DIY Servicing: SEAT Ibiza 1.4 TDI

Using parts supplied by CAAR, Rob Hawkins services a three-cylinder diesel-engined 1.4-litre SEAT Ibiza.

3-cylinder diesel in for a service – an engine which was fitted to many VAG motors at the time.

SEAT’S £0 road tax 1.4-litre three-cylinder diesel-powered Ibiza is quite straightforward to service. We teamed up with our local garage, MJ Motors, who have owned the Ibiza shown in our photographs for the last four years, to follow it being serviced. We used parts from First Line, Borg & Beck and Granville, which are available through CAAR member stores.

We’ve relied on the Haynes workshop manual for guidance on the recommended service intervals, but also drawn our own conclusions. Haynes wisely recommend reducing the service intervals in many cases. For instance, the recommended oil and filter change is every 10,000 miles

or 12 months, but Haynes recommend the TDI engine should have its engine oil drained and filter renewed every 6000 miles or six months.

Similarly, SEAT’S recommendations for timing belt renewal involves an initial inspection at 80,000 miles, followed by a renewal at 100,000. Haynes recommend a shorter renewal interval of 40,000 miles or four years, or even less if the vehicle is only used for short journeys or not used much at all.

It’s wise to take a common-sense approach to many aspects of servicing. For example, the air filter should be replaced every four years or 48,000 miles, but it’s worthwhile inspecting it every year and either cleaning or renewing it.

We suggest stripping/cleaning the front brakes at each service, but only checking that the rear brakes lock the wheels when the handbrake is applied – adjusting if required; we don’t feel an annual removal and cleaning of the drums is necessary.

1 CHECK COOLANT LEVEL

The coolant expansion tank should contain pink-coloured G12 coolant. There are ‘min’ and ‘max’ markers on the side of the tank, so you shouldn’t need to release the cap unless topping-up – only undo it when the engine is cold. The cap can be very stiff to undo, but it has a channel on top into which you can insert a wide chisel to help undo it. 2 TEST THE COOLANT

G12 coolant should be replaced every five or six years. However, it’s worthwhile testing the freezing capacity of the coolant to determine whether it needs to be renewed. There may be a drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. Otherwise, release the bottom radiator hose. According to Haynes, this engine holds 6.2 litres of G12 coolant/water mix. 3 PINCH COOLANT HOSES

There are a couple of coolant hoses between the engine and the front grille, which can be accessed and checked. When the engine is cold, pinch and squeeze them to look for cracks in the rubber. Look for traces of pink residue (dried coolant) that may indicate a leak. Make sure the securing clips for these hoses are not corroded or damaged. 4 WASHER FLUID FILTER

The windscreen washer fluid reservoir is located on the nearside of the engine bay, next to the battery. Prise off the blue cap and extract the filter inside, then rinse it under a tap to remove any dirt. Refit and top-up the reservoir with diluted screen wash before refitting the cap. 5 TEST THE BATTERY

The 12V battery is located on the nearside of the engine bay. Use a battery tester to check its voltage. Run the engine and measure the voltage to ensure that it is being recharged. The alternator is on the opposite side of the engine bay and can also be tested for its voltage output with the engine running. 6 CHECK BATTERY IS SECURE

The 12V battery is secured to its tray with a single clamp. Our bolt for this clamp was rusty so it was wire-brushed, penetrating fluid was applied, then it was extracted and wound back in. Make sure the battery terminals are clean, then smear them with petroleum jelly to protect from dirt and corrosion.

7 CHECK PAS FLUID

Haynes recommend the power steering fluid is checked every 40k miles or four years. The 12V battery and its tray need to be removed to access the PAS reservoir. Here we can just see the green screw cap for the reservoir. Top-up with SEAT hydraulic oil G 002 000, a green mineral-based hydraulic fluid equivalent to CHF specification (central hydraulic fluid). 8 CHECK BRAKE FLUID LEVEL

The brake/clutch fluid reservoir is hidden away on the offside rear of the engine bay, underneath an induction hose that’s routed to the intercooler in the offside front corner of the engine bay. Try shining a torch on the body of the reservoir to check the level. There are markers for minimum and maximum levels on the side.

9 TEST BRAKE FLUID

If you need to top-up the brake/clutch fluid, or wish to test it to check its moisture concentration, the elbow-shaped induction hose above it will need to be removed. Release any clips (horseshoe, spring etc.) for the hose and remove it before cleaning the top of the reservoir and unscrewing the cap. Top it up with DOT 4 brake fluid.