All about DIY auto repair

In detail: everything about do-it-yourself auto repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The section on car repair is intended primarily for car owners who prefer to carry out high-quality repairs of any type of car with their own hands. We have prepared for you many useful articles and materials on the topic of self-repairing a car. show all text

Surely, every motorist is faced in his life with situations when he has to carry out repair work on a car with his own hands, without resorting to expensive services in various service stations or workshops. And the first thing that is necessary is to get complete and reliable information on how to properly repair any car yourself, if you do not have the necessary knowledge to the full?

This section will help you navigate everything related to car repair, as well as get comprehensive answers to questions of interest to any motorist - How to carry out repairs? What materials and tools are needed for this? How to choose a place to carry out car repair work?

All material is presented with detailed step-by-step instructions that will teach you how to properly remove scratches on a car body, cracks or dents on a windshield, repair a generator, replace a wheel, engine oil or brake pads, make high-quality painting, polish individual body parts, etc. ...

You will learn how to carry out not only minor repairs, but also eliminate more complex damage to your car.

This section contains materials on 4 main areas of repair work:

Video (click to play).

Engine repair. How to eliminate the most common engine breakdowns and damage, as well as how to carry out high-quality prophylaxis of engine parts. What tools are needed to repair the engine;
Car body repair. Where to start and how to carry out high-quality repair and maintenance work on the car body yourself;
Car chassis repair. Step-by-step instructions for timely repair of the chassis in order to get a high result. What should you pay attention to when repairing mechanisms and chassis parts;
Transmission repair. What you need to know before proceeding with the repair of the vehicle's transmission mechanisms. What knowledge and skills you need to have to perform high quality work.

We will be glad if our section will help you to solve important problems when carrying out car repairs on your own.

Maintenance of a car's braking system is, first of all, a periodic inspection and, if necessary, replacement of brake pads. Of course, you can entrust these operations to car service specialists, or you can perform them yourself, saving time and money and gaining confidence in the quality of work and satisfaction from their performance.

Any car enthusiast who has basic knowledge of electrical engineering and an available set of tools can independently check the performance of a car battery. Usually, problems with the battery appear during the onset of cold weather, since subzero temperatures negatively affect the electrical equipment of the car, significantly increasing the load on the battery.

In most cases, there is only one reason for the appearance of a whistle, squeak, squeak or squeal from under the hood of a car - a generator belt or timing belt whistles. On modern cars, the drive belt, in addition to the generator, can also rotate the pulleys of the power steering, air conditioning compressor, engine cooling pump and other attachments.

With the arrival of cold weather, some drivers are puzzled by the search for reasons why the stove does not heat well in the car. And sometimes the stove in the car starts to work so badly that it becomes absolutely unable to warm the interior. In addition, in severe frost, the situation is aggravated by frosting of the glass. What to do in such cases?

To remove rust from a car body, it is not at all necessary to contact a company car service. Small spots of corrosion and paint chips on the body, doors or hood of the car can be removed by many motorists with their own hands. Removing rust from the body will extend the life of your car and improve its appearance.

To remove scratches from a car body, not in all cases, damaged areas of the paintwork must be repainted. Often, shallow scratches can be removed without painting the car body. After all, everything happens on the roads, and often even professional drivers are faced with the problem of the appearance of various kinds of scratches on the body.

Almost every motorist can repair shock absorber struts, if he is not afraid of dirty work under the car. At the same time, you will be able to save a good amount of money. After all, as soon as dull bumps begin to appear in the suspension of the car when driving through pits and potholes, then it’s time to come to grips with repairing shock absorbers.

The appearance of noise and knocking while driving is a sign of malfunctions and breakdowns in the chassis of the car. Further movement by car can end up badly enough. If it is possible to determine the source of the knocking in the front suspension, then many breakdowns can be repaired on their own.

A car engine has two important parts: the cylinder block and the cylinder head (cylinder head). And their connection to each other is sealed with a cylinder head gasket. Its main task is to seal the combustion chambers and channels through which the antifreeze circulates. When the cylinder head gasket is broken, problems appear in the motor, which we will discuss in this article.

The reasons for overheating of a car engine may be different, but the result is always the same - when the machine is operated in excess of the maximum permissible operating temperature of the power unit, accelerated wear of parts and assemblies occurs. And if the engine overheats regularly and strongly, then most often it ends up jamming its moving parts.

Every car owner must maintain the condition of his vehicle in proper condition. Thus, sooner or later, any car enthusiast will be faced with the need to repair a car.

To do this, you can contact a professional service center that repairs foreign cars or domestic cars, but you will have to pay money for the services of specialists. To save some money, many motorists do their own car repairs. At the same time, there are a lot of nuances here, which we will talk about now.

In the course of doing car repairs with your own hands, as a rule, the main attention is paid to:

timely replacement of consumables (filters, various oils and other fluids, brake pads);
the condition of the engine and chassis (control over the oil level, the condition of the valves, etc.);
support for the correct operation of the vehicle's electrical systems;
control over the wear of seals (gaskets, anthers, cuffs);
support for the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the interior.

Video advice for repairing a car with your own hands:

First of all, the repair of the machine can be planned (systematic maintenance, replacement of units after the natural development of their resources) and unscheduled (carried out in the event of a sudden failure of a certain element). In addition, such procedures can also be classified according to the nodes with which the work is carried out:

If you have the necessary knowledge, skills and tools, do-it-yourself car repair will not cause any particular difficulties.

In fact, absolutely all work can be done independently (or with the involvement of 1-2 assistants).

But you just need to be very careful about this process, because otherwise you can lead to even greater damage to the system, as well as get yourself injured.

If you decide to carry out a car repair yourself, here you need to take into account a few tips... They may look too obvious, but, nevertheless, they will help you quickly and efficiently cope with any type of problem. Here are the main ones:

get two sets of keys. Firstly, keys will constantly be lost, so it never hurts to have an extra one in reserve. Secondly, it will be easier to deal with the nut and locknut this way;
if you are in a pit and you urgently need a key, look on the hood - as a rule, it will lie there;
there are several fasteners in any car that are not so easy to get to. This is especially true for domestic vehicles, so you will have to sweat to disassemble the system. At the same time, remember that any nut, after all, can be unscrewed. The main thing is not to give up your endeavors;

Have a stock of different types of fasteners on hand. After all, no matter how hard you try, the edge will break somewhere, a hairpin will turn or a bolt will break off. And running to the store in the middle of repairs is just a waste of extra time, and fasteners can come in handy on the farm;
do not rush to tear down the unit that does not want to get out after dismantling. Perhaps you just missed 1-2 small bolts;
don't be afraid to grab a pry bar and a sledgehammer if you don't have a bolt. Especially when it comes to domestic cars;

do not rush to run to the store. We return to this question again. Even if you do not have the necessary items in stock, wait until you complete all possible work. As a rule, along the way, you will find that you need to purchase a lot more items. When the entire list is drawn up, then go shopping;
buy nuts with a margin. Their cost is relatively low, and no one needs to constantly run back and forth;

after repairing a car, do not rush to tighten all the nuts. Check if the node is healthy. If not, then it will be much easier to disassemble;
avoid the cheap tool. It can greatly interfere with the performance of many jobs;
try to take your friends as helpers, not girlfriends, wife or children. Indeed, one cannot do without a cool word in the garage, and it is somehow easier to work with friends;
repairs are best done by two people. More people will only interfere (unless they help warm the room with their breath in winter);
do not drink before renovation.
think in advance where you can get a grinder, drill, welding and other equipment (even if such devices are not needed during the repair). It may not be useful, but it may be useful;

put all the fasteners in separate boxes / jars (even signed ones are better) - this way it will be much easier to find them;
when changing the oil, be prepared to scald yourself - you can't go anywhere without it;
it is better to give the tool to third parties as rarely as possible - otherwise the equipment will then have to be lent to you. If necessary, go and help neighbors and friends yourself, and then return the instrument to its place;
remember that it can take a long time to fix a tiny part quickly. At the same time, you never know when you will find a serious malfunction, such as critical wear of discs, an extended parking brake cable or a leak in the axle shaft oil seal. Always expect the repair to take more time, effort and money than intended.

After reading all this, many will think: "Is there any point in starting repairs with your own hands?"... And they will do the right thing. In many cases, it is really worth seeking professional help.If you are doing repair work every couple of years, it is unlikely that you will be able to save money. After all, special skills and abilities are needed here. And, in addition, you will need a fairly large selection of various expensive tools.

Often, in order to replace a part for 300-500 rubles, you will have to buy equipment for several tens of thousands. So the speech that everything will cost much cheaper with your own hands is very dubious.

In general, do-it-yourself car repair is a complex, responsible, but doable process. The main thing here is to properly approach the organization of this process, read the instructions, and also familiarize yourself with the features of repairing a specific unit on a specific car.

And, of course, you should adhere to the above rules - with their help, any repairs will be faster and easier.

And then on the video there are cool tips for repairing a car with your own hands:

Today, more and more car enthusiasts are choosing to repair a car with their own hands. The materials and articles collected from us will be useful and interesting to both experienced craftsmen and those who are just starting to master the repair of a car.

Just go to the section that interests you and find out how:

In order for the car to serve for a long time, it is necessary to take care of it competently and in a timely manner. How to do it correctly, you can find out by reading the materials on the topic.

You can find out the latest news from the auto world, and if you have any questions - ask them in the heading question answer.

It happens that a car breaks down. This happens most often on used vehicles. On such machines, drivers make repairs with their own hands. So, a car is a rather complex mechanism that can break down at the most inopportune moment. In this article, we will try to summarize the types of malfunctions that can be eliminated on our own.

In fact, this is the most common breakdown in a car's device. Unfortunately, with such a breakdown, the car will not be able to move, so it is necessary to repair the internal combustion engine. Before you start repairing a car with your own hands, you need to make a diagnosis.

The first step is just to visually inspect the engine and all attachments. If the reason why the car does not start is understandable, then you should evaluate your strengths and think about whether you can repair the cars yourself. If the breakdown is not clear after a visual inspection, then you should drive the car to computer diagnostics.

It should be noted that breakdowns directly depend on the type of motor. For example, if the engine is carbureted, then the problem may be both in the carburetor itself and in other elements of the system. If the engine is injector, then the problem may be in the electronic control unit of the engine or in the sensors that give incorrect data to the ECU. As a result, the ignition system does not work, which cannot ignite the fuel for some specific reason. In addition, the problem may lie not only in the form of fuel supply. The damage may lie in the engine itself. Specifically, even candles can become unusable; without a spark, an internal combustion engine that runs on gasoline will not be able to start.

If the reason is not clear at first glance, then it would be best to drive the car for diagnostics, where the computer will show all the faults and their types.

The people have a simple name, a gearbox. There are several types, but most often a manual gearbox is found on used cars. Less common is the automatic gearbox. In order to repair a manual gearbox, no special knowledge is required in this area. In order to make such a car repair with your own hands, you just need to read the instructions or watch a video that will describe in detail the process of disassembling and assembling the gearbox housing, which you need to pay attention to when checking all the gears that are inside the gearbox housing.

Unfortunately, with a broken transmission, the car will most likely not be able to move, but it happens that the car does not turn on specific speeds. In this case, the first thing to do is to look at the gear shift and try to adjust it.After all, it often happens that drivers, not knowing, begin to disassemble the box, and after that the problem remains.

In fact, all car malfunctions will appear on computer diagnostics. Even those parts that are just beginning to fall into disrepair will be shown by diagnostics.

At this point, it is better not to postpone the replacement of such a part until it breaks. This can happen at any time and lead to irreparable consequences.

Often, the chassis of the car also becomes unusable. It must be repaired immediately after a malfunction is detected. The fact is that it is the chassis that is responsible for the life of the people who are in the car. Repair of cars on the undercarriage today is carried out even in the most ordinary garages. But it is best to do everything yourself, because in garages they can supply low-quality parts for the price of new and high-quality ones. In fact, there is nothing difficult about repairing the undercarriage of a car.Most often it is necessary to repair tips, ball and other suspension elements. Often, various oil seals and anthers come into disrepair. They must be replaced immediately, the fact is that they are needed to protect the most important mechanisms from various damage and dirt. Many drivers, when the oil seal or anther becomes unusable, do not pay attention, and soon change the entire part due to the fact that it has become unusable.As you know, a car is a complex mechanism in which each detail is responsible strictly for its task, and if it becomes unusable, then the operation of the entire system is disrupted. The article presents the most important components of the car, which, in the event of a breakdown, must be urgently repaired, otherwise the car may either not move at all, or move, but with great difficulty. Image - All about DIY auto repair

Of course, there are other important systems that are essential for the machine to function properly. These systems include the braking system, clutch and many others. There are also minor systems and devices that are more responsible for comfort while driving, such as air conditioning, power windows and other similar devices. Undoubtedly, each device needs to be repaired during a breakdown, otherwise the car will soon break down altogether and will not be able to move.

A rare driver will refuse the opportunity to do car repairs with his own hands. For many, the weekend under an iron friend in the garage and surrounded by comrades turns into a tradition. Oiled rags, black hands, drops of oil and the smell of gasoline all this undoubtedly excites the blood of an avid motorist.

He is able to sacrifice his personal weekend getaway, endure his wife's reproaches and spend his last money on spare parts. The cult of self-repairing a car on its own without outside help gathers new supporters among young car enthusiasts every year.

As soon as they buy a car, how to turn, screw, tighten, lubricate and perform a large number of operations related to the repair of a vehicle.

In the distant Soviet times, when the presence of a car was the lot of the lucky few who suffered a vehicle, the first rudiments of self-repair literally appeared.

Most of the drivers simply could not imagine how they could do otherwise. The most complex repairs concerning the engine or gearbox were carried out by a group of "specialists" of garage specialization with a glass of vodka.

From a technical point of view, the precursors of modern cars were structurally very simple as single-celled microorganisms. Many issues of repairing the undercarriage of the machine were solved using a hammer and a sledgehammer.

We must not forget that the car repair service began to emerge only in the nineties and was in its infancy for a long time.Its active development took place after a stream of used cars poured into the market. For local wrench wizards, their repairs were simply too tough.

Undoubtedly, self-repair of a vehicle for a driver has a number of advantages. They make it possible to replenish the ranks of avid lovers of self-repair.

Saving money;
Selection of quality spare parts;
Deepening technical knowledge;
Car repair in stages;
The ability to use the machine when performing repair work;
Fostering a respectful attitude towards the operation of a vehicle.

Of course, along with fans of car repairs with their own hands, there are opponents who speak extremely negatively about this way of spending time. They believe that, of course, real specialists with experience and using equipment should be engaged in repairing a vehicle.

Poor quality of repair;
Wrong choice of spare parts;
Purchase of cheap spare parts;
Time spent;
Lack of knowledge.

The choice between self-repair or contacting specialists depends only on the driver. Everyone must necessarily measure their strengths and capabilities. Otherwise, if you are not sure, it is best to contact the professionals.

Thank you for your attention, good luck on the road. Read, comment and ask questions. Subscribe to fresh and interesting articles on the site.

Error p0734 can occur on most modern foreign cars, for example, owners of Hyundai Accent / Matrix, KIA RIO, BMW (especially with automatic transmission 5hp19), VW (Volkswagen), Porsche Cayenne often encounter this problem.

Where to look for the reason if the car stalls when braking, vacuum booster and its pipeline, injection system, ECU, carburetor and gasoline pump, electronics.

Spare parts obtained during the dismantling of foreign cars are of good quality, where can I buy used spare parts for a car?

The consequences of improper installation of the cylinder head, bolt tightening conditions, general rules for performing work, nuances, common mistakes, the procedure for working on a VAZ 2112 16 valves, 2110, 2109, 2106, 2107, on a prior, ZMZ 406.

What affects traffic safety, the purpose and design of the glass heating system, the power circuit and the principle of operation, malfunctions, methods for restoring conductive strips, repair kits and means for restoring threads.

Welcome to the site> - your personal assistant in car repair with your own hands! Our site was created specifically for those car owners who like to repair a car on their own, without the help of car service specialists.

The lessons of our site will help you to repair your car with your own hands, quickly and practically "at home". Auto repair videos reveal in detail all stages of the process of replacing components and consumables for different brands of cars - from domestic (VAZ, NIVA, GAZ) to popular foreign cars (Audi, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, etc.) ...

The site contains analytical articles on car repair, the choice of components and consumables that will be useful to drivers when carrying out repairs.

What should be done every 10 thousand km in your car? - Yes, everyone knows that! Every motorist knows that every 10 thousand km or once a year (whichever comes first) it is necessary to replace the engine oil in the engine and the oil filter. Why change oil and filter? Engine oil (the oil in the engine) ages, gets dirty, loses its viscosity, which leads to premature engine wear.

It is difficult to imagine a motorist who does not have any tool. When there is no garage, most of us make do with the bare minimum. Well, if, you are a happy owner of a garage, then you are slowly overgrowing with tools and special devices for repairing your iron horse.

Once again about the means for removing scratches from the surface of the body - entry-level products for everyone who has hands. Testing a scratch remover "Anti-scratch»Production Turtle wax, a miracle assistant before a full refurbishment of your car's paintwork. We answer all possible questions.

In lighting devices - the headlights of a modern car - glass has been replaced by plastic, which becomes cloudy over time, scratches, chips and other damage appear on the surface. As a result, the illumination of the road is reduced by up to 30%, and this is your safety on the night road and the appearance of your car deteriorates.

Have you heard about Fix it Pro? No, then you will soon hear!

Background. One fine day, while watching another episode of my favorite TV series during a commercial break, I saw this miracle tool called Fix it Pro in the TV shop. What progress has come! The first thought that came to mind. I think she came to you too.

Nanotechnology. A revolution in car care products? Miracle remedy, miracle pencil. Considering the fact that the product - Fix it Pro is imported and sellers of the "miracle of pencil" do not always provide the buyer with instructions for use, we decided to post our version - what we got with the tested sample of the miracle of the remedy.

When buying "consumables" and spare parts, every car enthusiast first of all looks at the price-quality ratio. The filter is the "heart" of the motor, oil is "blood". What surprises can a low-quality, "left" filter present to us, our beloved four-wheeled friend? Why be prepared, because the car does not forgive poor service.

We all know well that when changing the oil, it is necessary to replace the oil filter, but the choice of the filter is as difficult as the choice of the mother oil. So that we would not be at all ... ..we have prepared this material.

During the repair work, it becomes necessary to paint bumpers, moldings, panels and other plastic elements. Most of the car body paints used interact negatively with plastics when applied directly. For high-quality painting, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of plastic from which the bumper or other element is made.

The body is the main element of the car, ensuring its proper operation. This component has a complex structure and is subject to high loads from time to time. Therefore, problems arise that require intervention. Body repair allows you to restore damage and restore the working condition of the car.

The reasons for the repair are two factors:

The most common manifestation of the first factor is wear and tear. Most of the damage to the body is a natural process. This component has an operational period, after which the strength values decrease and it becomes vulnerable. The most common cause of wear is corrosion.

Sometimes the cause of problems with the body is non-observance of the rules for storing a car, or improper use. These actions are related to the human factor. Also included in this category:

constructive flaws made by the manufacturer;
malfunctions of defects arising from the assembly of the machine;
damage resulting from poor quality repairs.

The human factor includes road accidents. More than 50% of accidents involve damage to the car body.

General body faults:

operational;
constructive;
technological.

Body damage includes damage to the original condition of an element, from minor scratches to large dents or creases.

The organization of the technological process of work on car restoration begins with diagnostics.

Diagnostics determines the presence of all faults, their features and nature. This makes it easier to choose a way to repair the body. Diagnostics is performed in three stages:

The paintwork of the machine is inspected for defects.
An assessment of the geometry of the body is given - if there are irregularities, an inspection without special equipment is sufficient.
A quality examination is carried out to determine the condition of the welded seams and fasteners. This task requires attention and experience, since the main load is distributed among these elements.

After troubleshooting, a repair plan is drawn up.

Body repair is a set of technological actions aimed at restoring the body. The basis of this process involves the elimination of damage of any nature.

There are two types of body repair:

full - used when repairing large damage. Most often it is used when restoring a car after an accident;
local - used when detecting scratches, chips and other minor damages.

Car body repair technology depends on the level of malfunctions. At a high level using full recovery, special equipment is required.

This type of body restoration can be done at home. Local repair does not require laborious actions, and is used to repair minor damage. Body repair includes restoration of:

scratches and chips;
small dents;
early stage of metal rust.

External body repairs are performed using:

External repair cannot eliminate the dimensional damage to the elements. Additional tools for airbrushing and glass cloth processing may be required.

In most cases, the restoration of the body by an overhaul method cannot be performed independently. Its implementation requires professional equipment and special skills. This type of restoration work involves the dismantling of the car. Its purpose is to detect all defects and minor damage. During the restoration, even minor elements are removed.

To detect hidden defects, contact welding zones are drilled out.

Welding works are carried out upon detection:

corrosion of parts;
cracks in the body structure;
deep deformation of parts.

Overhaul is not complete without replacing damaged structural elements.

The main tool used to restore the car body is the slipway. This tool is constructed with high strength values sufficient for power work. The main alignment action is to drag. It involves the use of a system of fasteners acting on points of the structure, under pressure on which the body part takes on its original shape. This task involves a high level of complexity, which is difficult to cope with in the absence of experience.

The slipway provides the measurements required for accurate repair work. Geometry alignment is carried out in stages:

Secure the vehicle on the slipway platform.
After calculating the points on the machines, the rig is attached to them.
Start slipway installation.

After starting, the slipway and rigging automatically pulls the damage into the desired shape. The equipment assumes the use of a computer program that calculates the required level of effort and an indicator for measuring the rack.

The advantage of the slipway installation is that it does not violate the quality of the metal in the fault zones during their elimination.

Do-it-yourself car body repair of car dents is carried out in three ways:

With glue. Straightening or editing is done using the Pops-a-Dent kit. It includes a heat gun, silicone glue, special rods. After applying the glue and fixing the rods, wait until it hardens. Then carefully pull out the dents along with the rods.
Using a vacuum. The main special tool is a vacuum suction cup.It attaches to the surface of the dent, creating a vacuum. The dent can then be pulled out without risk of damaging the coating surface. Using vacuum pads is a paint-free way to remove dents.
PDR technology. With the help of special levers, which are inserted through the technological holes of the car, it is possible to reach large dents and remove them by extrusion.

The last method is not recommended for doing it yourself. PDR technology is used by those who have good skills in using professional equipment.

If standard local body repair fails, patches are used. They are used to seal holes in the car body. The patch allows you to repair through rust, if the hole diameter does not exceed 8-10 centimeters. Otherwise, the part is completely replaced.

Before attaching the patch, the edges of the hole are processed. The patch itself must have a diameter exceeding the size of the damage (welded overlapping). For its manufacture, thin metal is used. For fastening, a continuous seam is used. It is recommended to use semi-automatic welding machines.

Scratches and chips are removed with minor body repairs. It involves the use of paint and polish. Additionally, you can apply a primer. The surface is sanded, then a protective coating is applied. New technologies provide sanding, after which the abrasion will not be visible. Cosmetic repairs are easy to do at home.

The paint must match the color of the body finish. Otherwise, the surface of the machine will look unpresentable.

For painting in accordance with the technology of car repair, you need to use only substances designed to cover the surface of the car. In some cases, several stages of coloring are required. After body repair and painting, the surface is thoroughly washed.

Video (click to play).

The painted machine is polished. Sanding is carried out with soft abrasives only after the paint has completely dried.

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