ok so my 03 ascent manual is my first car, it has 80,000 km and has sat for 7 years unlicensed, i have changed every last fluid inc trans oil etc, and breaks pads and fluid, rotors etc, fuel filter etc only thing i plan on doing is the serpentine belt and spark plugs. (yes i know i should have already done plugs) anyway i been driving it for 2 months and shes running amazing you wouldn't believe its sat so long neglected (other than the paint) any way it's going for its first long drive (7 hours) and im wondering a few things... should i replace the serpentine belt, water pump and thermostat? the belts the original but it looks fine and only has cracks lengthwise not sideways, while its off should i do the water pump and the thermostat too? id rather replace them now than take a risk? and i suppose i should definitely do the plgs too hey? iv been a bit slack after all the other work, and any other things? thankss a heap josh.
Should I Change Belt, Waterpump and Thermostat Before Long Drive?
- Thread starter joshua97
- Start date
11 years, I'd definitely do the thermostat and the drive belt, especially since they can leave you stranded and are easy and cheap to do at home (where your tools are at).
As far as the water pump goes ... if the car isn't overheating or no coolant is leaking from the weep hole, I'd leave it be. Usually water pumps will give more of a warning before completely failing than a drive belt and a thermostat will.
As far as the water pump goes ... if the car isn't overheating or no coolant is leaking from the weep hole, I'd leave it be. Usually water pumps will give more of a warning before completely failing than a drive belt and a thermostat will.
Ditto what DK said. In addition check the tires. If it was stored for those seven years outside those tires may not be up to such a long trip. A couple of years ago a friend bought an '03 Corolla which sat for a year in a closed garage and the tires were all nearly flat. Thankfully other than that they seemed to be in good shape so we just aired them up and she's still driving on them today. Had it been sitting outside though it likely would have needed new tires.
Kevin
Kevin
hey 
thanks it went great, 7 hrs non stop at 3300 rpm with no problems at all, im looking atm for a low km 2nd hand gearbox as im having issues getting into 1st and a medium vibration as i push the shifter into all the gears, 3rd is worst, i guess its the synchros, but theres a fair bit of life left in it anyway
thanks it went great, 7 hrs non stop at 3300 rpm with no problems at all, im looking atm for a low km 2nd hand gearbox as im having issues getting into 1st and a medium vibration as i push the shifter into all the gears, 3rd is worst, i guess its the synchros, but theres a fair bit of life left in it anyway