Learning DIY car maintenance

Hiijinx

Hiijinx

Hiijinx

Associate
Joined
11 May 2009
Posts
1,040
I would love to learn how to do some diy car maintenance at home and save on things like oil changes, filters etc so nothing too advanced but more than the usual fluids.

Where do you learn such things? Sadly I don't have any mechanic savvy family or friends to ask.

I have a jack and trolley kit but tbh, am too scared to try anything from just YouTube vids! Computer tweaking yes.... But something which could literally explode in my face, not so readily :p.

If you do it yourself, where/how did you learn?
 
I learnt all my bike stuff from a combination of Haynes, my bike's workshop manual and various forums and YouTube videos, same would goes for cars.

Just go do it and you'll learn :)
 
Last edited:
Owners clubs, Haynes manual, nowadays some things are on Youtube.

Do Colleges still do evening courses in car maintenance?
 
I'm far from what I'd call a competent mechanic, but I've taught myself how to do many basics. Oil/oil filter changes, air/pollen/fuel filters, brake fluid changes, brake discs and pads, coolant changes, aux belt changes etc I'm quite happy with...so all the basic servicing stuff really. Saves me money especially when I need to do 3 or 4 services a year on a car I'm planning on driving into the ground making service history irrelevant anyway :)

I started reading the Haynes manuals and did lots of Googling and reading up on stuff before I decided to just get stuck in. YouTube videos have also come in very handy for various tasks like aux belt changes. Doing it is the best way to learn especially if you have a mechanically competent mate to help back you up in case. I'd love to get a spare almost shed of a car that I could just tinker with to learn some of the more advanced stuff as I don't really want to chance ballsing things up on my daily drivers.

Friends who know their stuff and various tricks have come in very handy for me when I've had issues with stuff like rounded locator nuts on brake discs etc. But I'm aware you've mentioned you don't have any mechanically savvy friends/family :)
 
Last edited:
Own an old french car, I had never even changed a car tyre before I had to learn to change my engine on my old 1994 Clio. I must have changed almost all drive train, engine and suspension parts over a very short period of time. Of course I would recommend this as a second car type thing as it's never fun having to fix something you rely on to get you to and from work.

Owners forums are a massive help for things like torque settings of nuts and bolts. Older car are generally more easy to work on due to less electronics as well.
 
It's just a case of getting stuck in but first you want to shell out on some decent tools which is never cheap, I had never even changed a set of brake pads but then managed to do an engine swap & replace the entire drivetrain on a car I wanted to restore.

Edit - Just noticed you said nothing too advanced - Get a Haynes manual & a cheap toolkit and get stuck in :)
 
wedrum said:
get a decent tool kit then hit the car forums for diy guides on your particular vehicle.
Click to expand...

This as well. Get something like this: http://www.halfords.com/workshop-to...nced-200-piece-socket-and-ratchet-spanner-set. It includes all sorts, including stuff like spark plug sockets which you'll need. Might seem expensive now, but trust me, you'll spend less if you just get that compared to buying all the tools separately!

Oil is easy as mentioned above. Air filter is just knowing which bits to take off/unscrew to find it (simple). Spark plugs are normally just remove a cover and unscrew (then you can clean or replace).

Brake pads are a little more complicated in that you have to clean, lube and check certain things, but Haynes is pretty good for that and it's easy once you've done it once.

sigma said:
Owners clubs, Haynes manual, nowadays some things are on Youtube.

Do Colleges still do evening courses in car maintenance?
Click to expand...

Yup.
 
Last edited:
You use the internet, browse how to's, watch videos, and then just do it.

About all there is to it really!
 
The only skill to remember is the one where you realise your limitations, if you dont have the tools or the skills to do a job properly then get them or take it to a garage.

But dont let that put you off, start small, accumulate skills and equipment as you go and youll soon have a newfound appreciacion for your car, theres nothing like doing something yourself and seeing the state of it as you go.
 
I learnt by watching my Dad and asking questions (Spent 20 years or so in the trade) from that I started doing my own basic servicing, brakes etc.

5 or so years later and tasks such as today's gearbox swap come fairly simple.

As others have said, Haynes manuals and owners forums are an invaluable source of guides and knowledge
 
I'm by no means competent at those sorts of things, but generally I've tried things by following an online guide, screwed it up, and then had to resolve it. That then teaches me things :p
 
If the bolt goes tight when there's lots of travel left, stop. Its the wrong bolt. :p

*may have cracked an engine by not stopping before
 
Acme said:
If the bolt goes tight when there's lots of travel left, stop. Its the wrong bolt. :p

*may have cracked an engine by not stopping before
Click to expand...

whenever unbolting things, remove whatever you need to remove and run the bolts back into the holes, that way you know where they're meant to be.

*may have recently cracked the trigger unit on an airsoft gun that's only available in america

also, buy a torque wrench and use it, bolts have torque ratings for a reason
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom