Self-maintenance

  • Thread starter Thread starter RQ7
  • Start date Start date
Do you not know ANYONE who is mechanically minded? Learning how to work on cars is always better and more enjoyable if you've got someone on hand to help you.

And If you don't have a garage/indoor workspace I'd seriously reconsider though. Working in a "Warm", clean(er than the roadside) and organized workspace makes the experience about a billion times more enjoyable. Maybe I'm getting old, but the novelty has just worn off.

In years gone by I've jumped head first into doing Head Gasket jobs outside in freezing weather and absoultely loving it, last weekend I had to do a relatively simple job (Finding and bypassing an after-fit immobilizer) and to be honest I hated practically every moment of the several hours I was out there with my soldering iron, mutimeter and electrical tape.

If I had been in a nice workshop with tea/coffee on tap and a little electric heater buzzing away things would have been a lot more comfortable, but when outside, in this weather the one and only thing you're concerned about is getting back into the warm, and when you're thinking like that things tend to get forgotten and broken :(.
 
The cold is the best weather to do it! I remember laying on my back in the snow fitting an engine so I could get back to university one Easter. I restored most of my Anglia in the freezing cold. I just didn't seem to want to do it when the weather was nice :p
 
One thing my R5GTT managed to do was kill my passion for working on cars a bit, it's enjoyable when you're doing it because you want to but when it's nearly every time you drive the car it gets pretty annoying pretty quickly! Got to the point where I left it in the garage for a few years.
 
Jonny69 said:
The cold is the best weather to do it! I remember laying on my back in the snow fitting an engine so I could get back to university one Easter. I restored most of my Anglia in the freezing cold. I just didn't seem to want to do it when the weather was nice :p
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i put some poly bushes on my golf years back, in the snow. a subframe captive bolt cocked up... i was in the snow so long i lost feeling in my feet. even after getting in doors i couldnt feel my feet for 30-40 mins. hardcore
 
I can do all my own servicing and repairs, I choose not to as its too much hassle.

Thats not strictly true, If it doesnt involve me getting cold/wet/dirty/taking sodding hours to do it, i'll do it, anything else it goes to the workshop.
 
I do everything myself, if it's beyond my capabilities or I can't diagnose the fault then it goes to a local garage who I've dealt with for years, he knows I know a bit & I trust him.

Last thing was a knocking noise coming from near the front left wheel which I just could not diagnose, had to admit defeat & take it in. Anti roll bar linkage on the left was shot to pieces & the right one was badly worn to so he replaced both, £60 total charge. This guy is as sound as they come.

Things I found helpful:

Haynes manual, priceless bit of kit, got one for for every car I've owned :)

A cheap socket set & a good set of spanners, open at one end & ring on the other. As the sockets wear (which they will) I replaced these one by one with good quality sockets & over the years have built up a good set. The ratchet & extension bars, provided they are wiped over with an oily rag & not allowed to rust will last for ages.

A cat litter tray is perfect for catching the oil, £2 from supermarket. Once you've done your oil change pour the dirty oil into the container you've just emptied into your car & the recycling guys will take it away for you.

A headlamp.

Ramps are useless for modern cars, I use a trolley jack & axle stands (Neighbour bought a 2 tonne trolley jack from Lidl for £15 & its fantastic value for money).

Small auto part shops are fantastic, the guys there have a huge knowledge of popular models & its always worth a chat with them about what job you are about to undertake when getting parts. My local one has a delivery everyday & if it isn't in stock (very unusual) it will be there the next day. This isn't a modding/boy racer type shop, its a traditional one that just sells parts, bulbs, lubricants etc. Some shops know loads about stereos & what size the biggest wheels are that will fit on a Corsa but very little about diagnosing problems & sourcing parts.

Check your work regularly & learn how to tackle maintenance jobs as they arise, you'll soon be undertaking jobs you never thought you'd be able to do.
 
Evening all,

Firstly I would just like to say thank you for everyone who inputted on this thread, your advice was great...

Next weekend, i'm planning on doing an oil change to my car, and also taking a look @ the pollen and air filters to see if they need a change..

Hopefully everything will go smoothe, if not i'll have a big cry on here..!

again - thankyou :)
 
Two cars that potentially need some work done on them. The 1.6 corolla is my brothers who hasn't done an oil change in two years!!!!!!!!!
My cars been serviced recently, but coming up to the 5k interim oil change.

Both Toyota Corollas

1. Toyota Corolla 52 plate VVTi 1.4 petrol
2. Toyota Corolla 05 plate 1.6 petrol VVTi

Probably eurocarparts or somewhere local, doubt i'll use toyota stamped parts as both cars are out of warranty..
 
RQ7 said:
Evening all,

Firstly I would just like to say thank you for everyone who inputted on this thread, your advice was great...

Next weekend, i'm planning on doing an oil change to my car, and also taking a look @ the pollen and air filters to see if they need a change..

Hopefully everything will go smoothe, if not i'll have a big cry on here..!

again - thankyou :)
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Is somebody helping you? Do you have the manual?

If not I would wait.
 
sigma said:
But no, you would not catch me doing any serious work in this weather, maybe an oil change or something simple but even then it'd only be in an emergency. Hitting freezing cold metals objects with cold hands is not very enjoyable.
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Few layers, hat and gloves (I use quite a fetching pair of pink marigolds at the moment) and you'll be fine.

This time last year I was dropping an engine into a car. When the snow hit I was lying under the car connecting an exhaust and power steering pipes.

I was outside today doing an oil change on one car and doing some other work to my other car. As weird as it sounds, I think I may actually prefer working outside in this weather than in the summer. You can always warm up if you're too cold (I find working on cars gets you working up a sweat anyway), lifting gearboxes in the sweltering summer heat is not my idea of fun.
 
sigma said:
Is somebody helping you? Do you have the manual?

If not I would wait.
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Ordered the haynes manual mate.
A friend of mine will be helping me, he's an an engineer for an air-con company so hopefully that will come in handy, even though cars and air-con systems are different.

Haynes don't seem to have a manual for every-car, i.e a toyota auris or audi a6 2006 quottro, are there any alternatives? If this goes okay in the future i might attempt helping with dad, mums car etc.
 
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