[If there's an existing thread on this, pls just link to it as I couldn't find one. Thx]

Hi all,

My ’03 TL Magna sedan is coming up for the 135000km service soon. Being a fairly major service where the air cleaner, brake fluid, coolant and front spark plugs get changed (apart from the usual engine oil + filter) I’ve been giving some thought as to whether it would be worth getting it done at a Mitsubishi dealership (I live in Sydney’s west). Called around to get a few quotes and they’re in the range $440 to $580 (parts + labour + GST) depending on where I asked.

Any thoughts on whether its worth putting down that amount of cash to get it done professionally at a Mitsu dealer?
Any recommendations on which dealership to get it done at (if I ignore the variance in the quotes I received)?

I suppose I could save about $150-200 by just getting a minor service done ($140) and then replacing the air cleaner and 3 front spark plugs myself (cost would come to around $50 + 3 x $10 = $80).

How easy or hard is it to drain/refill the coolant and brake fluid myself? I’ve done stuff like changing plugs and brake pads before and have most if not all the necessary tools.

Cheers,
Aj (No longer fussed about getting log book stamped by dealer as I think the car is a keeper!)

Oil = $20 and up.
Filter = $7
Coolant = $22.
Front plugs = $10
Brake fluid = $10
Air cleaner = $30 (?)


Mmmm $100 or so in parts etc. Saves a lot of $$$ and leaves a lot of spare cash to buy a brake bleeder kit, oil drain pan, sockets, torque wrench etc. It is also a good chance to learn more about your car. DIY is a win/win scenario in my eyes. Start off with the easy bits first like air filter and plugs, and then sus out how to do the other jobs. None of it is beyond the beginner DIY/handyperson level.


Did you get the cam belt changed at 90 or 100 thousand Km? How much did that cost?

The hardest part is accessing front bank coolant plug. The rest is fairly easy. I made my own brake bleed bottle from a jam jar with a hole punched through the metal lid and a piece of clear tubing to fit the bleed nipple. I generally get two 500ml brake fluid bottles, one is pretty much used up as the flushing fluid and the last is for the reservoir refill.

My prices are a little higher than MM's but generally I have found 5 litres of Magnatec to be around $32, brake fluid Castrol Dot 4 around $8 per bottle, Ryco air cleaner to be closer to $45 and I use the Nulon concentrate long life fluid, 5 litres for around $40.

Have a look for the block drain plugs, one per bank as they are hard to get to. You might not have the spanners etc to reach them. If that's the case do the rest yourself and get the coolant changed by a reputable radiator mob that won't tell you you need a new radiator etc etc.

ok, haven't bought any of those bits recently so my prices were just a guesstimate. lol

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I got the T-belt replaced at the 90K service, along with replacing the platinum plugs and other items due at 90K km. Cost me around $1000 at Mitsubishi Sydney city dealership.

The coolant sounds like a job for a radiator mob (thanks for the suggestion) however I could probably do the brake flush myself. Is there a bleed nipple on each of the four wheels' brake calipers? Just keep topping up and bleeding from each nipple till the new stuff comes out? How do I tell if it's the new oil, is there any likelihood the new oil and the old will be largely the same colour?

Brake fluid - yes, one bleed nipple on each caliper, at the top. I usually suck the old brake fluid out of the master cylinder with an old syringe first and refill it with fresh. I take each wheel off, starting with the one furthest from the master cylinder, and open the bleed valve. Gravity does its thing, and when the fluid runs nice and clear I close the nipple. Repeat for the other wheels. Catch the used fluid in a drain tin or old ice cream container and wash off any on the caliper afterwards with water. (after putting the rubber cap back on so no water gets into the nipple and rusts it solid over time). A short piece of clear plastic tubing can go on the nipple so you can see the fluid that comes out, and avoid a mess, but I don't bother. Top up the reservoir between doing each of the wheels.Takes one 500 ml bottle at most.

You need a 10 mm ring spanner for the nipples. Don't do them up too tight.

Coolant - I don't bother with the crankcase drain bolts, too hard to reach. I drain the radiator when cold (tap on the bottom) then refill with tap water. Start up to mix the coolant up, warm up, shut down and let cool, then repeat. After doing this 3 times I add concentrated coolant for the cooling system volume, and top up with tap water. The coolant I use is ok with tap water (2 years with tap water, 3 years with demineralised water). Run and top up as needed. Good idea when flushing is to remove the plastic tank and wash that out properly. Keep an eye on the coolant level as it can drop over the next few days.

Brake fluid - I usually suck the old brake fluid out of the master cylinder with an old syringe and refill it with fresh. I take each wheel off, starting with the one furthest from the master cylinder, and open the bleed valve. Gravity does its thing, and when the fluid runs nice and clear I close the nipple. Repeat for the other wheels. Catch the used fluid in a drain tin or old ice cream container and wash off any on the caliper afterwards with water. (after putting the rubber cap back on so no water gets into the nipple and rusts it solid over time). A short piece of clear plastic tubing can go on the nipple so you can see the fluid that comes out, and avoid a mess, but I don't bother. Top up the reservoir between doing each of the wheels.Takes one 500 ml bottle at most.


You need a 10 mm ring spanner for the nipples. Don't do them up too tight.
Or if you have a mate handy (which is how i always do it lol more hands the better) get a mate to press the brake pedal 3 times, while holding his foot down, you open the bleeder nipple. you close the nipple, he pumps the pedal 3 more times and repeat 10+ times. In ABS car's usually have to have the car running to cycle the ABS unit

With colour of fluid, you can check the brake-fluid reservoir and see what fluid colour is in there now. It should be easy to buy a quality brake fluid of different tint from a variety of brands on the market. I found it very easy to know when fresh fluid was bled and flowing cleanly at each wheel caliper, when (quite inadvertently) the new fluid was a different colour to my old.

Just be very careful that you get the correct grade - which is, I believe, DOT 4. Don't be fooled into thinking that another grade might be an update or better - there is a different possibly newer grade which is absolutely incompatible with the seals used in the braking system of your car.

From memory, the bleed nipples are 8mm, but don't quote me on that. I used bleeding of brakes as an excuse to buy a set of "flare" spanners, but they were not really necessary - just that SCA had a cheap price on their higher-quality range at the time. By "flare spanners" I mean the sort that look like a ring spanner, but have a slot that lets you slip the spanner over the fluid pipe to get spanner onto the nut of the fitting (in this case the bleed nipple with bleed hose attached). Its just as easy to slip an ordinary ring spanner onto the nipple first and then attach the bleed hose.

EDIT: MadMax (post below) may be correct about the size of bleed nipples on the 3rd Gens.

TS is 10 mm on the bleed nipples. I'm assuming the third gen is the same. I've had bad experiences with 8 mm bleed nipples, they round off or snap off at the slightest excuse. Can't remember what car that was on though. lol

;1321281']Or if you have a mate handy (which is how i always do it lol more hands the better) get a mate to press the brake pedal 3 times, while holding his foot down, you open the bleeder nipple. you close the nipple, he pumps the pedal 3 more times and repeat 10+ times. In ABS car's usually have to have the car running to cycle the ABS unit

Pretty sure the ABS will not cycle - car has to be in motion above a certain speed and receive imbalance signal from wheel sensor. AFAIK you would need the MUT11 to cycle the ABS but I could be completely wrong. However, I am sure that the ABS does not have to cycle unless the reservoir has run dry and air has reached the ABS unit, so if care is taken bleeding it should be no problem.:)

MadMax, I know what you mean mate, my Dad used to have a VW Derby (Polo with a boot) and the bleed nipples were 8mm, they tended to round off very easily.

Interesting point about the ABS, I had completely forgotten that it sits between the master cylinder and each caliper. Never bled brakes on a car with ABS before, but sounds like the procedure is the same and having the ABS there doesn't complicate things - am I right?

I just checked the downloadable factory service manual - section 35 bleeding brakes (incl ABS) and it indicates you just do it the normal way ensuring you do not allow the MC to run empty. Maybe you could download the manual (it's on this site...free)

Thanks mate.

A coupla more questions that just occurred to me as I prepare to DIY service my Magna this weekend:

1) What do people do with the used engine oil drained from their cars? What's the recommended way to dispose of it?

2) Its been over 10 yrs since I last changed spark plugs, all I remember doing was screwing them in till finger tight and then giving them a further 1/8 turn using the plug spanner/wrench. Does that still apply for 3rd gen Magnas? Or is there a specific torque to which they need to be tightened? (I haven't consulted the workshop manual yet - I ask the question because I dont have a torque wrench and would like to know if using one is a must or if a final 1/8 turn using a wrench is sufficient.)

thanks for the tips,
Aj

A coupla more questions that just occurred to me as I prepare to DIY service my Magna this weekend:

1) What do people do with the used engine oil drained from their cars? What's the recommended way to dispose of it?

2) Its been over 10 yrs since I last changed spark plugs, all I remember doing was screwing them in till finger tight and then giving them a further 1/8 turn using the plug spanner/wrench. Does that still apply for 3rd gen Magnas? Or is there a specific torque to which they need to be tightened? (I haven't consulted the workshop manual yet - I ask the question because I dont have a torque wrench and would like to know if using one is a must or if a final 1/8 turn using a wrench is sufficient.)

thanks for the tips,
Aj

1) I throw the oil on the back fence as per instructions from the nannu "keeps the wood conditioned" so I'm told. lol
2) pretty much, pinch em tight, then 1/8th turn. some anti-seize grease on the threads wont hurt either.

AFAIK the hydraulics of the ABS are totally separate from the rest of the brake system. When you bleed the brakes the ABS system isn't bled at all. At least, that's how it works on a TS with ABS. Fluid in its ABS reservoir is still as clear as the day it was put in, so I guess it doesn't need a fluid change. So, just pretend the ABS isn't there and bleed the brakes as per normal for a non ABS car.

Old engine oil - most local councils have a facility to recycle oil. My local council tip takes it for no fee. I usually wait until it fills the boot or makes a decent trailer load. lol

Spark plugs can get really tight over 10 years, so be careful. Check the threads of the old plugs for alloy adhering. Anti seize on the new plugs is a good idea. 25 Nm I believe, or as above, 1/8 turn. I don't take chances with alloy heads so I use a torque wrench.

AFAIK the hydraulics of the ABS are totally separate from the rest of the brake system. When you bleed the brakes the ABS system isn't bled at all. At least, that's how it works on a TS with ABS. Fluid in its ABS reservoir is still as clear as the day it was put in, so I guess it doesn't need a fluid change.

Although according to the manual it says for ABS eqiupped cars to do it with IGN on or the car running *shrugs shoulders*

AFAIK the hydraulics of the ABS are totally separate from the rest of the brake system. When you bleed the brakes the ABS system isn't bled at all. At least, that's how it works on a TS with ABS. Fluid in its ABS reservoir is still as clear as the day it was put in, so I guess it doesn't need a fluid change.

Old engine oil - most local councils have a facility to recycle oil. My local council tip takes it for no fee. I usually wait until it fills the boot or makes a decent trailer load. lol

Thanks, will bottle it up then and take to council's waste facility in due course.

The ABS has its own reservoir?? Never noticed it had one, must have a look...

;1323115']1) I throw the oil on the back fence as per instructions from the nannu "keeps the wood conditioned" so I'm told. lol

OK if you have a dark coloured wooden fence. Makes a sticky mess though. Thin it down with some turps and it will sink in better.

The ABS has its own reservoir?? Never noticed it had one, must have a look...


Does on a TS, donno about your TL though . . . have a look. lol Best to consult the manual. I think they are different systems of ABS, so everything I have said may not apply to your car. Oops! lol

Yeah they all have that separate reservoir
And no the fence is a pale color. lol

Went out to Mitsubishi dealership at Lidcombe during my lunch and bought most of the parts I'll be using. Strangely the Mitsubishi "Brake & Clutch Fluid" bottles (that come only in 500ml I was told) don't specify a DOT number at all. $10.40 (excl GST) and carries part no MR936863.

The spark plugs I got (based on my VIN which I quoted) were Champion Copper Plus RC10YCC4 at $6.86 each. The carton states "consult champion application guide for proper gap" however this information does not appear to be available online as far as I can tell.

Does anyone know what the correct spark plug gap is for the 6G74?

Also, I remember the workshop manual used to be available at http://www.thehammer.net/magna/ but that page seems to have changed. Anyone have the link handy?

Much appreciated,
Aj