NorthwindHost

I was going to go in to the dealership to do my 120,000 Mile Tune-up Soon.

I am pretty much at 117,000 Miles and just changed the oil and filter.

Would you recommend going to the dealership or no. I don't really see to much of a harm as all they are doing is tightening bolts, and changing fluids.

What do you all think?

cavellm

It'd be easy enough for you to tighten the bolts and change the fluids yourself...

They'll overcharge you out the *** to do simple stuff.

scratchjunkie

120k! you are the man if your on the original motor. i look up to you.

wonder1and

Do it yourself... its not that hard
I say do some bushings... check every bolt you can find... change your belts.

rynberg

I would not trust the dealer to do a 60k service. If you don't want to do the work yourself, take it to someone who knows FDs.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I agree and disagree with rynberg on this one.

Dealerships are nothing more than a garage with an expensive name on them. Some have good mechanics, some don't.

My advice is to talk to other local owners about the shops and dealerships in your area.

I doubt that the dealership is going to retension any bolts anyway. At most, all they'll do is:

* Change plugs
* Change oil & filter
* Flush coolant
* Send you on your way....

With some local help, you can make this a fun Saturday or Sunday project.

I would also add to the above with the other following maintenance areas:

* Change fuel filter
* Change tranny/diff fluid
* If your spark plug wires have never been changed, change 'em
* Check torque on PPF (and check for cracks on the welds)
* Change/clean air filters (dependind on what you are using)
* Lastly, clean the engine bay: https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=84187

cavellm

If changing your fuel filter is considered fun................

Relocate it behind the subframe while you're at it, it'll make it MUCH easier to get to afterwards.

NorthwindHost

I guess im going fluid shopping then.

Thanks alot guys and as far as the torquing goes for the bolts, is it like a real necessity?

Its really hard to get under my car and I have no ramp that would work with the car.

pomanferrari

iTrader: (1)

100K tune up ongoing for me. It involves:

1. replacing the engine with a Malloy reman
2. replacing the steering rack
3. replacing control arms front and rear
4. replacing rubber bushing with JLab bushing
5. replacing EG coolant with Evans
6. replacing turbos with lo-miles set of twins
7. installing water injection
8. replacing the timing belt and adjusting the valves.

racer1

You've got 120k on the stock engine dude? If you do so...how did you manage it? How often you change oil and everything?

alberto_mg

Never ever take your car to the dealers around here dude. I personally know a few of the dealer mechanics and you don't want to hear the stories I've heard. Plus very few mechanics will actually do perform the tasks that you mentioned. They will bill you for it, but they won't do anything.

Its very easy to change tranny and diff fluids on the 7. I'd do that myself. Same goes for tightening bolts. At lease you know it actually gets done.

NorthwindHost

hehe, its not a stock engine, the engine has like 35k miles on it.

Rebuilt by KDrotary I believe.

Anywho. We will see, imma buy all the **** i need tomorrow at autobarn or pepboys.

alberto_mg

Its probably not necessary to torque the bolts. Unless of course they are loose. Go to Sears a buy a jack. They are about $30. You won't accomplish much w/o it.

I do recommend that you check the two bolts under the diff. Mine were loose when I got the car.

NorthwindHost

I tried getting under the car and man, wtf. No room period. =P.

I thought it was supposed to be easier to take the plugs out from the bottom but i had no room to move at all.

Can you refer to me as what jack you are talking about?

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Since you are planning on doing your own work, it's time to invent in some jackstands and a decent floor jack:

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=227336

jimlab

At 120k miles, I'd be checking the suspension carefully. If you have stock bushings, at least some of them are probably shot, especially the pillow bushings in the rear. If you have stock shocks/springs, I'd definitely replace the shocks and consider replacing the springs. Check the bolts on the powerplant frame for tightness at both ends (diff and transmission). Check the PPF itself for cracks or damage. Check your ball joints for free play. 120k miles is a lot of use on original equipment.

How are your tires holding up? Check the tread depth on your tires. Too many people scrimp on tires only to find out what happens on wet pavement the hard way. Brakes... how are your pads? At 120k miles, I'd check and replace the brake pads, if necessary, and recommend replacing the rubber soft lines at all four corners. The braking system isn't something you want to take chances with. If you haven't already, flush the brake fluid, replace, and bleed the air out of the system.

The fluids are almost irrelevant. It could be a 3,000 miles or 150k miles... you're going to change your oil regardless, right?

If the car has had the same coolant mix for an extended period of time, it might be a good idea to flush the radiator. If the radiator looks questionable, it's probably a good time to update to an aftermarket version with increased capacity.

The fuel filter is a good place to start, but most people wouldn't think of (or go to the trouble of) having their injectors cleaned and blueprinted. It doesn't matter how much fuel you're delivering from the pump if your injectors are shot and are just spraying it like a firehose... or worse, clogged up and spraying very little at all.

Always check the normal wear items, and especially the items that your safety relies upon. Heck, that goes for any mileage, not just 120k.

alberto_mg

I got my jack and jack stands at Sears. Here is an example of one: http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summ...id=00950134000

The jacks from Harbor Freight on that link that Mahjik posted are real nice. If you have some time to wait, I'd get one of those.

Due to clearance, its sometimes hard to get my Sears jack under the car. I kinda have to get it close to position and then lift the car slightly by grabbing the fender with both hands and pulling up to unload the suspension and lift it 1/2'1" while sliding the jack in the rest of the way. Good excercise though - till I throw my back out.

I have 120k on my too. My front suspension (ball joints, tie rods and bushings) are in great shape. I can see and hear some wear on some of the rear bushings though. Not bad, but something I'd like address in the next year. The stuff that Jimlab mentioned are good things to check out while under the car. Especially, if you have recently purchased it and don't know the history.

Don't skimp on the jack stands! My uncle got crushed once under his car one chaning a tire.

jimlab

It's a lot easier to drive up on a pair of short pieces of 2x4 or 2x6 for a little extra clearance...

Excellent advice. Check the welds on the stands for quality, and it's not going to hurt anything if you get ones rated several tons over what will "just get you by". Skip the cheap-o 1- and 2-ton stands and go straight for 4- or 5-ton. Spend a couple bucks. Your life is worth more than a cheap-*** jackstand, right?

Also, be very aware of where you're putting the jack stands. The "cradle" on the top of most cast iron extension should be placed somewhere where what it's supporting can't slip off to either "short" side.

Wrap the top with a folded shop towel to save wear and tear on the car, or if there's no chance of movement, a block of wood can be used to protect the car and spread the load (see picture below). A folded shop towel between the jack and the differential or engine cradle (or a wooden block) can also help keep from damaging the car when you lift it.

In the picture below, I have a single 2x4 spreading the load from side to side since I'm supporting the car from the floor pan, immediately behind the thick crossbrace at the front of the bins. The 2x4 fits into the cradle at the top of each jackstand so that when compressed, it cannot move. The jackstands are 4-ton models sheet metal versions that came with one of my jacks, I believe. This arrangement allows me to pull out and work on the entire rear subframe. At the front of the car, you can see a pair of Craftsman 5-ton jackstands (silver). The tops are padded with shop towels and they're supporting the framerails on either side.



If you have something to put it under, you can also leave the jack extended and just touching (not under load) something (engine cradle or differential, usually) depending on which end you're working under. I don't have that option, obviously, but if a jackstand were to fail, the jack would "catch" and support the car at that end. If you're paranoid, you can buy two jacks and do the same thing at both ends for 6 possible supporting points.

For the ultimate in low-profile jacks and jackstands, go here...
http://www.ultimategarage.com/acjacks.html