When summer comes....

[sawood12]

I'm starting to think about those maintenance jobs that I should do as soon as the weather starts to improve and have read up on the workshop manuals but I've still got a few queries:-

Clutch Slave Cyliner - seems like a simple job. Is it necessary to remove the starter motor and fully drain the clutch fluid?

Gearbox Oil - Maintenance manual suggest you should drain the oil while it is warm. Is this necessary? And is Swepco all it's made up to be or am I better off with common garden fully synthetic oil at the required grade?

Rear shocks - Potentially a very daft question but here goes - is there a bump stop that the trailing arm rests on when the side of the car is jacked up to prevent the trailing arm springing back when the shock absorber is removed? I'd hate to remove the shocker and the trailing arm to spring back.

Cheers.

 

[944cabby]

I've got swepco in my gearbox and yes i noticed a difference.The box definately is much quieter and gearchanging is very smooth especially on a good "run".The only negative i can see is that when the gearbox is cold it's a little difficult to engage gears (but only for a very short time).

 

[Fen]

How do you mean spring back, Scott? The arm tends to drop under spring tension and without the shock I don't think it goes any further. I have changed shocks a few times and I don't recall there being much difficulty with the gap between the mounts being different to the length of the extended shock (and being gas shocks they extend by themselves). The only bump stops are in the shock body itself and at the top of the wheelarch on the chassis rail.

 

[Big Dave]

Regarding the clutch slave..

Yes you do need to remove the starter. to gain access to the slave...
The fluid.?? as there aint much in the system to start with you may aswell flush it through....

Happy maintaining...[][][][]

 

[Fen]

The clutch is supposedly fun to bleed I understand.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: Fen

The clutch is supposedly fun to bleed I understand.

Never had any trouble with MkI Escorts and Capris [] Happy days.

 

[mik_ok]

Not sure about the other queries, but re the rear shocks Fen is correct.

I had to put another jack under the hub to raise the suspension a smidge to get the lower damper (shock) bolt in.

 

[dlknight]

ORIGINAL: 944cabby

I've got swepco in my gearbox and yes i noticed a difference.The box definately is much quieter and gearchanging is very smooth especially on a good "run".The only negative i can see is that when the gearbox is cold it's a little difficult to engage gears (but only for a very short time).

Another vote for Swepco agree that it can be difficult for the first few minutes on a cold morning but quickly warms up.

When you change the oil maybe worth warming the new oil up (maybe place the container in a vessel of warm water for 30 mins or so) before hand as it can be a pain refilling the gearbox... Also check you can undo the filler plug before removing the drain plug

To fill mine I used a short piece of hose with a funnel on the end, fed the other end of the tube over the rear wheel and into the filler hole on the gearbox.
That way you can fill it up without being a contortionist and without spilling a drop of oil

Regards

Dave K.

 

[sawood12]

My concern about replacing the shocks is that I would unbolt the old one and the trailing arm would caterpault itself round until the torsion bar unloaded making it very difficult to fit the new shock absorber but it sounds like this isn't the case.

 

[944turboS]

Top Tip Dave.

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: John Sims

ORIGINAL: Fen

The clutch is supposedly fun to bleed I understand.

Never had any trouble with MkI Escorts and Capris [] Happy days.

Me neither. I once had to change a Mk2 Escort clutch quick smart in the road outside my parents' house on a Saturday as I had advertised the car for sale and someone wanted to come and see it. I think the spring had come out of the plate, just like the Turbo ones can.