30,000 Mile Service

[Chris Stack]

My fiancee's '05 Liberty Limited just hit 30k miles. She got an oil change, and the dealer wanted $600 to do some stupid 30k mile service. I am pretty handy, and do all my own maintenance on my own car, so I plan to start on hers. From poking around, I found this:

I just spoke with my wife who had the book in front of her. The required maintenance for Schedule B which includes trailer towing and off-road requires the following: Replace Air Filter, Drain transmission fluid and change filter, change PCV valve, replace spark plugs and check and refill if necessary the transfer case. These are the only required items for the 30K warranty service. The dealer is just trying to make money!!!

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t383707.html

I plan on using the "severe" maintenance plan because she commutes in a lot of stop-and-go driving.

So is that a good starting point for her car?

-Air Filter
-Transmission fluid/Filter
-PCV Valve
-Spark Plugs
-Transfer case fluid (if necessary)

Anything else I should do? Anything that is unnecessary? Spark plugs, air filter, PCV valve I plan on doing because they are cheap and easy; ****** and transfer case fluid are less fun, so I don't want to do them any sooner than necessary.


Thanks for the help!

 

[sevenhelmet]

Big Items are the Sparkies, Air Filter, Oil & Filter, and checking the PCV. The ******/transfer case fluid is a good idea as well though, so I wouldn't ignore it. Transfer case is easy to drain and fill, especially if you have a fluid pump or syringe to pump the new fluid in.

For spark plugs, I recommend Autolites. I use the double platinums (single electrode) and my Jeep is running better than ever at 65K miles

 

[2003KJ]

I wouldn't be too concerned with the ****** at the moment.

I'm at 47K and haven't changed that or the tcase fluid yet (nor checked the PCV valve).....and i've not had any issues (knock on wood). Probably should get around to doing that. Like you, I do all my own work, and while a ****** fluid and filter change isn't hard, its messy (and not to mention smelly (blarg))

 

[sevenhelmet]

That's one thing I like about the manual is that changing the ****** fluid isn't any harder than changing the fluid in a T-case or differential. Wasn't sure about the service interval on the auto, figured "when in doubt, change it out."

 

[JeepJeepster]

I changed front and rear diff at 12k and again at 18k when I put my locker in.

Changed tcase and ****** at 27k.

Ill change the spark plugs and pcv at 30k.

 

[indieaz]

I haven't looked that far ahead in my maint. book yet. But spark plugs at 30k miles? Most engines dont need plugs until somewhere around 90k. That's ridiculous. Shouldn't be necessary if the fuel mixture is accurate and it hasn't been driven too lean/rich.

 

[tjkj2002]

I haven't looked that far ahead in my maint. book yet. But spark plugs at 30k miles? Most engines dont need plugs until somewhere around 90k. That's ridiculous. Shouldn't be necessary if the fuel mixture is accurate and it hasn't been driven too lean/rich.

At 30,000 the OEM NGK's are toast,NGK's are some of the worst plugs out there,they are just one step better than champion plugs(blarg) .My plugs need to be gapped at .042,at 28,000 miles the NGK's where sitting at .095+,wonder why I was getting really bad mpg's and a rough idle.Replaced with Autolite platnums and replaced those just a little bit ago(hit 55,000 miles)and they where still gapped at .043,alot better.

 

[tjkj2002]

I wouldn't be too concerned with the ****** at the moment.

I'm at 47K and haven't changed that or the tcase fluid yet (nor checked the PCV valve).....and i've not had any issues (knock on wood). Probably should get around to doing that. Like you, I do all my own work, and while a ****** fluid and filter change isn't hard, its messy (and not to mention smelly (blarg))

Since ATF+4 is synthetic the color/smell no longer tells the condition of the fluid,they dye it red and after time the dye will fade but will not tell the condition of the fluid like other non-synthetic fluids.Be kind to your ****** and change the fluid every 30,000 miles,I have 55,000 miles and have flushed(and changed filters) 3 times already.Good maintance goes a long way to making a vehicle last longer.

 

[2003KJ]

Since ATF+4 is synthetic the color/smell no longer tells the condition of the fluid,they dye it red and after time the dye will fade but will not tell the condition of the fluid like other non-synthetic fluids.Be kind to your ****** and change the fluid every 30,000 miles,I have 55,000 miles and have flushed(and changed filters) 3 times already.Good maintance goes a long way to making a vehicle last longer.

Yeah I've really been meaning to do that, but the GF has been keeping me busy....i'm sure you know how that goes!

 

[indieaz]

At 30,000 the OEM NGK's are toast,NGK's are some of the worst plugs out there,they are just one step better than champion plugs(blarg) .

I'm well aware of the crapiness of NGKs. I had no idea that's what the OEMs in our Jeep were though. Wtf are they thinking? Fortunately spark plugs are a fairly cheap item.

 

[_UnLiMiTeD_]

what about the wires?

 

[OldBlue]

What wires? It's a coil-on-plug ignition system.

I also put the Autolite Plats in mine. Remember to blow out the holes BEFORE you remove the plugs, to keep sh*& from falling into the combustion chamber. Also make sure the plugs have the crush washers on them. One of mine was missing the crush washer; luckily I have a few extras laying around that I was able to use!

 

[Mangate]

I've read in a few places that the best way to avoid expensive auto transmission repairs is to change the fluid regularly. The FSM mentions changing the main filter at 30K, but not the transmission cooler return filter (the spin off cannister type).