New Member - HELP!

[B685 OLP]

Hi everyone! Happy Easter

In the last fortnight I have had the great fortune to acquire a mint black 1985 Maestro Efi 2.0 with 20,000 miles on the clock. This car looks and feels amazing, even to point that when I bought it I had to remove the plastic from the seats!
Naturally the first thing I did was to join the owners club and benefit from the wealth of knowledge on display! Moreover due to the low mileage and the fact that it has been owned by an 80-year-old man from new, I'm guessing she has been sitting and so I would like some advice on what I should change etc to ensure she keeps running smoothly (i.e timing belt etc?). In addition, after reading a few of the threads re bodywork, I would really like to start preserving the bodywork NOW!

Any advice would be really helpful as I feel obliged to continue to maintain this car in the manner to which it has become accustomed!

Many thanks

[Beaker]

Ah yes I remember reading the application form, and thinking to myself sounds like a very nice early efi :) Welcome to the forums, and to the Club! :)

[E_T_V]

Yes certainly a good find and hopefully we'll see it at some of our shows this year so we can see it for ourselves.

Yes it is wise to seek advice on early low milage cars as they have their own issues.

As the owner was obviously a careful owner it no doubt has a full service history and complete repair record.

What I would do is change the cam belt (as it is now very old in age if not miles). Also I'd change the oil and antifreeze if it hasn't been done within a year and couple of years respectively. Also if you press it into regular use some people have experienced water pump failure after an engine has stood for a significant time. Also inspect all of the rubber belts and pipes for cracking and splitting and replace if necessary. Also check out the tyres as there is a strong possiblity that they are still the originals and may be flat spotted or perished.

On the bodywork side buy yourself a jumbo sized can of waxoyl and some overalls and spend a day re-proofing the bottom of the doors and tailgate and the wheelarches.

Good luck and if you need more help or advice then you know where to come..

I look forward to seeing it in the metal soon but keep a tight hold of the keys as I'm everso jealous!

[B685 OLP]

Great, thanks for the advice. This may sound naive but the previous owner has been putting in unleaded. Is this ok as I have read some threads alluding to additives? Also, is there any specific brand or type of oil that is particularly effective or suitable?

[E_T_V]

Although officially the early O series were never certified to run on unleaded I think that people have run them sucessfully on unleaded for years with no major problems.

As for oil. Well my personal preference is 10w40 semi synthetic. I use cheap-ish brands like comma and I've never had any grief with the 3 cars and 1 motorbike that use it.

[G51 NAV]

You will have no problem running the car on unleaded, but try to use the "premium" stuff (>=97RON) because the car will run lean on 95RON fuel.

To keep the car preserved you really need to Waxoyl inside all the doors and tailgate, and underseal under the sills and inside the wheelarches. Take the plastic strips off the inner sills which hold the carpet in place and inject wax into the sills as well.

Mechanically, consider a cambelt change an urgent priority unless you know for sure it's been done in the last five years.

[E_T_V]

You will have no problem running the car on unleaded, but try to use the "premium" stuff (>=97RON) because the car will run lean on 95RON fuel.


I'm not sure that this is true. The engine won't run lean because of lower octane fuel but it will have a tendancy to pink. However as the O series has a knock sensor (or at least I think it does) then this should adjust the timing automatically to avoid pinking. The O series does have a knock sensor doesn't it or is my grey matter failing me.

Other than that yes I definatly agree timing belt is the first port of call if it hasn't been done in the last 5 years.

[Dave]

Yep, the O-Series DOES HAVE a knock sensor.

Dave