What car jobs does a car DIY mostly do?

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MikeB4
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#2049592 5-Jul-2018 10:44

Wiggum:

1eStar:
Wiggum:

Replaced battery myself too. But what a mission it turned out to be when I found out that disconnecting the battery resets the cars computer, and idling etc.. Car just refused to idle properly anymore. I needed to take it in...

Best to use a battery saver to preserve all the electronics on a vehicle these days. One such device involves plugging a lead into the cig plug with ignition on. Some of the jumpstart packs support this. Any battery supplier worth their salt will use a battery saver these days when they replace a battery.

Yea, learn something new every day. Thats a mistake learned for next time.

Another reason why I look at fluids and air only now. The cars we own have sensors up the wazoo, with cameras, radar for adaptive cruise and braking, etc etc. it is just not worth the risk to save a few dollars.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Wiggum

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#2049600 5-Jul-2018 10:57

MikeB4:

Wiggum:

1eStar:
Wiggum:

Replaced battery myself too. But what a mission it turned out to be when I found out that disconnecting the battery resets the cars computer, and idling etc.. Car just refused to idle properly anymore. I needed to take it in...

Best to use a battery saver to preserve all the electronics on a vehicle these days. One such device involves plugging a lead into the cig plug with ignition on. Some of the jumpstart packs support this. Any battery supplier worth their salt will use a battery saver these days when they replace a battery.

Yea, learn something new every day. Thats a mistake learned for next time.

Another reason why I look at fluids and air only now. The cars we own have sensors up the wazoo, with cameras, radar for adaptive cruise and braking, etc etc. it is just not worth the risk to save a few dollars.

It really depends on the car. I agree I would not touch a car like that. I do prefer having something that allows for at least a bit of tinkering.

kryptonjohn

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#2049613 5-Jul-2018 11:08

The last time I did car DIY was back when you could pop the bonnet and actually lean into the engine bay and access stuff. Now everything's wedged in and covered by other stuff, or you need to put the car up on a hoist.

Give me back my HQ!

Fred99

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#2049661 5-Jul-2018 11:55

Over the past 20 years (until a few months ago), apart from getting tyres changed, alignment, and WOF checks, and a couple of panelbeater / insurance jobs done, I've used workshops twice.

Once was to recondition a set of injectors and an injector pump (I removed, dropped off to the specialist workshop - then picked up and reinstalled). The other time was to get a nut off a companion shaft flange on the back of my Nissan 4WD transfer case - it defied budging with my rattle gun or 1/2" drive sockets with breaker bars, I "borrowed" a workshop with 1" drive gear and a 2 metre breaker bar. Cost me a dozen Steinlager :-) and gave me a big fright when the nut eventually came loose with a bang.

So, I've removed/replaced dead engines, CV joints, cambelts/water pumps, stripped down / rebuilt brake calipers, done suspension and steering joints/bushes, replaced dead alternators, leaky radiators, hoses, thermostats, electrical stuff like cold-soldered joints in air-flow meters, window regulators, fan blower motor resistors, etc.

Haven't stripped down and rebuilt a motor, replaced a clutch, or stripped a gearbox since I was a kid. I did pull the head off one of our cars to find out when it had either a cracked head or a blown head gasket (it was a cracked head) - but that was mainly a waste of time as a complete gasket set was over $400, the job would have taken hours (days probably). I dropped in at a wrecker who had about a dozen of that engine model on racks, picked the newest one I could find (it looked almost brand new), paid the chap $300 &GST and asked for a hand to lift it into the back of my truck. Two days later the car was running again - and continued to do so for the next 10 years / 200,000km - until the rest of it was falling apart and it was a lost cause - sold it for $800 with reg and WOF on TM.

I have bought a new-ish vehicle recently - so while the transferable warranty applies, I'll continue to get it serviced at the dealership. They have a fixed service cost - so the price isn't too bad and worth it IMO. The vehicle was 15 months old / 25,000km, I paid $18,500 less than the sales price to the original owner (I have the invoice) who still owed about $6k more to the finance company than I paid him for the vehicle. I'll service it myself when it's out of warranty.

rayonline

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#2049677 5-Jul-2018 12:03

Fred99:

Over the past 20 years (until a few months ago), apart from getting tyres changed, alignment, and WOF checks, and a couple of panelbeater / insurance jobs done, I've used workshops twice.

That got me thinking. I just use other's cars when I can. People that I know, some do the annual service, many do not. Tyres, brakes, wipers get the WOF done. Apart from the regular engine oil and filter, many don't even replace the cabin or air filter. Transmission oh what's that. I know a person where a drive belt came off when they went to the supermarket but seriously a 20yr old Camry with 300k on the clock he's had it for 10yr himself never done the cambelt. The coolant only got done when there was a leak.

Edit - I guess for a bit of comforting, they could do a single once off servicing with a used car they could use that 8yrs right or even push it a bit well given what people do already. By then even if it works they might be sick of that car and want something different and even if sold it won't be worth much.

MikeAqua

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#2049703 5-Jul-2018 12:23

"annual service" should be based on distance.

Only things I ever do based on time are coolant change and brake fluid test (for moisture content).

Mike

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kryptonjohn

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#2049716 5-Jul-2018 12:42

MikeAqua:

"annual service" should be based on distance.

Only things I ever do based on time are coolant change and brake fluid test (for moisture content).

The manufacturer's service interval spec on my VW is 15,000km or 12 months whichever comes first. In my case the 12mo usually comes first :-\

robjg63

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#2049736 5-Jul-2018 12:57

kryptonjohn:

The last time I did car DIY was back when you could pop the bonnet and actually lean into the engine bay and access stuff. Now everything's wedged in and covered by other stuff, or you need to put the car up on a hoist.

Give me back my HQ!

"lean into the engine bay"? On an HQ Holden(their biggest ever selling model) you could nearly stand in there with the engine - unless you had a V8 of course.

Only DIY I do is "Drive It Yourself" to the dealer - I am not touching anything in there!

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

MikeAqua

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#2049738 5-Jul-2018 12:59

kryptonjohn:

The manufacturer's service interval spec on my VW is 15,000km or 12 months whichever comes first. In my case the 12mo usually comes first :-\

All manufacturers specify similar. I think it's BS. Cars don't go off. I only service by mileage.

Mike

rayonline

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#2049762 5-Jul-2018 13:18

robjg63:

kryptonjohn:

The last time I did car DIY was back when you could pop the bonnet and actually lean into the engine bay and access stuff. Now everything's wedged in and covered by other stuff, or you need to put the car up on a hoist.

Give me back my HQ!

"lean into the engine bay"? On an HQ Holden(their biggest ever selling model) you could nearly stand in there with the engine - unless you had a V8 of course.

Only DIY I do is "Drive It Yourself" to the dealer - I am not touching anything in there!

Mum's VW Bora. The VW service handbook translated with Google Translate (Japanese) says 1 yearly for the engine oil. The coolant is lifetime isn't mentioned, the trans says each 4yr or something inspect. 90k for the cambelt.

The Haynes book from the library says 6 monthly for oil, brakes 2 yearly. It also says coolant the VW G12 is lifetime. Trans and drive belts 4 yearly.

RunningMan

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#2049880 5-Jul-2018 15:27

MikeAqua:

All manufacturers specify similar. I think it's BS. Cars don't go off. I only service by mileage.

Some products do deteriorate with time as opposed to mileage. It also depends on the type of running the vehicle is doing.

As an example, brake fluid should be changed every two years, regardless of distance travelled. It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, lowers the boiling point (which can result loss of braking if the fluid temperature raises too high), and internal corrosion of the brake system.

A car used for lots of short trips may not have reached the 15000km distance in a year, but may have contaminated the oil to the point it should be changed.

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Aredwood

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#2050224 6-Jul-2018 00:16

RunningMan:
MikeAqua:

All manufacturers specify similar. I think it's BS. Cars don't go off. I only service by mileage.

Some products do deteriorate with time as opposed to mileage. It also depends on the type of running the vehicle is doing.

As an example, brake fluid should be changed every two years, regardless of distance travelled. It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, lowers the boiling point (which can result loss of braking if the fluid temperature raises too high), and internal corrosion of the brake system.

A car used for lots of short trips may not have reached the 15000km distance in a year, but may have contaminated the oil to the point it should be changed.

As above, Servicing is cheap compared to replacing engine bearings because the oil turned into sludge, and the bearings ran dry. Or replacing a head gasket or cracked cylinder head. Due to the coolant not being changed.

xlinknz

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#2050244 6-Jul-2018 07:54

I do filters and fluids (except trans) but despite having ramps now prefer someone else does the oil (as it can be be messy and my filter is tricky to get at)

Note I found at least with my Euro car when you look at what you pay for in an annual minor service the list of items checked is very close to what is checked with a WoF but they charge for both (so be aware of that)

GV27

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#2051005 7-Jul-2018 11:32

Wiggum:

1eStar:
GV27:

Some Toyotas of old would have combined engine/gearbox oil which made life simple.

Huh? Show me one. Maybe a 70 year old John Deere tractor.

Never heard of such a Toyota, or car's that shares engine/gearbox oil. Old Minis maybe? Motorcycles yes. Engine oil is different stuff to transmission oil.

Sorry was getting my Corolla and the Mini I used to tear around the neighbourhood in mixed up.

amiga500

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#2051120 7-Jul-2018 15:09

A good way of deciding whether to attempt the job is to watch Youtube & try to find the job being done on your model of car or one very similar.

As an example, a few years ago my Mazda Familia needed the cam belt done. So I watched a Youtube & quickly decided that it was too difficult, too annoying, & generally a tricky job. (Back in the day I have done jobs such as replacing cylinder head gaskets but with a manual & patience it was not too difficult on simple cars like Datsuns.)

However, still quite happy to replace spark plugs. One of the few things easy to get at on todays DOHC engines.

Many jobs around the engines of today have become nasty & difficult because engine bays are so cramped.

An excellent Youtube channel to watch for general no-nonsense advice is Scotty Kilmer's. He is a veteran mechanic & really knows his stuff!

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