was a pain, the !Removed! engine leans slightly backwards? Who's clever idea was that?

[delboy]

thats the stuff just add to new oil and you dont do anything until next oil change then add another bottle. i add a bottle every other change as i change oil every 12 months

[Skezza]

thats the stuff just add to new oil and you dont do anything until next oil change then add another bottle. i add a bottle every other change as i change oil every 12 months

Thanks man. I'll put some in. I've ordered some rather than buying from Halfords as it's about £5 less. Can't hurt. I am trying my very best to keep this little KA running because my missus does have a thing for them. She had one which was written off when someone shunted her, and decided to get another. Can't see it myself :P although as a VW man, I have to say I would love to have my oil filter under the bumper where it's located on this little KA Duratec. Brilliant idea!

[delboy]

i said Halfords as it was the only one that had a decent piccy of it. its good stuff to use but allow it to do its job fill engine oil as you would normally then top up with the tappet additive. on my cgalaxy it took about 300 mile for the pinking to go away but in some cases its quicker / longer depending on how bad they are.

[Skezza]

To be fair, there's been no pinking on this Ka, but I think I'll add some for good measure. Car's running fine for now and the engine oil seems very clean considering I did a topside change. Maybe I was able to suck out more than from the drain plug which is kind of concerning because how am I going to get any sludge out? Hmm, guess I could run a bottle of engine flush through before the next change.

[delboy]

when i get a car (first oil change on my new old car) i use an engine flush that way i know

i dont need to do it again for the years i have the car as we dont really know how they have been looked after prior to us getting them

[Skezza]

True. What I do know though, is the engine was rebuilt about 500 miles before we bought it due to a head gasket failure.

[delboy]

that will explane the gunk ontop the oil that you said about

if you have not done the oil change yet run a engine flush first

[Skezza]

that will explane the gunk ontop the oil that you said about

if you have not done the oil change yet run a engine flush first

Unfortunately. I have done the oil change. Why does that explain the gunk out of curiosity?

I will change it after 6000 instead of 10k, then in effect it will act as a flushing oil. Cheap maintenance really.

[delboy]

you said the old oil you changed had a strange colour ontop of it have settled out overnight see below your comment :-

By the way, not sure what oil it had in before, but it was absolutely disgusting. Very black, and having let it settle for a night, a strange orange layer of filth has appeared on the top. Never seen that before.

i recon it was due to the oil having water deposits in it from then the engine last had the new oil changed after the head gasket was done ??

[Skezza]

Very true. Entirely possible in fact. it does look like it could be water. Not ideal. If it was me I'd have run a few litres of cheap diesel oil after the HGF just for good measure. Not liking the fact it's had water running round the engine for the past 11k miles, although I bet the engines nice and clean.

No point in changing again so soon to be fair. I reckon I sucked most of it out and changing after 6k will do it some good. I'll also drop it next time I think.