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I'm asking on behalf of someone else regarding low miles between servicing. They have had in since new and it's done 11500m in 6 years. So she like to know if a full service is needed every year? It's garaged for 95% of the time, I don't think an air filter is need every year, I think oil could be left for another year. Brake fluid is 2 years, the car is only used around town once a year it might go for 50 mile run, fuel filter is 4yrs/50000m another one needed or not? Thanks.
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>> I'm asking on behalf of someone else regarding low miles between servicing. They have had
>> in since new and it's done 11500m in 6 years. So she like to know
>> if a full service is needed every year? It's garaged for 95% of the time,
>> I don't think an air filter is need every year, I think oil could be
>> left for another year. Brake fluid is 2 years, the car is only used around
>> town once a year it might go for 50 mile run, fuel filter is 4yrs/50000m
>> another one needed or not? Thanks.
>>
Only used around town?
As in short stop/start trips?
Definitely needs an oil change yearly - maybe even twice yearly.
Rest of the service I would leave - checking the air filter yearly, for damp etc.
Last edited by: swiss tony on Sun 26 Feb 12 at 15:07
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>>
>> Only used around town?
>> As in short stop/start trips?
>> Definitely needs an oil change yearly - maybe even twice yearly.
>>
>> Rest of the service I would leave - checking the air filter yearly, for damp
>> etc.
>>
Yes to both. Why even twice a year?
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>>
>> >>
>> >> Only used around town?
>> >> As in short stop/start trips?
>> >> Definitely needs an oil change yearly - maybe even twice yearly.
>> >>
>> >> Rest of the service I would leave - checking the air filter yearly, for
>> damp
>> >> etc.
>> >>
>>
>> Yes to both. Why even twice a year?
>>
Engine not getting to full operating temperature, thus condensation not boiling off.
Lift the oil cap, check breather hose - any sign of a mayonnaise looking substance means condensation in oil.
Water is not a good lubricant.
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OK thanks, I'll tell them.
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Check tyres for perishing too, my mum's car did 800 miles per year and the sidewalls started to crack around six years old.
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ISTR tyres are lifed at 5(?) years, regardless of tread depth, due to the effects of UV rays causing deterioration of the type you describe. This is a recommendation not anything legally enforceable
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Aren't those old 1.3 engines notorious for rotting the plugs into the head due to water sitting on them?
I'd probably change them every year or two to be on the safe side.
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Sod the servicing! She's driving less than 6 miles per day so tell her to get rid of it and get a pushbike or the bus instead. At those distances she could even get an electric buggy.
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>> Sod the servicing! She's driving less than 6 miles per day so tell her to
>> get rid of it and get a pushbike or the bus instead. At those distances
>> she could even get an electric buggy.
>>
She does usually, just the odd trip into town and a 40 mile run there and back once or twice a month.
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>> Aren't those old 1.3 engines notorious for rotting the plugs into the head due to
>> water sitting on them?
>>
>> I'd probably change them every year or two to be on the safe side.
>>
Yes they are, think there was a topic about it on . It says every two years so I'll take them out and pop a bit of grease on the threads.
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>> Check tyres for perishing too, my mum's car did 800 miles per year and the
>> sidewalls started to crack around six years old.
>>
Yep I thought about that one as well, I'll have a look shouldn't be too bad as it spends 99% of it's time in a garage.
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Flats on tyres a likelihood as side walls weaken with age...
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>> Yep I thought about that one as well, I'll have a look shouldn't be too
>> bad as it spends 99% of it's time in a garage.
My sister's Ka suffered from this. We broke two getting them out and luckily managed to drill the remains out without damaging the threads on the head. It took ages though, and was real heart in mouth stuff.....
It's actually the taper seats that corrode in, not the threads. The hex part snaps off, along with the ceramic insulator leaving the seat and the core part of the plug in the head. If you can drill out the core and collapse the taper seat in on itself, it breaks the corrosion "weld", and they actually unscrew with finger pressure. We got the swarf out of the cylinder with a piece of garden hose taped on a vacuum cleaner :-) The engine ran fine afterwards, so we can't have left too much behind.
The accepted wisdom seems to be to wind them out and re-seat them at least once a year to avoid this happening.
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On the Fiesta I changed the plugs every couple of years to stop them rusting in. We did an oil change every year. The engine was still like new at 96,000 miles although the clutch cylinder was starting to show signs of problems.
A Ka is not a great car for low mileage as the engines can do mega miles if correctly serviced, but the body work tents to rust. At least this example is in the garage so rust may not be an issue, but I would think about putting some wax on the chassis if the owner wants to keep it a very long time, and I suggest a car that does that little mileage she ought to be keeping it a long time.
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Ford KA, KA2, KA3 - Low miles per year - swiss tony
