Haynes' World is a regular feature that takes a look at what the staff at Haynes are doing with their vehicles. This time, Euan gives his used Seat Ibiza some TLC.
Car: Seat Ibiza 1.4 Sport
Owner: Euan Doig
When I was young, a wise old soul once told me that once youâve bought a used car, the best way to get to know it is to wash it. Only by getting up close and personal with it do you really see all the small blemishes that age and combat action bring.
So, I washed my recently acquired Seat Ibiza, and then the next day someone drove into it. Thatâs a repair tale for another day.
Seat Ibiza oil change
However, after washing it, I decided to go a step further and give it a quick fettle. It didnât need spark plugs, but it desperately required an oil and filter change (changing the oil regularly is the best thing you can do for an engine), plus a new air filter and pollen filter.
So, out came my trusty vacuum oil remover and I set to work. After getting the oil remover going, I unscrewed the cover for the air filter box, and removed the old item. Judging by the colour, it had been in there for quite some time. The new one went in, and I then began to change the pollen filter.
Cabin filter
Oh. My. Word. I suspect it hadnât been changed for at least a decade, because when I removed the cover for the filter, a few autumns'-worth of dead leaves dropped into the footwell, and the filter itself was black. Inserting a crisp, white filter into the slot felt very good indeed.
By this time, all the old oil had been sucked out of the engine, so I disconnected the battery then removed the old oil filter from the front of the engine. Space was tight, so it would have been a huge help if Iâd had double-jointed forearms, but it came out eventually.
The new filter was then screwed into place and the motor refilled with fresh oil.
The difference is noticeable â the car is running better and the engine feels smoother. And of course, thereâs the peace of mind that an oil change brings.
Now, all I have to do is sort the damage at the back end. Grrrr.
