Auto Repair Tips for Avoiding a Diy Car Repair Disaster

Chevy Small Block V-8

Here are some Diy car repair tips for the do it yourself crowd. Start off with in depth research using a combination of online resources and factory auto repair manuals.

When it comes to repairing your own car or truck You’ll find factory supplied information the highest in quality. You can look around for free ones, find used manuals, or access them here immediately through a trusted web based provider.

It’s important, because good reference materials can help avoid a Diy car repair disaster. Here’s how at home repairs usually go. When fixing your own car or truck in the driveway it can go one of two ways. You can be successful and fix it right the first time.

However, you can also make matters worse by creating additional problems. The latter will increase total costs and the down time of the automobile in question. Let me give you a real life example of this. I had a nice guy e-mail me for some tips with a no start condition on his Ford work truck.

Service Manual on PDF
Service Manual on PDF

I advised him to get a no start diagnostic tree chart online from one of the service manuals on this site. I recommend the complete workshop manual for Diy car repair, because they’re sourced from the factory service manuals.

They’re well done in my opinion and easier to follow. They offer instant access to no start diagnostic tree charts for cars and trucks. The ladder diagrams come with pictures and helpful auto repair tips meant for dealership level technicians. See the Demonstration video below for more information.

The gentleman told me he could not afford the $29 and his brother thought replacing the distributor would fix the problem. A new aftermarket distributor cost $550. I said wait, test the old one first.

Unfortunately, He purchased and replaced the distributor, but this did not repair the problem with the mighty Ford. It was also not returnable, because most electrical parts have a no refund policy to avoid the try before you buy auto parts shopper.

Diy Car Repair isn’t for Everyone

automotive diagnostic chart
Diy Car Repair No Start Ladder Diagram

Know when the auto repair is over your head and get the needed help before the repair operation snowballs into something ugly. This happens to me all the time and I have been doing this for 30 years. Let’s get back to the story.

Once again, I advised that he needed a service manual for this diagnosis. He ignored my calls for logical diagnostics and replaced the coil, cap, rotor, wires and spark plugs. It still wouldn’t start. Now he’s a thousand dollars deep in car parts that didn’t need replacement.

This is the guy who could not afford $19.95. Finally, he towed the car to a trusted auto repair shop and they fixed it for about $500.00. They said it needed a fuel pump. So just shy of two grand later he found his way on the road again.

Just to let you know step 1 on the diagnostic tree chart was an in-depth procedure with pictures for checking for fuel delivery. They also had a bulletin for electronic fuel injection problems and for fuel pump failure on this year, make and model.

Use Online Auto Repair Help Services

Why not use all the tools available to you on the internet? You can get Haynes paper auto repair manuals sent to your door with online ordering. You can also get access to an online manual instantly as I mentioned above.

If you want, chat with a mechanic. You can even get answers to your specific automotive issues with justanswer.com. Most questions receive multiple answers within 15 minutes depending on the time and the complexity of the submitted question.

With all of these options for gaining information about repairing your car at home, achieving professional results is not only possible it’s likely. Don’t be afraid to spend a few dollars on reference materials or help services. Throwing parts at the problem is a slippery slope that often ends badly.

If you do take the car into a shop, run the estimate on the Net. Others have most likely faced the same issue with similar automobiles. Learn from their mistakes and successes. Now watch the video to see how to find and download the Diy car repair manual for your ride. See what they look like installed an a PC.