Car Maintenance DIY:

[sniperruff]

I'm interested in learning some basic car maintenance... change oil, brakes, etc. Other than the obvious, is there some website or anything that I can read up to learn?

thanks in advance.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

i need to change my oil.

 

Buy a Chilton's manual for your vehicle and just start fixing stuff when it breaks. 🙂 Most auto parts stores have a loaner tool program (you put down a deposit and borrow the tool for 6 hrs. or so), so there's not a big initial investment besides buying a good Craftsman mechanic's set ($150 or so).

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
I'm interested in learning some basic car maintenance... change oil, brakes, etc. Other than the obvious, is there some website or anything that I can read up to learn?

thanks in advance.

Find a large automobile forum of your choice (one related to your make/model of car would be most helpful, obviously), and start searching. There's information on all types of repairs that people have done, snags they hit, common problems, tips n tricks on how to do certain things....

Also, look into getting a factory shop manual for your car. I found mine for $40 on Ebay, which has information specific to my model year car, and is about 3 inches thick. Haynes/Chilton manuals are OK, but nowhere near as in-depth.

 

[m2kewl]

1. buy car

2. buy helms manual

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: jumpr
Buy a Chilton's manual for your vehicle and just start fixing stuff when it breaks. 🙂 Most auto parts stores have a loaner tool program (you put down a deposit and borrow the tool for 6 hrs. or so), so there's not a big initial investment besides buying a good Craftsman mechanic's set ($150 or so).

The Autozone near me rents tools out for 30 days without penalty :Q.

Nice when your planned weekend of working your car gets rained out, and has to be postponed till next weekend...

 

[jlee]

Just start with the small stuff..I started doing oil changes, air filter, etc..that's about all my Corolla has needed (plugs/wires also). I've done plugs/wires/cap/rotor/fuel filter/coil on my MR2..a friend and I did clutch/tranny/starter, and my uncle and I did timing belt & head gasket. Start slow, and keep fixing whatever breaks -- if you have a more knowledgable friend to help you out, it's a big plus.

 

[amdskip]

The only good manuals are factory shop manuals available on ebay. The parts store manuals pretty much suck when compared to them.

 

[bootymac]

I learned a lot of stuff from my dad when I was younger. For the more technical stuff, I refer to repair manuals, online sources, and other people's own DIY guide

My best advice would be to find a forum specifically for your car and go nuts

 

[sniperruff]

thanks everyone... so this "shop manual" is not the same thing that comes with your car? co-worker has a ford focus and i skim through that once... it didn't really tell much about the car.

 

Originally posted by: sniperruff
thanks everyone... so this "shop manual" is not the same thing that comes with your car? co-worker has a ford focus and i skim through that once... it didn't really tell much about the car.

No, that's an owner's manual. A factory service manual explains exactly how to perform procedures for your specific vehicle, and is written by engineers at the automaker. They're expensive but infinitely helpful. For basic stuff just get a Chilton or Haynes manual.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: amdskip
The only good manuals are factory shop manuals available on ebay. The parts store manuals pretty much suck when compared to them.

Yes they are but you are forgetting one key thing, they already assume you know how to work on cars so they will completely confuse a novice. There are no manuals that can get a "non-mechanic" by while under the hood. If you don't have a good base knowledge of cars and working on them already the manuals might as well be written in a language foreign to you. Books won't develop basically mechanical skills...you need to possess those first as they are something that one cannot just develop through reading.

I have been working on cars for 25+ years and started by helping my dad and then restored a car ground up from the age of 16-18. There is no better way to learn than just get in there and do it but if you are not mechanically inclined to begin with you may not get far. There is absolutely nothing I cannot do to a car today and I taught myself through doing. No book cold have given me the skills I developed by simply taking things apart and putting them back together.

 

[bmacd]

how old are you? If you're still in high school, take an elective. If older, look for a class at your local community college. Everybody learns differently...you might find it satisfying reading a book whereas somebody else needs the hands on experience.

-=bmacd=-

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: sniperruff
thanks everyone... so this "shop manual" is not the same thing that comes with your car? co-worker has a ford focus and i skim through that once... it didn't really tell much about the car.

No, that's an owner's manual. A factory service manual explains exactly how to perform procedures for your specific vehicle, and is written by engineers at the automaker. They're expensive but infinitely helpful. For basic stuff just get a Chilton or Haynes manual.

screw the chilton or haynes. get a helms - it's the exact duplicate of the factory manual including all the itty bitty pictures to walk you thru. $hit if you still can't follow those directions - give up, seriously.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Take hands-on classes at a community college.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: m2kewl

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: sniperruff
thanks everyone... so this "shop manual" is not the same thing that comes with your car? co-worker has a ford focus and i skim through that once... it didn't really tell much about the car.

No, that's an owner's manual. A factory service manual explains exactly how to perform procedures for your specific vehicle, and is written by engineers at the automaker. They're expensive but infinitely helpful. For basic stuff just get a Chilton or Haynes manual.

screw the chilton or haynes. get a helms - it's the exact duplicate of the factory manual including all the itty bitty pictures to walk you thru. $hit if you still can't follow those directions - give up, seriously.

You don't need a fvcking Helms manual to change the oil or do a brake job. That's a freaking waste of money. Just buy a Haynes manual, that's all you really need for those simple jobs...well, that and tools.