VT Servicing/Tuning

[NV-MY-VT]

I am not a mechanic. Infact, I am the opposite, a computer tech.

I drive a VT 2000 Olympic Edition Commodore, and as far as I am aware, it's basically a Berlina.

I've got some free time coming up on a weekend soon, and my car was serviced about 9,000kms ago, so it's round about due for a service.

My question is, I want to do most/all of it myself. Could you guys, to the best of your knowledge, and in laymans terms for someone who is better with a keyboard then a spanner, tell me what I need and what I need to know to:

- Change the oil + filter + whatever else is involved with this (Something about a gasket? Washer? I read somewhere)
- Flush and change the coolant. It's very rusty again, after already being flushed a few times.
- Anything else I can do to improve performance back to what it should be? I've heard talk of cleaning MAF sensors or all that kind of thing. I have a very brief understanding of what needs to be done from what I have already read on here over the past few months.

So yeah, that's basically it. I've been reading JC for a few months now basically getting ready to do this.

Next thing I'll be enlisting your advice for is installing the sub I just bought (I know, I need an amp too).

So, suggestions, comments or guides on how to service my VT?

[NV-MY-VT]

Also, Sorry to double post, but I have a noise in the engine, which reading and searching JC has led me to think its a pulley or the timing chain.

Any advice there?

[monkeys437]

Best way to check for a noisy pulley is by taking the belt off and running the car. If the noise goes away when the belt gets taken off it will be belt/pulley related

As far as the servicing goes, get yourself a gregorys manual. It will pay itself off many times over

[NV-MY-VT]

I havn't heard of Gregory's manuals.... are they similar to Haynes? Where can I get one?

Also, will running the engine without the belt cause any damage? I don't know what the belt runs on the engine, but I thought it was like the alternator, the water pump, the air con and possibly something else... Of which I know the water pump has got to be important...

Thanks for the advice though!

[monkeys437]

Yeah gregorys and haynes pretty much a similar thing. I got my gregorys from supercheap for 40 bucks or so.

Running without the belt as you pointed out will not spin the water pump and alternator. You will only need to run it for 30 seconds or less to see if the noise is gone so its fine to run off the battery power for that long and your not gonna overheat the engine in that time. It also runs the aircon and power steering but you dont need that stuff to idle in the driveway. It might not be the cause of your noise but it will eliminate one more thing

[itsagixa]

you can find cheap gregories or haynes manuals on the net....very good reading, will obviously tell you how to pull you whole car apart and put it back together

[NV-MY-VT]

Good. I'll go get a book tonight then.

As for tools, does anyone have any bright ideas as to tools I will need for regular servicing? Little tips and tricks? Someone said, at once stage, to make a tool out of a clothes hanger to get the Eurovox radios out. Best advice EVER.

[vnkid]

Why remove the Eurovox? I like my 10 stacker...

[NV-MY-VT]

Yeah I had a 1 stacker...

I wanted ipod connectivity is all. I got it now.

I also whacked a CB radio in, as I do a fair bit of camping and travelling, and was going to do pilot work at one stage.

[itsagixa]

get a basic metric socket set as the LS1 engines and V6 engines are metric.
I think the sump plug is a 15mm socket (not sure someone will correct me)
you may need an oil filter wrench (to remove oil filter, if i cant get it off i punch a screwdriver through it and turn)
a spark plug socket is always good to have.
phillips head and flat blade screwdrivers are nice
an oil catch tray (to let old oil drain into)
ramps are nice to have or you can just drive onto some blocks off wood to get the front of the car up enough to work under (always chock your rear wheels when doing this obviously + handbrake )

those tools should see you able to do a service

as for tricks, i always run my car before the service and then remove the sump plug 20 mins after (the oil will be warm and will flow better) or you could just do it in the morning...the idea behind this is that you want as much of the old oil out of the engine and it has to drip from the top of the engine down the bottom.

When filling up with new oil always remember to put the sump plug back in, fill up the oil filter (the engine draws oil from here on startup and you dont want her running dry) when you install the oil filter smear some oil around the rubber seal on the filter as it helps it seal and prevent leaks.

if your changing spark plugs always do them up by hand first as you may crossthread the block if you go in with a ratchet...same for the sump plug too.

thats all i can think of

[NV-MY-VT]

Really good advice. Thanks heaps!

[rb26dett]

I used to borrow the gregorys from the library whenever I needed to use it. FREE!!

[edals]

My How to should really help.

VX Commodore Service How To Detailed