Long Term Maintenance
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Anti-Cupholder League
Joined: Aug 2003
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Long Term Maintenance
These Items are Often Neglected:
Critical Safety Issues will Kill You and/or crash the car:
- Tires must be no older than 6 years (check the date code on the sidewall) an have no cracks in the sidewall no matter how many miles are on them
- Brake hoses should be replaced if older than 15 years or of unknown age; use new rubber ones from the Dealer
- Fuel hoses should be replaced if older than 15 years or of unknown age; use new rubber ones that match the pressures in your fuel system and are rated for ethanol mix fuels; don't forget the ones under the car by the fuel tank. Hose damage is inside and hidden from view. Be SURE proper clamps were used - garden hose type clamps will bit into and destroy the rubber hoses.
- stock 3.2L motors have a fuel hose that often fails - check and/or replace
Find that dangerously unfused wire under the dash and add an inline fuse for it - inspect the wires and dress the wires carefully to keep them from getting hung up on anything (like the heat control levers)
Brake pad thickness, rotor thickness and runout need to be checked periodically
Other Items are less dangerous:
CV-joint repack --- Every 20,000 miles or every Seven Years
Brake Fluid total replacement --- Every Two Years to yearly
Brake system seals disassembly & check -- Every Two Years
Clutch cable replacement --- Replace every 10 years, or every 50,000 miles - some say Clutch cable every 50k, or maybe 20k.
Distributor removal, clean & oil felt under rotor --- every spark plug change
Distributor disassembly, inspect for wear --- every few years
Fan belt --- Inspect every oil change, Replace every Two Years - keep the old one in the tool kit as a spare
Lubricate the steering column U joints every 50k
Alternator - refurb at an electrical shop or replace it before it leaves you stranded
Remove and clean turn signal lenses, etc. as they can get pretty funky inside and not reflect light as well as they should. Their gaskets and bulbs could be replaced too at this time. Use dieletric grease on contacts; you will save wt.. as grvel piesup on top of the rear housings
Ground straps...like the important one from the trans to the body...maybe even replace the heavy battery ground strap and clean up that area.... take them apart to check as corrosion can build up where you cannot see
Seatbelts! ... no one (including NHTSA - yes I asked them) knows how long they will last but it cannot be as long as many of our cars
Rebuild the pedal assembly, replace cables, accelerator linkage bushings, and the throttle “cushion" every 5-15 years depending on climate and use.
Do a “maintenance overhaul” on the engine and transmission before absolutely necessary.
Master cylinder may need replacement - but no one knows how long they last
Occasional fuel tank cleaning is important. Inspect the filter screen in the tank.
Replacing the rear axle bearing every 100K or so is worthwhile.
Grady Clay noted that he will not use a front ball joint more than 100K.
Clean, inspect, and regrease steering rack every 100K miles.
Also inspect and grease steering rod bearing (right below u-joint).
Lubricate locks, hinges, strikers, receivers. Door hinges can be flushed of debris, and should be. Use a can of Tri Flow with teflon, and attach the spray straw. The straw is pointed into the hinge lubrication hole. If you use this hole, then you will be able to flush out the dirt that accumulates in the hinge and door pin.
The abrasive action of the dirt, acting on the hinge pin and the hinge will wear out the hinge and cause door sag. Door sag is when the door no longer lines up with the door striker. A bad fitting door not only does not close properly, but will leak air and will be louder driving at highway speeds.
Clean all fuse contacts in both fuse boxes - rotate them while spraying with an electrical cleaner (I like Caig)
Inspect and replace rubber intake boots and all associated hoses
Rubber suspension bushings will only last a certain number of years no matter how many miles are on them (even at 600 miles, one car cracked its bushings)
Blow out the sunroof drain tubes.
Check spare tire.
Clean out drains in doors and the area at the bottom of the a-pillar and behind the bottom of the fender where leaves and mud build up.
Check over areas of the tub and its projections that commonly crack or fail:
- sway-bar mounting areas
- front suspension pan replacements
** be sure these areas are probed with a metal object as undercoating may make a purely visual inspection not adequate
Check the rubber tube in the smuggler's box to be sure it is intact. It drains water from the front grill to outside the car and if it has holes in it, the smuggler's box will be rusting away.
Fresh Air Vent System - the foam seals fail after some years
Inspect ends of Al front suspension crossmember to ensure that area that holds the adjusting screw captive is not broken
Inspect rubber vent tubes (drip tubes) in each headlight bucket,
in each of the 4 F &R turn signal housings,
4 for the sunroof drains,
brake fluid overflow drain (dumps out in front on early cars & under L fender IIRC on later ones),
gas overflow and emissions system (if the tubing is hard and brown it will crack soon)
There are 3 bushings that the throttle rod runs thru in the tunnel. These will need replacing periodically. The aft one can be reached thru the shift coupler access port; the front one thru the shift lever opening, and I'm told the middle one is reached thru the handbrake opening. They look like they are made of translucent plastic to me.
p/n 901-423-227-00-OEM
There are 3 nylon bushings that hold the throttle rod - they need to be replaced eventually - every 20-30 years at a guess.
914-423-211-00-M260
The two at the front and rear can be done by going in thru the shift coupler triangular hatch and the front hatch near the clutch cable attachment to the pedal. On my '73, they are held in by bent metal strips (don't cut your fingers) up under the tunnel housing on the driver's side - you need a mirror to see them.
To replace the middle one requires removing the handbrake. Never try to do that with both seats in...
But when you do remove the seats you will also want to replace the $20 plastic link that ties the manual throttle lever to the throttle cable.
OEM-90142431700
Whenever you have the motor out - be SURE to withdraw and inspect the shift rod. The tip of this rod often gives way over time, and a motor drop is required for replacement. Some wizards are able to repair the rod in situ however.
Inspect all possible rust areas on the car periodically...
Check your fuses and make sure they are the correct rating; also spin each one back and forth a bit every couple of years - you can also hose each one down with Caig or another electronics cleaner spray
Critical Safety Issues will Kill You and/or crash the car:
- Tires must be no older than 6 years (check the date code on the sidewall) an have no cracks in the sidewall no matter how many miles are on them
- Brake hoses should be replaced if older than 15 years or of unknown age; use new rubber ones from the Dealer
- Fuel hoses should be replaced if older than 15 years or of unknown age; use new rubber ones that match the pressures in your fuel system and are rated for ethanol mix fuels; don't forget the ones under the car by the fuel tank. Hose damage is inside and hidden from view. Be SURE proper clamps were used - garden hose type clamps will bit into and destroy the rubber hoses.
- stock 3.2L motors have a fuel hose that often fails - check and/or replace
Find that dangerously unfused wire under the dash and add an inline fuse for it - inspect the wires and dress the wires carefully to keep them from getting hung up on anything (like the heat control levers)
Brake pad thickness, rotor thickness and runout need to be checked periodically
Other Items are less dangerous:
CV-joint repack --- Every 20,000 miles or every Seven Years
Brake Fluid total replacement --- Every Two Years to yearly
Brake system seals disassembly & check -- Every Two Years
Clutch cable replacement --- Replace every 10 years, or every 50,000 miles - some say Clutch cable every 50k, or maybe 20k.
Distributor removal, clean & oil felt under rotor --- every spark plug change
Distributor disassembly, inspect for wear --- every few years
Fan belt --- Inspect every oil change, Replace every Two Years - keep the old one in the tool kit as a spare
Lubricate the steering column U joints every 50k
Alternator - refurb at an electrical shop or replace it before it leaves you stranded
Remove and clean turn signal lenses, etc. as they can get pretty funky inside and not reflect light as well as they should. Their gaskets and bulbs could be replaced too at this time. Use dieletric grease on contacts; you will save wt.. as grvel piesup on top of the rear housings
Ground straps...like the important one from the trans to the body...maybe even replace the heavy battery ground strap and clean up that area.... take them apart to check as corrosion can build up where you cannot see
Seatbelts! ... no one (including NHTSA - yes I asked them) knows how long they will last but it cannot be as long as many of our cars
Rebuild the pedal assembly, replace cables, accelerator linkage bushings, and the throttle “cushion" every 5-15 years depending on climate and use.
Do a “maintenance overhaul” on the engine and transmission before absolutely necessary.
Master cylinder may need replacement - but no one knows how long they last
Occasional fuel tank cleaning is important. Inspect the filter screen in the tank.
Replacing the rear axle bearing every 100K or so is worthwhile.
Grady Clay noted that he will not use a front ball joint more than 100K.
Clean, inspect, and regrease steering rack every 100K miles.
Also inspect and grease steering rod bearing (right below u-joint).
Lubricate locks, hinges, strikers, receivers. Door hinges can be flushed of debris, and should be. Use a can of Tri Flow with teflon, and attach the spray straw. The straw is pointed into the hinge lubrication hole. If you use this hole, then you will be able to flush out the dirt that accumulates in the hinge and door pin.
The abrasive action of the dirt, acting on the hinge pin and the hinge will wear out the hinge and cause door sag. Door sag is when the door no longer lines up with the door striker. A bad fitting door not only does not close properly, but will leak air and will be louder driving at highway speeds.
Clean all fuse contacts in both fuse boxes - rotate them while spraying with an electrical cleaner (I like Caig)
Inspect and replace rubber intake boots and all associated hoses
Rubber suspension bushings will only last a certain number of years no matter how many miles are on them (even at 600 miles, one car cracked its bushings)
Blow out the sunroof drain tubes.
Check spare tire.
Clean out drains in doors and the area at the bottom of the a-pillar and behind the bottom of the fender where leaves and mud build up.
Check over areas of the tub and its projections that commonly crack or fail:
- sway-bar mounting areas
- front suspension pan replacements
** be sure these areas are probed with a metal object as undercoating may make a purely visual inspection not adequate
Check the rubber tube in the smuggler's box to be sure it is intact. It drains water from the front grill to outside the car and if it has holes in it, the smuggler's box will be rusting away.
Fresh Air Vent System - the foam seals fail after some years
Inspect ends of Al front suspension crossmember to ensure that area that holds the adjusting screw captive is not broken
Inspect rubber vent tubes (drip tubes) in each headlight bucket,
in each of the 4 F &R turn signal housings,
4 for the sunroof drains,
brake fluid overflow drain (dumps out in front on early cars & under L fender IIRC on later ones),
gas overflow and emissions system (if the tubing is hard and brown it will crack soon)
There are 3 bushings that the throttle rod runs thru in the tunnel. These will need replacing periodically. The aft one can be reached thru the shift coupler access port; the front one thru the shift lever opening, and I'm told the middle one is reached thru the handbrake opening. They look like they are made of translucent plastic to me.
p/n 901-423-227-00-OEM
There are 3 nylon bushings that hold the throttle rod - they need to be replaced eventually - every 20-30 years at a guess.
914-423-211-00-M260
The two at the front and rear can be done by going in thru the shift coupler triangular hatch and the front hatch near the clutch cable attachment to the pedal. On my '73, they are held in by bent metal strips (don't cut your fingers) up under the tunnel housing on the driver's side - you need a mirror to see them.
To replace the middle one requires removing the handbrake. Never try to do that with both seats in...
But when you do remove the seats you will also want to replace the $20 plastic link that ties the manual throttle lever to the throttle cable.
OEM-90142431700
Whenever you have the motor out - be SURE to withdraw and inspect the shift rod. The tip of this rod often gives way over time, and a motor drop is required for replacement. Some wizards are able to repair the rod in situ however.
Inspect all possible rust areas on the car periodically...
Check your fuses and make sure they are the correct rating; also spin each one back and forth a bit every couple of years - you can also hose each one down with Caig or another electronics cleaner spray
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 340
From: Denver
This is a good list, though I disagree about seat belts. There is a lot of mythology around seat belts, nylon webbing, and the effect of sunlight (UV). That mythology is most discussed around rock-climbing harnesses, though is most regulated around racing harnesses (SFI and FIA), based on essentially zero real-world data. There are essentially no cases of properly secured nylon seatbelt, race harness, or climbing harness webbing breaking. Ever. This contrasts with nylon climbing webbing that has been out in the weather for years, which indeed does degrade and break, sometimes leading to fatalities So, when restoring my '69 I thought about using '69 seatbelts versus recycling '69 belt hardware and getting the webbing replaced. I decided my body would break at a far lower force than would the original '69 belt webbing.
Last edited by raspritz; Nov 13, 2020 at 08:32 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 405
From: SF Bay Area
This is a good list, though I disagree about seat belts. There is a lot of mythology around seat belts, nylon webbing, and the effect of sunlight (UV). That mythology is most discussed around rock-climbing harnesses, though is most regulated around racing harnesses (SFI and FIA), based on essentially zero real-world data. There are essentially no cases of properly secured nylon seatbelt, race harness, or climbing harness webbing breaking. Ever. This contrasts with nylon climbing webbing that has been out in the weather for years, which indeed does degrade and break, sometimes leading to fatalities So, when restoring my '69 I thought about using '69 seatbelts versus recycling '69 belt hardware and getting the webbing replaced. I decided my body would break at a far lower force than would the original '69 belt webbing.
Thread Starter
Anti-Cupholder League
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,933
Likes: 118
This is a good list, though I disagree about seat belts. There is a lot of mythology around seat belts, nylon webbing, and the effect of sunlight (UV). That mythology is most discussed around rock-climbing harnesses, though is most regulated around racing harnesses (SFI and FIA), based on essentially zero real-world data. There are essentially no cases of properly secured nylon seatbelt, race harness, or climbing harness webbing breaking. Ever. This contrasts with nylon climbing webbing that has been out in the weather for years, which indeed does degrade and break, sometimes leading to fatalities So, when restoring my '69 I thought about using '69 seatbelts versus recycling '69 belt hardware and getting the webbing replaced. I decided my body would break at a far lower force than would the original '69 belt webbing.
AFAIK, nobody reuses climbing harnesses over a 40 year span - people get "a little weighty" with age and if they continue to climb use a larger harness.
Trucker
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 684
From: Permanently Banned
Thank you very much for putting this list together.
what are your thoughts about the hard brake lines? I am restoring my ‘72 and decided to just replace them all with new.
I also like the fuel tank part...I cleaned mine and wow it was gummed up with bad fuel and dirt!
what are your thoughts about the hard brake lines? I am restoring my ‘72 and decided to just replace them all with new.
I also like the fuel tank part...I cleaned mine and wow it was gummed up with bad fuel and dirt!
Thread Starter
Anti-Cupholder League
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,933
Likes: 118
Thanks!
I still have my original hard brake lines on my rust-free '73.
There is one MY that used a type of plastic that doesn't last - may have been '74?
Otherwise, maybe go by the amount of rust on the car.
I still have my original hard brake lines on my rust-free '73.
There is one MY that used a type of plastic that doesn't last - may have been '74?
Otherwise, maybe go by the amount of rust on the car.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 126
Likes: 18
From: SW Florida
This is such a good list! I just wish I knew how to do it all. I am willing to tackle anything with good instructions so I'm trying to work my way through the FCP Euro blog but I wish there were more repair narratives with photos like that.
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Thread Starter
Anti-Cupholder League
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,933
Likes: 118
You can do it little by little as it comes due.
When buying a car, you need to do all the safety related things right away to lower the risk of tire, brake or flames...
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From: Boston, MA
Thread Starter
Anti-Cupholder League
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,933
Likes: 118
Add this to the list: Check your fuses and make sure they are the correct rating; also spin each one back and forth a bit every couple of years - you can also hose each one down with Caig or another electronics cleaner spray
Thread Starter
Anti-Cupholder League
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The the taillight assemblies are a bad design - and quite heavy. If you can't unscrew them, you'll have to go after the captive nut clips.
Start a new thread with pics & your model year for more help.
Start a new thread with pics & your model year for more help.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,510
Likes: 1,642
From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
a lot of that list is total BS and and the usual "sky is falling" BS from looking on the internet without any real world experience.
Your tires will not explode if 6 years and one day ... i have had tires over 10-12 years and had absolutely zero issues ... i wouldn't take them to the track but no reason to panic if they are over 6 years , just apply common sense.
My brake lines were the original Porsche ones over 30 years old and 250 K km . yes the exterior was rusted and caked at the connections but when i removed them they were perfectly fine. Of course i was glad i changed them but again , no reason to panic.
yes I agree aging Carrera fuel lines should be replaced.. . the nylon ones on the SC are practically indestructible. the ones on the pump to the tank should be changed at some point but routine inspection can tell you a lot.
I think arbitrarily assigning times to parts replacement is short sighted, and reeks of a lack of engineering prowess.
As with anything else in life, just use common sense and do routine inspections of your car.
In no way should anyone use the listed posted above as gospel.
Your tires will not explode if 6 years and one day ... i have had tires over 10-12 years and had absolutely zero issues ... i wouldn't take them to the track but no reason to panic if they are over 6 years , just apply common sense.
My brake lines were the original Porsche ones over 30 years old and 250 K km . yes the exterior was rusted and caked at the connections but when i removed them they were perfectly fine. Of course i was glad i changed them but again , no reason to panic.
yes I agree aging Carrera fuel lines should be replaced.. . the nylon ones on the SC are practically indestructible. the ones on the pump to the tank should be changed at some point but routine inspection can tell you a lot.
I think arbitrarily assigning times to parts replacement is short sighted, and reeks of a lack of engineering prowess.
As with anything else in life, just use common sense and do routine inspections of your car.
In no way should anyone use the listed posted above as gospel.
Last edited by theiceman; Jun 7, 2021 at 11:11 AM.