DIY Servicing incl Spark Plug recommendations

Do you wanna DIY?

Do you wanna? Do you really wanna?

No, there will never be a Haynes manual for the Scorpio. So as the years pass and the warranty expires, how will you service the car? Use the main dealer network, or do it yourself? But if you do it yourself, how do you know what the servicing entails? What do you look for? What are the torque settings? What am I here for? What is the meaning of life?

Okay, let’s start by exploding a few myths. Servicing is not a complex, technical procedure to be carried out only by highly-trained personnel. On the contrary, most of a service is about inspection, and what is left is simply replacing disposable items; spark plugs, filters and oil.

Is that all?

Yes. That is all. The technician’s skills are only needed when he finds a fault, and it is at this point that you would be notified for authority to carry out the repair. The Ford technician should know areas on any particular model that are prone to corrosion or to particular faults, but then after a few years, so will you. Ford insist on a service stamp for warranty because this (should) mean that every service has been carried out satisfactorily and that no minor faults have been allowed to cause greater ones. For a nearly-new car servicing should be simple and quick because there should be nothing else to find and the mechanic will simply inspect it – but even a new car might have badly routed wires which has caused chafing. Apart from the normal disposables, he will neither remove or change anything on your car.

So can I do it?

Yes, of course you can. This assumes you generally know where things are, but I don’t mean technical electronic items, because it is not necessary that you know what they do – you only need to check their condition. The engine bay, for example, contains many different looms trailing about seemingly at random. You inspect them carefully for chafing. If there is none and the wires are in good condition, you don’t need to know what they are.

Similarly the various fluid and air pipes. You check the pipes for chafing, damage or ageing. If the pipes are okay, you need not know exactly what they do. It is only if they are chafed, leaking or deteriorating that you draw a diagram of exactly where the pipe is and take it to the Ford main dealer so that he can call it up on his schematic and give you the replacement part. If you are a moderately skilled home mechanic a servicing is well within your capabilities. It is probably what you already do; checking around the car while you’re cleaning it – but servicing makes a much more formal, thorough investigation all at the same time, to nip problems in the bud. If an item giving concern is out of your expertise, you might get a local garage to repair it, or go to your main Ford dealer.

The only ‘technical’ work is to check the brakes, and if you have worked on brakes in the past then you have nothing to learn.

Okay? So are you ready to begin? Before we start, a word of caution. Main dealers have full car lifts so that they can work underneath the vehicle in complete safety. You will need to get under the car, so a pair of axle stands and a good hydraulic jack are absolutely essential and trying to do the job without them is foolish and dangerous. The Scorpio is a big car, and the vehicle dead weight will be you if it comes down on you.

You work from Clean to Dirty, that is, check the interior first before your hands get dirty. Consider putting an opened black bin liner over your drivers seat before start: you might have to climb in wearing filthy overalls.

Take your time and work through the list below.

Item	*Action*	Tick
Instruments, lights & horn	You should already know if they work or not, but don’t be lazy: check them.
interior warning lights & instrument bulbs.	Renew as necessary (Note: do not lay instrument fascia face down when changing bulbs – keep it upright)
Clutch	If manual – check operation and adjust if necessary
Wipers & washer	Check operation – renew blades if necessary
Handbrake	Check operation, Adjust if necessary – BUT remember to check condition of rear disk pads and rear self-adjusters first. Excessive movement on the hand brake lever should mean that the rear brake pads need changing and is an MOT failure. It does not* mean that the handbrake cable should be adjusted. See below*
Seat belts	For operation, damage, fraying
Door check straps Sunroof	Check operation. Grease lightly Grease sunroof mechanism where fitted
Bonnet lock & safety latch	Check operation. Grease lightly
Engine compartment
Wiring, pipes, hoses, oil & fuel lines	Check carefully for route, chafing, damage, leaks or age deterioration. (Note: Check autobox coolant pipes to the radiator carefully, these are prone to corrosion)
Engine, vacuum pump, heater & radiator	Check for damage or leaks
Auxiliary drive belts	Check condition. Renew or adjust(TDI) if necessary
Coolant	Check concentration. (Kit available from Halfords)
Fluid levels - Coolant, p/s fluid, washer reservoirs	If level abnormally low look for cause of leak and rectify If power steering reservoir levels falls check steering arm bellows - fluid can leak into the rubber boots without showing until they burst.
Battery terminals	Clean and grease if necessary
Auto transmission	Check, top-up. (Must be warm 20C or more). Check condition of fluid for pink colour. Should not be burnt-smelling, brown and show small black bits.
Odour/Pollen filter	Renew if fitted. Clear the AC drain tubes. Clear battery shelf drain holes
Spark plugs	Renew - see Torques: Clean plug leads. See below for Spark Plug grades Check condition of wiring inside the Cam cover (DOHC models) and replace if deteriorated.
Engine air filter & crankcase emission pad where fitted	Renew Clean MAF element using residue-free carb or brake cleaner
Pulse air filter where fitted	Check, clean and re-oil.
(2.9 12V) - Distributor	Check and clean cap and rotor, replace as necessary
(2.5 VM Diesel & Turbo Diesel) Fuel Filter	renew
Underneath Vehicle
Engine	Drain oil and renew oil filter. Renew sump plug gasket where fitted
Steering, suspension linkages ball joints, halfshaft joints, gaiters, propshaft ‘Gulbo’ joint	Check for wear, damage or deterioration.
Engine, transmission, rear axle	Check for damage and leaks
Pipes, hoses, wiring, oil and fuel feed lines, exhaust	Check for chafing, damage or leaks
Underbody	Check condition of underbody coating
Tyres	Check wear and condition. Note tread wear depth FNS_____ FOS_____ RNS_____ ROS_____
Brake system	Remove wheels, check brake pads, disks, linings and brake cylinder rubber components for condition or leaks - rectify immediately if leaks are found. Check front brake flexible hoses carefully - these may show signs of cracking/perishing. Renew as necessary
Outside vehicle
Engine	Refill engine oil
Brake fluid	Check – top up if necessary. Investigate abnormal level and rectify
Tyres	Check pressure
Spare wheel	Adjust pressure. Check condition
Wheel nuts	Tighten to correct torque
Additional
Brake system	Every 2 years renew brake fluid - IMPORTANT - this prevents serious internal corrosion.
Air conditioning	Every 3 years Check system pressure, compressor cycle time and temp at centre vent. Check a/c lines for damage or leaks. (Refer to visiting a/c specialist for these functions and refer to AC Index)
Cooling system	Every 4 years. Check/clean pressure cap. Renew if signs of seal deterioration. Every 6 years drain, flush and refill blue/green coolant Every 10 years drain, flush and refill orange/pink coolant NOTE: Above advice relates to Ford antifreeze solutions only - others may differ.
Fuel Filter	Every 6 years (60000 miles) renew