Vehicle Maintenace General

[KateHikes14]

Stands are really simple, you can get those at harbor freight or wherever. If you're just getting into diy it can be tempting to spend money for gucci shit. That's for faggots. Buy cheap shit and just start working, when you break something then consider something a little nicer and you'll likely know what to look for a lot better.
Edit:
If you're just getting started ask your relatives if they have any tools they don't want/need any more. Odds are they do and they'd likely be thrilled to help someone getting started. Free tools and someone to bond with/ ask for advice.

 

[waffle]

Go buy a harbor freight racing jack and two sets of jackstands. In fact, get everything form harbor freight and replace it with a name brand if you use it enough to break it.

Your car is almost certainly metric unless it is American and from the 90's or earlier. Get a set of combination wrenches and two sets of sockets (normal and deep well, get deep wells first if you can only afford one), 3/8 drive is probably fine. A little 1/4' drive ratchet set for small stuff/tight areas is also nice. You'll need some extensions and some wobbles as well. You'll also want some pilers, some snips and a couple sets of vice grips, a couple screw drivers, a big adjustable wrench and a small one. C-clamps are nice for breaks, and depending on your specific car you will need a set of hex and/or torx bits. You can get everything for about $350 and almost half will be the jack and stands. That is enough to do most car repair/maintenance.

 

[DavidS877]

If you're rich then this is a nice kit, $200. I use it for work on my not-car. I've added a few more electrical tools and a couple other specialty tools like a torque wrench, but it does most of the day to day stuff.

 

[Bad as Can]

I'm trying to get into figuring out how to fix my car myself I have a P3 body Volvo XC70 it's high mileage but in great condition but honestly I really only know how to swap lights and do the oil. I'm due for a brake fluid flush soon which I heard is a bit of process and needs the car to be jacked up to do properly. Anyone have any jack and jack-stand recommendations, I don't currently own any and online debate on this seems fierce to say the least. I also heard these are a bitch to find a good spot to lift them up by.

Other then that anyone have any recommendations where to start figuring this thing out? I have an auction house nearby and some extra space and money so I've been considering buying a barely functional car down there just to tinker and learn with. Maybe even another older Volvo, not sure. I want to figure out how to get around my car but I only have a day a week to learn and I don't want my actual car to end up out of commission if I really fuck up.

If you're in the states, the best store bought jack is the Daytona jack. It was designed so similar to a Snap-On jack that Snap-On actually sued Harbor Freight.

I also like the Daytona jack stands because they have an additional locking pin that's pretty beefy. Not many other stands have this.

 

[Google.com]

If you're in the states, the best store bought jack is the Daytona jack. It was designed so similar to a Snap-On jack that Snap-On actually sued Harbor Freight.

Go buy a harbor freight racing jack and two sets of jackstands. In fact, get everything form harbor freight and replace it with a name brand if you use it enough to break it.

Ya, I'll probably go with that then since a lot of people have been mentioning harbor freight to me before, I've just never actually gone to one before.

 

[KateHikes14]

Ya, I'll probably go with that then since a lot of people have been mentioning harbor freight to me before, I've just never actually gone to one before

Harbor freight has a premium line for almost all of their tools now. Some of the features are neat, but it's definitely not required to spend that much to be in a really good position.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

If you're rich then this is a nice kit, $200. I use it for work on my not-car. I've added a few more electrical tools and a couple other specialty tools like a torque wrench, but it does most of the day to day stuff.

View attachment 6918866

I personally use SATA , Chinese made but better price point/quality ratio than pittsburgh imho. Made by Apex who makes gearwrench. Don't trust the feeler gauges or vernier calipers for precision work while rebuilding an engine or something though lmao.

What tools do I need if I want to maintain my own vehicle? Just like a bag of things I can put in the car if I need to work on it

Basic maintenance would be the following in my list: Fluids, filters, sparks/glow plugs, injectors, water pump, timing belt, hoses, wheels, brake pads and rotors.

1) Buy a decent cheap set. Harbor freight. You can rent some specialized tools (like brake piston pullers) at most auto parts store. Buy better tools when you go insane like me.
2) VW uses metric and some very annoyingly hard to source US tools. 12 point M14 ("Triple square bit") to release brake calipers for rotor work on new(ish?) vehicles.
3) Jack stands and a lift
4) Torque wrench and a breaker bar.
5) Multimeter, fuse pullers for maxifuses
6) Funnels (cut bottles for most can work) and oil/fluids drain container, bucket
7) Needle nose pliers and fuel filter disconnect tools
8 ) Tire pressure gauge
9) OBD-II reader if you have a car with one
Impacts and electric ratchets make shit goes faster. But if you unga tight lug nuts I'll laugh at you.

On rust vehicles, blowtorch for the bolts.

I have a beetle and i love it so much I don't want to run it into the ground. is there a place I can find a manual or something where I can see all the parts of the car? I would really like to familiarize myself with the car / get more comfortable with knowing the machine so I can troubleshoot and fix things. There are quite a few issues with the car that I will definitely not be able to work on but I'd like to learn more about what I can do

thanks

1) The Chiltons and Haynes manuals are okay but not good for major/precise work (Chilton retards have never pulled a ford ranger 4.0 engine).
Sadly, newer VW manuals are hard to fine and you pay out the ass, I think it's subscription based too lmao. Find free non-legal alternatives maybe.

2) OBD-II scanner if vehicle is newer than 1995 for reading error codes.

VW (and most new autos) has specialized diag software called VCDS. Useful if diagnosing something that is hard to trigger but pricey as fuck, $200+ for the connector + software. Also needed for changing transmission fluid on newer vehicles because the VW procedure on new cars is retarded as fuck. OBDeleven might surpass VCDS someday, use it cost sensitive ($68 ).

I have an auction house nearby and some extra space and money so I've been considering buying a barely functional car down there just to tinker and learn with. Maybe even another older Volvo, not sure. I want to figure out how to get around my car but I only have a day a week to learn and I don't want my actual car to end up out of commission if I really fuck up.

Get a running truck/trailer. A proper truck and a trailer to tow ( appropriate GVWR and trailer brakes). Most places in the US will NOT allow you to drive off the auction vehicle, must be towed. There's also going to be times were you can fix shit (glass work is one for me).
Also if it's an older truck in good shape you can bend the GVWR limits a bit assuming the turck is in good shape. New shit just can't take the abuse.

 

[Google.com]

Get a running truck/trailer. A proper truck and a trailer to tow ( appropriate GVWR and trailer brakes). Most places in the US will NOT allow you to drive off the auction vehicle, must be towed. There's also going to be times were you can fix shit (glass work is one for me).
Also if it's an older truck in good shape you can bend the GVWR limits a bit assuming the turck is in good shape. New shit just can't take the abuse.

Ya, I am probably going to go through a broker since they have extra fees for private sellers that don't make sense paying unless I'm purchasing multiple vehicles, and they bring it off lot for you anyways and hand it over across the street or deliver it wherever if you pay extra. I mean if were being honest it only has to make it far enough to be in range of the free AAA towing. But no I can rent out a trailer as funny as scamming AAA would be.

 

[Sperg_rancher]

If you're in the states, the best store bought jack is the Daytona jack

+1. Harbor freight sells the fast jack for like 50% more. you don't need it. 3-Ton Low profile is all you need.
Harbor freight Jack-stands however... we don't use those.

 

[shinto minto]

Looking for a new old car. Mrs Minto's car was totaled so we've been sharing but I'm ready to go back to being a two car household.

In order of importance:

1. No rust
2. Reliable
3. Cheap to maintain
4. Comfortable
5. Little to no road noise
6. Under $10k

Cross posting my request from the Cars Thread since reliability and ability to fix it myself is pretty important. Feel free to delete if it doesn't fit

 

[waffle]

Harbor freight Jack-stands however... we don't use those.

You just gotta get the ones with the lock pins.

 

[KaiserBlade]

You just gotta get the ones with the lock pins.

Make sure the jack stands are steel, not aluminum.

Aluminum may be lighter, but for a job where 1 ton or more of metal, rubber, fiberglass and plastic will need to be off the ground for a significant amount of time, I wouldn't be relying on aluminum jack stands for the job.

 

[Pee Cola]

Jack Stands? There's a Project Farm video about those. Apparently the Daytona (Harbor Freight) jack stands are OK, but they're not the best jack stands for the money if you base your decision on PF's testing/scoring.

 

[Bad as Can]

Cross posting my request from the Cars Thread since reliability and ability to fix it myself is pretty important. Feel free to delete if it doesn't fit

• Honda with the 2.4 engine.
• Most Toyotas are very good but avoid the 2012-14 Camry for the torque converter issue and avoid higher mileage Toyota hybrids since head gaskets are becoming an issue on those.
• Most Mazdas are very good but they typically have stiff suspensions and the seats sometimes suck so you need to take one a good test drive to see if it works for you.

Assuming that you're US based, the only way to avoid rust is to buy one that's not from the salt belt. If you're buying from a dealer, some of them source their cars from out of state auctions from outside of the salt belt. If they give you free Carfax/AutoCheck reports on the dealer website, you can use that to check where the car came from.

Map of which states use a shit ton of salt:

 

[shinto minto]

Map of which states use a shit ton of salt:

I am unfortunately well aware
Who knew NJ is so low in comparison to the others in the salt belt

avoid the 2012-14 Camry [...] Most Mazdas are very good

Thanks for the heads up! I had no idea about those year of Camry. I did know about engine problems the older Priuses but I wasn't aware that it's all of their older hybrids. Do you know about how old I should avoid? For Mazdas, any idea which models I should prioritize? I've had a few Miatas but I'd never drive one in the snow.

 

[Google.com]

Map of which states use a shit ton of salt:

Yuh oh, I didn't check this before buying, my car has spent its entire existence in those states and is high mileage. Anything I should be doing, no corrosion troubles at the moment though.

 

[Two Hands]

Yuh oh, I didn't check this before buying, my car has spent its entire existence in those states and is high mileage. Anything I should be doing, no corrosion troubles at the moment though.

If your car isn't dropping pounds of rust with every bump, you should be fine assuming the previous owner at least gave the car a wash.

I pried off the rear shock absorber off the frame of a 2000s Silverado by hand because the bracket had rusted so much, the steel became malleable.

Inspect the underbody (frame, brake lines, suspension, etc) for anything. Surface rust isn't a problem. If there is some minor rust, repair it before it grows. You can put undercoating as a precaution to prevent rust. If your car is over 10-15 years old or has a ton of mileage, pay attention to things like bushings. For example, the CV axle, struts, wheel bearings, subframe bushings on my car have started to go and my brake calipers have seized up. Do your due diligence taking care of your car and you'll be able to roll around in it for years.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

Yuh oh, I didn't check this before buying, my car has spent its entire existence in those states and is high mileage. Anything I should be doing, no corrosion troubles at the moment though.

Wash the car underbody often if you live in the salt belt. Some people coat it with fluid film that's oil. I just use old motor oil and mud. If you have cash to burn and it's a rare car, body off, blast and re-galvanize.

• Honda with the 2.4 engine.
• Most Toyotas are very good but avoid the 2012-14 Camry for the torque converter issue and avoid higher mileage Toyota hybrids since head gaskets are becoming an issue on those.
• Most Mazdas are very good but they typically have stiff suspensions and the seats sometimes suck so you need to take one a good test drive to see if it works for you.

Assuming that you're US based, the only way to avoid rust is to buy one that's not from the salt belt. If you're buying from a dealer, some of them source their cars from out of state auctions from outside of the salt belt. If they give you free Carfax/AutoCheck reports on the dealer website, you can use that to check where the car came from.

Map of which states use a shit ton of salt:
View attachment 7006020

Map no longer accurate. ID, MT, WY added a fuck ton of salt to their roads these days for the highways which rusts shit out too (I think they still use some gravel other places).

 

[gildersleeve]

I have a 2014 VW Jetta TDI, and while it's been generally pretty reliable mechanically @ 160k miles, but it's check engine light is always on for some stupid electronic sensor or emissions control issue. The check engine light has been on for the last 30,000 miles or so with a P2002 - Diesel Particulate Filter Efficiency Below Threshold code. Isn't hurting anything, and I don't care if I'm car is a pollution machine, so whatever... I'm ignoring it.

I'm not sure if you still have the vehicle. But check your tailpipe. If you see soot, you have a cracked DPF. you can replace it, for somewhere north of 5k or you can delete it. If you don't have emissions testing where you live. Hit a sufficiently sized pothole. Car becomes significantly better. Gain some MPG as well. It can damage the engine if left long enough as the soot collects in the filter and causes back pressure and begins carbonizing the turbo. Alongside constant Regen cycles that can lead to oil dilution (particularly if biodiesel above %5 is used)
Other codes you'll get related to the DPF will be for intake runner flaps as the motor that controls it will go past what the encoder can read. A $5 bracket from Amazon fixes that. DPF deletes and tunes also fix said issue. Alongside the EGR clogging which again, is solved by a delete. Majority of the problems are emissions related.
A delete and tune costs about $1400. $700 for the tailpipe. $400 for the tune. Though it may be higher for parts as you have DEF. (Iirc started in 2014) So that'll be extra for the block off plate and tank removal for it.. And for fun, throw in some isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide into your removed catalytic converter and light that candle for some exciting pulse jet action.
The other issue you could worry about is the Bosch CP4 fuel pump. Actual data on pump failure rates is scant. Oilhammer on TDIclub has a great thread on it. Generally the earlier ones had an issue. But not as common as rumored. Always run a lubricity additive. I wish we never left the Bosch VE rotary pump series.

I am a screeching euro diesel autistic. The EPA and the Oldsmobile diesel has ruined the potential of turbodiesel passenger cars in the US. I demand to have an affordable straight 6 turbodiesel station wagon. But Frank Jilatta won't let me.

edit: I am retarded and did not see this. You can acquire VCDS cables and software on Alibaba. Install on a one use cheapo laptop however. @Darkholme's Dungeon

 

[waffle]

I am a screeching euro diesel autistic. The EPA and the Oldsmobile diesel has ruined the potential of turbodiesel passenger cars in the US. I demand to have an affordable straight 6 turbodiesel station wagon. But Frank Jilatta won't let me

I had one of those dodge V6 eco diesels for a while. It was supposed to be like that, but it basically just financially ruinous instead. It had a major breakdown about quarterly and could only be serviced by the dealer due to needing a bunch of special computer tools. I had it for just shy of two years (used, low miles) and i think I spent $15k trying to keep it running before I just gave up, traded it in, and ate the deficiency on a new mazda for the wife.

I don't think I'm ever buying a Diesel again, it's really soured me on the whole deal. Maybe if Trump makes it so you can buy one that isn't more computer than engine.