So, you have decided to enter the car. After a lot of research and deliberation, you bought yourself a sweet construction vehicle and can't wait to start working. First of all, it's time to learn about basic maintenance!
Performing the necessary maintenance on time is the key to enjoying your project car. Too many reducers know the pain of a neglected beast, and it spends more time on the jack than on the road. Buying the right car and paying close attention to what needs to be done will greatly improve your experience and relationship with you.
If you just bought a car, no matter how good things look, it’s best to check it carefully with a fine-tooth comb to make sure everything is intact. This can avoid costly losses, and if you are not familiar with car work, it is a great way to get your feet soaked. There are a bunch of simple tasks that you can solve as a novice, and these tasks will keep your riding in the best condition.
Your car relies on a variety of highly engineered liquids to run smoothly and reliably. Using the right fluids and changing them regularly is important to ensure that your car is performing well. Although the seller may have assured you that everything has been changed as planned, the first thing you should do when you bring the item home is to change the fluid.
Engine oil is probably the most important. Over time, contaminants accumulate in the oil and begin to lose its effectiveness as a lubricant. If you leave it for too long, your oil pump may be blocked, you will lose oil pressure, and your engine will be damaged within a few seconds. Or, as the engine wears out, metal particles will accumulate, and your oil filter can only do so much. You want to maintain the freshness and proper grade of the oil. Most manufacturers recommend changing the oil at a set time period or mileage. For most cars, this is an easy job, although you may find it difficult to access the oil filter (look at you, Miata). This is a great way to make you feel comfortable while working in a car-just make sure to add new oil before starting the engine, otherwise you will almost certainly ruin your journey. You can even send oil samples for analysis to help diagnose long-term problems. Oh, make sure to give us a new filter every time-and watch out for leaks!
Coolant is also an important liquid and requires regular inspection and replacement. If it looks rusty and turns brown, it means that your engine parts are corroding, which is not good for your health during long-term riding. Thankfully, it is easy to replace: most cars have a faucet to help you dump the coolant before filling it up. If something is particularly dirty, you may need to run a coolant flush solution through the system before changing the fluid. Just make sure that the air in the system is properly exhausted before returning to the road to prevent the engine from overheating.
There is usually a long interval between other liquids in your car before it needs to be repaired. Oil changes are generally rarely recommended for automatic transmissions; more than 100,000 kilometers is common. Similar intervals are typical for manual transmissions and differential oils. If you just got the car and it’s gearing and driving well, then you may be able to put them aside safely. Generally, they are more difficult to handle, so once you are more familiar with wrenches, consider approaching them.
Filters play an important role in ensuring that your car does not block its fuel injectors every time you refuel at an unreliable gas station, or that sand does not damage the cylinder bores. However, over time, they can become clogged, causing performance degradation and other trivial problems. Fortunately, they are usually cheap and easy to replace, and they are easily handled by shadetree mechanics.
The air filter is the main protection device for the engine against dust and particles. They are usually made of paper or foam and are usually located in an easily accessible location next to or on top of the engine. A simple visual inspection is usually sufficient to determine if they need to be replaced. If they are dirty or fall apart, replace them. If it is covered by oil, you still need a new one, although this indicates that you have other problems. Generally, high-quality OEM filters are the best alternatives. Unless you really know what you are doing and are sourcing high-quality parts, there is little benefit by changing the pod filter or cheap eBay intake.
The fuel filter is responsible for ensuring that the tiny passages of the carburetor or injector will not be blocked by debris in the fuel. If you experience strange problems with tripping or lack of acceleration, you may find that your fuel filter is approaching its end of life. When they become clogged, fuel pressure will drop, which can cause performance problems. Carburettor cars usually have one or more in-line filters, which can be replaced with just a screwdriver. Fuel-injected cars can be slightly more complicated and usually have multiple filters, but they are still fairly easy to change if you know where to look. Their in-tank pumps also have a special filter socks, but these are usually as long as the pumps, and you don't have to worry about them too much.
Ask on the track how to start making your car faster and the first thing you will get is "tyres, tyres, tyres". Your tires are the interface between your car and the road. No matter what you do to other parts of the car, if your tires break, all this is futile. However, this is not just about speed on the track-whether you are driving on the street or off-road, a good set of tires is important to keep your car pointing in the right direction and to avoid hanging upside down in the ditch.
Usually, construction vehicles may be equipped with a set of mismatched wheels and tires, or completely bare rubber. In the worst case, you drag something out of a barn or field, and it has been on the rubber for more than 10 years. Just because they can step on and hold air does not mean they can drive safely. Rubber will not age, and unless your new car has a set of fresh meat with a large number of treads and current date codes, you will want to replace them.
It is also important to pay attention to wheel and tire size. Fitting huge rims on your car may seem cool to some people, but it is usually a good way to ruin your handling. Of course, there is no need to stick to the manufacturer's standard wheels-after all, these can be both ugly and boring. The best way to get the right wheels and tires is to talk to other enthusiasts who have a construction similar to what you want. They will be able to tell you what suits your car, your suspension settings, and your desired goals.
For example, the original NA Miata was equipped with 14" x 5" wheels. These are suitable for traveling through towns, but for track use, they are too thin to produce enough grip. It is also difficult to find good quality rubber for 14-inch wheels today; there are options available, but they are expensive and obscure. By asking on the forum and chatting with veterans on the track, I learned that a set of 15" wheels between 7"-8" wide would be a good choice, ideally the offset should be between 20 and 35 To make sure they fill the guards well. With this knowledge, I can buy a set of wheels that look great and fit without any wheel spacers or other ugly hacks. Wrapped in some sticky semi-slick In, my lap time was reduced by 4 seconds overnight! Through my research, I got good results without wasting any time or money.
It is possible that when you purchased an item, your car had some problems. Maybe it has a noisy exhaust, or it uses more fuel than it should. Although these may not hinder your car from point A to point B, they will significantly reduce your enjoyment and increase the financial burden of owning a project car. However, solving these problems is a good way to begin to understand how cars work!
For beginners, diagnosis can be difficult, especially when faced with difficult problems, minimal tools, and limited experience. Many people guess the cause of the problem and then start replacing parts, only to find that the problem repeats again and again. Ideally, finding the root cause of the problem will be more effective. This is achieved by logically looking at symptoms and testing components and subsystems to see that they are indeed functioning properly. This includes learning how to use multimeters, pressure gauges, and various other equipment. This may be expensive, but it can be rewarded on the road. Usually, it is important to weigh the purchase of more tools and simply taking the car to a store that already has equipment.
One tool that any wrench should have when working on an OBD-II equipped car is the scanning tool. This will be inserted into the diagnostic port of vehicles after 1996 and will allow the ECU to communicate the fault code to the driver. This helps in various situations. For example, if your fuel economy is poor and your scanner reports a bad oxygen sensor signal, it is simple to replace parts and restart and run. Other problems, such as a fire, may be more difficult to diagnose, but scanning tools can still help you point you in the right direction.
Fortunately, many people in the automotive world are eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with those who are eager to learn. Facebook groups, forums, and similar gatherings are good places to ask for help. Usually, many people have encountered your problem before, just type the symptoms into Google to find the answer you need. Otherwise, reach out and start a conversation with someone who might help. Finding a good local mechanic is also very helpful. Although many stores exist just to let cars in and out of the door, other stores usually specialize in certain brands and models and are willing to work with enthusiasts who need a little help in their car work. I am fortunate to know a few great mechanisms, and they are able to intervene and solve some difficult problems that I cannot solve by myself. After picking up the car, I learned a lot from the quick chat about what they must do to solve the problem!
For people who are new to car hobbies, it sometimes feels too much. If you are just starting to wander around under the hood of your new car and find a bunch of wires, sleeved hoses, and a bunch of zippers, you may be a bit at a loss. However, with regular maintenance, consultation with people in the know, and a little perseverance, you can learn a lot and create a sweet journey for yourself in the process. Happy hacker!
"Oh, make sure to give us a new filter every time-and watch out for leaks!"
And, oh, fill it up with oil before installing the new filter.
Otherwise, there will be a large air bubble in your oil system, which will spread all the way to your camshaft and make them dry in a few seconds. Cause damage, of course.
Especially designed for overhead camshafts running on a film of pressurized oil.
More importantly, check if you have put the oil pan plug back in place before refueling. It is also a good idea to check if you put back the oil cap too...
Later that day when you are driving along the highway, you will feel embarrassed when you realize that this is the "pop" from the bottom of the car. So I was told. Thank goodness, an engine with a high-capacity low-pressure oil system!
"More importantly, check if you have put the oil pan plug back in place before refueling"
Unfortunately, have been there and did it. Use my motorcycle. When you squat next to your bike, refuel, and then suddenly feel your feet slide down from you, letting you sit in a pool of oil, it's embarrassing...! :(
After repairing my father's 4×4, I left a dealership of a German car company, which did not fully inspire confidence in that particular garage and the mechanics there. Drive out of the parking lot and notice a winding line following the path of the car.
On the bright side, the dealer manager was very worried that other things might be missed. They lent me something like SL and a 5-liter v8 overnight to let them confirm, because it was June, and I took full advantage of it. a little! (Plus the garage is very close to my office, so it hardly gets in the way).
If it is an oil filter.
Make sure that the gasket on the old oil filter is not stuck to the block. 2 The oil filter gasket is not better than 1.
"And, oh, fill it up before installing the new filter." It all depends on the car and the filter. In fact, I have never seen any filter on an engine (metal shell or sponge/paper base) that only requires a little oil on the gasket. I have read about old filters that need to be activated by immersing in oil (and draining before installation). Most of the cars I have replaced (about 5 or 6 cars, some lawn mowers, and riding gear) are placed horizontally with the engine, and if they contain oil, most of the oil will spill on any attempt to install it.
According to the specifications of most manufacturers, the only thing that needs to be filled with the oil filter first is the huge diesel engine filter and the filter connected to the engine with a turbocharger. The membrane will not be stressed on the cam. Just open the valve cover and take a look. Even so, the turbocharger will leave a thin film of oil in the system and will not withstand higher boost pressure. I have a turbocharger and a super charger. From start-up and idling, they will not wear out so quickly to distribute the oil. In addition, unless you run the engine with the drain plug open and the fuel tank empty, there will still be oil in the pipeline. Compared with old cars, most car filters are very small and use synthetic and mixed oils, which now adhere better than old traditional oils.
I would also like to add a more valuable suggestion: buy a torque wrench and a manual, which lists the torque of each screw and bolt of the engine. This will save you from troubles caused by bolt breakage, thread falling off, aluminum cracking, gasket leakage, etc.
When I am doing: More valuable suggestions:
When removing the bolt and returning it to its original position, first apply a little grease on the bolt (preferably lithium-based grease or ceramic grease). Then re-tighten the bolt, let's say the torque is reduced by 1 nM. This will do two things: you will never tighten the bolt too tight, and when you loosen the bolt again later, it will not be jammed by corrosion, and will be easily unscrewed without damage (because There is no chance to get into the air or water anymore).
Don't be afraid that grease will make your bolts looser due to vibrations. If you tighten it to the correct torque, it won't.
Is that a fraction of ugga dugga?
1 nM is 0.74 pound-feet. I am not from the United States and I am not used to Anglo-Saxon units. :)
The torque is in Nm. NM is nautical mile, not sure how much nM should be...
It is nanomolar, a measure of concentration. mM, millimolar, is extremely common in biochemistry and chemistry.
what. It may be one less ugga dugga than your common sense tells you to apply. But... it depends on how much beer you drink. Three beers are best, no more and no less. Three glasses of beer, one less than your common sense tells you. The more beer, the less common sense, and you should use less ugga duggas.
If you find that you should apply 0 ugga duggas after drinking a few glasses of beer, now is the best time to lie in the sun, drink a few more glasses of beer, and try again the next morning. :)
The thread lock actually seems to be good at preventing the bolt from rusting. On the other hand, anti-grabs seem to be just the opposite, they should be commodity names.
Yes. I want to mention thread locks. But... they also make it harder to unbolt in the future. Generally speaking, for thread locker, when you want to loosen the bolt (especially when using thinner bolts), you need to heat it to soften the thread locker. I think this is too much trouble.
I do use thread locks on parts that do not need to be loosened frequently. Such as cylinder head bolts.
I don't know what you mean by anti-jamming, but is it grease with copper in it? *Never* use it on steel bolts that go into aluminum. Steel->Copper->Aluminum will generate a small electric potential, and over time, due to galvanic corrosion, it will hold the bolt tightly.
This is why I mentioned ceramic grease. It is not copper, but contains small ceramic particles, which can actually prevent galvanic corrosion while keeping the bolts tight but still easy to loosen.
There is an aluminum safe, which is still useless and dries out, as if you put something between thick tar and concrete in it, and it has always been high torque. (Actually, I broke the thing after a few turns, and it didn’t get stuck on the back.)
I haven't really noticed that the breaking torque of a threaded lock is higher than that of a "dry" bolt that starts to rust after 3-6 months. After that, in this climate, the threadlocker remained the same, but the "dry" threadlocker required a large amount of penetrant to drill the hole because it broke. Impact wrenches are very different.
The breakage after a few laps may also be due to the head bolt protruding on the other side of the open air and growing a healthy layer of rust. It happened on the first engine of my Citroen bx. :(
Check to make sure your bolts do not enter the water jacket. These bolts will require a non-hardening sealant such as permatex #1
There are thread locking compounds of different strengths, they can all prevent the nut or bolt from falling off due to vibration, but the force required to loosen is different. Refer to the corresponding Loctite page: https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/it/en/insights/all-insights/blog/difference-between-threadlockers.html
It’s worth mentioning that unless I say "high-strength thread locker", I always think that blue is the most primitive and therefore the most versatile/conventional form, so I think I should say blue, and now more There are more common types.
Purple thread locking agent, suitable for small fasteners and anything that you often need to disassemble and do not want to loosen. No heating is required, suitable for hardware less than 6 mm. However, the only place to get it is Amazon!
In a pinch, a little nail polish will work...
I will add.. buy a good torque wrench. Find a used Snap-on or Mac wrench and calibrate it. The cheap butt wrenches you find at discount tools are often very inaccurate. It is sufficient for lug nuts, but not enough for head bolts and other key fasteners. You definitely want a snap-in 3/8 and 1/2" drive wrench. The beam type is more difficult to read, but the inch-pound beam type wrench is very convenient for setting bearing preloads and other things.
When I connect them together, my $40 special torque wrench will click at exactly the same time as my Warren & Brown. It has been consistent in the first quarter of its range, slightly lower than W&B.
My conclusion is that even a cheap torque wrench is better than no torque wrench. :)
I agree. And they are actually easy to calibrate, although the process is a bit lengthy.
This is a good explanation: https://www.wikihow.com/Calibrate-a-Torque-Wrench
How inaccurate are we talking? We are talking about a discount of about 20%, will you start to worry about excessive torque?
The situation to worry about inaccuracy is to click the bottom end of the separation torque wrench range. Now, high-end models may be 50-150 foot-pounds and have reasonable accuracy around 50, but cheaper models may promise you 20-150, and you may break the bolt at 20. Generally speaking, it is best to buy an overlapping range. In addition, if you pay for something that guarantees 10-250 high precision in a tool, you will still bite the bolt at the low end, because of the proportional error and the possibility of slight movement during adjustment. It may be used at the low end. Makes a big difference, with one foot-pound exceeding 10% instead of 0.5%.
Personally, I only trust my 30-200 from 70-200 and 15-150 for 30-150, 0-50 deflection beam for under 30 years old, and one inch pound deflection beam.
The front-wheel drive drive shaft nut is usually the tightest torque on a car, so if you look at these specifications, you will know if you only need 150 foot-pounds or if you should buy 200. RWD I don’t know you need more than 150 until you get into a heavy truck.
In fact, in all the side-by-side reviews of torque wrenches I saw on You Tube, in terms of accuracy, HF's cheapest Pittsburgh wrench is equivalent to Snap On's mondo's expensive wrench. Snap on has better fit and finish, but it is a torque wrench, not a rectal thermometer. I can tolerate some rough edges on the torque wrench.
Oil filter hack: Look for apps with larger filters and the same threads/fittings as yours. Obviously, if you can barely reach the end of the filter now, this won't work, but many have a lot of inches of space. An example is the use of Ford Mustang V8 filters on smaller Dodge engines. First, it can collect more before it is full, and the filter has a bypass valve. When the filter cannot meet the oil demand, it opens, so there is a pressure difference. In order to avoid the motor running out of oil, it has a bypass valve. Now, for your inventory filter, this is designed to happen around 3000 RPM...Yes, when your oil volume exceeds 3000 RPM, your oil has not been filtered. Using a larger filter may push it up to around 4000 RPM, so if you live in a really hilly or mountainous place, you may want to consider this is critical to engine life.
Electrical Hacking: Every time you touch the connector, clean it and put it back in place with insulating grease. Keep moist and salty, so you have much less electric headaches.
Coolant hack: nevereverevereverever Put tap water into your cooling system. Tell you who can make money by replacing the radiator and heater core every 3-5 years. If you have a clean collection system, please use pre-mixed water or distilled/deionized water mixed inland rainwater.
Maintenance fluid hacker: Read MSDS, gas pipeline antifreeze, gas dryer, lock deicer, octane booster, contact cleaner, just buy a cheap bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol to replace it. Varsol/mineral spirit substitutes throttle body cleaner, carburetor cleaner and fuel injector cleaner.
About the coolant hack. I would recommend against water altogether. The oil pump also needs a little lubrication, while water does not. In addition, distilled water does not help, because it is still ionized and will cause corrosion inside the system (which may contain a mixture of different metals). Deionized water should be fine, but you should still add lubricant.
Basically: Always use a premix, this is the easiest thing to do. And make sure it fits your system (pure aluminum system or mixed aluminum/copper system).
Oops, I mean of course it must be mixed with concentrated coolant. It contains a small amount of deionizing agent, etc., but few areas have sufficiently soft tap water that can completely handle 50% of the added water.
In areas where the gas is 10% ethanol, such as the United States, gas line antifreeze and similar products are not required.
Yes. If the fuel gas contains 10% ethanol, replacing the steel gas tank with a plastic gas tank may be more effective than adding air pipe antifreeze. :) When the temperature rises, the ice will thaw and rust will require more effort to get rid of the system. ;)
As the temperature drops, the ability of ethanol to keep water soluble also decreases, so yes.
I like the oil filter hack. Never thought too much, but this is completely true. If you plan to bring a car (or motorcycle) to the track, this is definitely something to consider, because you will always be running the engine in a high-rev range.
I think you should always use the same diameter filter, but use the longest version possible.
Yes, jegs.com very helpfully lists the size and accessories of the fram filter (I know, eww fram, so buy the equivalent.)
Electrical Hack n2-Apply the same idea as the oil filter to the battery. The battery tray is almost always suitable for all engines of the model, so unless you have the largest engine available for the model, you can get a larger battery. A more powerful battery requires less beating during startup and lasts longer.
But don't be too high, you don't need it to short-circuit on the hood.
damn it! (Don’t ask how I knew it!)
If you have a Briggs and Stratton engine that needs to be replaced with a filter, instead of paying $17 for their engine, it is better to see if Walmart has a Yugo engine for $3.
Oh, I have more. In addition to tire rubber, the most important thing is to check another type of rubber: rubber brake line hose (if the car has it). Not many people know that these are only valid for 5 years and should be replaced afterwards.
For normal road use, it is not a big problem if they are not replaced even once during the life of the car (though consider what happens when you need emergency braking and the hose bursts...). But for track use, please replace all rubber brake hoses before going on the track. And replace them with steel lining brake hoses, which will make your brakes tighter.
One of my hobbies is riding a motorcycle and racing on the track. I was riding a 1996 Honda CBR 900 RR, and all my recommendations for motorcycles were doubled. They only have 2 wheels, and any failure may be more catastrophic than 4 wheels. ;)
The Miata oil filter is simple...at least for NA and NB models. Lift up the front and remove the passenger front wheels. Reach in through the wheel well and the fitter is right in front of you. It's very simple!
"The lack of oil pressure caused the cam to get stuck in the head in my 1992 Daihatsu Feroza. This car broke down and I miss it so much!"
It is a HaD article in itself. More than one head is fixed in this way. Under the cam and enlarge the cam journal, or if it is not custom/expensive, throw away the cam, buy another one, and drill the head back into inventory.
If it is an ordinary engine, just remove the entire replacement head from the wrecker, throw a seal kit in its general direction, threaten it with a wire brush to remove any carbon, and wave the feeler gauge on it and adjust the gap, and then It's flapping.
obviously. The biggest problem is the first word you post.
The first step: – Check the car properly before buying the car, an invisible little thing may cause a lot of time or money to try to repair it – get the appropriate documentation from the parts store or the manufacturer, preferably from both – Get a minimal set of tools: a small toolbox that can be placed in the car, and all the appropriate things that can be placed at home (1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” socket, torque wrench, Jack stand, hydraulic jack, if you are rich enough, you can use electric/pneumatic tools).-Don’t trust anyone, even yourself, to check everything carefully when doing something. Paint markers can help track every tightening you have Bolts.
Never forget to track the timing belt to prevent engine interference (usually rated for 5-10 years or 60-200'000 kilometers). It can also be a PITA that is replaced on some cars (lack of hand space, not a key on the camshaft/crankshaft, a cunning tool to lock the shaft in place).
Don't forget to clean the car in winter, especially the underside and wheel arches. Rust is an amazing thing...Having a clean engine compartment will also help spot problems (liquid leaks) when they happen, and will help you pass inspections.
The salt problem-leaving the car in the cold... rust is a chemical process that slows down as the temperature rises. Bringing a car covered in snow and salt water into a warm garage is the worst thing you can do.
When cleaning, pay attention to the closed cycle pressure car wash, and make a good salt water bath in winter. Last but not least-keep the drip tray under the hood free of leaves and other trash, otherwise it will accumulate water, which will help corrosion.
Once, I replaced the timing belt with a cheap timing belt I bought on eBay. It exploded 13,000 miles later. Give me the Gates belt from now on.
There is no doubt that this article will encourage many people to change their oil and dump old things into the sewer. Why doesn't it mention how to deal with toxic car waste? It's not just liquid, the dead machine bracket is soaked with oil.
Ok...but you just mentioned...so, add to the article and tell us how to deal with fluids and other contaminated things?
In the Netherlands, I just brought them all to the "milieustraat" (municipal waste treatment facility). They know how to dispose of it (recycle or destroy in the most environmentally friendly way). I put it in a container (bottle) and put a label on it and explain the contents so they can sort/recycle it easily.
In most parts of the United States, auto parts stores will recycle engine oil, transmission fluid, and brake fluid. The household hazardous waste disposal plant operated by the county or city usually accepts antifreeze.
Another thing to consider about old cars is to read through the manual of the regular maintenance program and complete it all when you buy the car based on theories that the previous owner did not have. Replace all filters. In cars before the 1980s, repacking wheel bearings was not that difficult, and it was definitely better than replacing them. My project car has a hollow steering trunnion, which should be filled with oil to gradually lubricate the front wheel bearings; a previous owner replaced it with grease. This must be difficult to solve. But like replacing the water pump belt, perhaps the timing belt, it is almost always worth doing. Go under the car and look at the brake cables, if they are visible. Go find a dirt road, press hard on the brakes, and look at the slippery marks: Are all four wheels locked? I know someone who bought a car with a brake cable was squashed, so he only had three functional brakes. When I got my car, the rear brakes did not work because they were not adjusted properly. (The front and rear drums often require physical adjustment and maintenance.) It is also worth testing the emergency brake to see if it really works. Mine didn't have it at all, and quite a few adjustments were needed to make it work. For older cars that use mechanical rather than hydraulic brakes, this is a three-fold increase. Disconnect the battery and place an ammeter between the battery and the positive cable: see how much current it consumes when the car is turned off, and make sure it is a reasonable number, such as uA to tens of milliamperes. If it is hundreds of milliamps, look for what is absorbing the power. There are many things that can fail and keep your car battery dead.
In many newer cars you have to pull the ABS fuse to test the brakes. In addition, cars have not had an "emergency" brake for many years, and they carefully call it a parking brake to avoid any liability.
Be sure to clean and flush the brake fluid every few years because it will absorb water and corrode the pipeline from the inside. One of those "single phlebotomy" kits is very convenient.
Hey, those cans and assembly lines I like to call "a half-human bloodletting kit"... You never seem to make rapid progress on them alone. You can bleed for hours on a modern car, but there seems to be nowhere to go. Therefore, I would at least recommend a cheap manual vacuum pump kit. Or it may not even yield. You need to grab a spare tank cap, insert a Schrader valve into it, and use a tire pump or small compressor to relieve the pressure.
Even my wife can understand simple brake or clutch pedal up and down. If you still live in the basement, please ask your mother to help.
I change a little brake fluid every time I change the oil. With Mity Vac, you can suck liquid from anything and refresh it. I pulled out 4 ounces of brake fluid, it can keep fresh brake fluid in the system. Not to mention that a vacuum gauge can also help diagnose motor problems. Connect it to the manifold of the vacuum port, search for the vacuum gauge reading on Google, and it will tell you what the needle should do for certain problems.
They paved my favorite dirt road 2 years ago :-( Haven't found another road a few miles away.
It really depends on the car. If you bought a car, you bought it for real money, and want to keep it for a long time, some of the above suggestions are wise. If you mess up, some of them are also very bad suggestions. I have friends who are completely non-mechanical and come to me when they encounter problems after self-service. The most interesting one told me that his sump leaked oil or had a hole. I didn't realize how unmechanical this person is. I got under it, and sure enough oil dripped from the pot, but I could also see oil coming out of the pot. I climbed to the top and followed it back to the dipstick. I pulled the dipstick out, and the oil really spurted out of it. It turned out that someone told him that his car needs gas, so he found the gas hole with a picture of the oil tank on it, then continued to fill up to the top, put the lid on and called it good. That is an easy problem to solve. What's more sad is a powerful woman. She won't let the garage take her oil to make a few bucks, so she did it herself, but she didn't tighten the drain plug correctly. Check that the oil lamp was on, and she drove it to my house. Surprisingly, the engine did not self-destruct. But after replacing it with a new plug, fresh oil, and a circle around the block, after sitting for a while, you can see a silver sludge on the tip of the dipstick. She owned the car for a while after that, but it never ran.
I tend to buy garbage. I like that when the scrap price is low, I can buy a car on CL for around $300. I do my best to keep them moving forward under my own strength, and often try to keep them alive for at least a few years. I should mention that I am retired and my daily commute does not depend on them, even though I did drive many miles on them. When someone starts to give me too much sadness, I will rob it for any good things and then take my hundreds of dollars back. SO is the 5th year of my $500 car I bought, and I think rust will kill it before it lacks maintenance. It has started to leak antifreeze around the cylinder head gasket, so I poured a bottle of cylinder head gasket mucus in the coolant tank, which is something I would not do with a good car, and it does not leak anymore, and the car runs It's a bit hot and no longer interesting traffic jams.
If you want to start using a car, my advice to you is to buy a project car that will not become your daily driving. So you can enjoy a wonderful afternoon in the shade of the trees. It can almost relax people. When it makes you angry, you can temporarily let it go. If you work in daily driving, unless you like to ride a bicycle or walk, you will be under a lot of pressure because you *must* let it run again in a training session. And don't bother trying to polish the stool. If you buy stool that will run, keep it running as little as possible. It won't exist forever, but if you can get 3 years of benefits from a $300 car, that's a very good exchange.
Fully agree with the suggestion that using the project car as your daily driver is definitely a bad idea. However, the advantage of this is that when something bad happens to your DD (remember, get hit), it's great to have the project car running and available during repair time.
Each has its own. Some people will always be a hobby mechanic at best. Some people will drive a 50-year-old car as a daily driver. There are only about 6 reasons why the Chevrolet inline-6 engine cannot start.
Four of the reasons involved me driving the i6 Chevrolet's single-injection engine daily for ten years
Who else wants a huge happy wrench on their hood? Sadly, I no longer own Firebird, but it still does!
For several years, my neighbor had a horrible but great-looking old British small sports car in his driveway, and when my wife finally sold it, I kept trying to convince him to buy it. We tested it and she said "This is a terrible idea." (Well, she said something more vivid than that.) I put the topic on hold for two days and said "You know, if we get that car , You can spray paint on the entire side and the hood instead of reducing its value.” Her eyes became as big as a saucer, and we bought it the next day. Nine years later, we still haven't painted a pirate ship on it, but maybe a happy wrench is possible.
If you do anything with antifreeze, be sure to clean the postscript thoroughly. Do not expose the antifreeze pool or open containers. It is very toxic to animals and they are attracted by its taste!
For all fluids, make sure that the fluid you use is compatible with the existing fluid.
Brake fluid-obviously absent from the article... https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/what-are-the-types-of-brake-fluid
Antifreeze-green or orange? https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a91/1272436/
Engine oil https://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-to-choose-the-right-oil-for-your-car-or-truck2.htm
"For all fluids, please make sure that the fluid you use is compatible with the existing fluid." Moreso Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)!
If you like hacking cars, check out Beth's video, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzj5Cmki0vmTLioqfr9tQ4Q
A few years ago, I drove my World War II Ford GPW military jeep to the club on a windy road in a remote mountainous area northwest of Sydney. I’m Charlie at the end. There is a jeep ahead. The others have already left their sight and head to a country pub along the way. Then the jeep in front suddenly slowed down and pulled over, so I parked the car behind. It turned out that he blew the head gasket. So, it's not a big problem. I happened to bring a spare, so we waited a while to let it cool down, and then started to tear off the old flat head with a screwdriver and paint scraper, and then continued to scrape the top and head of the block. When a person on a lonely buggy trip was riding a bicycle leisurely and asking what the question was, we broke the motor into pieces, "Oh, just replacing a burst head gasket, it shouldn’t take long. ". He shook his head and continued riding. At the same time, we installed new washers, screwed off the head, and went on the road again. The total time from start to finish is three-quarters of an hour.
Okay, Australians, what is a cart? -A Yankee B^)
It should be a list of common sounds to pay attention to. That is, the sound of EEEEEEEE when turning the wheel at a low speed may indicate insufficient steering fluid power. Thum-thum-thum may have a flat tire. A dull sound on a bumpy road may be a shock absorber or strut problem, or your exhaust pipe may hang a little low due to a broken hook.
For those who do not want to deal with car repairs and self-maintenance, please turn off the radio, if you hear a different sound than usual, please tell others. Don't wait until you see blue smoke or even a fire to complete something, it's too late.
Indeed, there is an ignition. I carry a fire extinguisher and first aid kit in all vehicles. Once, a club member friend drove his jeep, in the city, saw a car on the other side of the road on fire, I started to do so. Fortunately he had a fire extinguisher, so he jumped out and put it out.
Buy yourself an electric car, the only applicable items on this list are tire, suspension, and coolant inspections. All filters etc. are not a problem. (Except air conditioning filter)
A tip for buyers of new internal combustion engine machines. Today, plugs have a rated driving range of 100,000 kilometers to 100,000 miles. The head is made of aluminum, so when you take things home, take some time to remove each plug, give it a bit of anti-seize, and then put it back. For Inline 4, this will be 20 minutes of work, tops. Those who use a horizontal V6 engine, in small trucks and the like, are best prepared for a lot of expansions, gimbals, and vocabulary that can teach the coach some new words.
When it's finally time to change things, people who have jobs will thank you. If you have not done so, please pick up the spiral coil kit when purchasing the plug, I guarantee that at least some of the heads will be stuck in the threads.
If you use a nickel-based (over temperature) version of the anti-seize device, please use the oxygen sensor when using it. It must be kept away from the business side. Please note that nickel anti-seize agent is shining to mechanics. It sparkles and if you are not careful, it will spread to cover everything.
When you are lubricating and checking things, if your car has single-piston calipers, there will be pins that allow them to slide left and right and keep the brake pads evenly worn. They will like to apply a little grease regularly, otherwise they will stick and will accelerate wear.
Okay, the wheels are off, you checked the brakes, and looked at it when the CV boots got in the way. A $10 replacement boot is better than a $200 half shaft.
"Today, plugs have a rated cruising range of 100,000 kilometers to 100,000 miles"
Yes, this is true. Maintenance intervals for oil and coolant are often stupidly long. But there are some assumptions above. You have to ask, when a pack of 4 NGKs cost $8, why should we care about a set of plugs that last 100,000 miles?
Could such a high number be for marketing reasons? Is it under "test conditions"? Give you the same conditions for BS mileage numbers?
I have seen too many manufacturers claim lifetime seals or gearbox oil specifications, which is completely wrong. All manufacturers conduct accelerated life testing. This is an approximation of the real world. Some things just cannot be translated in reality.
Have you tried replacing the plugs of many modern cars? Maybe some are easy, some are challenging, and some are very difficult. FWIW, I don’t think the plug technology has been improved by 10 times, but I think that with better ECUs and more sensors, the working conditions of the plug have been greatly improved, resulting in a longer service life of the plug. Similarly, the life of engine oil is longer. I think synthetic materials have made great progress, but now the engine is tighter than 30 years ago, coupled with better engine management, can extend the life of engine oil. It will still be severely cut, but it will also reduce a lot of nonsense.
On my old Suzuki Sidekick, I carried 2 spark plug sockets with me. There are subtle differences between them. The plug is located deep in the valve cover. One socket makes it easier to remove the plug, while the other socket makes it easier to install. A few years have passed and I can't remember clearly, but I think I still hold the plug a little tighter so as not to fall when it is pulled out...
It’s interesting that you mentioned Suzuki, I have a Suzuki bike, a stupid friend put it outside in the rain, and the choke lever is really integrated into the cable. I finally untied the cable, and once you got the hang of it, reach the top of the engine and find the lever that pulls the cable and push it by hand, it's not difficult. This may seem strange, but it actually has an additional benefit. When the head heats up, you will naturally release the lever. In any case, this is the time to release the choke. More often I am willing to admit that I will explode to turn off the choke at the end of the block, and then forget. When using this engine, it becomes rough when it starts to run when the choke is opened, the plug is dirty enough for you to stop the bike, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to restart it. I always carry an extra set of plugs with me. In fact, that bicycle had to buy a controversial device, and I got a plug sand table machine that I still use today. Now mainly on the lawn mower. People joked that plugs are only a few dollars, but they add up, and the PITA factor of having to run into the city to get them. I like my small plug sandblasting machine.
What did you do to that Trans-Am? ? Blasphemy! Blasphemy!
What's the next step? How to ride a bicycle?
When I owned the 1994 Suzuki Sidekick, I knew it very well for 18 years. Once, I reached between the top of the front differential and the oil pan (close fit), and then I pulled out a threaded metal plug located there. I don't know where it should be, but it has been around for many years.
I feel your pain for the jammed cam:( My pride and joy dropped because a pin on one of my roller lifts slowly loosened, scraping enough block material from the lift hole To the #6 connecting rod journal, this causes the bearing to rotate.
By the way, I am relatively new here, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that so many hackers also like to turn the wrench on the car! Things gather together...
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