Introduction
Philosophy
Disclaimer
General Safety
Procedures
#1: Shock absorbers and struts
#2: Car starter
#3: Disc
brake pads
#4:
Disc brake calipers
#5: Disc
brake rotors
#6: Engine
#7: Automatic transmission
#8: Car
air conditioner
INTRODUCTION
This guide
is designed to assist the do-it-yourselfer with performing
automobile repairs. It is structured around problem areas, such as
"my car won't start", encapsulating the problem area with an
overview of the diagnosis and repair. It uniquely addresses
maintenance and repair items at a summary level to provide a
valuable supplement to detailed service and maintenance manuals.
It addresses simpler areas, such as dealing with bad shocks, as
well as complex areas, such as engine rebuilding and air
conditioning repairs.
The goal of this guide is to support the do-it-yourselfer pursuing
the goal of low cost, high quality, automobile transportation to
the 200,000-mile vehicle life milestone and beyond.
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PHILOSOPHY
Airplanes
have a service life of forty years or longer. So why not cars?
Cars can, and do, easily run 200,000 miles and more, and 20 years
or longer, if given the proper maintenance.
The do-it-yourselfer (shade tree mechanic) remains in a position
to run his/her car to the 200K-mile mark and beyond because of the
massive amounts they can save on labor. These savings can pay for
the tools and parts to not only pay for immediate repairs needed,
but to implement thorough preventive maintenance as well.
For example, go to a repair shop with a bad alternator. You'll
probably come out with a bill for $200 or more ($125 for a
remanufactured alternator and $75 to diagnose the problem and
replace the alternator). You may soon be back with a bad battery,
bad alternator or bad drive belt, but those are new repairs ...
and they can "nickel and dime" you to death. Each of these
problems can leave you stranded with a car that won't start and
has to be towed to the shop. A few of these problems will soon
have you feeling that your nice new car has turned into a clunker
and reached the end of it's useful life. You may cast away a good
car, even though it only has 80,000 miles on it, and opt to be
saddled with new or larger monthly car payments rather than chance
breaking down on the highway.
An alternative is to do the repair yourself, and throw in
preventive maintenance as well, by rebuilding the whole charging
system. You can replace the alternator, voltage regulator, battery
and drive belt for about the same amount of money (assuming you
buy the parts at a discount from a discount auto store, mail order
firm or online car parts center). Then you can forget the whole
charging system for several more years and many tens of thousands
of miles, and not have your car turn into an unreliable clunker.
The key to keeping your car from turning into an unreliable
clunker is to perform good preventive maintenance. If two tires
are worn and two are marginal, replace all four.. If the shocks
are getting old, replace all four at once. If the heater and
radiator hoses are old, drain the antifreeze and replace all of
them at once. When a drive belt gets worn, replace all of them at
once. Going for 200K miles, if your engine smokes, rebuild the
whole thing. If your transmission slips, rebuild it and throw in a
new/remanufactured torque converter. If a front-wheel drive CV
joint gets noisy, replace both drive shaft halves, and throw in
new wheel bearings while you're at it. When you replace spark
plugs, replace the plug wires and distributor cap and rotor at the
same time.
By rebuilding systems, you'll save money in the long run and keep
your car from becoming an unreliable clunker.
And above all, be sure to change your engine oil and filter
religiously every three to five thousand miles (three if your
trips are short). If you do this, you might even get 200K miles
without an engine rebuild, but if you do have to rebuild the
engine you may not have to have your cylinders bored ... a savings
of several hundred dollars.
The do-it-yourselfer must be prepared to accept blotching an
occasional repair. It's part of the learning process. When this
happens, accept your misfortune and do the repair over again, or
accept temporary defeat and take your car over to your favorite
professional mechanic. Just be polite, be humble, bow your head
and admit your failings, hand him the parts in a basket, then shut
up and let him do the job. Being diplomatic with a blotched job is
the mark of the seasoned shade tree mechanic.
Even with blotching a job here and there, you'll save money in the
long run and be able to afford keeping your car in like-new
running condition long after others have hit the bone yard.
Save a bundle of money on labor doing your own repairs, but don't
cut corners on tools and parts. You'll watch your neighbors go
through three or four cars while you go through one. Then take the
money you save on car payments and go buy yourself a nice classic.
It'll be a lot of fun to own and drive, it'll turn heads going
down the street, and you'll probably sell it for more than you
paid for it.
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DISCLAIMER
This
tutorial on auto repairs is only an overview of procedures. It is
not intended to be a substitute for professional instructions
and/or directions. All auto repairs should be performed according
to the automobile manufacturer's factory maintenance and repair
manuals.
The general safety procedures listed in this tutorial are not
exclusive. Other, more detailed and specific safety instructions
are found in the factory repair manuals and must be read,
understood and followed when performing auto repairs to avoid the
risk of serious injury or death.
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GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
Following
is an abbreviated list of general safety procedures to follow when
working on you automobile. As discussed in the Disclaimer above,
they are not exclusive.
1. Never trust a jack to hold your car up while you get under it.
Jacks can, an often do, slip or fall over, allowing the car to
fall. If you are going to work under the car, it must be supported
on quality jack stands. Two jack stands are better than one.
Jack stands can sink into hot asphalt under the weight of a car.
When working on asphalt, place a 12" x 12" or larger piece of
plywood under the jack stands.
2. Do not attempt to remove engines or transmissions without the
proper lifting and/or supporting equipment. A falling transmission
can kill you. An engine that suddenly shifts while pulling it can
result in fractured bones or lost fingers. Never attempt heavy
jobs like these without an assistant.
3. Always disconnect your battery at the terminals before working
on your car. An accidental short with created with a metal tool
can result in serious burns.
4. Remove rings and loose clothing before working on your car.
Loose clothing can easily get caught in rotating machinery. If a
metal ring becomes part of an electrical short, serious burns can
result.
5. Be extra cautious with flammable liquids, especially gasoline.
Gasoline is nearly explosive, even in the open. A single spark can
ignite gasoline with disastrous results.
Never work in an enclosed space if there can be flammable fumes,
especially from gasoline or cleaning solvents. Good ventilation,
like a nice outdoor breeze, is desirable when working with
flammable liquids. Needless to say, don't smoke around flammable
liquids.
Make sure there is an approved fire extinguisher in your work
area, where you can get at it in a hurry if you need to. Make sure
you know how to use it before an emergency arises.
6. Always wear eye protection when working on your car. Slipping
tools, falling parts and debris, splashing liquids, flying dust
and other eye hazards are the order of the day.
7. Be extremely cautious around a running engine. Also watch out
for electric cooling fans that can start up by surprise, even with
the ignition turned off and the engine not running
8. Engines and exhaust systems get real hot and can burn you real
bad. Make sure everything is cool before working on it. Remember,
too, that hot crankcase oil can result in serious burns. Let your
engine cool, even if it takes and hour or two, before attempting
an oil change.
9. Air conditioning systems call for special handling. Do not vent
refrigerant into the atmosphere. Take your car to a professional
shop and have them remove the refrigerant before attempting
repairs. If adding refrigerant yourself, wear good goggles. A
refrigerant line or fitting can burst under high pressure,
shooting refrigerant into your eyes and blinding you.
10. Exhaust fumes contain deadly gases, like carbon monoxide, a
colorless, odorless gas. Never work in an enclosed space, such as
a garage, with your car engine running. Not even for a brief
moment.
11. Always assume your hand tool will slip, then ask yourself what
your hand will hit will hit when it does. You be the judge if the
skinned knuckles will be worth taking the chance. Wear a glove and
save your knuckles.
12. Always chock the wheels on your car when raising your car,
even on level ground. This helps prevent the car from rolling off
the jack and/or jack stands and falling on you.
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#1: Shock
absorbers and strut cartridges
Problem: Car bounces and sways ... uneven tire wear.
Shock
absorbers should last twenty to thirty thousand miles. Strut
cartridges should last forty to sixty thousand miles. Struts are
typically found on the front of cars and shocks are typically
found on the rear, but there are variations to this theme.
Sometimes, a bad shock leaks hydraulic fluid, which then collects
road dust. A visual inspection of the shock should reveal if the
shock is leaking. There may be no other symptoms, but a leaking
shock should be replaced because it will soon cease to function
properly.
Another problem can be loose nuts or bolts on the shock absorber
mounting studs or brackets. This may reveal itself as a thumping
or banging noise when you drive over bumps, as well as by visual
inspection.
When shocks or struts wear out, your car will bounce a lot when
you drive over bumps. It will also sway a lot when you go into a
turn. You may also find uneven wear patterns on your tires.
Bad shocks and/or struts lead to serious handling problems with
your vehicle and should be replaced before they get to this point.
They should always be replaced in pairs. If possible, replace
struts/shocks on all four wheels at once.
Shock absorbers can usually be replaced by the do-it-yourselfer
equipped with basic mechanic's tools, a pair of quality jack
stands and a maintenance/repair manual specific to the vehicle.
Plan on spending a day in the driveway or garage the first time,
and half a day the second time.
Most strut cartridges are more difficult to replace, especially
when the strut cartridges are mounted inside the coil springs.
These designs require disassembly of the steering linkage. They
also require a pair of coil spring compressors. Working with a
compressed spring is dangerous and can result in serious injury if
a mistake is made. So if you are going to replace this type of
strut cartridge yourself, get a knowledgeable friend to help the
first time. Some strut designs do not require compressing the
springs. The cartridges on these designs are mounted outside the
coil spring and are much less of a problem to replace. Your
maintenance/repair manual should explain which type you have, and
how to replace them.
When you remove springs to replace strut cartridges, be sure to
inspect or replace the bearing assembly that the spring rotates on
with many designs. The bearing will be found at the top of the
spring.
If you have to disassemble the steering linkage to remove the
strut cartridges, be sure to have the front end re-aligned
immediately afterwards.
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#2: Car starter
Problem: Car won't start
If you turn
your ignition key to the start position and your car won't start,
the problem could be your starter.
The starter turns the engine, so if your engine turns over, the
starter is not bad.
If the engine won't turn over, first eliminate other problems,
such as
(a) A dead battery or corroded battery terminals. Turn on your
headlights and interior lights, and then try to start your car.
Have an assistant tell you if the headlights dim a lot, while you
also watch the interior lights. If they do, and the engine won't
turn over, suspect a bad battery or corroded battery terminals.
You might also hear your starter's solenoid click or chatter, as
the light dim, if the battery is weak or it's terminals are
corroded.
(b) A bad starter solenoid (if it is separate from your starter).
If your battery and battery terminals are in good shape, you
should hear the starter solenoid click once each time you turn the
ignition to the start position. If not, suspect the solenoid. But
before the final verdict, make sure there are not defective
interlock switches, such as a park switch (with automatic
transmissions) or a clutch switch (with manual transmissions) that
prevent you from starting your car with gears engaged.
If, after performing the above tests, you're still not sure what
the problem is, and your starter has over 50,000 miles on it,
consider replacing it (as well as the starter solenoid), as
preventive maintenance, or, quite possibly, to solve the problem.
And if your battery is more than four years old, replace it too.
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#3: Disc brake pads
Problem: Disc brakes squeal
Some disc
brake pads have wear sensors. When the pads wear down, the sensor
starts touching the rotor causing a high-pitched squeal. The
solution to this problem is to replace the pads immediately,
before the meal wear sensors damage the rotors. When pads without
wear sensors wear down to nothing, the metal backing on the pads
begins wearing away the rotors with a grinding noise when the
brakes are applied. When this happens, expect to replace the
rotors as well as the pads. If the damage is mild, you may get
away with having them resurfaced. To avoid damage to your disc
brake rotors, check your pads every 10,000 miles.
If you have a damaged rotor, resurface or replace both sides at
once. Keep them matched.
Sometimes, brakes squeal for no obvious reason. When rebuilding
brakes, be sure to clean any rust from sliding metal surfaces and
make sure all anti-rattle springs and other parts are installed.
Anti-squeal compound may also help. If you've taken every
precaution and the brakes still squeal, try a different brand of
pads.
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#4. Disc brake calipers
Problem: Disc brake pull to one side
When your
disk brakes pull to one side, you may have a sticking caliper. A
sticking caliper can cause the brake to be slightly applied,
causing the pad to overheat and brake with less force than the
other side. If this condition exits for long, the pad under the
sticking caliper will quickly wear out. When you inspect the pads,
you will find the side with the sticking caliper worn much more
than the other side. In fact, you may find a damaged rotor.
The solution is to replace the damaged caliper. . Don't try to
rebuild the calipers. Quality inexpensive remanufactured calipers
are available. Replace them on both sides at once. If a rotor is
damaged, replace them in pairs also.
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#5. Disc brake rotors
Problem: Disc brakes pulsate
When disc
brake rotors wear unevenly, they may pulsate when the brakes are
applied. However, anti-lock brakes can do this under normal
conditions. If in doubt about the condition of your rotors, have
them resurfaced or replaced. Always resurface or replace rotors in
pairs to keep both sides matched.
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#6: Engine
Problem: Engine smokes
A worn
engine can smoke because oil leaks into the cylinders around worn
valve guides, or the oil rings are worn, or both. These conditions
will create white smoke, which is burning oil, as opposed to a
rich fuel problem, which will create black smoke, which is burning
fuel.
If you get a puff of white smoke when you start your engine, after
it has been sitting for hours, that's probably due to worn valve
guides. Oil laying on the cylinder heads leaks into the cylinders
while the car sits. Since the engine isn't running, the oil
accumulates enough to cause visible smoke for a moment when the
engine is started.
As long as the smoking engine doesn't foul spark plugs to often
and can still pass emission tests, there's no big rush to do
anything. Your can plan this job, making arrangements for other
transportation while the car is out of service. But don't
procrastinate too long. If you do, you'll soon find yourself
wanting to rid yourself of a clunker.
I your car suddenly begins belching out white smoke, you can't
wait. Something broke. Park it immediately and begin planning an
engine rebuild or replacement.
An engine that smokes (white smoke) is getting tired. It needs
rebuilt ... completely rebuilt. There's no sense in doing half a
job. Bite the bullet and take your car or engine to your favorite
engine re-builder, or take it apart and go to your auto machine
shop with the parts. Don't cut corners ... get the cylinders bored
if out of specs ... get the block deck and cylinder head(s)
resurfaced ... have the rods reconditioned ... get the heads
rebuilt ... replace the crankshaft if it's scored. Get a master
engine kit that includes piston rings (pistons too if the
cylinders were rebored), main, rod and camshaft bearing, a new
camshaft (stock) and lifters, timing gears and timing chain, oil
pump (normal volume), freeze plugs, gaskets and seals. And while
you're at it, throw in a new water pump.
Don't attempt an engine rebuild yourself without good manuals and
precision tools. And make sure you have the assistance of someone
that knows what they're doing the first time.
Always rebuild your engine as it was originally (stock or OEM) if
you want to minimize hassles, like emissions problems, and want to
get a long engine life.
For some cars, exact factory replacement engines are available at
a surprising good price. These are called factory crate engines.
Not only are they brand new engines made by the car manufacturer,
they carry a decent warranty. Check with your car dealer for this
option. Then shop around between dealers, mail order and online
suppliers to make sure you get a good price. You may find a large
variation in prices.
Do not attempt to rebuild an engine in the car. You can't do the
job right and you will probably risk injury. Get a quality engine
lift and pull the engine. You'll save hassles in the long run and
be able to do the job right. If your car is high mileage (over 10l
lemiles), you may want to pull the engine and transmission
together and rebuild them both at once.
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#7: Automatic transmission
Problem: Transmission slips during gear shifts
An old
automatic transmission often starts slipping between shifts. This
can be due to worn clutch discs or bands.
If you're good at other car repairs, why not tackle and automatic
transmission repair? A rebuild kit will set you back only a
fraction the cost of a new or rebuilt transmission.
You'll probably need a day to pull the transmission (with help of
an assistant), a day to take it apart, a day to inspect all the
parts, a day to put it back together and a day to put it back in
your car (with assistance again). If you've done this before, the
time will be much less.
You'll also make a big mess with spilled transmission fluid so
protect your garage floor with lots of newspaper and have lots of
sawdust to soak up spills. You'll need lots of working surfaces to
spread out all the parts in the order you remove them. A couple of
cheap folding tables should do the trick if you need to improvise
working surfaces. Finally, buy or borrow any special tools your
manual calls for. If you're creative, you can probably improvise
or even fabricate the special tools.
Above all, be patient and attentive to detail when rebuilding an
automatic transmission, and follow a goodrderual step by step.
Don't cut any corners. Inspect all hard parts, like shafts and
gears, and replace them if damaged or worn. You may have to go to
a car dealer or transmission shop to buy these parts, or pick up a
sacrificial transmission from the bone yard. Replace that old
torque converter with a quality new or rebuilt converter.
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#8: Car air conditioner
Problem: Air conditioner doesn't cool
Automotive
air conditioners usually cost a bundle to have them repaired. It
takes special training, equipment and parts to do the job right.
Because of the high cost of repairs, many people decide not to
have the repairs done. They suffer in the heat and start thinking
about trading in their clunker.
Many car air conditioner repairs can be done by the
do-it-yourselfer, giving fresh life to their car.
The simplest repair is replacing a broken or slipping compressor
drive belt, so start with an inspection and/or adjustment of the
belt.
Next, check your refrigerant charge and add refrigerant if needed.
You'll need an auto air conditioner pressure gage and a refill
kit. You'll need to determine if your system uses the older R12 or
the newer R134 refrigerant (look for a label under the hood). You
must wear goggles when adding refrigerant to avoid being blinded
if refrigerant gets in your eyes. If your air conditioner is one
of the newer R134 systems, you're in luck.
See if your air conditioner clutch engages and turns the
compressor with the AC on and the engine running. If not, or if it
cycles on briefly, then back off, the refrigerant charge may be
low. Attach the pressure gage to the high-pressure line and
monitor the pressure. If the AC clutch never engages, you may have
to hotwire the clutch directly from the battery to make it engage.
Once the clutch engages, see if the high pressure reaches the
factory recommended value. If not, add refrigerant to the low
pressure fitting, until the factory recommended pressure is
achieved (or about 80% of that for R12 systems retrofitted to
R134).
You can buy R134 in small cans at your local auto store, but you
can't buy R12. If your system uses R12 and needs a charge, get out
you checkbook and go over to the repair shop, since professional
shops can still get R12 (it costs a small fortune). Before adding
R12, the shop will probably insist on finding and repairing any
leaks, adding to the costs.
If you have the older R12 system, you might want to consider
converting to R134. A repair shop can do this (bring your banker
along) or you can take a chance a do it yourself. Inexpensive
retrofit kits are now available at your local auto parts store.
The kits include high and low-pressure Schrader valve adapters
(because R12 and R134 fittings are different), a can of a special
R134-compatible oil charge, a refilling hose, and a couple cans of
R134. Be sure you have a high-pressure gage that connects to the
new R134 fittings. Remove the old R12. Be responsible and go over
to the auto air conditioning shop to have the R12 removed, so as
to not contribute to damage to the earth's ozone layer and get in
trouble with the law. Follow the kit's instructions and install
the R134 retrofit fittings on the existing R12 Schrader valves ...
then add the oil charge and the R134 charge up to the kit's
recommended pressure. Don't expect a retrofit to freeze you out.
R134 is not as good a refrigerant as R12, but it will do the job
if the rest of the system is working OK. Also, professionals will
probably advise you not to conduct this simple retrofit, insisting
that you'll risk damaging your system with incompatible compressor
oils. So you be the judge ... pay their lofty price for a
professional retrofit or do it yourself for next to nothing and
risk a blotched job. If your AC doesn't work, and you can't afford
to pay for a professional retrofit, and you can't take the heat,
ask yourself if you have much to loose trying the retrofit. Ask
around and you'll probably find people that got away with the
do-it-yourself retrofit and are pleased with the results.
If you have a seized compressor or compressor clutch, and have
some experience working with automotive air conditioning systems,
go ahead and replace the compressor with a quality rebuilt unit
(in some systems, it's best to replace the compressor and clutch
as an assembly). Again, have the refrigerant professionally
removed. Make every attempt possible to avoid having much air
enter the system. Air does not compress easily and carries
moisture. Both are a big problem. The moisture will condense
inside the system and combine with refrigerant to create a
corrosive acid that damages components. Air can overload the
compressor and damage it. Any air and moisture that gets into the
system must be drawn out with a vacuum pump before adding fresh
refrigerant. So have a suitable vacuum pump ready or don't attempt
the job. It is also advisable to replace the drier in your AC
system. It's purpose is to capture any moister you missed with the
vacuum pump.
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