During the operation of the car, processes such as loosening of the fastening of components and assemblies, wear of rubbing surfaces, violation of adjustment parameters, aging of rubber products and paint and varnish coatings inevitably occur. To prevent malfunctions and improve the reliability of the car, scheduled preventive maintenance is provided, which includes inspection, adjustment, lubrication, as well as the replacement of individual parts after a certain mileage.
This subsection is intended to help the motorist keep the car in good condition, reduce fuel and oil consumption and extend the life of the car. The subsection provides a general preventive maintenance plan for the vehicle, followed by subsections that describe the maintenance operations in more detail. The drawings of the engine compartment and the bottom of the car body given later in the book allow you to get an idea of the location of the main elements. Carrying out maintenance in accordance with the above plan will ensure a long and reliable service of the car.
This maintenance plan is complete, so it is recommended that all maintenance operations be carried out at the indicated intervals. When servicing a car, you will notice that some operations can be combined with others - this follows from the essence of the maintenance operations themselves. For example, if you raised the car for any operation, then the elements of the exhaust system can be checked at the same time as checking the suspension or steering elements. Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare for maintenance. Read the entire description of the operation you are about to perform and purchase the necessary tools and spare parts. If you encounter a problem that you are unable to resolve on your own, contact the experts.
Regular maintenance will provide:
- good fuel efficiency;
- long service life of the car;
- enjoyment of driving;
- traffic safety;
- reliability;
- the possibility of using all the benefits of the guarantee;
- compliance with the requirements of the current legislation in terms of environmental protection.
Performing maintenance
If the instructions and appropriate safety precautions are not followed, performing vehicle maintenance is dangerous. Some maintenance operations carry the risk of serious injury. If you do not have sufficient knowledge and practical experience, or you do not have the necessary tools or equipment to do the job, have your car serviced by an authorized Mazda dealer.
Running engine
It is dangerous to work in the engine compartment if the engine is not turned off and continues to run. The risk of injury is even higher if you wear jewelry or loose-fitting clothing. Jewelery, bulky or long pieces of clothing can get caught in rotating parts and cause injury. Therefore, if it is necessary to carry out work in the engine compartment with the engine running, be sure to remove all decorations (especially rings, bracelets, watches, chains), and a tie, scarf, or similar loose piece of clothing before approaching the engine or cooling fan directly (which can suddenly turn on and start spinning).
Engine oil viscosity affects fuel economy and engine performance at low temperatures (e.g. to start a cold engine). A lighter engine oil can improve fuel economy and make starting easier at low ambient temperatures. However, at high ambient temperatures, it is required to use a more viscous engine oil that can provide satisfactory lubrication conditions for engine parts.
When choosing the viscosity of the engine oil, the prevailing range of ambient air temperature in the period until the next oil change must be taken into account. Then determine the recommended viscosity of the engine oil using the graphs above in Table. 1.3.
Note. The consumption of engine oil in the engine is a normal occurrence in the operation of the car. Engine oil consumption is mainly due to the burning of the oil film on the cylinder walls, the combustion of oil that has entered the engine cylinders through the crankcase ventilation system, and evaporation losses. The natural consumption of engine oil for a serviceable engine can be up to 0.8 liters per 1000 km of a car run. At the beginning of the operation of the car, when the engine parts are running in, the consumption of engine oil may exceed the specified value. Engine oil consumption depends on engine operating conditions (speed of rotation of the crankshaft and load), as well as driving style. With a dynamic high-speed driving style, when the engine is running in forced modes, engine oil consumption increases and may exceed the above value.