14
votes
Accepted
How long should I wait for engine to cool down before I can check coolant?
The exact time taken depends upon various factors:
The ambient temperature
The amount of heat insulation in the engine bay
Volume of coolant in the engine
How hot the engine got while driving
...
- 10.5k
10
votes
Accepted
How to recharge my A/C
First, a word of warning. To do it right (and not waste expensive refrigerant, or risk ruining your A/C compressor), you'll have to get a few pieces of equipment. If you're just going to do this ...
- 1,364
7
votes
What happened to the paint on my 2014 Toyota Prius V? Is there a way I can DIY repair it?
It looks like typical Toyota paint to me. The paint is delaminating from the soft bumper. You can paint this yourself, but you'd need a paint gun, compressor, special tools, and some understanding of ...
- 162k
6
votes
Accepted
I'm a DIY motorbike mechanic- want to become a DIY car mechanic
1) can I easily transfer my skills to being a DIY car mechanic? I've just bought my first car- and so I've never worked with cars before. The basics are pretty much the same aren't they? The gearbox ...
5
votes
I'm a DIY motorbike mechanic- want to become a DIY car mechanic
Yes your skills are transferable. If you are so inclined get a couple of academic text books from a library and look through them. It will help you understand the differences in the systems.
Your ...
- 2,115
5
votes
How long should I wait for engine to cool down before I can check coolant?
If you have any doubts, don't do any of this, just wait til the system is cool to the touch. Steam is extremely dangerous!
With that said, you can open the system a lot sooner than a matter of hours, ...
5
votes
Accepted
2002 Ford Escape: Flushed system, new compressor, topped off with oil and coolant, still not blowing cold air
Vacuuming the system isn't a "do if you want to" ... it is a must do if you want the system to work. There are two reasons to vacuum the system before entering refrigerant. First, it gets ...
- 162k
4
votes
How can I re-attach rear muffler pipe to muffler body
What you are looking for can be found by googling "exhuast repair kit." It's essentially a sleeve with 2 clamps that you fit over or under (depending on the design) your affected exhaust ...
- 1,646
4
votes
Accepted
Homemade 'Car' Vehical
There's 2 things to consider when attempting what you are considering to do:
Make it road legal: that means 3 things.
a) First, it must conform to the minimum equipment list of your jurisdiction ...
- 12.2k
4
votes
Effectively planning and seeing a DIY project through to completion
TL DR;
Project Management techniques in use today are difficult to apply directly to something as small as fixing one car.
Project management is a term used to refer to a number of different ...
- 1,646
4
votes
Is it possible to know if a screw hole needs to be re-threaded?
"Stripped" means the threads are damaged. Re-threading (using a tap) cuts new threads, and cutting new threads out of damaged threads in a hole that is probably too big will not make it any better.
I'...
- 41
4
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to know if a screw hole needs to be re-threaded?
Clean the hole up as best you can and get lots of light on the scene. Try screwing a bolt into it and seeing if it bites and tightens up properly (obviously one with the right thread pitch). If it ...
- 23.4k
3
votes
I'm a DIY motorbike mechanic- want to become a DIY car mechanic
I made a similar decision to maintain my own car after inheriting a car hoist. I have zero background in mechanical things other than push bikes... but I have the DIY desire, hence trying to fix ...
- 935
3
votes
What do I make a custom box truck body out of?
It depends how much money you want to spend on your truck and how reliable it should be on/ off road. If your body is heavy, you will need a better suspension. Plastic would be cheaper than aluminum ...
- 399
3
votes
As a consumer, can you buy the "OEM service manual" for your car direct from the manufacturer?
For a Toyota, you can get the same service manuals that the dealers use, manuals produced by Toyota, online: https://techinfo.toyota.com/
3
votes
Effectively planning and seeing a DIY project through to completion
I do a lot for DIY, from mechanics to woodworking to building to whatever gets in the middle of my path :) and by my experience I can resume:
Never assume more tasks you can handle: if you see you ...
- 3,356
3
votes
Effectively planning and seeing a DIY project through to completion
From my own personal experiences:
Damaged a thermostat gasket that was seized on while try to remove a stuck-open thermostat; learnt that the replacement part was at least 2 weeks away after the ...
- 39.2k
3
votes
Programmatically defrost car windows?
The most convenient solutions are an electric engine block heater (as @mikes mentioned) or a petrol/diesel powered stationary heater. The latter is expensive, but generally more powerful than a block ...
- 4,412
3
votes
How long should I wait for engine to cool down before I can check coolant?
The reason you wait is that when the engine runs, the water absorbs its heat, and transfers it to the radiator where it is released to the environment, and cools. The water becomes pressurized and the ...
- 381
2
votes
Programmatically defrost car windows?
You could have a block heater installed. A block heater is a heating element that runs on household current. It is usually installed either in place of a freeze plug or in line of a large radiator ...
- 20.1k
2
votes
What do I make a custom box truck body out of?
The walls of box bodies are now commonly built out of GRP which is glass reinforced plastic bonded to structural plyboard. It has a very good strength to weight ratio with the benefit of being able to ...
- 2,785
2
votes
Doing my own maintenance
There's 2 reasons that the maintenance required light will come on in most cars:
The car is designed to put the light on after a certain amount of time and/or mileage past the last service. The car ...
- 17.7k
2
votes
Accepted
Is DIY penetrating fluid safe for alloy wheels?
May I suggest a Big Hammer?
Usually, alloy wheels separate from the drum just by using a hammer. I'm not sure about your situation, but the hammer trick has worked for me always. This is for cars ...
- 15.3k
2
votes
Accepted
Can I use empty refrigerant bottles to store used refrigerant?
tl dr: You can do it, but you probably won't be able to bleed very much off by this method.
NOTE: Please see edit at the bottom.
Most every can of DIY refrigerant I've ever seen (whether R12 or ...
- 162k
2
votes
Exactly how much refrigerant is in there?
You can draw out all refrigerant from a system with no expensive equipment. All you need is a hose (preferably with manifold gauge), a suitable storage tank, a decently insulated container (like a ...
2
votes
Can I replace my AC Compressor myself? 2008 Vauxhall Astra 1.9
Changing compressor is pretty easy on your car, however you have to go and fill it at some car shop. Your compressor is on the top of alternator, so it's easy to access and take off. If I remember ...
- 1,197
2
votes
Accepted
Can I replace my AC Compressor myself? 2008 Vauxhall Astra 1.9
Legally handling refrigerants requires expensive tools and in many countries it also requires a licence. However, when the refrigerant has been removed from the system and correctly stored, the ...
- 958
2
votes
Accepted
How to replace wheel bearing without any special tools?
That press you have won't get the job done, you need 10-20 ton large press.
I have done that type in a big vice on a large stout workbench , long large tapered punch or iron workers alignment bar, ...
- 8,000
2
votes
Advice before recharging car's AC with DIY kit and additives
It sounds like you have a serious case of the cheap's, and I think you know how that tends to turn out.
It is an offence for unqualified people to handle most refrigerants.
With the line being ...
2
votes
Accepted
What's the best way to support/position an oil cooler?
You can attach it anyway you like and the cooler will provide some amount of cooling. I believe the way they are meant to be installed is directly in front of the radiator where it will get direct ...
- 162k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible