Is 45000 a major "B" service or "A" (minor?) service

AdrianC

arcon5 wrote: »

Spark plugs and fuel filter, 4 year service? LOL
I'm not having some posters service my car.

Spark plugs at every service that goes above oil+filter.

Umm, I've had cars with 100k intervals for the standard-spec iridium spark plugs. Maybe no need to change them every 9k, eh?

Then, of course, there's those cars where manifolds etc need to be dismantled to get at the plugs.

londonTiger

you can say "depends" but for me 45,000 is a very long interval. So it's definately a major service if it was a true interval specified by the manufacturer.

I can't imagine how this could ever be a minor service.

londonTiger

AdrianC wrote: »

Umm, I've had cars with 100k intervals for the standard-spec iridium spark plugs. Maybe no need to change them every 9k, eh?

Then, of course, there's those cars where manifolds etc need to be dismantled to get at the plugs.

with the use of EGR the intake manifold are caked in exhaust crap. I'm sure you get shitloads of that gets into your cylinders and messes with the spark plug performance.

scotty kilmer with endescope into the cylinders: http://youtu.be/gg9ppeUMpK4?t=3m3s

so, theoretically spark plugs may be able to witstand the heat and pressure of the cylinder for 100k miles - it doesnt mean the electrodes will be clean and dirt free for all those miles

Nilrem

reeac wrote: »

Really? I once changed the fuel filter on a Montego VDP, at around 70,000 miles, cut the old one open and could see no dirt whatsoever. I'm not aware that my XK8, at 86,000 miles has ever had its fuel filter changed.

No visible dirt in your example.

On the other hand another car could have a lot of visible dirt at 20k.

It depends a lot on how you fill the tank up, where it's filled up and if you're unlucky.

For the cost of a fuel filter I'd do it at the recommended service intervals to be safe, same with the air filters (one might be dreadful at the service interval because it's been mainly driven around London, another might be fine at several times the recommended service interval because it's been driven in the country/smaller less poluted towns).
But you can't tell until you've pulled the filters out, at which point for the price it's silly not to just replace them.

A lot of service intervals are set to what is likely to be the "worst case" conditions, but it's still wise to follow them at least for the cheaper and more vital bits (IE brake fluid, oil and filters).

AdrianC

londonTiger wrote: »

with the use of EGR the intake manifold are caked in exhaust crap. I'm sure you get shitloads of that gets into your cylinders and messes with the spark plug performance.

Don't get petrol EGR and diesel EGR confused. Petrol EGR's been around for decades - including being fitted to my 1980 Land Rover. But it wasn't on the one I referred to earlier, mid '90s Cit XM turbo.

OddballJamie

Sounds like the four year service, it's a pricey one on the C Class. If you have done a little research pre-purchase and negotiated it into the purchase price or a service package you would've saved some cash.

When I've previously shopped for used cars I've gone through the service books and found out if anything major is coming up soon, belts, major services that sort of thing.

Alternatively get an Audi next time, services for 3-5 year old vehicles are £299 for major and minor.

k3lvc

OddballJamie wrote: »

Alternatively get an Audi next time, services for 3-5 year old vehicles are £299 for major and minor.

And if you buy at the right time on their finance you get 2 free services :beer:

Joe_Horner

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

On the cars I deal with different things need changing at different mileages e.g. engine oil 12.5k, gearbox 62.5k, diff 37.5k

Engine oil at 12.5k I can understand 9wouldn't personally leave it that long, but....)

But changing the gearbox every 62k? May want to learn how to use a clutch!!! :rotfl:


As for the later discussion about fuel filters - change when they stop letting enough fuel through.

Unlike oil filters, there's no bypass so, if you over-run the replacement schedule, you're not going to do any harm by letting unfiltered fuel through.

The engine management will start shouting if they stop flowing well enough because, even if the filter pressure differential isn't monitored directly, it'll weaken the mixture to the point that the ECU won't be able to compensate and trigger emissions warnings.