Spring Maintenance

DocG

5th graders > me. They're not bant
Sep 25, 2005
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Cincinnati area
Ok, I'm sure this info is all over the place, but its easier for me to have some advice in one consolidated spot. I have a 04 GT with 28k miles on it now. In a month or so, I'm going to start doing some regular maintenance, etc. Can you fella's take a look at my list and let me know if there's anything special in terms of tools or tips that would be useful besides basic handtools and the obvious replacement parts. I just had the fuel filter done, so that

1) Full exterior detailing - I've gotten pretty good at this so I'm ok here I think.

2) Replace plugs - want to check them, might as well replace them, I know I need to coat the plugs and clean/coat the COP's before putting them back on.

3) Tranny fluid change (manual) - will probably use a synthetic, know to keep car level, need to get a pump or something to add the fluid.

4) Flush coolant, saw that other post about how to do it, will also replace t-stat with 180* at that time too.

5) Brake fluid change - anyone have a good post on how to do this, or is it ok to just follow the Haynes manual? Any special tools for this one, regular bleeder kit work ok?

6) Replace PVC valve

Any random tips on any of these? I'm no gearhead, but I'm not totally clueless either. Any other suggestions on maintenance other than oil change. At 30k miles, some of this may be overkill, but I want to keep this car running good for years to come.

Thanks!
 
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you dont need plugs or a 180* t-stat, everything else sounds good. What does your owners manual say you need at 30,000. If it aint broke or scheduled for replacement their is no point in replacing it.
 
your a little early for plugs. I would just pull the COP's off and check the tightness of them. ( modular plugs tend to come loose, it's not that common but check anyways unless you like wasting thousands of dollars)

I would do a oil filter change, fuel filter, air filter, pcv valve and do you detailing you wanted to do. the brake flush is a nice thing to do but you can waut untill the car is 5 years old for that.
 
I would not do any of that myself. Car is too new to really need any of that done.

I changed my plugs at 60k and they still looked decent. I would not do brake fluid independat of a brake job. coolant is only two years old. I think the tranny fluid should still be fine. The pvc valve should be fine as well. I mean check it but if it is not bad not reason to change it yet.

I mean if you are going ahead of the manufactures recomendation you are just jumping the gun. spend all that money on something esle.

I would do the detail as that just keep the car looking good.
 
squares98 said:
you dont need plugs or a 180* t-stat, everything else sounds good. What does your owners manual say you need at 30,000. If it aint broke or scheduled for replacement their is no point in replacing it.

Agreed, go by the owners manual for 30k maintenance. Clean and reoil the K&N air filter, and clean the MAF. Check everything. Maybe replace the serpentine belt with a Goodyear Gatorback and keep your existing one in the trunk as a spare. Air up the spare tire.

Per the owners manual for a 2002, the coolant is first flushed and refilled at 45k, the spark plugs replaced at 100k, and no mention of replacing the transmission fluid. So I am doing the coolant at 45k (and every 30k after that), copper plugs at 50k (every 30k) and tranny fluid at 50k (every 50k).

Some will say more frequent maintenance is better, and it certainly wouldn't hurt. But this seems like a reasonable plan to me.

:flag:
 
Wow, glad I asked this question. I figured with the car almost 2 1/2 years old, some of that would help, even if it was early. Maybe I'll stick with just the basics then, and plan to do some of this other stuff such as tranny fluid and coolant later on down the road, and the brake fluid when I do a brake change down the road too. The plugs I've been wanting to pull since I've ahd this rattling noise, figured I'd pull em and read em.

Guess I'll save the unnecessary maintenance money for more mods!