Major body damage - repair

Where serious damage has occurred or large areas need renewal due to neglect, it means that completely new sections or panels will need welding in, and this is best left to professionals. If the damage is due to impact, it will also be necessary to completely check the alignment of the bodyshell structure. Due to the principle of construction, the strength and shape of the whole car can be affected by damage to one part. In such instances the service of a dealer with specialist checking jigs are essential. If a body is left misaligned, it is first of all dangerous, as the car will not handle properly, and secondly uneven stresses will be imposed on the steering, engine and transmission, causing abnormal wear or complete failure. Tyre wear may also be excessive.

    See also:

    Fluid leak check (Every 6000 miles or 6 months)
    1 Visually inspect the engine joint faces, gaskets and seals for any signs of water or oil leaks. Pay particular attention to the areas around the rocker cover, cylinder head, oil filter and sump ...

    Fuel pump - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 The fuel pump is integral with the fuel level sender unit in the fuel tank (see illustration). 7.1 Integral fuel level sender unit/fuel pump - 1.4 CFI engine A Fuel pump B Sender unit ...

    Pistons/connecting rods - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Remove the sump, as described in Section 8, and the cylinder head, as described in Section 7. 2 Check that the connecting rod and cap have adjacent numbers at their big-end to indicate ...