I may will soon be joining the ranks of the DIY crossfire servicing owners..A question to those already doing it.

I'm sure you cover all the main issues..oil,filters plugs etc..but do you also every two years replace the brake fluid? and how about the inline fuel filter, also, would you replace your own cam belt, if there is one on the Crossfire?

I would perfer to always use main dealers for my servicing..but their labour cost in becoming prohibitive.

Ken.

 

No cam belt on the Crossfire.
The fuel and air filters should get done every 4 years spark plugs every 5 and yes the brake fluid should get done every 2 years on any car.



Norrie.

 

Norries right - this engine has a cam chain rather than a belt and needs no attention. The time intervals for changing other items assume average mileage is being done, for example spark plugs 5 yrs/100K miles. But its a good move to change filters/plugs more regularly if you have the bits to hand and you have the time to do it yourself. However, re brake fluid - to change this every 2 years on a car that is only doing low miles is waste of time and money. DOT 4 brake fluid has been around for many years and is used universally. Its only in recent years that this fad of a 2 year change was brought in - previously the fluid would never be changed and would stay in the car all its life. Brake fluid does not deteriorate over time and historically was only changed were it was used in very high temperature applications ie above its normal operating range in racing cars etc when it was often "boiled up" in the pipes causing a spongy pedal. There was some concern that rust particles could accumulate inside the braking system over a long time through corrosion of components and some car makers then started to recomend this. To change after 20K in a Merc is pointless, but if the customer is happy to pay the price thats good for the garage.

 

Duplicated post!

 

I do not agree that the engine chains do not need to be looked after, true they last a lot longer than belts but everything wears out. Tensioner's wear, oil pump chains wear, sprockets wear and only worrying when the chain flies out through the chain case cover is a bit too late. You may get lucky and the chain will only jump a tooth or two before you realize that something is wrong.
In an instant the engine can go into self destruct mode, pistons, valves etc are wrecked. At some point in the engines life the wear needs to be assessed and remedial action taken, 100 k. would seem the top end depending on usage.

 

Yes engine compnents do eventually wear out, some quicker than others. Ive been running very large vehicle fleets over the years years including 8000 company cars at one point, and more recently a very large fleet of vehicles of all shapes and sizes operating in desert countries in very tough conditions. We had just about every bizzare vehicle failure imaginable but never a cam chain. The tensioner (if it has one) is often hydraulic and never wears but after many miles of punishment I expect the chain can become noisy along with the rest of the engine, but that tends to be sprocket wear. The MB engine is very well made and if yoiu get a chance to listen to an old Merc Taxi with a petrol engine and 250K miles it will be amazingly quiet.

 

I had a timing chain skip sprocket teeth on a Ford 302cu/in. engine due to tensioner and chain wear resulting in piston and valve damage. This was due mainly to cheap components. My wife failed to tell me of the slow loss of power as teeth were skipped, this resulted in the maximum speed of the car being 30mph, foot to the floor. eventually it slipped enough teeth that it went into the valve interference condition, bye-bye valves.
My wife told me she kept forgetting to tell me. Obviously there were no real hints to problems that made a lasting impression on her. She drove the same car with a screaming bearing in the differential, I asked her how she could drive like that, her answer was that she turned the radio up.
My buddy just threw a timing chain through the timing case cover, this resulted in the transplant of a long block engine, the chain broke in this case.
Our engine has a manually adjusted chain tensioner that operates a swiveling guide. Obviously a wear item at some point, 100k would be a good time to check these major parts I would say.

 

I had a timing chain skip sprocket teeth on a Ford 302cu/in. engine due to tensioner and chain wear resulting in piston and valve damage. This was due mainly to cheap components. My wife failed to tell me of the slow loss of power as teeth were skipped over, this resulted in the maximum speed of the car being 30mph, foot to the floor. eventually it slipped enough teeth that it went into the valve interference condition, bye bye valves.
My wife told me she kept forgetting to tell me. Obviously there were no real hints to problems that made a lasting impression on her. She drove the same car with a screaming bearing in the differential, I asked her how she could drive like that, her answer was that she turned the radio up.
My buddy just threw a Timing chain through the timing case cover, this resulted in the transplant of a long block engine, the chain broke in this case.

 

I'm not saying just because it's got a chain it never needs looking at just not for a while and it's more mileage related when the likes of a belt has to get done at age.
As for the brake fluid I would still change it every couple of years the reason being is that it's hydroscopic i.e. it absorbs water.
As for doing your own servicing it's up to you.
I used to be a motor mechanic and now fix trains but I still use someone to service my car. The reason being is the guy i use is a mate he's very cheap £25 an hour and he works on cars every day when I don't plus i trust him 100% to only do what needs done.


Norrie.