November, 2021 Archives

While we love our cars, there is no denying the fact that getting them serviced professionally can be an expensive affair.

That’s why we suggest taking on some auto repair and maintenance jobs yourself. This will not only help you save quite a lot of money but also give you a better understanding of your vehicle.

You don’t need to be an expert, or even mechanically inclined to do some basic upkeep. Here are a few repairs that are easy to handle:

Easy DIY Tips To Maintain Your Car

Many of us consider car maintenance as the work of a mechanic, but with these simple DIY tips, you can easily maintain your car on your own.

Change The Air Filter

Did you know that a dirty cabin air filter can put extra load on your car’s A/C system and make it underperform?

That’s why experts recommended changing your car’s air filter every 12000 miles or at least once a year.

You can change your air filter in just about a few minutes.

Look for it under your car’s hood, in a rectangular box. If you don’t find it, check the manual to find its location. Open the case and make a note of how it’s placed. Replace the old air filter with your new one in the same position, and put back the covers.

A quick tip: if you want to save some extra bucks, remove the dirt on your current filter using compressed air and use the same one again.

Replace The Windshield Wipers

If your car’s windshield wipers leave behind streaks and don’t wipe clean, you need to change the blades.  It’s very easy to replace them. Raise the blades just the way you do it when you’re about to wash your windshield.

Remove them, but make sure to notice how they are connected to metal arms. Push the tab located at the bottom of your wiper to remove the old blade.

Carefully attach your new blades as you don’t want to scratch the windshield, and you’re done.

Replace The Spark Plugs

Change your car’s spark plugs after every 30,000 miles or at regular intervals, as recommended in your car’s manual.

You may think changing spark plugs require loads of time and work, but it’s in fact quite easy.

You may see four or more plugs, so don’t get confused. Just remove the wire from the first plug and clean it or replace it, then move on to the next.

Never remove all plug wires at one go, as they’re installed in a specific order that you’ll need to maintain strictly.

Use your spark plug’s extension and socket to remove the first plug. Place your new plug with your hand first, then use your wrench to tighten it further. Go for a snug fit, as you don’t want to over-tighten it.

Attach the wire back with the plug, and repeat the process for each plug individually.

Check The Oil Filter

If you go by the advice of car experts, change your car’s oil every time you cross 3000 miles.

There’re two things you need to keep in mind before changing your oil:

First, make sure the engine isn’t hot

Second, you may need to jack up your car, so it’s raised slightly.

Once you’ve taken the necessary precautions, it’s time to get your hands dirty.

Place an oil pan under your car. Unscrew the drain plug, and let the old oil drain out completely into the pan. Once it’s drained, change your drain plug.

Open your engine, and take out the old oil filter using your wrench. You’ll have to be careful, as it may contain old oil.

Start lubricating the gasket with your motor oil. You need to fill your oil filter nearly about two-third, not more than that. Screw in the filter, make sure to hand-tight it first.

Now, start filling your car’s engine with new motor oil. Use dip-stick to check the oil level, and your engine is ready.

Save hundreds of thousands of dollars by doing the repairs yourself. These maintenance tasks are easy to do and only require your attention a few times a year.

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