To avoid scratches, do not remove dust and dirt with a dry cleaning cloth. Before the dirt dries, wash the car with a low-pressure water jet using a soft sponge. Car wash outdoors in the summer in the shade. If this is not possible, then immediately wipe the washed surfaces dry, as spots form on the painted surface after the drops of water dry in the sun. In winter, after washing the car in a warm room, wipe the body dry before leaving, as frozen drops can cause cracks in the paintwork.
It is not recommended to use soda and alkaline solutions, as well as waste water for washing the car, so that the coating does not fade.
Before washing the car, clean the drain holes of the front fenders, doors and sills (pic. 72).
When washing the car, make sure that water does not get on the electrical components in the engine compartment.
When signs of corrosion of body parts are found (corrosion deposits, local swelling of paint, small chips, etc.) clean the damaged area with fine emery cloth, treat with auto rust cleaner «Omega 1», cover with primer GF-020 and paint over with enamel from the jar attached to the car.
To keep the gloss of the painted surfaces of the car (especially for vehicles stored outdoors) Polish them regularly with polishing pastes or waxes. These pastes and compositions close microcracks and pores that occur during operation in the paintwork, which prevents corrosion under the paint layer.
To keep the surface of the body shiny for a long time, do not leave the car for a long time in the sun, and also do not allow acids, soda solutions, brake fluid and gasoline to get on the surface of the body.
To avoid stains on the paintwork under the fuel filler door when gasoline gets in, wipe the surface with a clean rag before and after refueling.
To increase the corrosion resistance of the body, a special anti-corrosion composition is applied to the closed box-shaped cavities of the thresholds, spars, cross members and other elements of the body base. During the operation of the car, it is necessary to restore the protective coating of hidden body cavities at service stations during the first year of operation and periodically every 1.5-2 years. The protection of body cavities can also be carried out independently in garage conditions, using an auto-preservative threshold «Movil» according to the instructions supplied with the drug. Schemes of places, especially subject to corrosion, are shown in fig. 73, 74, 75.
Pic. 73. Hidden body cavities (left view):
1 - headlight housings: 2 - lower cross member of the front end; 3 - upper cross member of the front end; 4 - front spars; 5 - rack mudguards; 6 - front wings; 7 - internal and external thresholds of doors; 8 - central racks; 9 - rear floor cross members; 10 - rear racks.
Pic. 74. Hidden body cavities (right side view):
1 - lower rear cross member; 2 - spars of the rear floor; 3 - hind wings; 4 - cross member of the rear floor; 5 - door pockets; 6 - front struts; 7 - connectors of the sidewall and the front panel; 8 - hood pockets.
Pic. 75. Body cavities (bottom view):
1 - cross member of the rear floor; 2 - rear spars; 3 - jack brackets; 4 - middle cross member of the floor; 5 - front spars of the floor; 6 - amplifiers of the front spars; 7 - brackets for front suspension buffers; 8 - cross member of the front suspension.
When operating the vehicle in conditions where corrosion is particularly active (salt on the roads, damp climate, proximity to the sea, sources of industrial emissions into the atmosphere, etc.) it is advisable to install commercially available additional protective covers under the front fenders, separating the wheel from the rest of the space under the wing.
During the operation of the car, the coating on the bottom of the body is exposed to gravel, sand, salt. As a result of this exposure, the mastic and primer are erased, the bare metal rusts.
Therefore, regularly monitor the condition of the bottom coating and restore damaged areas in a timely manner.
For inspection, cleaning from possible dirt ingress and restoration of the protective coating of the closed cavities of the front wings, removable shields are installed.
Wipe the chromed parts with a soft cloth and technical vaseline.
In the event of a persistent plaque of salts that are not removed by petroleum jelly, it is recommended to apply «Auto cleaner for chrome parts». To protect against corrosion of the internal surfaces of chrome bumpers and decorative wheel caps, it is recommended to treat them with an auto-preservative threshold «Movil».
Avoid getting fuel on the bumpers, and do not use fuel to clean or flush them.
Clean plastic parts with a damp cloth. It is not recommended to use gasoline or thinners, otherwise the plastic parts will lose their luster.
Clean the windows with a soft linen cloth or chamois. Pre-wash very dirty glasses with water with the addition of liquid NIISS-4 (30 cm per 1 liter of water) or other autopreparations of the same purpose. To remove ice from windows, defrost door locks and trunk lid, it is recommended to use «Auto defroster-1» in an aerosol package.
At least once a month, remove dust from the fabric upholstery of the body. Moisten grease stains with gasoline, sprinkle with talcum powder and then remove the talcum powder with a brush. Do not use gasoline or thinners to clean artificial leather upholstery. Use for these purposes «Upholstery cleaner-1», aqueous solutions of car shampoos or neutral soap and water, then wipe the upholstery dry with a soft cloth or chamois leather. At the same time, carefully wipe the rubber seals and the surfaces of the doors and trunk lid in contact with them with a damp cloth.
Every 10,000 km, check and, if necessary, lubricate the following components:
- keyholes for doors and trunk lids: a) in the warm season - powdered graphite; b) in cold weather, especially after washing - with VTV-1 auto-lubricant in an aerosol package, having previously dried the wells with compressed air;
- door hinges, hood lock cable - with engine oil;
- the friction surfaces of the torsion bar of the trunk lid, the door opening limiter, as well as the hinge and spring of the fuel tank cap - with VTV-1 auto-lubricant in an aerosol package;
- sleds for moving seats - with FIOL-1 grease;
- axis 4 (pic. 76), spring 5 and places of contact of cracker 2 with body 1 of the door lock latch - with grease FIOL-1, after disassembling the latch and washing the parts with gasoline.
Pic. 76. Door lock retainer:
1 - latch body; 2 - cracker; 3 - bolt; 4 - axis; 5 - spring; 6 - bushing.
Body doors should open and close easily. If the door is tight or not tightly closed, adjust the position of the lock latch. Before adjusting, outline the body of the retainer on the body pillar with a pencil. If the door is difficult to close, loosen bolts 3, move the latch outward and tighten the bolts. In case of loose closing of the door, move the latch inside the body. If the door moves down when closing, raise the latch and, conversely, lower it if the door rises.
When dismantling the door lock for any reason, wash it off the old grease and lubricate it with fresh grease FIOL-1. The use of other lubricants is not recommended, since the lock may not work at low temperatures.
Windscreen and headlight washers
Periodically flush the windshield and headlight washer reservoir, clean the intake filter of the washer system, clean the windshield and headlight washer jets, and also check the direction of the fluid jet on the windshield. The jet of liquid should be directed to the glass in the upper zone of the sector described by the wiper blade. Change the direction of the jet by turning the jet with the fastening screw loosened. Tighten the screw after adjustment.
Clean water can be poured into the washer reservoir in summer, and a mixture of liquid can be poured into the washer reservoir in the cold season «Auto-cleaner-2 glasses» or NIISS-4 (25—33%) with water.
Windscreen and headlight wipers
In the cold season, before turning on the windshield wipers, make sure that the brushes are not frozen to the windows. Failure to comply with this recommendation can lead not only to breakage of the brushes, but also to the failure of their electric drives.
Fastening units and assemblies to the body
Every 20,000 km, check and, if necessary, tighten the fastening parts of various components and assemblies to the body, including fastening the hood, trunk lid, seat slide.