Fiat 126 User Manual

Fiat 126 Club: 126 Basic General Maintenance (07

March, 2006)

Oil Change Haynes recommends the engine oil be changed every 6,000 miles or every 6

months, however as our cars get older to prevent engine ware halve this to every 3

months,(it goes without saying the more often its changed the longer your engine will last) and use a good quality part synthetic oil. Haynes recommends “Multi-grade, with a viscosity of SAE 15w/40” Halfords do their own brand of thick oil 20w/50 which is for pre 1980’s classics, but they list the recommended as 15w/40 part synthetic. Make sure the engine is toped up in-between this (check every week or so) remember the air-cooled 126’s use oil to help cool the engine, so its imperative the oil level is correct.

[Remember to always dispose the oil properly]

Notes:

Oil last changed on:

Oil Filter Clean out It is recommended by Haynes that the centrifugal oil filter should be cleaned out once

every two years or every 24,000 miles! Most of our 126’s haven’t done more than 20,000

miles. Clean the centrifugal oil filter as often as you can, this is best done

with the engine out of the car, i.e. if you are replacing the clutch. The other specified method is to suspend the engine with a crossbar and remove the rear cross member, which saves a lot of hassle.

Oil filter last cleaned on:

King Pins It is recommended in the Haynes manual to grease king pins as often as every 6,000

miles or 6 months, if you want to ensure longevity, halve this amount, and before any long

journeys. This will help keep your steering light and your wallet fat, as king pins are expensive and a hassle to replace.

* Use a lithium based grease, and a grease gun. (Clean the grease nipple first) King Pins last greased on:

For BIS owners try to replace the thermostat every couple of years, or at least clean the housing out, as deposits build and prevent the thermostat from operating effectively. Drain the coolant as often as possible and replace with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze with corrosion inhibitor, make sure the antifreeze is of a good brand.

*Also check regularly the brake pad thickness and cylinders for leakage, and every other year drain and replace the gearbox oil. BIS: Tyre pressures in bar (psi) Front tyres 1.5 (21.8) for medium

load 1.7 (24.7) fully laden / Rear tyres 2.0 (29.0) for medium load 2.5 (36.2) fully laden