Fitting your own modifications with no mechanical knowledge
Discussion
Just browsing readers cars and looking at Darren390's stunning 147 GTA...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And noticing the good advice to take heed of from previous or current owners in that thread for fitting the Q2 or Quaife diff, ARB's, new suspension in the form of KW coilovers and so on and here's me thinking, y'know I'd love a 147 GTA and would probably do all those things...
However I've got no mechanical knowledge whatsoever. Despite my love of cars as physical objects I'd struggle to do most things so I wonder. How many people buy these modifications and fit them themselves or do they take the parts to a local garage and get them to fit them instead?
Just something I'm wondering at 2.27am because I can't sleep.
I should probably gain some mechanical knowledge somehow. Beyond changing wheels when you get a flat and topping up the oil I know pretty much f
k all and that's quite staggeringly bad on my part really. And then I think, I'd consider myself a car enthusiast and I don't know these things, so what of all the mindless drones on the road, stuck in the middle lane on the motorway getting from A to B without a care in the world. I bet the moment they get an issue that would be a simple fix, they just get rid of the car.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And noticing the good advice to take heed of from previous or current owners in that thread for fitting the Q2 or Quaife diff, ARB's, new suspension in the form of KW coilovers and so on and here's me thinking, y'know I'd love a 147 GTA and would probably do all those things...
However I've got no mechanical knowledge whatsoever. Despite my love of cars as physical objects I'd struggle to do most things so I wonder. How many people buy these modifications and fit them themselves or do they take the parts to a local garage and get them to fit them instead?
Just something I'm wondering at 2.27am because I can't sleep.
I should probably gain some mechanical knowledge somehow. Beyond changing wheels when you get a flat and topping up the oil I know pretty much f
k all and that's quite staggeringly bad on my part really. And then I think, I'd consider myself a car enthusiast and I don't know these things, so what of all the mindless drones on the road, stuck in the middle lane on the motorway getting from A to B without a care in the world. I bet the moment they get an issue that would be a simple fix, they just get rid of the car.Edited by F1GTRUeno on Tuesday 16th December 02:32
The best I can do is to change a wheel although I could probably change the oil in my car if I followed instructions. I don't have the patience or the knowledge/inclination to do anything else. I loved playing with lego when I was younger but always got into a massive huff at some point when assembling the models 
Mechanicing isn't difficult in theory, you're just taking things off and putting them back the way you found them. It's all the bits in between you and the part you want to change that usually cause the headaches. Or rusty / rounded / really really tight fasteners in a really really awkward place. But you work it out and get better each time you encounter an issue.
Get stuck in, start with the basics and work your way up. Then one day, when you're lying on your back in the freezing cold on a Saturday night trying to wrestle a gearbox back on, you'll wish you never picked up a bloody spanner.
But the money to be saved and the satisfaction makes it all worth it!
Get stuck in, start with the basics and work your way up. Then one day, when you're lying on your back in the freezing cold on a Saturday night trying to wrestle a gearbox back on, you'll wish you never picked up a bloody spanner.
But the money to be saved and the satisfaction makes it all worth it!
As someone who works in an office for the money, sometimes swearing at a car is the ideal vent given that knutting people at work is usually frowned upon.
As yorkshireegg says the usual pitfalls are when things stick. Occassionally, inexperience can cause ignorance and lead to carelessly dismantling something that really should have had parts numbered and/or original positions recorded. If you don't know it matters, you don't know to do it. There's also often a perception (even amongst the lower primate end of the professional scale) that anything that goes back together needs to be as tight as possible, ruining heads and threads alike.
It's not hard though. Really. There are countless little tips to pick up along the way. Half the battle is correctly identifying the correct tool for the job and having it.
I'm the first in 3 generations who hasn't worked hands-on with aeroplanes for a living, but I have had plenty teachings. I got in to car DIY out of necessity at first and nowadays it's nice to have the choice whether to do something myself rather than just get bent over a barrel for a garage to screw it up for you whilst charging a fortune.
As yorkshireegg says the usual pitfalls are when things stick. Occassionally, inexperience can cause ignorance and lead to carelessly dismantling something that really should have had parts numbered and/or original positions recorded. If you don't know it matters, you don't know to do it. There's also often a perception (even amongst the lower primate end of the professional scale) that anything that goes back together needs to be as tight as possible, ruining heads and threads alike.
It's not hard though. Really. There are countless little tips to pick up along the way. Half the battle is correctly identifying the correct tool for the job and having it.
I'm the first in 3 generations who hasn't worked hands-on with aeroplanes for a living, but I have had plenty teachings. I got in to car DIY out of necessity at first and nowadays it's nice to have the choice whether to do something myself rather than just get bent over a barrel for a garage to screw it up for you whilst charging a fortune.
I learned through necessity, constantly patching up and running a number of old bangers in my early driving career.
The comments above are spot on. In most cases, even "big" jobs like changing a cambelt or even a clutch, are actually really straightforward. It's the dismantling and (more critically) the reassembling involved either side of the actual job that takes the time, especially when there's always at least one fastener that gives you a nightmare. I remember replacing the gearbox on the Alfa 156 V6 we were doing up a few years ago. One solitary bolt on the bell housing had us scratching our heads for ages, and eventually buying a special tool for. We'd had all the other bolts out in under 2 minutes in total, and this little git held us up for days. Also, when we did the cambelt, one of the idler bolts snapped like a carrot when we tried to undo it, and had to be Dremel'd and drilled out. This took an hour on its own. As in:
The trick is not to panic. Take it as it comes, and crucially when you've had enough, down tools and walk away. Also good to work with a like minded mate or two. Two heads are definitely better than one, and the banter can keep you going.
The comments above are spot on. In most cases, even "big" jobs like changing a cambelt or even a clutch, are actually really straightforward. It's the dismantling and (more critically) the reassembling involved either side of the actual job that takes the time, especially when there's always at least one fastener that gives you a nightmare. I remember replacing the gearbox on the Alfa 156 V6 we were doing up a few years ago. One solitary bolt on the bell housing had us scratching our heads for ages, and eventually buying a special tool for. We'd had all the other bolts out in under 2 minutes in total, and this little git held us up for days. Also, when we did the cambelt, one of the idler bolts snapped like a carrot when we tried to undo it, and had to be Dremel'd and drilled out. This took an hour on its own. As in:
The trick is not to panic. Take it as it comes, and crucially when you've had enough, down tools and walk away. Also good to work with a like minded mate or two. Two heads are definitely better than one, and the banter can keep you going.
Edited by Limpet on Tuesday 16th December 08:39
Don't rule out youtube for tutorial videos. There will be a few on there that are vague or just plain incorrect, but for the most part you can learn how something can be done, or at the very least whether it is beyond your skill level/hassle tolerance.
I was fortunate to have a Father that did everything auto related, from engine rebuilds to body repair and painting, but even so, the simplicity of the 70's era cars he always fiddled with meant that ECUs and fuel injection were things that I knew nothing about. All that I learned about those (including DIY remapping, diagnostics and coding) I learned from various internet forums and youtube.
Start small and preferably on something that isn't too valuable or your only mode of transport to work the next day. You will make mistakes and you don't want those to be too costly or inconvenient.
I was fortunate to have a Father that did everything auto related, from engine rebuilds to body repair and painting, but even so, the simplicity of the 70's era cars he always fiddled with meant that ECUs and fuel injection were things that I knew nothing about. All that I learned about those (including DIY remapping, diagnostics and coding) I learned from various internet forums and youtube.
Start small and preferably on something that isn't too valuable or your only mode of transport to work the next day. You will make mistakes and you don't want those to be too costly or inconvenient.
I used to be a mechanical novice, but running a race car has made me a bit more self reliant. From only having basic knowledge such as oil changes I've moved up to clutch changes, struts removed, drive shafts, and most things that bolt to an engine I can remove and replace - e.g. starter motor.
You do need the tools, it took me 17 hours to remove and replace a gearbox first time round as I didn't have the tools, second time round it took about 4 hours.
But there are a couple of things that you need to help you,
1) is a double garage or equivalent, I know you can do things outside on the driveway, but leaving a car up on axle stands is going to piss your neighbours off if you can't put it back to together, and it is also chuffing cold in the winter
2) If it takes a competent mechanic 60 mins or less to do the job you think you want to do, then go for it, as it is essentially a straightforward job
3) Don't tackle a job on a car you need to use within a defined time period, as what are you going to do if you can't put it back together? E.g. I'd like to try a few more involved jobs on my wife's car, but she needs it, and won't be happy if she has to take the bus, just for the sake of me saving a few quid!
You do need the tools, it took me 17 hours to remove and replace a gearbox first time round as I didn't have the tools, second time round it took about 4 hours.
But there are a couple of things that you need to help you,
1) is a double garage or equivalent, I know you can do things outside on the driveway, but leaving a car up on axle stands is going to piss your neighbours off if you can't put it back to together, and it is also chuffing cold in the winter
2) If it takes a competent mechanic 60 mins or less to do the job you think you want to do, then go for it, as it is essentially a straightforward job
3) Don't tackle a job on a car you need to use within a defined time period, as what are you going to do if you can't put it back together? E.g. I'd like to try a few more involved jobs on my wife's car, but she needs it, and won't be happy if she has to take the bus, just for the sake of me saving a few quid!
Like others have said, unless you're stripping and reconditioning gearboxes or rebuilding an engine most things boil down to;
A) Correct tools make a world of difference
B) How much access you have (do you have a ramp, stands?)
C) How bloody stuck certain bolts can be (on a 25+ year old car, a few)
D) Confidence
Apart from that I'm not really bothered about having a go at anything else. I did do a 12 month course a few years ago but it wasn't extensive. I always have a little look on the internet if I'm unsure of anything and just take my time, taking pictures before hand helps when reassembling things too. Certain things are just so awkward to do at home, but manageable.
I did completely strip a gearbox in college and reassemble it. I can see why specialists exist just for these things.
A) Correct tools make a world of difference
B) How much access you have (do you have a ramp, stands?)
C) How bloody stuck certain bolts can be (on a 25+ year old car, a few)
D) Confidence
Apart from that I'm not really bothered about having a go at anything else. I did do a 12 month course a few years ago but it wasn't extensive. I always have a little look on the internet if I'm unsure of anything and just take my time, taking pictures before hand helps when reassembling things too. Certain things are just so awkward to do at home, but manageable.
I did completely strip a gearbox in college and reassemble it. I can see why specialists exist just for these things.
Speaking as someone who loves modified cars...
Many owners haven't got a clue and do it themselves, the first thing I do after buying a car is put it on a ramp and check everything - it's unusual not to find issues, several times there have been real safety concerns - rollcage not actually bolted in, steering rack that you could pull the end out of, etc
Many owners haven't got a clue and do it themselves, the first thing I do after buying a car is put it on a ramp and check everything - it's unusual not to find issues, several times there have been real safety concerns - rollcage not actually bolted in, steering rack that you could pull the end out of, etc
is suggest you put some thought and reseach into what tools to buy
for instance you want a proper trolley jack and stands , not the jack that comes with the spare wheel
dont go buying any old 1000 peice socket set , unless you plan to work on random classics all you will need is metric , but these sets you see going for cheap at xmas are often filled with random old sizes you wont ever use
sockets come in 12 point and 6 point , get the 6 point ones theyre much less likley to round things off . 1/4" drive for swapping a headlight or interior trims , 3/8" for general meduim use and 1/2" for suspension and big stuff , i think much frustration comes from trying to get by with the wrong tools and ruining the fastener then making it 10x worse.get some irwin bolt grips for if /when you do find a rounded bolt
if in doubt ASK FIRST not when its wrecked
for instance you want a proper trolley jack and stands , not the jack that comes with the spare wheel
dont go buying any old 1000 peice socket set , unless you plan to work on random classics all you will need is metric , but these sets you see going for cheap at xmas are often filled with random old sizes you wont ever use
sockets come in 12 point and 6 point , get the 6 point ones theyre much less likley to round things off . 1/4" drive for swapping a headlight or interior trims , 3/8" for general meduim use and 1/2" for suspension and big stuff , i think much frustration comes from trying to get by with the wrong tools and ruining the fastener then making it 10x worse.get some irwin bolt grips for if /when you do find a rounded bolt
if in doubt ASK FIRST not when its wrecked
A couple of years back I could do no more than take wheels off / top up oil.
Then I serviced my Mazda MX5 - oil change, spark plugs, HT leads, visusal checks.
This summer I did an engine/gearbox out gearbox change on my Caterham.
My thoughts:
Use the internet and forums - there is a lot of good advice.
Find a friendly mechanic - I found one in my road and he helped get the engine/gearbox out with a hoist for beer tokens. Sometimes just having two of you gives you confidence to push on.
Working on a hobby car is fun - you just stop when you are done and close the garage door. Trying to sort something on the daily late Sunday night ready for work Monday morning doesn't sound fun to me.
Have the right tools - nothing makes a job harder than having to improvise all the time.
Having a nice space to work in makes a difference to me, I've been lucky as our houses have had decent sized garages.
Before you just have a go, look at how it all works and how it all fits together and take pictures of it. Read the manual if you have one, if not, get one.
My dad told me once "if you don't know what it is or what it does, you're not ready to touch it yet" which I thought was good advice (well, when it came to cars anyway
).
Don't rush. I spent about as much time with a cup of tea looking and thinking with Five Live in the background as I did spannering - but that probably says more about my work ethic than anything else
Then I serviced my Mazda MX5 - oil change, spark plugs, HT leads, visusal checks.
This summer I did an engine/gearbox out gearbox change on my Caterham.
My thoughts:
Use the internet and forums - there is a lot of good advice.
Find a friendly mechanic - I found one in my road and he helped get the engine/gearbox out with a hoist for beer tokens. Sometimes just having two of you gives you confidence to push on.
Working on a hobby car is fun - you just stop when you are done and close the garage door. Trying to sort something on the daily late Sunday night ready for work Monday morning doesn't sound fun to me.
Have the right tools - nothing makes a job harder than having to improvise all the time.
Having a nice space to work in makes a difference to me, I've been lucky as our houses have had decent sized garages.
Before you just have a go, look at how it all works and how it all fits together and take pictures of it. Read the manual if you have one, if not, get one.
My dad told me once "if you don't know what it is or what it does, you're not ready to touch it yet" which I thought was good advice (well, when it came to cars anyway
).Don't rush. I spent about as much time with a cup of tea looking and thinking with Five Live in the background as I did spannering - but that probably says more about my work ethic than anything else
I'm no expert, but I have done a few bits. Nothing involving engine out, but replacing wiper motors, various cables, etc. Minor stuff, but satisfying and the type of thing you can do in the car park of a block of flats or in on road parking outside your house.
I would say, check any job you have to do before starting. Check the tools you need to do any job. If you are just doing one car it is sometimes better to just get a mechanic to do it if it involves special, expensive tools. If a tool is going to cost £50+ and it is specifically for job you may only do once, then it may be worth taking it to the garage, depending on how long the job is.
For fitting modifications, start with something easy and work up. Stop when you feel it is getting to complex. Just make sure you have the tools you need to start with, a tray to put all your bits in so non get lost and a can of plusgas.
I would say, check any job you have to do before starting. Check the tools you need to do any job. If you are just doing one car it is sometimes better to just get a mechanic to do it if it involves special, expensive tools. If a tool is going to cost £50+ and it is specifically for job you may only do once, then it may be worth taking it to the garage, depending on how long the job is.
For fitting modifications, start with something easy and work up. Stop when you feel it is getting to complex. Just make sure you have the tools you need to start with, a tray to put all your bits in so non get lost and a can of plusgas.
Just read some forum posts / how to guides / youtube videos and get stuck in.
For me it seems to be three things you need:
1/3 is having the right tools
1/3 is having good instructions
1/3 is having some luck that not every single part is rusted on solid!
Personally there's no skill required, any monkey can do it, it's just the three above. Pretty much every job I've ever tried on a car has taken longer than it should due to me having issues with rusted on parts, that then lead to me not having adequate tools to remove, and having to buy/borrow/bodge etc.
For me it seems to be three things you need:
1/3 is having the right tools
1/3 is having good instructions
1/3 is having some luck that not every single part is rusted on solid!
Personally there's no skill required, any monkey can do it, it's just the three above. Pretty much every job I've ever tried on a car has taken longer than it should due to me having issues with rusted on parts, that then lead to me not having adequate tools to remove, and having to buy/borrow/bodge etc.
My trick when I'm stuck. Take the dog for a walk, an idea usually comes to me, plus it seems to loosen me up after lying on my back using unfamiliar muscles.
My worst habit. I've got a spare hour let's do some tinkering.
You need.
a)Tools
b)Time
c)Spares
d)Preparation
e)A means to get out to fetch a tool or a part you've messed up.
My worst habit. I've got a spare hour let's do some tinkering.
You need.
a)Tools
b)Time
c)Spares
d)Preparation
e)A means to get out to fetch a tool or a part you've messed up.
Daston said:
Also one thing that has saved me all sorts of aggro.....plus gas 
This stuff is fantastic and can make getting old bolts off very easy.
Really? This stuff is fantastic and can make getting old bolts off very easy.I've used it but I don't see any difference.
I think the best leap I made was jumping to air tools. That made me so lazy that I went and got an electric Snap on Impact gun so I didn't have to start the compressor.
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