Maintaining a Westfield

[stephenh]

Although I've been a Westfield owner now for about 2 years, I thought this question is best in the Newbies section. Has anyone ever produced anything like a suggested schedule of things which need oiling or greasing or inspecting, and at what intervals?

I change my engine oil and filter half yearly, I check my oil level and water/coolant level whenever I take the bonnet off. I bleed the brakes through, and top up the reservoir once a year, and check the reservoir is full regularly. I look at/check the nuts and bolts on the front suspension and steering and brakes occasionally, in fact most of them have a streak of tipex on them so as to see at a glance if a nut or bolt has moved.

What else is there that needs regular greasing or oiling or adjusting on a modern Westfield with modern engine running throttlebodies and ecu? Anything? And if so what and how and how often? It surprises me that there is nothing at the end of the build manual to give guidance on this.

[Blatman]

UJ's in the prop get greased every couple of years. That's about all I'd add to that list...

[skOOby]

I do the same, but also check gearbox and diff oils and top up if necessary.

skOOby

[nikpro]

Think you've covered most things Stephen; problem with Westie ownership is the usage varies so much - mileage/road/track/competition.

Age related checks are probably more common i.e. cambelt (not applicable to durabang owners) and perishing rubbers/hard tyres.

Don't forget to get the driver serviced though  

[stephenh]

Thanks guys. I dont do any cicuit racing, and only one or two trackdays per year. I do however do sprints and hillclimbs, hence 2 oil changes and filter changes. That may increase to 3 changes each year, I keep an eye on the oil to see how clean it looks. If it was just road use then I would only do one oil change a year. Doing about 3000 miles a year, any more would be a waste of good money, especially as best fully synthetic comes a bit pricey!

Nikpro, I'll do an extra oil change when it goes bang, I assume you'd recommend that?    

[peterg]

QUOTE

Don't forget to get the driver serviced though  

Better have a word with Mrs H about this Stephen    

[stephenh]

           

[Pistol Pete]

Once a year:

Check everything, all rubber gaiters, shocks for leaks, brake pads (adjust rear brakes if drums),

Once every two years:

Clean and re oil air filter, check and or replace spark plugs.

Once every five years:

replace fuel filter, replace coolant

Four wheel alignment every now and again wouldn't be a bad idea.

Put washer fluid in and top up    They always do in the garage (and Charge)  

As an aside, how often do people change cam belts? I'm thinking that with limited milage then every 5 years is about.

Pete

Blatman, you're losing your touch, wouldn't have though anyone could add anything once you'd answered .  

[Chasmon]

It surprises me that there is nothing at the end of the build manual to give guidance on this.

There was in mine...

I'll dig it out when I'm in the garage next.

[stephenh]

Washer fluid, Pistol; where am I supposeed to put that in an aerosport?  

[stephenh]

Chasmon, if you do find you have a service schedule recommendation, I would really appreciate a copy.

Pistol, ref cambelts, it must depend partly on the use of the engine and the state of tune. IE if you have a Zetec (for an example) in a moderate state of tune, and use it wholely or mainly for road use, and dont exceed the original manufacturers rev limit, then you ought to be safe changing the cambelt at the same intervals as Ford recommend for the cars which the engine was originally fitted in. Conversely, if you've got a highly modified engine running at high revs, and you do a lot of trackdays or race the car, then you might be sensible to change the cambelt at much more frequent intervals, because it is being put under much more strain.

Of course, if you have a duratec, then you dont have to change the cambelt very often, 'cos there isn't one! (its a chain for those who dont know)

[Martin Keene]

UJ's in the prop get greased every couple of years. That's about all I'd add to that list...

This is something that gets mentioned everytime servicing comes up. I have checked my prop shaft several times, as have other people, and there are no grease nipples on it, or indeed any provision for them...

[Blatman]

Both my props have grease nipples on the UJ's. My narrow prop is from the early 90's, my wide prop from the late 90's... I guess like everything else, specs have altered over time.

If they are sealed then no wories. If not, then it may be worth dropping the prop one end at a time and having them out for a look-see...

[sport 2000 Dan]

Hi,

Mine is an '05 car with a factory supplied prop and it does have nipples.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

I too have a couple of nipples - and not just on my prop  

having just had to more or less scrap a perfectly good motor due to premature cambelt failure, my opinion would be to change the cambelt more frequently than the manufacturers recomended - only because in these small light cars you spend more time at higher revs and they tend to sit around unused for ages and perhaps may deteriorate more

Much less of a ball ache to change a cambelt in one of these compared to a production car in most cases anyway