how can you all maintain your cars without going crazy???

[JHZR2]

I just don't get it. Maybe I just have a personality flaw, are too disorganized, impatient or something, but I cannot do car work for the life of me. I am pretty handy, and can build all sorts of chemical process equipment, as well do any sort of household project. However, when it comes to working on the car, my skill just plain suck and keep me from enjoying the work, and doing a good job.

Case in point: Today, I wanted to change my fuel injectors. Simple enough, just remove the intake and then pull the fuel rail. Well, for me it isnt so simple. After spending about an hour getting the intake manifold off and then getting the fuel lines off of the fuel rail, I had the worst case of trouble getting the injectors out. I tried to pull them all out at once, still clipped to the fuel rail. Finally got three of four out, the other stayed atached to the intake. I checked everything, replaced the injectors, etc., put them back in,tighetened everything down and put the intake back on. Only to find that I didnt put the injector clips on, so I had to pull everything off. Well, as I was putting one of them on, I dropped it and lost it somewhere in the lower portions of the engine... It was never found. In my second try, I couldnt get the hose that sends coolant to the throttle body to go on in a position so that I could tighten the hose clamp. After I got that, I couldnt get the throttle body straight enough to slide up all the way on the studs that it bolts to.

The story goes on and on, but all in all, it took me from 9am to 5pm to replace 4 injectors. I stopped for about two hours in the middle, but the rest of the time I was out there fiddling. When all was said and done, I had lost one intake nut, one injector clip and one 4.5mm 1/4" drive socket.

And thats the story of most all of my car work. If its anything more than an oil change or maybe a differential change, I cant do it. OK, I guess I can do 4 cyllinder car spark plugs too, but thats really it. brake job all around including rotors took me nearly 2 whole days!!!!

I am really impatient when working on the car, maybe because I have to work in my apartment parking lot. Maybe also because when I need a tool, I have to climb 3 floors of stairs to get it. But I just can't stand doing the work. When things go right, efficiently, quickly and well, I love doing the car work. But, more often than not, a story like today is what reality is, and it isnt fun.

Am I just that bad of a wrench? Is it that Im too unorganized (I leave most tools and small bolts/nuts in the little areas under the hood, which I guess isnt smart). I know I have the ability to do tasks, but other jobs dont seem to take so long with so little getting done.

Do others end up spending nearly an entire day outside working on their car just to end up realizing that almost nothing worthwhile got done, and if you took it to a good garage or dealer, that they would have had the job done in 2 hours without issue?

Sorry, but I had to vent, and have to wonder if others are like me... It seems like everyone who posts on these boards is so mechanically adept with regards to car repair, that almost no job is too big... swap a differential? radiator? etc? easy.

I did change my ABS pump and my alternator, but both took longer than they shuld have (nearly a day for each), with plenty of bruised and cut knuckles and lots of yelling. Do others share similar experiences, or can others give tips on how to get the jobs youre doing to go along well and for things to go right?

OK, done venting... Thanks!

JMH

 

[roman]

Dude, im in the same boat as you. Except, i still liek working on my car.

Drap tranny and replace filter should take about 45 min tops. Took me 3 hours. I couldnt get this pos piece out. Later i found out nobaody was taking it out. Oh, and yes i lost a tranny bolt bolt.

Brake job? Doing the front, new pads and rotors. Only 6 hours!!!

Bleeding the brakes? 2.5 hours. Why? becuase i ended up striping/screwintg up my front left brake caliper. ya thats right, stripped the bleeding valve!!!

Coolant flush? Lets just say teh only snag i had was trying to put the lower rad hose back on. 14 hour

I can do an oil change pretty fast though.

However, i am only 17, and everything ive done is my first time doing it, with nobody else helping me

 

[nel]

I can certainly sympathize with your frustration. I'm by no means an ace mechanic, but I'd like to think I can learn quickly if I had the right materials and tools. The Internet is wonderful--forums, newsgroups, etc.--but you also have to have a good service manual.

I'm now maintaining my family's fleet of four vehicles--2 late 1990's BMWs, a '99 GMC Sonoma pickup, and a late 1980's Corvette. Before I tackle a job, I look at the manual to see if there's anything special to consider--tools, work sequence, etc. I'll also check the forums for posts about that vehicle and job. Only after I'm fairly certain about the time required and the risks involved (e.g., what happens if I screw x, y, or z up? Is it easily reversible?) do I proceed.

This year I replaced valve stem seals, valve springs and retainers on the Corvette and got it running after two years on stands (long story). I also replaced the struts, control arms and almost everything else on the front suspension on the '95 BMW. But, I let someone else tackle the head gasket job on that car. Some things are just too time consuming for a first-timer, and it makes sense to go to a professional who's way down the learning curve.

Finally, you learn with experience that there are some really neat things that can help when you're working on a car--magnetic pickup tools, trays for holding onto parts, etc. You really do get better with experience, but the question is whether you get enough enjoyment out of the process. If you don't, just stick to what you do enjoy and leave the rest to others. I'd like to think I've saved money by doing the work myself, but the truth of the matter is that I've probably spent the savings on tools

Best of luck to you--keep on wrenching.

 

[Chris142]

I work on customers junk all day....I get the car after every Tom,**** and Harry have rounded every bolt!

My cars even my old pickup are easy compared to the junk I see at work.

 

[jthorner]

If you do not enjoy working on cars ... don't do it!

Personally I enjoy doing my own work and have done is successfully for many years, but my case is an exception to the rule.

Millions of people in all ranges of income categories never touch their cars. If you do not enjoy it and find that your are not good at it .... don't do it. Really simple.

It sounds like you have gainful employment and are able to use the skills you have to make money. The beauty of modern economic systems is that you can do what you have an interest and ability for and get paid for it. Then you use that money to pay other people for their efforts.

Few of us grow our own food, hunt our own meat, build our own homes or chop wood to heat the living room. You do not have to work on your own cars.

John

 

[tom slick]

i really enjoy working on cars. i evenwork on my friends cars. i can work on machinery for 10 hrs at work and still fome home and work on a car as i relax. some jobs on cars are not great work and are hard to do but i still enjoy them. it's a personality defect.
i usually end up working on cars that belong to people like you. you bring me your car and a 12 pack, hang out so i have someone to talk to while i work, and i'll fix your car

 

[olympic]

If you're going to do more than the basic maintenence(oil,brakes,etc) on your car, then I highly recommend picking up a factory service manual. It's an invaluable tool that'll save you time, money and alot of headaches.

Another tip is never work on your car when you are in a hurry or pressed for time. You'll make stupid mistakes that'll just make it take longer.

I love working on my 7 fleet cars and my personal project car. My dad owned his own shop and I was watching/helping since I was old enough to walk. I just wish I had the time to do more. In my mind, handing my cars over to a mechanic is the equivalent of letting a stranger take my g/f out for dinner...lol!

 

[TheTanSedan]

Did you order up a bunch of parts one day and begin to build chemical process equipment in the garage? Somehow, I figure there was training . . .

(Sort of like the early astronauts -- and too many pilots -- who, due to the higher level of training and awareness inherent in flying somehow believe that this automatically translates into excellent driving skills. It didn't. And doesn't).

Different sort of patience is involved. One cannot have enough books, manuals, advice based on professional experience.

Not to mention more money in tools (and knowledge of how to use them) than most all of us are willing to spend.

I've both hated and enjoyed it. Today, with two '01 vehicles I am only interested in doing all the "doesn't really need a mechanic" stuff: fluids, filters, HD cleaning, PITA maintenance stuff . . so that the real tech can see that I'm serious about good performance/reliability, and that I've been able to eliminate some potential problems (due to the very poor maintenance practices of most people) that he sees regularly.

Could I change out FI parts? Sure. But I leave that to the trained and experienced, with proper tools, practices. Not to the local Pep Boys moron.

Or me.

Too easy to screw up, to inadvertantly affect long-term reliability.

 

[labman]

The design of the modern front wheel drive car does take much of the fun out of it. Everything is tight and cramped. Design is much more about manufacturing costs than the ease of serviceability. Fortunately for me, the days of working out of an apartment are long gone. Having your own garage stocked with the tools for most jobs does help.

Perhaps consider a large box with most of your tools in it. Carry it down to the car before starting. Then take a methodical approach. Remove what you have to, cleaning things up as you go or when things are all apart before starting reassemble. Try to relax and plan ahead. Take a break and have a cup of coffee or even a beer if it is not too touchy of a job.

Cleaning things up is important. When you are building the process equipment, likely you are not using gritty, greasy old nuts and bolts. Don't us them on your car either. Clean them up and pitch damaged ones. Unfortunately too often that may mean a trip to the auto store to match the odd ball stuff they are using more and more of. A can of spray brake cleaner and a bunch of rags makes any job go better. Don't feel obligated to complete the job in a reasonable amount of time. All the horror stories you read here were done in much less time than it would take you to do the job right. You are not an experienced mechanic. Experience does count. Those that want to, can do fine work their first time through a job, or even one they haven't done recently. It will take longer, and sometimes involve going back to fix something left out.

A good place to check when following Olympic's fine advice is www.factorymanuals.com. You may end up with a real factory manual for about what you would pay at the auto parts store for their comic books.

One more thing, I love my air ratchet. Cars are assembled mostly with air tools. Most of the bolts and screws are longer for easier starting, and then run down under power. A battery power one might be better for you. Even a rechargable screwdriver would help. Do not expect to break much loose with it or tighten stuff, but it speeds running those long threads in and out in tight places where you can hardly have enough swing to turn a full flat.

 

[Kestas]

I don't enjoy working on cars. What I enjoy is the satisfaction of saving money and knowing the job is done right, probably better than the way it would be done at a garage.

As far as the challenges of wrenching - I treat each bolt and clip as an individual task that must be done correctly. I also budget LOTS of time to make sure I'm not rushed for any job. Having lots of time also reduces the frustration factor JMH experiences. Modern cars take lots of time and patience. Being organized helps. I use lots of trays to organize parts and tools at my job site.

 

[labman]

And where did you get the crazy idea anybody here is in their right mind?

 

[eljefino]

I'm a bit slow, but consider myself about halfway up on the learning curve. I made it easier; three vehicles of the four I keep running are all the same model Saturn!

My biggest hangup was doing brakes and front end work because of the dire consequences. Once getting my nails dirty though I noticed they were engineered to only go together one way and there were safety considerations engineered in (castle nut jam pins, etc.)

What makes the job much easier, and the stress level go way down, is having another vehicle you can drive to the parts store/work/etc., if you screw up the one you're working on. I'm lucky in my corner of the world that insurance/excise tax/etc., doesn't make an extra clunker cost-prohibitive. I feel for you guys in New Jersey etc.

Keep at it; justify it by saying saving $10 each oil change will pay for the mechanic for that one job you don't wanna do.

 

[Gary Allan]

The frustrations you experienced are experienced by every mechanic/maintenance (industrial) man in the known universe. The dealer types get an edge ..all one make ...factory clinics. I know a brilliant self taught older mechanic...he knows how to read well and can do just about anything. He goes to all the NASCAR engine builder clinics and stuff. The term "did you get it?" comes to mind. Many installations/repairs are just a function of "winging it". Those who "wing it" best ...tend to have been "winging it" the longest. They have more rabbits to pull out of the hat.

 

[JHZR2]

thanks for all the replies. From reading this stuff, and just thinking about it a bit, I am impatient. It really stems from the point at which something that needs to come apart doesnt want to go, is on too tight, inaccessible, etc.

I am also very disorganized. I need to do the bag and tag idea, as well as carry a clipboard and write down notes of the steps I take, so that everyhting can be done in the reverse.

When things go smoothly, it is very rewarding to know about the $$$ saved, and how the job done is probably better than f it was done at a dealer or tech. But when things start to go bad, I guess I need to slow down or stop, take a deep breath, and relax. Hurrying to get it done so that I dont run into more problems doesnt help anything.

I can definitely see that as my experience grown, I am more willing to take on new tasks. And for each new one there is more complexity and a new learnign curve. I need to embrace it, take it slow, and keep to a point thaat I can abort and put stuff back together when its over my head.

Thanks,

JMH

 

[sewerman]

I enjoy working on my own stuff,and have done a fair share for other family members..Problem is when I work on my own I am a complete bufoon,other people's I am like a brain surgeon,I don't get it.....

 

[Terry]

We can't, we are all crazy...

Tan you are so wise !

quote:

---

Sort of like the early astronauts -- and too many pilots -- who, due to the higher level of training and awareness inherent in flying somehow believe that this automatically translates into excellent driving skills. It didn't. And doesn't).

---

 

[XS650]

There is enough good advice in this thread to write a philosophy of automotive maintenance article for an automotive magazine.

One of my favorites for anything but the simplist jobs is to bag and tag parts. The fasteners for each widget get put in a clear plastic bag and marked as to which widgit they belong to. The same with the parts for any small assemblies that get taken apart.

On modern cars you often have to take 3 widgets off your car to get to the widget you need to repair/replace. It's bad enough that widget A is held on with 4 different size/types of fastener, but when you get all the fasteners/small parts for 4 widgets in a pile, you have a lot of extra work sorting things out when you reassemble. Having things separated by widhget also makes it a lot easier to keep track of things when you clean the parts too.

 

[OdinsRageSS]

i remember a technician rebuilding a bmw motor. He had styrofoam dixie cups labeled with bolts inside, where they went, part name. Good idea IMO

 

[Matt_S]

You're definitely on the right track with your thinking, JHZR2. With myself, I've found that patience comes with maturity. As I get older in years, and a little wiser, I find it easier to take my time and work logically and deliberately. I'm also tackling things now that I would never have dreamt of 2 or 3 years ago (my wheel hub replacement is the perfect example). Also, part of being impatient is rushing into something before you understand what's involved. Now that I know where to look for information before I start something, it's AMAZING how much smoother things go. Of course, you still run into frustrations, like the screw positioned microns away from the firewall that you're somehow supposed to remove, but as long as you keep the big picture in mind, you'll generally be OK.

 

[doitmyself]

Over the years, I have also learned to not envy the professionals for their speed and skill. I have seen major goof ups by all the trades professionals - plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. My own father-in-law spent two days trying to track down a diesel engine "tick" after a fuel injector job, only to find out he dropped a small nut into one of the cylinders and it was dancing around on top of the piston! Even the pros are sometimes challenged on simple jobs.

The more educated I become, the better I can take care of myself, even when I pay someone else to do the work.