DIY repair

[Slamman]

As I pondered whether to tackle a convertible roof replacement or water pump myself, I decided there's too many things I could try and fail at to have enough confidence.

My friend Jeremie who I used to work with, we'd go over to his house, and I paid him and assisted in any work I just couldn't afford to do. The Convertible roof was one that we never got to, though I bought supplies and the top!

 

Anywho, what say you about doing your own repairs... Show off your space and tools, and perhaps projects here....

-B

[Quick Stop]

My left wingmirror is stuck on with Masking tape and my car aerial is also stuck in with Masking tape. Thats about it really though.

[dog_day_sunrise]

When I had my Corrado the heater matrix failed, which was utter hell. I had to remove the dashboard and most of the loom to fix it. 3 days sandwiched against the firewall of a damp VW = horrible.

[Black-hawk]

I duct taped a muffler to the exhaust and put a lug nut between the car and the exhaust pipe to prevent it from rattling on my ole' Renault. Totally ghetto.

 

Then there was the whole blown head gasket thing where I had to refill the car with antifreeze every 10 minutes. My trunk was full of leftover bottles from that crap.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Black-hawk

[Rocketkiller]

I've done so much with my MX3, the worst probably being changing the timing belt. There's just no room between the motor and the side of the engine bay, it was a struggle just getting the plastic timing belt covers off, it was even worse putting them back in. I bought new ones because mine were cracked but I ended up cracking the new ones too. Timing it was just a massive pain because it was next to impossible to line up the marks and put proper tension on the belt, took an hour just to get the belt on properly. Now my water pump is starting to leak, so I'll have to get to the timing belt once again.

 

I also had to fix the wiring harness for everything non-engine related in the front end because I couldn't figure out how to pull the whole harness out. I cut half of the harness from another year MX3 at a junkyard and I figured it would be exactly the same, it wasn't. I ended up soldering over 25 wires with the harness still attached to the car, some wires were different colours so I had to trace them to the connectors and see where they went. Of course I screwed up a few times because it was dark and I was bent over the side of the car soldering. Then I had to spend a few hours upside down in the driver's footwell trying to figure out where the wire for the fan relay broke, I ended up having to run a wire from the ECU which is in behind the radio on the floor, to the fusebox in the engine bay.

[stretch.]

I've done interior changes, full dash, carpets, headlinings, panel etc.

 

Uprated brake calipers, drilled hubs

 

Then theres the usual service stuff which is easy, oil changes, filter changes, changing disks and pads etc.

[Pico]

Well, I haven't done much work on cars. We don't have any tools really, so that doesn't help.

 

The most mechanical/engine work I've done is change out alternators. Did it on my Beretta and my Dad's van, both with him. Easy as sh*t.

I did just fix a few things in my car. I replaced the interior door handle which snapped in half. Went the whole damn winter with it broken so I had to roll down the window every time I wanted to get out, unless some one was with me. In that case they'd open it for me, which always looked funny

I still, out of habit, go to open it from the outside if my windows down, lol. The fix was pretty straight forward.

 

I also fixed my loose head light switch. It's a push/pull knob and it fell loose inside. Just kinda wedged it in place. Hopefully it'll hold up.

 

A little off topic, but since it's about repairs... a good foot of one half (of the T part) of the frame rusted right off. So I'm constantly worried the damn car's just going to collapse

[dog_day_sunrise]

One thing I vowed I'd never do is service the S4. It's a nightmarish, engine-out job for even a fairly basic service due to how confined the engine bay is. There are people on the RS246 forum who've taken days trying to service a 2.7 biturbo.

[Slamman]

I'm speaking with a guy selling a Mark 8 Lincoln that needs a new oil pump, now, since I need a new water pump and that seems like a task and a half, which is easier??

 

I was curious about your investment in tools, and avail. workspace. Do you have lifts for your cars to work under them? Spend a small fortune on tools?

My buddy's got a major investment in tools and he claims to tear down his bikes so he can clean every part after 'mudding' then reassemble. That can be daunting to say the least!

 

Pico, had the same thing happen to one of the 1982 Olds Cutlasses, if your familiar with their doorhandles, it snapped in two as well. I got one from a junkyard, then had to drill out the rivets internally and put in bolts. In reality MANY many parts are just that....rivets... Any repairs in the service manual says to get rid of those and use bolts. A perfect example of how assembly never considers the dis-assembly one needs to facilitate. Assembly lines are so repair-unfriendly!!

I am rather beefed about that at present.

 

I did some re-wiring of a Pioneer stereo head tied into my 84 Eldorado which was BOSE speakers which require a non-amp head unit mated in cross-projecting stereo imaging...that means L/R are reversed front to rear, I redid that proper, on top of the dash I think, somehow! haha

Edited April 8, 2009 by Slamman

[Rocketkiller]

I have a jack, 2 jack stands, a 100-something piece ratchet and wrench set and a bunch of other random tools (pliers, vicecrips, screwdrivers, ect.) I do most repairs outside, but the closest thing I have to a garage is pretty much just a big tent that can fit a car, it has no floor and there's gravel under it so it's really annoying. And it's kinda scary when you're under the car and it starts sinking a bit because the gravel is really soft.

 

And I would think an oil pump would be harder, water pumps are really simple if you have enough room around it, which you should have with a rwd car.

[Lurch]

A waterpump on a SBC should be about as straight-forward and easy as humanly possible.

 

I've pretty much got the same setup and tools as Rocketkiller. Although I have a little carport in my backyard with a concrete floor (where the bug as been constantly parked for past 1+ year) so I don't have to worry about jack stands sinking. I've done more stuff to the bug than I can count and have spent a lot of wrench time helping my friends with their vehicles. I'm definitely not a pro though and would call something like rebuilding an engine or transmission beyond my knowledge. Any other normal repairs, though, I think I could (and have) handle(d).

Edited April 8, 2009 by Lurch

[rmmstnr]

I've got plenty of basic tools at my disposal, a couple brake tools, a puller or two, and all get plenty of usage. Thankfully not on my car so much . I just recently acquired an engine hoist, and can't wait for a non-necessary chance to use it. Lately my garage has been filled with fiberglass junk I've been experimenting with. If you don't mind mess and eventually lots (and lots) of dust, it's really fun to work with. Hopefully I'll get around to repairing a cracked spoiler someday with it.

 

Other "tools" include piles of sandpaper, tubs of half-empty Bondo, an angle grinder, air compressor and painting equipment (which I won't be using for a bit ). If I could add any tool in the world to my arsenal, it would easily be a welder. Since I'm wishing, I'll make it a TIG. A drill press and/or lathe would be nice too...

 

I've done most car stuff, but haven't delved into engine re-building just yet. I hope to take care of that deficiency someday with an engine swap. I just hope I do it before it becomes mandatory

[Slamman]

I bought a brass bristle brush this week to deal with rust.

It was advised I get a metal brush to deal with rust removing, this was all I saw locally in the Ace hardware store.

Anywho, is this a good tool, I tried some sandpaper but was not happy with the result or effort.