Basic DIY car service

Wile E. Coyote

So instead of taking my car to the garage for a service I've decided to give it a go myself. It can't be that hard can it?

I'm not going for anything too complicated just oil & filter, air filter, top up brake fluid and spark plugs. I've never had to do anything like this so not sure what I should expect. Anyone any tips or advise on what to look out for or what I'll need or anything else I should do while I'm at it? I think I have everything covered but I know as soon as I get the car jacked up I'm going to say 'sh*t, I'm going to need......'.

Also, for those of you that do this yourselves where do you buy from? Was just looking on Micksgarage.ie and it looks a better place to shop than halfords.

Oh and it's an 07 megane that I have. Thanks in advance.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055422868

Ensure you have axle stands.
Local factors is the best place for parts, Halfords for oil if it's on sale

Wile E. Coyote

Started this morning. Air filter - grand. Spark plugs - grand. Jacked up the car, put it on stands, got underneath, took off the protective cover and then as predicted the customary 'ah ****' moment hits. Stupid Renault don't have a normal bolt for the oil, it's a poxy square head which I don't have

Atlantic Dawn

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Started this morning. Air filter - grand. Spark plugs - grand. Jacked up the car, put it on stands, got underneath, took off the protective cover and then as predicted the customary 'ah ****' moment hits. Stupid Renault don't have a normal bolt for the oil, it's a poxy square head which I don't have

Check in your local motor factors or Halfords, I'm sure one of them should sell a tool to remove it. Your other option is to buy one of those pumps that takes the oil out from the top but personally I always go with the sump option.

skyhighflyer

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Started this morning. Air filter - grand. Spark plugs - grand. Jacked up the car, put it on stands, got underneath, took off the protective cover and then as predicted the customary 'ah ****' moment hits. Stupid Renault don't have a normal bolt for the oil, it's a poxy square head which I don't have

Those little square section adapters for French car sumps are available in any motorfactors for about 6 euro.

BrianD3

This is the one you need
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_198829_langId_-1_categoryId_212616#dtab

Wile E. Coyote

Thanks all. Had to go to three different shops and had to buy a full set in the end but it's all good cause good tools never go to waste. Just a pain in the a*s when your all set up and have to down tools and the nearest auto parts is 20km away.

Max_Damage

It's great to see someone taking the initiative in doing DIY servicing.

You'll be amazed the amount of money it'll save in the long run, plus you'll have the confidence in the work that's done.

Your next step will be brake pads (on disc brakes). Drum brakes are somewhat more complicated and awkward to work on on the other hand.

Arthur Daley

RoverJames wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055422868

Ensure you have axle stands.

Is there a risk of a car moving/coming off axle stands? What risks/precautions can a DIY novice take to ensure safety? Don't want a ton of car coming down on you.

Max_Damage

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Is there a risk of a car moving/coming off axle stands? What risks/precautions can a DIY novice take to ensure safety? Don't want a ton of car coming down on you.

Apply handbrake and put the car in gear. Put a brick or something behind the wheels if you want to be extra cautious.

Never had any problems.

Seth Brundle

Axle stands are much less susceptable to toppling than a standard jack.
However, if crawling under, it would be no harm to put a brick in front and behing any tyres on the ground and also stick the spare underneath (one of the raised wheels if possible).
I have a trolley jack and would have this just in place to catch the car were it to somehow fall.

Arthur Daley

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Is there a risk of a car moving/coming off axle stands?

Yep, unfortunately there will always be some risk, I'm never 100% happy under a car to he honest. However the belts and braces approach is the way to go.

Arthur Daley wrote: »

What risks/precautions can a DIY novice take to ensure safety?

- ensure the points where the axle stands are supporting the car are solid and not corroded.
- ensure the ground where the stands rest on is solid and level, you don't want the stands sitting in inches of gravel, crumbling concrete or grass/mud.
- chock whatever wheels are still on the ground, have handbrake on and car in gear.
- as well as the stands use the jack as an extra support under a towing eye or similar.
- I live on a main road that is fairly busy, I ensure the gates are closed to prevent some dog coming in and having a munch off my leg or something while I'm under the car. Stranger things have happened, years back when I was a kid a stray pit bull terrier or staff or something wandered into a neighbours front garden :eek:

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Don't want a ton of car coming down on you.

True

Arthur Daley

Thanks for the tips. Everything has it's risks of course, not least driving the damn motor. Just have to calculate/mitigate the risk.

Caveat emptor me old son.

Wile E. Coyote

Have to say I was a bit nervous about getting under the car even with the stands in place. I left the car sitting there for about 20mins before sticking my head under. I figured if it didn't come down in that time then it was steady enough.

lomb

Ive built 4 wooden ramps to drive my car up onto. I followed the plans below. Costs about 50 euros in wood, glue and screws and they are easy to store in a shed on top of each other. Helps if you have a chainsaw to cut them.

Id say those plus axle stands are bullet proof 'almost'

http://www.tt-forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=62767

johndaman66

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Stupid Renault don't have a normal bolt for the oil, it's a poxy square head which I don't have

Hmm so Renault are still using that peculiar sump bolt. I can remember when I started driving and deciding to service my own car (Renault megavan). Got the car up on the axle stands and underneath with my socket set. Remember saying to myself, what the fu*k when I saw the square hole! A neighbour who used to service his wifes Peugeot 205 van kindly lent me a little tool he had fabricated for that and low and behold it was the same. I would have thought Renault had moved into the 21st century since but seemingly not!

Its true enough you cant be too safe when you are underneath a raised car. I ensure in the first instance I park on pretty solid and level ground. Chock the wheels still on the ground. Like somebody previously mentioned I also put 2 jacks underneath the car (one at either side where the axle stands are). I have them not supporting the car in the slightest but if God forebid the axle stands were to give for any quaint reason the car would be immediately sitting on the jacks. I'm probably being pedantic but much better to er on the safe side. If in doubt simply don't get under the car.

Also OP you may well already be aware but its good practice to leave the oil out hen engine is warm as hot oil will drain better than cold oil

maidhc

an old railway sleeper cut up make great "axle" stands. Timber is far less likely to slip too, and the sleeper blocks are steadier than stands.

pajero12

How many of ye noticed this "square bolt" is the same as the drive on a ratchet or tommy bar? :P

BrianD3

pajero12 wrote: »

How many of ye noticed this "square bolt" is the same as the drive on a ratchet or tommy bar? :P

Not the same, it is an 8 mm square hole which is significantly bigger than a 1/4 inch square drive on a ratchet. And a 3/8 inch ratchet drive is too big.

Mech1

your right Brian:)

pajero12

BrianD3 wrote: »

Not the same, it is an 8 mm square hole which is significantly bigger than a 1/4 inch square drive on a ratchet. And a 3/8 inch ratchet drive is too big.

Ah well I do appreciate that, but i was just referring to the shape, Quite a few heavy diesel engines I've serviced used 1/2 inch ratchet drives!

Wile E. Coyote

Max_Damage wrote: »

It's great to see someone taking the initiative in doing DIY servicing.

You'll be amazed the amount of money it'll save in the long run, plus you'll have the confidence in the work that's done.

Your next step will be brake pads (on disc brakes). Drum brakes are somewhat more complicated and awkward to work on on the other hand.

Decided to have a go at changing the front brake pads tomorrow seeing as the weather is good. Anyone any tips or advice before I hit that customary 'Ah Sh*t' moment again?

JoeySully

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Decided to have a go at changing the front brake pads tomorrow seeing as the weather is good. Anyone any tips or advice before I hit that customary 'Ah Sh*t' moment again?

?? make / model / year ??

El Inho

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Is there a risk of a car moving/coming off axle stands? What risks/precautions can a DIY novice take to ensure safety? Don't want a ton of car coming down on you.

I always take off the wheels and move them in under the chassis

Wile E. Coyote

JoeySully wrote: »

?? make / model / year ??

It's an 07 Megane.

YbFocus

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Decided to have a go at changing the front brake pads tomorrow seeing as the weather is good. Anyone any tips or advice before I hit that customary 'Ah Sh*t' moment again?

Have a tub of copper grease with you to grease up the slides. A little emery paper goes a long way in getting them like new too!
Make sure pads are the same, if you can take one out before hand and bring it with you do as there can be many different variants depending on model!

Thats all really hope it helps, just take your time and it'll be grand!

bonzodog2

I don't know the Megane, so they could be different, but some cars I've done pads on, the caliper is in 2 parts, one bolts to the back of the hub, acting as a carrier for the pads. The other part includes the hydraulics & pistons which squeeze the pads against the disc. This second part can be removed separately. On some cars I found this a little easier to change the pads with the 2 parts separate.

Since the new pads are thicker than the old ones, the piston needs to be pushed back in to make room for the thicker pads. You can either open the bleed nipple, with a bit of tube attached, hanging into a jar, otherwise the fluid will go back up the pipes to the master cylinder. If this is nearly full, it will overflow!

The piston part of the caliper has a sliding arrangement to allow for pad wear, moving relative to the pad carrier part. You'll prob be grand on a 07 Megane, but its worth checking this sliding, if its not working it'll cause uneven wear.