Working on your own vehicle - Advice & Tales of Woe

[UnderOpenSky]

I wondered if this was worth a thread. I know urban certainly has a wide range of skills amongst its posters. Anyway a forced car purchase a bit over a month ago has made me try and get a bit handier to bring down the cost of motoring and hopefully make it last a bit longer. I've not got any record of servicing for a good few years, despite it being very low milage for it's age so I'm trying to teach myself how to do it all.

Did the oil and filter yesterday. Was certainly a learning experience and a rather dirty one at that. Despite my cunning modified mop bucket I still managed to get the dam stuff everywhere. Plus my Mondeo has a pipe near the sump plug that the ones on youtube didn't so my socket set was a bit on the wide side. Was bloody glad I bought the extra sized socket for the removing the filter as still managed to skin my knuckles using the force that was needed. Also my long haired cat decided to come and investigate what I was doing, but luckily enough I managed to dissuade him or else I really would have been in the shit. Still worked out that it cost me £36 to do it with 6L of Ford oil and a generic filter, so a nice saving. Going to attempt the fuel and air filters next and then if I'm feeling brave the discs and pads.

What work do you do to your own and what limits do you place on what your willing to undertake?

 

[Saul Goodman]

What work do you do to your own

Everything

and what limits do you place on what your willing to undertake?

None

Even if you didn't know a thing about cars, there are videos for pretty much everything on YouTube.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Everything

None

Even if you didn't know a thing about cars, there are videos for pretty much everything on YouTube.

I guess my fear would be a pile of parts, scratching my head and needing it for work the next day. Plus the actual diagnosis thing. Maybe I'll get there though.

Although I don't have a drive to work on which does make the whole thing slightly more frustrating.

 

[Duncan2]

Got another two years use out of my two litre Rover after it had spent four in the long grass (1995 R8) by swapping the head for one from a newer model that shares the same engine block.Suspect it now needs doing again though and it took a lot of time and a few new tools to do the first time.Thing about garages is they have ramps and excellent lighting -they are not squirming about with the earth-worms in twelve inches of space between vehicle and road.Not to say that it isn't very satisfying when- having put it all back together- it actually starts on the key.
Sometimes think it would be nice if municipal car-ramps were available.

 

[Poi E]

Buy new axle stands. My only piece of life and limb saving advice from personal experience.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I guess my fear would be a pile of parts, scratching my head and needing it for work the next day. Plus the actual diagnosis thing. Maybe I'll get there though.

Although I don't have a drive to work on which does make the whole thing slightly more frustrating.

Taking pictures as you go could help.
You should check if the timing belt was ever done or needs doing.

 

[a_chap]

What work do you do to your own and what limits do you place on what your willing to undertake?

My first car (Morris Marina 1.3L) had to endure my attempts at car maintenance --- I bought all the issues of Car Fixit magazine in the early '80s.

My next car - a Chrysler Alpine 1.5 - convinced me to leave all car maintenance tasks to professionals.

Spoiler

 

[Poi E]

Mobile phone cameras are a god send i annotate the pics as I go with notes, arrows etc. Good for me, good for uploading to car forums to help some other idiot.

 

[Sprocket.]

Take it nice and steady, as above take pics and lay bits in sequence as you remove them. Stay safe!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Taking pictures as you go could help.
You should check if the timing belt was ever done or needs doing.

I belive it's got a chain thank god. Probably be a bit much for me at the moment.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

My first car (Morris Marina 1.3L) had to endure my attempts at car maintenance --- I bought all the issues of Car Fixit magazine in the early '80s.

My next car - a Chrysler Alpine 1.5 - convinced me to leave all car maintenance tasks to professionals.

Spoiler

Jesus. I bought a Haynes manual. It's like stepping back in time. The world has changed.

 

[Poi E]

Helpful advice. The only thing worse than working on car mechanicals is doing bodywork. They're both shit, but stick to the oily bits.

 

[Sprocket.]

I belive it's got a chain thank god. Probably be a bit much for me at the moment.

The chain tensioner might be worth checking out.

 

[dessiato]

Helpful advice. The only thing worse than working on car mechanicals is doing bodywork. They're both shit, but stick to the oily bits.

I always preferred doing metal bashing and spraying to being a grease monkey. I think it dates back to when I really wanted to do automotive design degree. I didn't pursue it because I felt I wasn't good enough. This is, perhaps, the one thing I'd change if I had my time again.

One very serious piece of advice when working on your car, make sure it's properly supported, unable to move. Not doing so can be fatal.

 

[High Voltage]

I've been reduced to fitting wiper blades on my car, I now put it into a garage to change the fucking headlight bulbs ffs

 

[weltweit]

I used to work on my motorbikes and would tackle most things, when I started with cars I would do a lot, but I have limits, for example I wouldn't attempt to replace a clutch on a car, and I struggled with a motorcycle gearbox.

It is important to recognise one's limits, there are some tasks where there are risks from making mistakes. For example I must have introduced moisture into my front brake system on my motorbike which caused my brakes to fail at a critical moment and could easily have been very serious. I was lucky but it was cause for reflection. I probably had made a simple mistake, using brake fluid that had been left open and had absorbed some moisture when I bled my brakes. A simple mistake to make when one is unaware of the importance of using virgin brake fluid from a new pot each time.

 

[Duncan2]

I used to work on my motorbikes and would tackle most things, when I started with cars I would do a lot, but I have limits, for example I wouldn't attempt to replace a clutch on a car, and I struggled with a motorcycle gearbox.

It is important to recognise one's limits, there are some tasks where there are risks from making mistakes. For example I must have introduced moisture into my front brake system on my motorbike which caused my brakes to fail at a critical moment and could easily have been very serious. I was lucky but it was cause for reflection. I probably had made a simple mistake, using brake fluid that had been left open and had absorbed some moisture when I bled my brakes. A simple mistake to make when one is unaware of the importance of using virgin brake fluid from a new pot each time.

I am sure this is very good advice but I do sometimes wonder how careful the garages,or some of the garages,themselves would be.Would they use virgin brake-fluid from a new pot each time or might they charge for new fluid while in fact using some from quite an old pot.It is often not that clear when you take your car in for professional attention what exactly has been done to it and by whom.Long while ago now but I left my Reliant with a Coventry garage and came back hours later to find it badly damaged because the apprentice had roared up a ramp designed for cars with a wheel at each corner. I wouldn't have minded but they had bunged on some fibre-glass and paint and were going to pretend that all had gone smoothly

 

[weltweit]

Jesus. I bought a Haynes manual. It's like stepping back in time. The world has changed.

But Haynes manuals in the main are pretty useful things to have, at least I think so.

 

[Poi E]

Yeah be very careful with things that you need to make you stop. Stuff that makes you start is not so important.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

It's nuts the difference in prices for bits. Looking at fuel filters and Eurocar parts is £35 before their discount code, ebay is £12.

 

[DownwardDog]

I guess my fear would be a pile of parts, scratching my head and needing it for work the next day..

This persists not matter how experienced you get in the car game.

I keep buying cars for the track (RX-7, GTR) then spending far too much money on them and making them far too nice to ever go anywhere a near a track.

I did a track day this morning in my 2.4 Toyota pickup engined TR7. I felt like it would have been quicker to walk round. I might sell it and get a ratty 370Z.

 

[Poi E]

You are the sort of guy to buy cars from, DD. Bet you don't drive a hard bargain when you sell you end up pointing out faults to the buyer.

 

[DownwardDog]

You are the sort of guy to buy cars from, DD. Bet you don't drive a hard bargain when you sell you end up pointing out faults to the buyer.

This is true. I am very good at buying and terrible at selling. Generally, when I am selling I just want rid ASAP.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

It may be my imagination, but my old disiel sounds less like, well, an old disiel. OK it's not exactly got that purr of a new car, but I think there is an improvement.

Don't know if it was the oil change, running redex through it or just giving plenty of long journeys, but gives me hope that I may get a few years out of it.

Did the air filter at the weekend which was stupidly easy and have a fuel filter waiting to be fitted. Now just to go proper pikey to a filling station and put some fuel in an old pop bottle and hope nobody notices...

 

[Riklet]

I'm gonna get a jack and stands as I would like to do oil changes and some more basic stuff myself. Learning about brakes and wheels would be useful too. Cracked my bumper quite badly would like to sort that out as well as upgrade the headlight bulbs.

It's a tricky balance really - what really needs replacing, what preventative maintenance could be done to stop future problems, what is too complex/risky/time-consuming to do oneself. Especially if youve got a 16 year old banger, like me

 

[Limejuice]

Always have a spare pair of hands.

There's almost no task that can't be made a lot simpler with someone to pass that, hold that, press that, fetch that - no, not that one, the other one, the one I can picture clearly in my mind!

Children love helping with car maintenance!

 

[weltweit]

I was very lucky as a youth because my dad had a cavernous garage with a pit and loads of tools which made working on motorbikes and cars quite easy.

I don't have any of that now and I find working essentially on the roadside too much of a pain.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm gonna get a jack and stands as I would like to do oil changes and some more basic stuff myself. Learning about brakes and wheels would be useful too. Cracked my bumper quite badly would like to sort that out as well as upgrade the headlight bulbs.

It's a tricky balance really - what really needs replacing, what preventative maintenance could be done to stop future problems, what is too complex/risky/time-consuming to do oneself. Especially if youve got a 16 year old banger, like me

I don't have any of that now and I find working essentially on the roadside too much of a pain.

I think my limit is going to be common service stuff, oil and various filters, brakes etc. I'm don't have anyone I can really call if it goes wrong and the working outside the house is a bit limiting.

Mind you just that stuff will save a few quid and as I'm normally cash strapped should mean it gets done sooner, so hopefully making it last longer. Mine is 16 years old although only has 84km on the clock. That will increase rapidly though as I do a fair few miles.

 

[blairsh]

Knowing how to do your breaks yoursen can save you quite a bit in garage bills

 

[geminisnake]

I used to be able to do all sorts of stuff, got a dab hand at removing/replacing exhaust manifolds in fiestas back in the day, but now I have a Scirocco and we can't service it ourselves, so after nearly 30 yrs of car ownership my car is going for a service next week
I'm not sure I like everything being 'hidden' away but I do love this car. He looks like this, I have no idea how to post a photo here anymore

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3379/3526528368_f5089bba22_z.jpg (not mine but close, those alloys are a pain in the butt to wash!)

Ebay is usually a good place for cheap bits, but German, Swedish and French can be good too, also buy oil when it's on offer
I second/third decent jacks and those ramp things too. I always fancied some of them