Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We do plugs and front brake pads and oil change on all 3 of our vehicles.
Changing transmission filter and rear brakes we leave for the mechanic. Too many parts on the rear shoes and that one spring is hard to get back on.
I do everything on my own cars. Plugs, fluids, component replacement, etc.
Newer cars only look complex, but under all that plastic engine trim, it's no different than an engine from 20-30 years ago. OHC tech is nothing new. Pull the plastics, remove the COP's and there are your spark plugs.
The easiest car I ever did an oil change on was a newer Mercedes I leased. ironically it had the most expensive cost if I let a dealer do it.
I do everything on my own cars. Plugs, fluids, component replacement, etc.
Newer cars only look complex, but under all that plastic engine trim, it's no different than an engine from 20-30 years ago. OHC tech is nothing new. Pull the plastics, remove the COP's and there are your spark plugs.
The easiest car I ever did an oil change on was a newer Mercedes I leased. ironically it had the most expensive cost if I let a dealer do it.
I changed the plugs in an E-class with the help of a friend. 16 plugs on a V-8, and the damn things were so buried, we had to do half of them by feel alone. It wasn't difficult, but when you dropped one, you had to root around a bit to find it.
Took out the front 6 on my wife's Avalon. Waiting to do the back six, as they are REALLY hard to get to. On my 2005 325 BMW, did them all in just a couple hours, while also doing the VCG (valve cover gasket).
Sometimes, you just have to do the work yourself.
Wow, I didn't know Toyota made a V-12! Must have been special order...can you get the V-12 in a Camry?
Also, when threading in a spark plug in a hard to reach place, don't drop it in and use the socket and extension. Get a piece of 1/4" fuel line tube and slip it over the tip of the plug. Then lower it down and thread it in by hand. Once you have it started, pull the fuel line off the plug and finish racheting it in.
Actually for installing plugs a foot long 1/4"ID strait rubber hose holds the plug perfectly and generally will not allow you to cross thread.
As a mechanic I have replaced thousands of plugs on every thing but airplanes .
The only thing I allow other mechanics to do is smog.
Every thing else I do my self , engine rebuilding transmission , rear end, frame body electrical ,fuels systems and so on .
I avoided computer controlled vehicles personally, because I prefer my own diagnostics .
Computer tell you what failed, but not what caused the failure .
A great deal of the failure is in the engineering and or planned obsolescence .
I am primarily a machinery mechanic , not an automotive mechanic ,but again I worked on a lot of different equipment all my life .
Often the reason a lot of special tools are required , is because reaching the problem is not what the factory had in mind.
whole front end and engine are a component ,and the body is installed as an after thought . often times your scratching your head how did they manage to put this component in or expect to get it out . they don't care.... you bought it sucker.
Further , If you do not know the function of what ever it is you are replacing and merely replacing parts , that "new " part may have a defect as well .
This happens way to much. Manufacturing standards are slipping ,and some fraud is taking place as well ,sooooo it's important that you know how to test that component before making the switch , (if you can) on electronic parts there is no return . If your buying a starter, or alternator, have the place your buying it from, test it for you, in front of you. also see to it the part is identical to the part you are replacing.
Crooked People have swapped parts in boxes and brought them back for refund, and the people at the counter don't bother to look, or test and now sell junk to an unsuspecting customer, you.
I go to buy a battery , I bring a load tester . I know what it's supposed to do .
Even a light bulb and switches, one can put a ohm meter too, and know if it's good .
if your time and effort is worth something , then it's worth doing it right , and only having to do it once .
I do. I have done a lot, my family circle has plenty of cars, brand and style.
I have never had any of my cars brought to a shop any shop.. Even when I was running a service shop, I wouldn't let any mechanic touch my car.
With the right tools and patience, any DIYer can change their own plugs.
I just happen to have a big chest at home with 25 years of collecting tools. I am short of a car lift. That's on my next property.
I did mine last summer. They hadn't been done in awhile so it took some patience.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
