1.3ltr 1993 Festiva Trio 120,000km Service Recommendations

[Festy_Festiva]

Hi guys,

I've just bought a 1993 model Festiva Trio with the 1.3ltr carb engine, (i'm in Australia if that helps...)

It's got 125,000km's on the clock - and is well overdue for a service.
(Oil looks very old, brake fluid is black, air filter is black, etc)

I've only had the car a few days, so i'm planning on giving it a full service this weekend. It's already been to the tyre centre and had the tyres rotated, balanced, and an alignment, as well as new front brake pads.

I was planning on changing the oil + filter, fuel and air filters, spark plugs and leads, coolent, bleeding the brakes, and degreasing the engine bay over the weekend.

Can anyone recommend anything else that should be done? Or any other things I should be checking or changing while i'm at it?

I've ordered a workshop manual over Ebay, but it won't arrive until next week.
Does anyone know the correct gap for the spark plugs? And how much oil the 1.3ltr engine takes with a new filter?

Thanks,
Daniel

[TominMO]

Re: 1.3ltr 1993 Festiva Trio 120,000km Service Recommendatio

Congratulations! And you're smart to do all this stuff as soon as you get the car. Are you keeping a maintenance log as well? Also, do you not have the owner's manual? That should tell you about oil capacity.

Don't forget hoses and belts, disty cap and rotor. (I think you know this but simply didn't mention it.) As to oil capacity, until you find out for sure, you can do this: after changing the filter, add 2.5 quarts, start the motor to circulate it. Shut it down after 30 seconds, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and check the oil level. Then add about 1/2 quart at a time, starting, shutting down, checking, until you get it to the "full" level on the stick.

[smokin fastiva]

the 1.3 liter engine holds 3.6 quarts of oil. i just buy a gallon of advance brand and dump the whole thing in. a lot of festivas i have seen have had leaky valve cover gaskets. they're not bad to change if yours is leaking. also look into replacing the timing belt

[GenevaDirt]

^^theres a reason it says 3.6 and not 3 - 4.....lol. I have not experienced it but I have been told that if you overfill then you can cause to much pressure and it has to go somewhere....like out a good sealed gasket.

[Festy_Festiva]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Got stuck into it on the weekend.

Managed to get the following things done:
Changed Oil - Castrol GTX 15W40
Changed Oil Filter
Changed Fuel Filter
Changed Air Filter
Changed Spark Plugs
Changed Spark Plug Leads

Cleaned PCV Valve - Intake line from Air Filter - blocked with oily black blow-by.

Degreased Carby - Internal + External with Carby Cleaner Spray
Degreased Engine Bay

Checked all CV boots - all OK, Checked various bushings and rubbers - all seemed OK.

Checked exhaust system - looks brand new from the cat back.

Couldn't find any traces of rust on the car at all.

Cut, Polished, and Waxed Bonnet and both front fenders to see how they'd come up - paint work came up like new! Have to do the rest of the car now...

The valve cover gasket looked like it was leeking on the exhaust side, but since i degreased the engine and cleaned the PCV valve it doesn't look like its leaked much since.
Still might look into replacing the gasket though - is it as easy as it looks?

Can't see any signs of any other leaks at all.

Run's really good now! Still has a bit of hesitation when you put your foot down - like it hesitates for a second then takes off great... is this normal?


Things still to be done:
Bleed brakes,
Check rear brake shoes,
Change dist cap,
Flush cooling system and replace with new coolent, is it worth replacing the thermostat while i'm at it?
Find working washer bottle motor,
Give it a good clean.

My Ebay manual turned up yesterday - so no dout the 'Things to do' list will grow now... but does anyone have any other suggestions of what I should check or replace to make it more reliable?


Cheers,
Daniel

[smokin fastiva]

^^theres a reason it says 3.6 and not 3 - 4.....lol. I have not experienced it but I have been told that if you overfill then you can cause to much pressure and it has to go somewhere....like out a good sealed gasket.

when i had my first festiva i didnt know how much it held so i just put 5 quarts in it and it never leaked!



The valve cover gasket is easy and you should check into replacing the timing belt while your doing maintenence