shanebp1978
11-11-2008, 07:44 PM
Do-It-Yourself Car Repairs - Part I
Hybrid technology, computer engine management, drive-by-wire controls… Thanks to all the innovations in today’s cars, many owners are now afraid of their automobiles. The reality is that this fear could be costing drivers hundreds of dollars in auto shop labor. While some shops charge about $50 an hour, there are others that charge well past $100 for labor.
In the first part of this two-part feature, you will hopefully be inspired to take on some of your own simple vehicle repairs. With the right tools and safety precautions, you can save hundreds of dollars. Compared to an average labor cost of $85 an hour, it's worth a try.
For your own safety, it's recommended that you wear safety glasses before making any auto repairs.
Replacing worn spark plugs
Tools required: Ratchet, spark plug socket, spark plug gapping tool
Thankfully, through the years, the spark plug has continued to remain an enduring technology in the standard gasoline engine. It is an essential part to providing the combustion, and a foul spark plug can drastically reduce your engine's efficiency and cost you at the gas pump. With an exception noted for a few vehicles (the older Toyota Privera minivan for one), spark-plug repairs can be conducted without any distress.
First, locate your spark plug by finding a series of thick spark-plug wires in parallel or semi-parallel order, and remove them carefully from the plugs by firmly grasping the wire's boot and pulling. Remove and replace one at a time, as mixing the order of the wires may cause mistiming in the engine. Next, using a spark-plug socket and a ratchet, remove the spark plug to check if it needs replacing. If the inside of the spark plug is covered in black deposits, a new plug is needed.
With the new spark plug, check your vehicle specifications for a process called gapping. Gapping is setting the distance between the electrodes. Thread the spark plug into the engine first by hand, then tighten it with a torque wrench or ratchet that abides by the manufacturer's specifications. Reattach the spark plug wire and repeat this step for the other spark plugs.
Mechanic: $85 (labor) + $25 (six spark plugs) = $100
DIY: $23.94 (six spark plugs)
Savings: $72.08
Topics covered in the rest of the article . . .
Changing a headlamp bulb
Replacing a battery
Replacing a blown fuse
Replacing a fuel filter
You can read the rest of the article here:
http://www.askmen.com/cars/car_tips_100/143_car_tip.html
How To Change Spark Plugs
http://www.youtube.com/v/-tt62m7Hgi4&hl=en&fs=1
Hybrid technology, computer engine management, drive-by-wire controls… Thanks to all the innovations in today’s cars, many owners are now afraid of their automobiles. The reality is that this fear could be costing drivers hundreds of dollars in auto shop labor. While some shops charge about $50 an hour, there are others that charge well past $100 for labor.
In the first part of this two-part feature, you will hopefully be inspired to take on some of your own simple vehicle repairs. With the right tools and safety precautions, you can save hundreds of dollars. Compared to an average labor cost of $85 an hour, it's worth a try.
For your own safety, it's recommended that you wear safety glasses before making any auto repairs.
Replacing worn spark plugs
Tools required: Ratchet, spark plug socket, spark plug gapping tool
Thankfully, through the years, the spark plug has continued to remain an enduring technology in the standard gasoline engine. It is an essential part to providing the combustion, and a foul spark plug can drastically reduce your engine's efficiency and cost you at the gas pump. With an exception noted for a few vehicles (the older Toyota Privera minivan for one), spark-plug repairs can be conducted without any distress.
First, locate your spark plug by finding a series of thick spark-plug wires in parallel or semi-parallel order, and remove them carefully from the plugs by firmly grasping the wire's boot and pulling. Remove and replace one at a time, as mixing the order of the wires may cause mistiming in the engine. Next, using a spark-plug socket and a ratchet, remove the spark plug to check if it needs replacing. If the inside of the spark plug is covered in black deposits, a new plug is needed.
With the new spark plug, check your vehicle specifications for a process called gapping. Gapping is setting the distance between the electrodes. Thread the spark plug into the engine first by hand, then tighten it with a torque wrench or ratchet that abides by the manufacturer's specifications. Reattach the spark plug wire and repeat this step for the other spark plugs.
Mechanic: $85 (labor) + $25 (six spark plugs) = $100
DIY: $23.94 (six spark plugs)
Savings: $72.08
Topics covered in the rest of the article . . .
Changing a headlamp bulb
Replacing a battery
Replacing a blown fuse
Replacing a fuel filter
You can read the rest of the article here:
http://www.askmen.com/cars/car_tips_100/143_car_tip.html
How To Change Spark Plugs
http://www.youtube.com/v/-tt62m7Hgi4&hl=en&fs=1