Huge service and...........

Just spent a couple of afternoons and around £150 on a full service. Plugs, filters, all fluids and oils (engine/gearbox and axle).

 

And guess what?

 

Its just as good as it was before!

 

Car had a good service history but my routine with any (new to me) car is a major service and there’s no record of plugs being changed although oils and filters looked pretty clean.

At least I haven’t ruined it!

What price peace of mind?

Plus, nice added service record.

Win win.

£150!

 

Since the days of plugs and points worn at 5,000 miles, stopped at say 1980 to 1985 model cars. I have never felt any improvement in a car from a service as everything is still to spec especially when distributers were no longer used.

Cost does seems a touch high.

Any item that was specifically expensive.

The Mk3 if it is that has expensive plugs.

 

Yes, plugs cost about £50, gearbox/diff oil about £45, engine oil £30.

I’m sure the cost from a garage would have been considerable more. Brakes removed, cleaned and lightly coppered, alloy wheels cleaned internally and again lightly coppered to ease removal in future.

Probably spent around 8 hours, so say 6 at a garage, £40 per hour plus parts probably means around a £400 bill.

Shouldn’t need much now for quite some time - although I’m thinking about lower springs???

I’m sure saying this will make something go wrong!

I do hope the copper grease was not extended to the slider pins?

Coolant change?

That needs doing around 10 yrs old. I had mine changed around two years ago and then the thermostat failed, so another preventative job.

Brake fluid?

 

Yes, brake fluid, not coolant as I’m suspecting the stat is a bit suspect and will check that before changing the coolant.

And yes copperslip on slider pins. I’ve had many pins seize over the years and so now remove them, clean them and give them a wipe with the tiniest amount of copperslip on a cloth. Never had a problem since. Mind you I never keep cars as long as they are old. No chance of me keeping this for 10-12 years.

Copperslip mainly on rear of brake pads

Now I’m wondering if I’ve put the right oil in the diff!

The diff oil should be to the spec in the link below. Castrol is my preferred brand but others available.

Copper slip is ok on the brake pad backing faces but I use red rubber grease on the pins. Other members opinion on what to use will  differ from mine.

Tell tale signs you stat  is duff long time to get heat into cabin and the gauge should sit at slightly below the centre markings and stay there. Mine used to fluctuate when I turned  the heat up.

 

The Mazda workshop manual specially advises red rubber grease on the slider pins, Please clean the tiny amount of copper grease you have put on and take Mazda’s advice and replace with red rubber grease on the slider pins and rubber mating surfaces.

There is only one specification that is important for the diff oil. That is the GL5 specification which refers to the additives added to cover the high stress on the oil caused by the bevel gears in the diff. Any GL5 oil will do and whether it is 90, 80W/90. 75W/90 or whatever will cause no extra wear to the diff.

The use of 75W/90 oil will save some fuel at cold temperatures, no idea of how much.

Hi. Never used red rubber grease. Just been reading about it. Learn something new all the time. Cheers.

The amount of copperslip I use is insignificant. Basically a wipe with a damp cloth. But for what it is I’ll redo with the red still after I’ve ordered some

Cheers