Any Canadian knows how stressful it can be when your car breaks down. The high expense of car repairs is the primary source of this anxiety. Even minor repairs, such as replacing an air filter or a tyre, can add up quickly. It's enough to make you hope to win a car at an online casino - or you may simply win big at a few slot machines and, owing to fast cash-outs, have enough money to buy a brand new car.
But let's set that goal aside and concentrate on the things you can do to aid yourself when you're short on both time and money. In this article, we will talk about some of the basic car repair techniques that you can use even at home. Working on your own vehicle can save you a lot of money if you have some mechanical knowledge and basic hand tools, which you can learn from service manuals. This free guide will touch on basic level information about disassembly, modding, hardware hacking, and tuning which will be used here. So, let's get started with our free Top 5 Do-It-Yourself Car Repair guide:
Touch up bodywork
It's tough to maintain your car in immaculate condition all of the time. It will invariably get scratches and dents, which can be upsetting. While a bodywork professional can easily fix them, it's a simple procedure that anyone can undertake and can save you somewhere between $50 to hundreds of CAD.
All you need is a touch-up kit, which you can get from a local supply or automotive shop. Then, using a special pen, you apply a layer of paint to your scratch according to the guidelines given on the kit. Just keep in mind that the paint should adhere and dry correctly if the temperature is comfortable and the automobile is ideally out of the sun and wind.
Replacing spark plug
Anyone with basic DIY auto repair knowledge and experience has always found replacing spark plugs to be simple. However, it can be a bit difficult for a novice. With this in mind, all you have to do is carefully follow the steps given below:
- First, remove any potential sources of interference. You'll most likely find the rubber spark plug wire end once you've gained access. The spark plug wire must be gently removed.
- Then, it's time to remove the coil on the plug. Disconnect the electrical link from the ignition coil to begin the removal operation. To release the connector and disconnect it, press down or pull up on the locking tab.
- It's now safe to disconnect the spark. Check to see if the engine has cooled down. Additionally, remove the spark plugs with a spark plug socket.
- Install each replacement spark plug carefully, taking care not to cross-thread the spark plug. Make sure to twist the bolts to the required torque.
- Connect each plug wire to the appropriate spark plug for each engine cylinder and reinstall it.
- At last, start the engine to check if your spark plug is working.
Replacement of car battery
If you're replacing a battery, you'll probably have to remove an old one first. So, let's get started with the technique for replacing an old automobile battery:
- Firstly, open the hood or trunk of your car.
- Locate the battery's negative and positive terminals. Positive is red, and negative is black.
- Begin by disconnecting the negative battery terminal. Slowly crank or turn your wrench or ratchet counter-clockwise.
- Reverse the procedure for the positive battery terminal.
- Lift the battery out of the car using the brace handles. If the braces are missing or broken, use caution when lifting.
- Clean the terminals once the battery is out.
- Remove the old battery and replace it with your new matching battery. Make sure you know where the terminals go and that the battery is in the appropriate place.
- First connect the positive terminal, then the negative terminal, and tighten the cable.
- Once everything is in place, start the car to make sure everything is in working order.
Changing the air filter
You can pay a mechanic a lot of money to do this, but it's so simple that even a complete beginner can do it. The only expense is the cost of a new air filter and a minimal amount of your time.
- Start by opening the hood of the car.
- Examine the air filter and keep a record of how it attaches and which way it faces.
- Remove the dirty air filter from the air filter box.
- In the filter box, place your filter. Ascertain that it fits snugly in the box.
- Snap the clamps shut and close the top of the box. And that’s it.
Tyre changing
Flat tyres can occur at any time and in any location. Changing a tyre is an excellent skill to acquire because you'll save money if you can do it yourself. Furthermore, it's easy if you know what you're doing and takes the proper precautions, which we'll show you how to do in the steps below:
- Ascertain if the ground is level and firm. Because changing a wheel should only be attempted when the ground is firm, flat, and level. It will make the automobile come loose from the jack or become trapped in soft ground.
- You must loosen the tire bolts before jacking up the car. Do this while the automobile is still on the ground, as lifting it will force the wheel to spin, making it much more difficult.
- Under the automobile, slide the jack to the desired position. Carefully crank the jack-up, making sure it is securely in place and won't fall off.
- By completely removing the bolts, you may now remove the tyre.
- Lift the spare wheel into the place of the previous one.
- Then you'll need to centre the wheel on the hub and hold it there while you install the bolts.
- After completely lowering the jack, remove it.
- Return everything to the trunk, and you're good to go.