this task can solve a lot of problem and keep your engine running good

first take valve cover off and adjust valve clearance they should be 0.20mm exhaust, 0.25mm intake take a feeler gauge and put it betwen the valve and the rocker arm adjust the screw until you feel resistance in your fingers, check by moving a little the feeler gauge, you should feel resistance but not need to exhert force to move it, leave the screw in place with screwdriver and tigh holding nut, recheck valve clearance by removing the feeler gauge if you cannot put it back in you need to re-adjust the crew and make shure it doent move when tightening the holding nut adjust the valves using the rule of nine it shoud take you 15min (loosen all the retaining crews to have a check on wich valve are set and wich ones are not set) to move the cam put the trans on 5th and release hand brake, rock engine to move valves... if you've done this properly you should hear a light tapping from the valve train is very pleasant sounding, if too loud valves are too loose, if no sound valve is too tight

next change the spark plugs, remove old spark plugs one at a time and set new ones gapping them to 0.80mm on NGK, on BOSH 0.88mm tighen them firmly as not to loose compresion or let air in through the treads, but dont over do it, inspect old spark plugs, if the metal part shows a dark ring, check thermostat or idle adjustment screw, there is a rich condition, if the porcelain is not clean your running you engine too cold, running too rich or running incorrect timing / valve clearance... recheck new ones in a couple of weeks, if condition persist you may need to increase spark timing by a couple of degress or check vacuum advance, also mid heat range plugs run good, dont use cold or hot plugs also check spark plug wires, usea a spark plug removes the ht and conect the spark plug and ground it, run the crank, you should see a blue/white spark with a loud click if not wire need to be replaced

next comes setting ignition time, loosen the ignition and move it counter clockwise with engine running until idle speed is highest the reduce timing by 5degrees (you should hear engine revs going down a little but still have a soft idle) if you have a vacuum gauge (very recomended and dirt cheap) set timing to highest vacuum reading, then accelerate to 2000rpm and check vacuum, decrease timing until 2000rpm and idle (750 to 1200)reading are the same, then set the idle screw to 750-800rpm, if when the fan or light are turned on the rpms drop you have a olda batery thats lost voltage, you can do maintenance on it if its not gell

next change motor oil and filter, use SAE 10W40 dont run full synthetic, use semi-synthetic flush the engine by running it on idle for 15min with a quart of transmision fluid or a engine flush if you feel you engine is very noisy or vibrates a little i recomend using SAE 20W50

next change the filters, air and fuel, air filter should be able to pass light throug it, if not is too dirty fuel filter will not get dirty unless polutants in the tank but will restrict fuel flow and create bubbles

next to clean throttle body, use some carburator cleaner to clean the throtel and manifold, remove all deposits after wich spray DW-40 to loosen everything and check that everything is clean and loose and throttle cable has a little slack, if a carburator engine clean carburato with carburator cleaner use Q tips for hard to reach areas and make shure you spray vacuum ports, wile you are doing this remove one by one all vacuum hoses, check them for obstructions, leaks and hardening if ok put it back and check the next one, use a octane booste with fuel injector in the tank for the first 1/2 of tank to futher clean everything you cant reach

now you should have a quieter smoother engine check coolant level and batery, tire presure and ride the car to break in the spark plugs

great advice. just got this car and it needs a service like you have described - could you edit specify which models of felicia you are referring to? is it 1.3mpi or all petrol models?

for those having difficulty removing the old spark plugs (it didn't seem obious to me!), please see this thread:

http://briskoda.net/favorit-felicia-fun-forman/changing-spark-plugs-felicia-1-3-gli/117019/

Edited 26 December, 200817 yr by branney

he refers to the carburator models. but for mpi and cpi it's similar. but 20W50 isn't recommended for regions with temperatures below 10°c ...