what should I learn about repairs and maintenance?

[vango]

I'd like to learn more about vehicle repairs and maintenance and I'm looking for suggestions on where to start.  Assuming that I'm living in a 10 year old van, are there some common or expensive problems that I can diagnose and fix myself on the road or in front of an auto parts store?  Do you follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule or are there other things that you check for?

I'm generally able to assemble or repair things by following instructions, but I've only changed fluids and spark plugs and patched a tire.  Would something like a Chilton or Hayes guide be enough to diagnose and repair a problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Terry]

The first thing I learned was how things do what they do and why they do things that way and not another. Of course, most of that was mainly useful with the race cars but still useful for diagnosing regular cars to.

 

[GrantRobertson]

I'm generally able to assemble or repair things by following instructions, but I've only changed fluids and spark plugs and patched a tire.  Would something like a Chilton or Hayes guide be enough to diagnose and repair a problem?

Chilton and Hayes guides generally only tell you how to take stuff off and put it back on. Then they will tell you how to adjust it. You will want to get both of them anyway because both have serious gaps in how they explain things and having both will help you figure things out better. Try to get ahold of the actual shop manuals for your vehicle.

You will need to get different books to learn how all the systems actually work. I don't know of any to recommend. 

 

[c_hasbeen]

I have conciderable mechanical ability, it is from the days of being a Mechanic, not that job is called an automotive tech. The very best resource is Google.
google your exact symptoms and chances are you will find it on a forum some place being discussed, most times you will find a video on how to do or test or replace something.
I bought a pickup that the previous owner had in the shop many times with problems, I spent an hour on google and worked through several sugestions untill I found the exact problem.
I orderd a part and made the repai myself.

I have a lot of manuals but they ar specific to cars I do not have anylonger, google is my best source for help with a car, washing machine, heater...or almost anything
I even found the instruction book on the game of life and how to win!

 

[wagoneer]

I started working on cars in 1962 bought a 1952 plymouth x yellow cab for 35 dollars with 225k miles on the motor bought a can of pink house paint and never looked back. When you can't afford to pay a mechanic and want a car your learning curve improves dramatically. Just get your feet wet.

 

[highdesertranger]

lots of good advice so far. yes follow the maintenance schedule. the regular manuals are ok for general stuff, for a more in depth manual get a factory manual. if you can follow direction you can do every repair with a factory manual, however it's helps a lot if you have the knowledge of how it's is supposed to work and why it's not working. I feel that if you are living a mobile life style that to be able to repair your own vehicle is of the upmost importance. unless you buy a new vehicle every ten years and are rich enough to pay someone else to do all repairs. highdesertranger

 

[LeeRevell]

Get the Haynes and Chilton manuals as said above - they are a good basic start. The wiring diagrams are good to have too.
If you want to get serious, the factory repair manuals are available - though tend to be pricey. Check through Amazon, if you don't find it Google for your vehicle.
There are also online forums for any vehicle you need. I am a member on the Dodge and Ford truck/van forums. They have mechanics as members who will help diagnose and give repair info for you.

 

[wagoneer]

Sounds like you are ready to get a BASIC VEHICLE. By that I mean a pre-1973 no computer no hidden sensors . Just a motor transmission and the basic electronics to get on board.

 

[Seraphim]

I think I'd start with expected maintenance issues.  Learn about them before they go. Some examples:

Engine belts and hoses. How to recognize when they are getting old and need replaced.

Battery maintenance, oil and filter changing, radiator fluid changing, transmission fluid (and filter if applicable), power steering fluid, lubrication points on the vehicle, identify and replace worn spark plugs, replacing pads/shoes on the brakes and diagnosing an engine light without a computer.  Also, replacing O2 sensors, which is often the source of a check engine light. So is a loose gas cap. Bleeding brake lines. Identifying tires that need replacing, and diagnosing steering alignment problems based on uneven tire wear.

That would be a pretty good start. Chiltons are a pretty good start.

Just a note the check engine light - if it comes on, most cars (I think) have a built in code system:  after you go through a sequence of events with the controls, it it will flash you a code to indicate what set off the light.  I'm no expert here, but it's something to learn about your particular vehicle. The other option is to purchase a computer that plugs into your car.  If you haven't a way to diagnose the light yourself, you're at the mercy of the mechanic who may be scrupulous, or may be not. If you CAN diagnose it yourself, you're most of the way to repairing most problems.

If your vehicle is your home,  get to know it as best as possible.

 

[Seraphim]

First determine if your car has an OBD connection (a carbureted vehicle will not - no computer) the find a compatible reader.


http://www.amazon.com/b?node=15707381

 

[Bdog1]

Many times you can find factory manuals online and download them. I find wiring diagrams to be the most useful.

 

[vango]

I think I'd start with expected maintenance issues.  Learn about them before they go. Some examples:

Engine belts and hoses. How to recognize when they are getting old and need replaced.

Battery maintenance, oil and filter changing, radiator fluid changing, transmission fluid (and filter if applicable), power steering fluid, lubrication points on the vehicle, identify and replace worn spark plugs, replacing pads/shoes on the brakes and diagnosing an engine light without a computer.  Also, replacing O2 sensors, which is often the source of a check engine light. So is a loose gas cap. Bleeding brake lines. Identifying tires that need replacing, and diagnosing steering alignment problems based on uneven tire wear.

That would be a pretty good start. Chiltons are a pretty good start.

Just a note the check engine light - if it comes on, most cars (I think) have a built in code system:  after you go through a sequence of events with the controls, it it will flash you a code to indicate what set off the light.  I'm no expert here, but it's something to learn about your particular vehicle. The other option is to purchase a computer that plugs into your car.  If you haven't a way to diagnose the light yourself, you're at the mercy of the mechanic who may be scrupulous, or may be not. If you CAN diagnose it yourself, you're most of the way to repairing most problems.

If your vehicle is your home,  get to know it as best as possible.

Thanks, Seraphim.  I'll check and replace the items you mentioned before going full time.  I'll also get a computer - can't believe I was charged hundreds to replace an oxygen sensor last time it caused the check engine light to turn on.

 

[LeeRevell]

I carry a good jumper pack, and have used it several times. No need to hope you find someone to give you a jump when your battery dies. Great for inflating your air mattress and beachball too. They also have USB sockets these days.

 

[Terry]

Changing parts is the easiest part of it all. The trick is to change the right parts. That is where knowing how and why things work the way they do is important. A parts changer, no matter what they call themselves, is no better than a bad mechanic most times. A lot of money that doesn't fix anything. Even the computers only give you a direction to start looking most of the time. You really need to understand what is going on to figure out what is going on. A slightly clogged Catalytic converter can and most times will show up as a bad O2 sensor and such things. Regular maintenance is the easy part.

 

[vango]

Changing parts is the easiest part of it all. The trick is to change the right parts. That is where knowing how and why things work the way they do is important. A parts changer, no matter what they call themselves, is no better than a bad mechanic most times. A lot of money that doesn't fix anything. Even the computers only give you a direction to start looking most of the time. You really need to understand what is going on to figure out what is going on. A slightly clogged Catalytic converter can and most times will show up as a bad O2 sensor and such things. Regular maintenance is the easy part.

Makes sense.  Besides google and forums, how would someone without knowledge of cars figure out what's going on?

 

[akrvbob]

Vango, I'm a big fan of the Chevy Express/Savanah and one with the 5.3 liter V8 would be my first choice in a van. They are a very strong engine and 17-20 MPG is routine. Judy and I averaged 17 mpg on our trip to and from Alaska which has some big hills and lots of traffic.
Bob

 

[sassypickins]

I took a chance and bought a repair manual on ebay for my '02 Ford E-350. I paid $11.99 and what I got was a tiny 3" cd. I fired it up and what I found was the complete illustrated and step-by-step Ford workshop manual for my van - 5,215 pages worth. Listed by 'mitea01' if anyone is interested.

 

[Terry]

First, you should be real choosie about the brand of vehicle. Chrysler's just suk period. Some people get good service out of them but they were and still are the cheapest built machines that can be called American. Fords have a few engines that are a pain for maintenance. There is one of them that needs special tools to change spark plugs and most mechanics want $150.00 to $200.00 just to change them. I don't know of anything that GM has done to make their vehicles any worse than they always were. IOW's I prefer GM all the time. Now, the other part. Learning to be a mechanic is just going to take some time and effort. Besides school, I learned a lot working in junkyards. But the theory part can be learned from books , if you the right type, that can understand theory without having someone help you with some of the many questions your likely to come up with. If your in an area that is small enough to keep up with friends, buying a decent mechanic a beer might go a long way to having a friend that could mentor your search for knowledge.

 

[Canine]

I agree with what Terry said and am going to paraphrase his statement to hopefully show you how valuable I find his words.

Become a diagnostician instead of a parts-changer. You can have all the books in the world and the best tools available, but they won't help you if you can't accurately and efficiently diagnose a problem. Most people are parts-changers, yet think they are competent mechanics. When people ask me to help with their vehicles, they usually becoming frustrated with me because I refuse to use their parts-changing methods. They want me to use their methods of repair in hopes of getting better results, but it doesn't work that way. When I cut corners and use their methods, I get their results. When I take the time to use my methods, I get my results. While it takes more brain work and more time to properly diagnose a vehicle, it results in less frustration, less money spent, and an overall shorter length of time to repair a vehicle that will stay in a state of repair for a usually much longer period of time. An example:

A lady was having problems with her 92 Blazer. We spoke about it and she diagnosed it enough to know it was likely a fuel issue. She thought it was the fuel pump, but I told her I didn't know if it was or not, but that it was likely. She thought that was good enough and changed out the pump, which was labor intensive. The next day she was happy that it was running well, but 3 days later it started having the same problems again. She said she must have purchased a bad fuel pump. I told her I doubted she had purchased a faulty fuel pump, and that something else was causing problems. I asked her if she checked the fuel filter; she said no. Told her to replace it since it was cheap and part of maintenance anyway, so diagnosing the fuel filter wasn't necessary. I asked if she had tested the fuel pressure and she said no. I lent her my tester and the pressure tested very low. She figured the new fuel pump was bad from the start. I again voiced my disagreement, and emphasized that she needed to test the voltage WITH A MULITMETER (a load tester is really what was needed, but not everyone has all the diagnostic equipment that is needed) as a possible cause of failure.

A couple days later she replaced the pump again and was super happy it was working. A few days later the Blazer started running poorly and quit running again. I asked her if she had tested if 12 volts was getting to her pump. She said she used a test light and showed it was getting voltage, so that was good enough for her. I told her she is wasting her time and that she is unnecessarily spending her time and money when she doesn't know what the problem is. I reiterated that she needed to test the voltage because there is a reason that pump is failing. She kind of was getting tired of me answering her questions that did not agree with her answers. I told her it was asinine to keep doing the same thing and expect the same results and to keep ignoring the advice of an experienced and trained mechanic. (Can you tell I was getting tired of this? :huh: ) She kind of said OK, but she was just blowing me off, which was fine with me. When it failed again, I asked if she had used a multimeter or a voltmeter. She said no.

Was low or high voltage causing the pump to burn out? I don't know. There was a reason it failed and she chose not to find that reason. While she didn't have access to all the diagnostic tools to perform a truly professional diagnosis, she very likely could have found the problem(s) and fixed it properly with the tools she did have access to. If you want to treat a problem symptomatically and keep putting Band-Aids on the problem, you will not truly fix the problem. Look for the core issues and do so in a systematic way by diagnosing the real problem. This is goes a long way towards being a true mechanic.

 

[vango]

Look for the core issues and do so in a systematic way by diagnosing the real problem. This is goes a long way towards being a true mechanic.

I'll keep your advice in mind as I'm learning and I'll probably be good at diagnosing problems in 10 years.  The question is what's the quickest way to get there and to start solving mechanical problems in the mean time?  I don't have mechanic friends, so the collective forum advice seems to be a combination of doing preventive maintenance on my car now, reading forums and books and watching videos.