Body and equipment - maintenance and care
The condition of the body of the Transporter T4 is one of the most important factors affecting its value and the prestige of the owner.
Caring for the body is easy, but the work must be carried out regularly. Without care, especially after receiving minor damage, you can quickly bring the body into a deplorable state (especially on our roads). It is also important to regularly re-coat the underbody, wheel arches and body cavities, for example by spraying with preservative sprays. The basis of continuous care is washing the body, preferably with water from a hose.
It is important to wash off the dirt so that it does not scratch the top layers of paint. The wheel arches and chassis need the same maintenance to remove the accumulated dirt that traps moisture and promotes rust. The best time to wash the chassis and wheel arches is in wet weather when the dirt is wet. During wet weather (when driving or puddles), the chassis usually clears itself of large clods of dirt. Periodically, the chassis of all vehicles, with the exception of those with a protective layer of wax on the lower body, is recommended to be cleaned with hot steam, as well as the lower part of the engine, after which a thorough check can be made to see what repairs are needed. Hot steam cleaning can be done in some garages and service stations and commercial car washes and is recommended to remove accumulated oil and grease soaked dirt that can be thick in some places. If hot steam cleaning is not available, there are special cleaners that can be applied with a brush, then all the dirt can be easily washed off with a jet of water from a hose. Please note that: these methods must not be used on vehicles with a wax-based protective layer underneath or the layer must be removed. Vehicles with this coating must be inspected, annually, usually before the onset of winter, when the entire underbody of the vehicle should be washed, to determine where the protective coating needs to be restored or renewed. It is best to completely restore the protective layer. It is also worth using threshold preservatives (such as Movil) to fill in door cavities, thresholds, etc., as an additional protection against rust, in those places where this cannot be done otherwise. ♦ After washing the paintwork of the body, wipe it with suede to give it a “presentation”. It is recommended to apply a clear protective coat over the paint for an additional layer to protect against acid rain, etc. If the gloss of the paint has diminished, use a cleaner/polish to restore it. Of course, this requires some effort, but the result is usually worth it. It is necessary to pay special attention to the metallic paint, because. caring for it will require a special gentle cleaner / polishing. Always make sure that the water drain holes in the doors and at the heater are clean and that all the water has drained off. Windshield and door glass can be cleaned with a special cleaner. ♦ After winter, dry the car by leaving it in the sun with the doors fully open.
The car is considered completely dried if in the morning, after overnight parking, there is no condensate on the windows (droplets of condensed moisture). ♦ During the recommended periods, check the operation and condition of door locks and stops, lubricate the hinges with a thin layer of grease (CIATIM type).
Also lubricate the hinges of the hood and the fifth door, the hood lock. T4 body structure . Replacing the T4 gearbox .