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Old 05-30-2017, 09:31 AM
 
11,230 posts, read 9,149,863 times
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At the moment I am not doing any wrenching at all.

I have done both manual and automatic transmission rebuilds, numerous engine-outs, numerous transmission-outs (though never a full engine rebuild or clutch replacement, oddly enough), scads of repair on rusty frames, complete suspension rebuilds, A/C retrofit to non-AC vehicle, half-shafts on FWD vehicle, timing belts/water pumps, etc., etc., etc. I have never owned a press so I have always taken the relevant suspension component and bushings down to a local machine shop and had the work done for $10 or so.

I expect that when I retire and have more time than money I will go back to doing everything except what requires a press or an engine hoist. Also I don't ever want to do under-dash work or bodywork again - the one because it's too hard on the back and neck, the other because I am terrible at it and I don't want to spend the practice time to become good at it.

When I had my '87 Mazda, there was exactly one time someone else put a wrench on it in the 17 years and 170,000 miles I owned it - I had the ignition switch replaced under a recall. Nothing else.
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Old 05-30-2017, 12:37 PM
 
15,677 posts, read 20,164,810 times
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As I get older, I've found I HATE wrenching on my Daily Driver type vehicles. A oil change? typical fluid changes? Sure. Wheel bearing? Depends on if I can get it done in a couple hours. I find I have less free time these days, so getting the car back quick is more important than how much it costs. I also tend to buy newer cars for this reason, to lessen the risk of possible downtime.


My hobby cars? I'll do everything on them. Engine and trans rebuilds, performance upgrades, alignments. Only thing I can't do is mount tires. I'll just bring em somewhere. If I blow the transmission up, i'll yank it, and work on it as I have time. Car sits in garage, and I might wrap up the rebuild in a month if I'm lucky. But, it's a hobby car, and I have the luxury of closing the garage and knowing I can get to it whenever.


But, I need the DD to get to work. If I can't tackle the job quickly or easily, i'll sub it out.
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Old 05-30-2017, 01:57 PM
 
2,994 posts, read 5,549,592 times
Reputation: 4690
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz View Post
It is pointless thread without knowing vehicle in discussion.
If you want to be specific.

On a general note, outside of need for very expensive scanners, anything mechanical can be done DIY with good will, time, and set of good tools. At fraction of shop cost. Just depends on one's level of laziness and desire to "be taken care of".
Like in OP case (again, who knows?) - entire hub new is not much of expense. So why bother with all that five step dance he describes?
Nice try but you missed one important thing...being mechanically inclined. Not everyone can do auto repairs it's a skill like anything else. Sure their are "easy" tasks like in anyones job but most of the work you need to be mechanically inclined.

Lets use my old 1997 pontiac grand am for example. How would you change the water pump? Most would think just take the serp belt of unbolt some things and unbolt the water pump and done. Nope not on this car not even close. The water pump is driven by the timing chain and has one inch of space to the frame so the bolts can't be removed without dropping half the engine frame/cradle. CV joint and exhaust has to be dropped too. It is a nightmare job without being mechanically inclined. You can have all the tools in the world but if you don't know what you are doing they are useless obviously.
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Old 05-30-2017, 04:58 PM
 
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
6,975 posts, read 5,294,042 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eddie1278 View Post
Nice try but you missed one important thing...being mechanically inclined. Not everyone can do auto repairs it's a skill like anything else. Sure their are "easy" tasks like in anyones job but most of the work you need to be mechanically inclined.

Lets use my old 1997 pontiac grand am for example. How would you change the water pump? Most would think just take the serp belt of unbolt some things and unbolt the water pump and done. Nope not on this car not even close. The water pump is driven by the timing chain and has one inch of space to the frame so the bolts can't be removed without dropping half the engine frame/cradle. CV joint and exhaust has to be dropped too. It is a nightmare job without being mechanically inclined. You can have all the tools in the world but if you don't know what you are doing they are useless obviously.
You are so correct and todays cars have so much electronics on them you need specialized equipment to work on them. The days of the shade tree mechanic are fading fast you look inside of the engine bay of todays cars and there is no room for anything.
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Old 05-30-2017, 06:26 PM
 
Location: Eastern Washington
17,106 posts, read 56,712,890 times
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Me, even jobs that I don't have the special tools to do entirely, I generally do the grunt "R&R" work, taking the removed bearing carrier, transmission, cylinder head, etc. to a specialist shop.

I have never been glad I farmed a whole car job out to a shop, and never been sorry that I did a DIY. DIY- you may learn something!.

It does help that I have several old cars, so when I am working on one, I can drive another.
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Old 05-30-2017, 07:55 PM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,685,747 times
Reputation: 41861
I build cars and hot rods from the ground up, but I generally take my daily driver to the repair shop down the way from my shop to have a lot of things done. The reason is that I am a fabricator, not a mechanic, and find repair work on a car boring and time consuming. I will do some things, but I let him do the work that is going to be messy and not cost an arm and a leg.

If an engine needs rebuilt, ok, I will do that, but if it is ac work, or brakes, I just drop it off and pick it up later that day. I like doing the fun stuff on a car, not the routine repair work.
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Old 05-31-2017, 08:31 AM
 
Location: Pikesville, MD
2,983 posts, read 3,046,155 times
Reputation: 4552
Quote:
Originally Posted by easy62 View Post
You are so correct and todays cars have so much electronics on them you need specialized equipment to work on them. The days of the shade tree mechanic are fading fast you look inside of the engine bay of todays cars and there is no room for anything.

People said that about the advent of fuel injection and electronic ignition with ECUs to control both. And yet people figured that stuff out. I know home hobbyists that are figuring out all the pin-outs on modern computer controls and re-writing the code to add performance to cars that don't have aftermarket tuners for. Even cars like mine with computer controlled everything are being DIY'd by shade tree mechanics and home hobbyists.
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Old 05-31-2017, 08:52 AM
 
15,677 posts, read 20,164,810 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by easy62 View Post
The days of the shade tree mechanic are fading fast you look inside of the engine bay of todays cars and there is no room for anything.

Disagree. Under all those plastics is the same basic engine architecture that has existed for a while. The spark plugs are still under there. The single coil and wires is now replaced by a COP sitting on the plug, and there is still belts, sensors, etc that can be R&Red with basic hand tools.


Each time I purchase a new vehicle, I've never been discouraged when I pop the hood that I don't want to work on it. The oil fill cap and drain are (for the most part) still where they have been for decades. Most still use screw on filters. Spark plugs can still be changed, although might require removing a few plastic panels, air filters, MAF sensors, etc...all still plenty accessible. Basic maintenance and minor repairs can still be done with basic handtools. Hell, it seems most OEM's use 10mm bolts EVERYWHERE under the hoods these days.


Even computer diagnostics isn't that big of a deal. With a wifi/bluetooth dongle with HS/MS switch ($20 online), people are writing smart phone apps that can access a lot of the modules and diagnostics that you could only get from a dealer.


Shade tree mechanics might need a slightly different skillset these days, but plenty of people are going under the hoods of modern cars and still wrenching on them.
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Old 05-31-2017, 09:30 AM
 
Location: moved
13,565 posts, read 9,570,895 times
Reputation: 23301
It depends on the complexity and age (the two being inversely related) of the vehicle. On my 1972 hobby-car, I’ll tear into anything except for the internals of the transmission. On my 2007 daily driver, I would be intimidated by trying to change the timing belt.

One useful remedy is to join a local association of amateur mechanics; by this I mean a brand fan-club, but of the hands-on variety. These are typically internet-based, for example on brand-specific forums. But they can and do have physical face-to-face gatherings, where the more accomplished members can mentor the callow or timid ones. It’s a great builder of confidence, besides being a social outlet.
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Old 05-31-2017, 09:57 AM
 
Location: Metro Detroit Michigan
6,975 posts, read 5,294,042 times
Reputation: 6416
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohio_peasant View Post
It depends on the complexity and age (the two being inversely related) of the vehicle. On my 1972 hobby-car, I’ll tear into anything except for the internals of the transmission. On my 2007 daily driver, I would be intimidated by trying to change the timing belt.

One useful remedy is to join a local association of amateur mechanics; by this I mean a brand fan-club, but of the hands-on variety. These are typically internet-based, for example on brand-specific forums. But they can and do have physical face-to-face gatherings, where the more accomplished members can mentor the callow or timid ones. It’s a great builder of confidence, besides being a social outlet.
With the Warrenty on new cars these days it's pointless to try and work on your car, even oil changes or cheap at dealers today. Why would anyone would work on a car under warranty, because you take a chance on voiding your Warrenty. I go to dealer for everything because everything is on their system that way the dealer can't say you didn't follow service recommendation in case of a major problem.
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