Servicing the engine

[FarmerPug]

My cars due its mot at the end of october, it needs the handbrake tightned up, and headlights aligned no biggie. but i want to make sure the engine is running as good as it can, it had the cambelt done at 79k miles and now is at 105k, i changed the oil, oil filter, fuel filter and air filter. But is there any other stuff that should be checked about the engine, one man said he changed the turbo filter on his rover 75 and it made a big difference, does a hdi even have one of these?

[Welly]

There is no filter for the turbo, there's a slight chance of a small inlet 'screen' or something on the oil feed at the turbo but there's no need to go poking around there it is not a serviceable unit. There are generally no turbo problems on the 'older' HDi's.

Sounds like you've already got it covered, on the way to the MOT I always gave mine an 'Italian tune up' to remove soot from the eggsauce and I even used to run with the handbrake applied on/off to remove any glaze from the shoes for a better grip on the test.

Also take the car there really clean, I've always found this is appreciated.

[sirwiggum]

The MOT in NI is a bit of a rush job. So long as your lights work, brakes stop (handbrake only needs to be about 30% efficient or something I think?) and theres no weird clunks, it should get through.

[FarmerPug]

the mot is a bit of a doddle here my mums car passed an now a
month later needs a wheel bearing new disks and pads.

i let my mechanic look over the car so suspension steering and brakes should be ok i just want the engine running as well as possible when is the cambelt next due a change

[Welly]

Cambelt is every 96,000 or 5 years (whichever comes first) to be honest I wouldn't panic about the cambelt on a HDi I wouldn't say that it can't snap/slip but it's very rare - you're more likely to suffer with the bottom pulley throwing the belt off and locking the cambelt up that way.

[sirwiggum]

Is the cambelt on an HDi catastrophic?

It wrecks Alfa twinspark engines.

The Rover S series engine fitted to Montegos was 'safe' in that it didn't bounce valves about if the belt broke.

[steve_earwig]

Didn't know that about Rover engines, the HDi's rockers are designed to break, rather than the valves punch holes in the pistons.

Every time I see this thread: Is this "service" as in what the bull does to the cows?

[Welly]

My take on HDi cambelts:

If the belt fails at low-ish RPM's then all is not lost as there is a sacrificial part fitted to the Camshaft (the Cam bearing cap) which snaps off and allows the camshaft to be lifted up by the valves to save them being bent. BUT a high RPM failure is likely to do more damage

[highlander]

My own personal opinion is that replacing the cambelt is likely to cost considerably less than replacing the cambelt AND the self-sacrificial components.

Whether it is cheaper to replace these self-sacrificial bits (following a non-catastrophic failure) or to replace the critical components (following a totally catastrophic failure), is irrelevant - you're going to have a bad day if it happens either way, as your car will be out of action until the damage has been repaired, and your wallet has suffered.

Replace the belt, water pump, and idler kit, as per the service intervals recommended by your engine's manufacturer. Preventative maintenance for the win.

[FarmerPug]

any other things to keep the turbo going good, and how much redex should i put in with 20 litres of diesel?

[Bailes1992]

Don't bother with redex, 250mls of two stroke in every tank of diesel and a good pull through the gears now and again keeps them in tip top condition

Also theres a small oil filter in the oil lines for the turbo, but they never get changed and theres no point really, it's a light mesh to stop any debires going into the oil in the turbo.

[martint]

my car failed on emissions couple days ago & the guy asked if i did lot o mileage & how i drove-10k a yr & fairly slowish(dont like straining diesel engine).
he added a bottle o oxybutethylene or something & he took it out for "italian tune-up"(thrashed it!).
it passed emissions no probs. in fact i dont get any smoke whatsoever at any revs!
he sId to me to give an Hdi a bit o welly every now & then as they dont run well at slow revs etc.
but my point mainly is when i asked him about your 2stroke idea,he said "what the **** is that gonna do? you need to get crap outta there,not put it in".
my curiositys peaked now so can you tell me what the 2 strokes gonna do?

[lozz]

2 stroke oil -in a diesel engine,
never knew why myself tbh,

perhaps for the carbon, ive heard diesel engines like the carbon.
or is it for the benefit of the turbo, (Dunno)

ive always used Red Ex my self and its done the job, (passed on the idea of the 2 stroke)

[FarmerPug]

i filled the car to the brim the other night and threw a full bottle of redex into the tank, some every now and then is bound to be good for the whole system, i wouldnt be too fussed on 2 stroke i put some in the suzuki when it was on the 1.3 engine and it run very badly, lots of smoke.

[Bailes1992]

Two stroke forms and emulsion with the diesel, upping the centane rating, lubricating pumps, injectors, top end of the engine etc etc. Makes the diesel burn easier, smoother, improves throttle response and cleans the engine out. Diesel years ago used to contain sulphur, sulphur used to do all the lubrication. Modern diesels are much harsher to the injection system.
http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic878.html?highlight=oil
http://www.4x4earth.com.au/forum/fuel-s ... iesel.html
http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/addin ... 37935.html

Made a huge difference in my old 1.9TD, think in a HDi with even higher injection pressures and even more compliacated and expensive fuel pumps it can only help!