Anyone know where I can get a maintenance schedule for 175k+ miles?!

 

To my knowledge the schedule ends at 150K. Good thorough inspections every 10-15K after that is what I would recommend. Follow the every " this many " miles schedule. I would have an alignment shop do a very good inspection making sure they check the ride height.

My truck has 237K. Im the second owner. My brother purchased it new. After 150 I told him the same thing and to be on top of repairing things as soon as a hint of a problem showed up. Also keeping the engine bay as clean as possible helps high mileage vehicles. 237K and my truck has ALL of the factory hoses, yes all of them from 1999. That's because the engine bay has been cleaned every couple of months since it was new. Im getting ready to replace them all now that the one under the intake is starting to leak. Oil and road grime break down the rubber of the hoses. Oil and grease build up on any engine will cause it to operate at higher temperatures and not dissipate heat very well.

Keep it clean and scrutinize the vehicle by what type of mileage it gets. Highway vs city. Highway every 15K or 20K. City every 10K. Good judgment and regular checks will go a long way. If you only replaced the drive belt by the schedule you wouldn't change it at all if it never failed. By the schedule its inspected every 60K. Follow the normal things like the coolant every 2 years and so on.

KW

 

Inspections - what am I inspecting and what should I look for?

This many miles schedule - I know what you mean just don't know when. Can you help?

 

I thought I attached a schedule to my post, sorry. Im new to this site also and still learning the ins and outs. When Im back at my computer I will either attach it or send it to you via pm.

 

This is straight from the documentation for my truck. 1999 F150 Ex Cab, 2WD Long style side bed.

SEVERE SERVICE
The term "Severe Service" is defined as operating the vehicle under any of the following conditions:

Frequent short trips driving less than 5 miles (8 km)
Frequent driving in dusty conditions
Extensive idling
Trailer towing
Sustained high speed operation
Off road driving
Desert operation
Frequent starting and stopping
Cold climate operation
Short trip operation at freezing temperatures (engine not thoroughly warmed up)
Commercial service
Stop and go driving
NOTES ON "SEVERE SERVICE"
Some vehicle manufacturers provide separate maintenance procedures for vehicles operated under Severe or Special circumstances. Other manufacturers provide recommendations for service at more frequent intervals for vehicles operated under severe conditions. For any vehicle operated under severe conditions, as defined by the vehicles manufacturer, always check the regular maintenance schedule for procedures that may not appear at the similar interval under severe service.

Example:

Manufacturer recommends tire rotation at 10,000 mile intervals under regular maintenance.

There is no tire rotation recommendation shown in the severe service schedule, which has 3000 mile intervals.

At a minimum, recommend rotation at 9000 and 18,000 miles, or as close to the regular schedule as possible. Depending on vehicle usage and obvious tire wear, this recommendation should be increased as necessary.

EVERY MONTH

CHECK LEVEL
Engine Oil
Windshield Washer Fluid
INSPECT
Fluid leaks on pavement
Tires for wear and proper air pressure
Function of all interior and exterior lights
EVERY 6 MONTHS

CHECK LEVEL
Power Steering MA
Clutch Reservoir HBH
Cooling system fluid level and coolant strength
Battery water (Except Maintenance Free)
INSPECT
Seat belts condition/proper operation
Spare Tire air pressure
Washer spray, wiper operation, and clean blades
Parking Brake System
Door latches and hinges and lubricate
Door rubber weatherstrips and lubricate
Body drain holes and clean
Safety warning lamps (ABS, Air Bag, Safety Belt) for operation
Battery connections and clean as necessary
SERVICE AS REQUIRED

LUBRICATE
Parking Brake Linkage Pivots & Clevices LM
CHECK LEVEL
Manual Steering Gear LS
RE-TORQUE
Wheel Lug Nuts
500 miles (800 km) after lug nuts are loosened
KEY TO LUBRICANTS:
EC -- Ethylene Glycol Coolant Mixed 50/50 With Water
HBH -- Hydraulic Brake Fluid, Extra Heavy-Duty
LM -- Lithium Grease, with Polyethylene
LS -- Steering Gear Lubricant/Automatic Hublock Grease
MA -- MERCON(R) Automatic Transmission Fluid
SLS -- Special Lubricant-Spray Ford Part # D7AZ-19584-A

Check Every Six Months

Check lap/shoulder belts and seat latches for wear and function
Check air pressure in spare tire
Check power steering fluid level
Check washer spray, wiper operation, and clean all wiper blades
Check parking brake for proper operation
Check and lubricate all hinges, latches and outside locks
Check and lubricate door rubber weatherstrips
Check and clean body and door drain holes
Check safety warning lamps (brake, ABS, air bag, safety belt) for operation)
Check cooling system fluid level and coolant strength
Check battery water level (non-maintenance free)
Check battery connections and clean if necessary
Check clutch fluid level, if equipped

If you operate your Ford/Lincoln/Mercury primarily in any of the more demanding "Special Operating Conditions " listed below, you will need to have the following items maintained more frequently. If you only occasionally operate your vehicle under these conditions it is not necessary to perform the additional maintenance. For specific recommendations see your dealership service advisor or a qualified service professional.

T : Towing a trailer or using a camper or car-top carrier

Every 3,000 miles or 3 months Replace engine oil and filter
Every 30,000 miles Change automatic transmission fluid
As required Change manual transmission fluid
As required Inspect and lubricate U-joints
I : Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for long distances as in heavy comercial use such as delivery, taxi or patrol car .

Every 3,000 miles or 3 months replace engine oil and filter
Every 5,000 miles Inspect brake system
Every 15,000 miles Replace fuel filter
Every 30,000 miles Change automatic transmission fluid
Every 60,000 miles Replace spark plugs
As required Replace cabin air filter
D : Operating in dusty conditions such as unpaved or dusty roads .

Every 3,000 miles or 3 months replace engine oil and filter
Every 15,000 miles Replace fuel filter
Every 30,000 miles Change automatic transmission fluid
As required Replace engine air filter
As required Replace cabin air filter
O : Off-road operation

Every 3,000 miles or 3 months replace engine oil and filter
As required Replace cabin air filter
As required Inspect and lubricate U-joints



If Im wanting a vehicle to last as long as possible I will follow a schedule such as this. Some really important key items are the lubricants and coolant. Regular QUALITY lubricants is the goal. Not the lowest dirt cheap oil you can find. Flushing and filling the coolant on a yearly basis if your not sure how its been addressed before you got the vehicle. Not flushing the coolant with the PROPER mix of coolant and distilled water along with using cheap crap oil in the crankcase can and will get electrolysis working in the cooling system and the crankcase and will eat an engine alive, Ive seen it happen. Check the acidity of the coolant every oil change. Its easy and cheap. Most auto parts stores sell test strips. Stay on top of ANY coolant leaks. If coolant is leaking out, oxygen is getting in. The higher the oxygen consternation the faster electrolysis can work just to explain in the easiest way. Stay on top of oil leaks. If the front main of the tranny is leaking change it and sleeve the torque converter. If not everything rear of that will suffer build up pf various debris and will lead to early or more regular component failures. I cant stress clean enough. I will try to get some pictures uploaded of my truck that my brother just gave me. 237K and hes followed my advisement very well. As Ive said one already it has all the factory hoses because hes kept oil and road grime off of them. He hasn't coddled the truck either. Its a truck and he used it as such. Pulled trailer much of the time and or a load in the bed others. The only major failure its had was the rear end but that way mainly self inflicted. If you check pretty much everything on the vehicle on a regular basis it will last a life time. I know many people that have vehicles that they've had for years and or put many miles on them since buying them new and they are in great condition because they stay on top of the maintenance schedule and beyond. One of my long time customers was once an air traffic control manager for an international airport and he's still driving the Lincoln Continental town car he purchased in 1978. Vehicle had about 375K last time I worked on it and it runs, drives and looks like its new. He has other vehicles of course but he drives this one at LEAST twice a week in town and gets in on the interstate every other week. Hes only had me and one other person service it or work on it since around 1992 and he found us because the only person to touch it since it was new retired. Since it rolled off a deal lot in Indianapolis only three people have laid a finger on it for any type of service or repair, not even a light bulb or wiper blades has been changed by someone other than the three. He doesn't jack with it. He had it flatbeded from Georgia several years ago back to Indy because it died and wouldn't start. I tried talking him into letting me find someone local for him because it was probably something like an ignition module. He wouldn't entertain the thought and 2 days later it was sitting at my door. He is the person that sets the bar on how to properly maintain a vehicle and that's why I've shared this. I've been in automotive service and repair for about 27 years and he beats anything I've ever seen with vehicle maintenance. Im also very fortunate to have his loyalty. Its having a number of people like him and the fleet of vehicles in our family with five children with vehicles and two adults along with a wife that delivers mail with her CRV that I very rarely take new customers. Proper maintenance takes a lot of attention.

The point is having the discipline to follow a rigorous maintenance schedule will pay off but very few people do it.

Hope Ive helped.
KW

 

Thanks man. Mind if I shoot any questions I might have your way?

 

Your welcome. I don't mind at all if you toss some questions my way. If I cant answer them I will do my best to help you find an answer.

 

Wow, KW, thanks! Great information. I'm meticulous about maintenance on my '02, but didn't know about some of the things you listed. What do you do to clean engine bay? Mine is very clean, but I still want to do it, just afraid of water. I second the coolant and transmission flushes!

 

I will share more later when I have more time but the short answer is 99 & 44/100 pure soap. Ivory detergent. Liquid and bar. Next to woolite its the safest detergent in the modern world that's easily obtainable by most folks. Ivory, scrub brush, low pressure water and lots of patience.

 

Sorry for it taking me a while to come back to this. Ive been fanny kicking busy.

Automotive engineers design all of the components with incidental water contact in mind. With that in mind low pressure water usually wont harm anything. I will normally warm the engine, not run until the thermostat opens but warm. I also cover the most important components such as the PCM. I mix liquid ivory soap in a pump up pressure sprayer and I cover everything with a nice mist of soapy water. I will sometimes use engine degreaser on areas that have build up and on most of the engine if its the first time I cleaned that particular engine. I have an assortment of various brushes of different sizes, shapes and lengths. Using the brushes I hit the spots that i feel need it. Using hot water I rinse everything off with a wide low pressure spray pattern. I have found a hose nozzle that is like a miniature fireman's nozzle works the best for this. If you have a sink near the place you will be doing this you can get a garden hose adapter kit at most hardware store that will thread into the faucet. Or you can plumb a hot water feed into the water line to the nearest outside water source. This is what I've done. I can adjust the water temp using two gate valves or close one completely off. I will normally allow most everything to air dry. If rust starts to develop I will wipe it with a cloth soaked in a very light weight oil such as white Lilly oil. It doesn't attract a vast amount of dust and dirt, and I always have a plentiful supply of it because I work on a lot of industrial and home sewing machines.

My truck is due for this and I will probably get to it in the next couple of weeks. I will try to get some pictures through the process

KW

 

Thanks KW! I used a spray wax dampened cloth that I had used on my truck the other day to wipe things I could reach. It did pretty good. I want to give'er a good bath though.