Auto repair !

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itslittled

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Hey, I wanted to create a thread for people who like or do their own car repairs or maintenance.
Recently I got really interested in car repairs, nothing too fancy but just the basic stuff, I've learned a lot from some great youtube channels and forums to do my own repairs.

Have you worked on your own car ? Maybe you could share your stories or experience with us, or if you're looking for advice someone could help you out !
 
I used to, back before they were computer controlled. I had a couple cars in the 1970s that I raced on the 1/4 mile track. I pulled my engine out of my 340 Duster, tore it down to the short block and had it bored .030 over and had some TRW racing pistons installed. Cars were fun to work on then. Now, they seem like nightmares.
 
dogboy said:
I used to, back before they were computer controlled. I had a couple cars in the 1970s that I raced on the 1/4 mile track. I pulled my engine out of my 340 Duster, tore it down to the short block and had it bored .030 over and had some TRW racing pistons installed. Cars were fun to work on then. Now, they seem like nightmares.

That's amazing ! I like the look of the 340 Duster, my uncle has one but It needs a lot of restoration and you're right about everything being computer controlled, and it's worse for the consumer if the car has a problem, you need to pay a lot to diagnose the issue let alone fix it, right now I am dealing with a check engine light on my sister car, I investigated about it, but a lot of things could cause that problem.
 
I've no idea how to when distribution or motorhead. Suspense mecanisms prefere by profesionals - very hard work without apropiated stuff. But all what's eletric, leaks not from motor, change oil, filters or brakes always by myself.
 
me do, too.
i'm in UK, not IS US :biggrin: so a lot of stuff is different, and the only internationally worthwhile stuff in my noggin is that there's a glut of steel at the moment; which is why making my own car-ramps,
View attachment 25000 was so reasonable in cost. don't delay, buy today.

oh, and wearing sturdy gloves is better than scuffing knuckles and cutting fingers.
 
ade said:
me do, too.
i'm in UK, not IS US :biggrin: so a lot of stuff is different, and the only internationally worthwhile stuff in my noggin is that there's a glut of steel at the moment; which is why making my own car-ramps,
View attachment 25000 was so reasonable in cost. don't delay, buy today.

oh, and wearing sturdy gloves is better than scuffing knuckles and cutting fingers.

Those are some good car-ramps, great job ! I also like to work with gloves, specially in oil changes

CrazySmoker said:
I've no idea how to when distribution or motorhead. Suspense mecanisms prefere by profesionals - very hard work without apropiated stuff. But all what's eletric, leaks not from motor, change oil, filters or brakes always by myself.

Indeed, it's a very difficult job if you don't have the right stuff
 
I bought my first car at age 15 a "67" ford Fairlaine 500 Country Squire with a sized motor. By the time I got my license at 16 I had bought a wreck with a good motor, swapped it out and restored the rest of the car's issues. I wish I could still bench a C-4 in to place with out a jack. Over the following 40 years I have worked on about every kind of vehicle from dirt bikes to heavy trucks and done every kind of work from frame up restoration, body & paint to engine building. Today's cars strike fear in many but their really much simpler than the cars of my youth, no carburetors no points or distributors no timing chains or gears (belts are so easy!) plugs last 100k miles not 1200 and no matter how dirty the air filter the computer keeps the mix just right. The only down side to modern cars is space and the many covers, splash shields and the like that require careful removal before work and replacement after, (yes their important so put them back!). Buy a manual and read it before you open the hood! And a code scanner is not too expensive.
Yes I am a professional mechanic, not automotive though but industrial machinery & power equipment.
 
I do small repairs for my AUDI. I cant do much in my parking lot because of the rules, but ive still replaced purge valves and headlights. The best part of this car is that I payed very little for it so I can mess around without worrying about permanent damage so I can learn a thing or two.
 
Yeah while I will not say I'm inclined to enjoy repairs or diagnostics but it is necessary for me. Recently I purchased a 2013 freightliner cascadia. Good strong truck and a motor I am familiar with, but to be honest alot of people asked me why I bought a cheaper older decomissioned fleet truck instead of a good newer one from a dealer, reason is cost and familiarity, the freightshaker and detroit I can fix myself no issues, when I bought it it had 6 check engine codes and an engine derate lowered the over all cost by $7,000 and within 4 hours and a few hammer taps and turned a few bolts and set screws and no check engine light, the same work in a shop would have been in the 8-10 thousand range, all in it it is 4 hours and $120 for cleaners and filters. Point of the story is its a good skill to have regardless of enjoyment.

Now for the enjoyment side I do enjoy restoring old cars as a hobby but when mechanics happens as a necessity it's annoying. Currently I am restoring an old 88 Trans am resto mod clone t-top (1988 firebird base with the trans am aero and body parts) trying to locate an old wrecked C6 corvette for the power train, computer and harness to drop into the trans.
 
Maxx said:
Sometimes I have to call Junior over for suspension parts that require torque only he can generate (former heavyweight wrestler...), sometimes I have to consult my professional mechanic neighbor (he consults with me for electronic issues).

I have to do the same thing, call junior dogboy...haha....over for the heavy stuff. He's benching 385 lbs. On the other hand, I'm his go to person for car/mechanical advise.
 
I do all my own work even computer diagnostics because the ford dealer is crap and charges £80-90 gbp hour =$121.5 hour :eek: labour
Got to do an oil change soon just changed headlight bulbs as both blew with in a fortnight
 
Nam Repaid said:
Today's cars strike fear in many but their really much simpler than the cars of my youth, no carburetors no points or distributors no timing chains or gears (belts are so easy!) plugs last 100k miles not 1200 and no matter how dirty the air filter the computer keeps the mix just right. The only down side to modern cars is space and the many covers, splash shields and the like that require careful removal before work and replacement after, (yes their important so put them back!). Buy a manual and read it before you open the hood! And a code scanner is not too expensive.
HEAR HEAR!! I call anyone who claims old cars are easier to work on a f---ing liar. Happily neither of my two old beasts have points, but finicky carburetors, miles and miles of vacuum hoses (two late '70s FoMoCo beasts with every option and hideaway headlights means enough vacuum house to tie my own noose), and odd packaging make the old cars so damned hard to work on.

As for me, I have a love/hate relationship with auto repair. The hate part is that I hate doing it. The love part is that I love knowing at least some of how to do it and not paying someone else to do it. Mr. Aurkarm and I have a '77 Ford Thunderbird Town Landau and a '78 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe in our fleet, and these days once you roll into a shop with something carbureted, they get very scared. So, we do a lot of our own work. This summer we changed the shocks out on the Thunderbird-Turns out Aunt Judy never ever had them done. They were the originals from 1977! I wound up cutting off the tops of the shock towers to get them out, as they and the bolts had literally become one mass of metal and rust after 38 years.

Most ambitious job we've done (mostly Mr. Aurkarm on this one) was replacing the heater core on the '97 Town Car he had at the time. That job involved undoing and partially removing the entire dash to the car to access the stupid heater core. First job for next year once the Continental's out of storage again is figuring out what to do about the heat soak and fuel percolation in the carb. Can't find a phenolic spacer because it's a stupid spreadbore carb that matches no other pattern out there (Motorcraft 4350), so I might just try making one out of wood.

Grumble car repairs grumble grumble.
 
GoldDragonAurkarm said:
HEAR HEAR!! I call anyone who claims old cars are easier to work on a f---ing liar. Happily neither of my two old beasts have points, but finicky carburetors, miles and miles of vacuum hoses (two late '70s FoMoCo beasts with every option and hideaway headlights means enough vacuum house to tie my own noose), and odd packaging make the old cars so damned hard to work on.

As for me, I have a love/hate relationship with auto repair. The hate part is that I hate doing it.

Hihihihihihi, old car always has "his things." But... I hate repair with bad access (or without apropiated stuff,) or (that's crazy...) the asshole who put last time front wheels bwfore I bought my VW T4. When lost air of pneumatic, so was very har to change it. And I broke one of screws...
 
I've done pretty much everything from simple spark plugs to clutch/flywheel replacements, all the way to a complete engine pull and replace. Turbo changes, engine interior work, body work. gutted complete interiors and replaced. Custom wiring harness for the interior and exterior and engine.

I've done these and more, with a friend, for ~6 years between a dozen Nissan 240's, Datsuns and other import vehicles. I miss doing it but I got burned out on working on cars with my 3 year car project. The main reason why I haven't replaced the clutch and flywheel in my current car.
 
acorn said:
Ade, tell mum she did a good job. :)

When I was in hospital in January, there was a guy there with crush injuries to his lower body, the car came off the axle stands just like you discribed in the previous thread. I've seen him only two weeks ago, still attending orthopaedics as an outpatient. It is with that in mind, I'd like to see a diagional brace on the two square box sections, on the high end of the ramps.


PS: Did you keep up your end of the bargin with mum?
i've braced it lengthways, but not sideways. they're made from thicker steel than what's commercially available (ramp-wise), and better constructed, and i'm still waiting to test them. i reckon they'll be safe for a 3 ton vehicle, but we'll how they stand up up to some rocking.
everything got postponed because of the bathroom, which turned into a bit of a nightmare of a job. okay, i know houses are never fully square, but these ones take the piss; and because of the original nature of it's construction, there was shit loads of damage, wrongnesses and bodges to put right before the cladding could go up. oh, and i fitted new guts in the bog :biggrin:
 
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