[Meshak24]

Hey everyone,

I have an 01 Trep, and I'm going to be doing some standard tune-up work - I've had the car for about two years now, but I've only had to do the usual oil/fluid work (and a new transmission, but we won't go there...). Can anyone give me some general times that it might take me to change drive belts, spark plugs, etc., those slightly less than standard jobs? I know that in some cars these things are simple and in some they are ridiculously time-consuming.

Thanks in advance for the info!

 

[mb-lhs]

How many miles, and which engine do you have?

The 3.2/3.5L engines will require a timing belt at around 100K miles.

 

[Meshak24]

It's the 2.7 and I have about 83k miles on it.

 

[pgr1940]

http://www.autobytel.com/content/own/service/index.cfm?action=serviceschedules&id=4;ABTL

 

[Morphy]

Thanks for the link. It's quite informative.


I have a question. For my next service on my '01 it suggests I get the ignition cables changed. What the hell are ignition cables?

 

[Hypnos]

Ignition cables = spark plug wires. Odd thing is, your car doesn't have them.


Spark plugs are VERY easy to change on these cars. You just have to make sure you use the right size torx to get those coil screws off. Press down as you back them out. Many people strip them. You should use antisieze on both the spark plug threads and the torx screw threads.

Belts aren't too hard. No spring/hydrolic tensioner though.

Be sure to change the transmission fluid and timing belt/water pump when they are due. Only use ATF +3(93-02 only) or ATF +4 (any year) fluid. Wrong fluid is a major cause of transmission failure on these cars.

 

[pgr1940]

Ignition Cables (Spark plug wires). Since the 3.2L has coil packs (replaced distributor) there aren't any ignition cables to change at regular service intervals. I do not know if anyone has had to replace the wires leading to the coil packs. Coil packs do fail causing a sparkplug to misfire. You will get a "Check Engine Light" when that happens.The codes can be any of the following (or some other code?):
300 Misfire detected in multiple cylinders.
301 Misfire detected in cylinder #1.
302 Misfire detected in cylinder #2.
303 Misfire detected in cylinder #3.
304 Misfire detected in cylinder #4.
305 Misfire detected in cylinder #5.
306 Misfire detected in cylinder #6.
350 A coil is drawing too much current.
351 Coil #1 is not reaching peak current at the right time
352 Coil #2 is not reaching peak current at the right time
353 Coil #3 is not reaching peak current at the right time
354 Coil #4 is not reaching peak current at the right time
355 Coil #5 is not reaching peak current at the right time
356 Coil #6 is not reaching peak current at the right time

 

[Morphy]

Thanks guys