Today, as befits my demotion from company car league to "own your own" poverty, I serviced the Lancer.
Its 14 months since the last service, and bang on 9k miles. Thats means is the 3 years/27k miles service (even tho its only done 24k)
I have a Mitsubishi service check list sheet, so off I toddle to my local dealer for the OEM bits required. The helpfull guy at Chertsey Mitsubishi relieves me of £52.89 for
a new air filter, new pollen filter, oil filter and sump plug washer.
I decide the change the air filter in his car park, as its a two spring clips simple job.
Instant gratification. The old one didnt look bad, just some insects and discolouration but must have been clogged as the car immediately feels much better, with the flat spot and slight uneveness instantly gone. Clearly three years is too long for this service item despite this being the interval in the check sheet.
Toddle off to halford for 5 litres of 10/40 semi synth, 4 NGK spark plugs, A litre of gearbox oil top up, a draining receptacle and a free set of screwdrivers (not bad quality as it happens) and slip 42 quid into thier till.
Get home and change the pollen filter ( 5 minute job)
Lubricate all locks, hinges and bonnet catch with spray grease.
Set too to change the spark plugs. These are buried down well shafts 3 inches deep with coil packs mounted above each pair of plugs. Luckily i have a nice thin plug socket so these come out no issue, and new ones in (come pre gapped) Coil packs cleaned and clipped back on top.
>There is a thread on technical about the old plugs<
Next its the engine oil. Warm up the engine, - not too hot, and jack up the front. ( I have a sloping drive so the car is almost level). 17mm socket on the drain plug, one tap with a hammer on the socket bar and out comes the drain plug. Hot oil over my hand (lovely) and away she pours into the receptacle. Remove the filter ( a firm hand held grip was enough), hot oil over my hand again, and away she drains as well.
Cup of tea, and hot cross bun tasting of oil while it drains.
Refit sump plug (with new washer), smear oil round new filter O ring, and fit that back as well.
Top up with 4 litres of Halfords finest, so clean I cant barely see it on the dip stick. Take off the multiplugs from the coil packs and turn the engine over to get the oil all moved around. Check the dip stick, and top up with another half a litre.
Refit multiplugs, and fire the engine into life, look under car for leaks - all fine. Pop it off the jack and axle stand. Tomorrow I just need to check the gearbox oil level.
Now if you were buying a used car, would you be happy with a filled out Mitsubishi service sheet, with all the required items ticked, and receipts for the bits stapled to it as a completed service record?
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 19 Apr 10 at 21:09
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