by Chris C

Created on: January 29, 2007   Last Updated: April 10, 2007

Although car manuals are a great help, I have found the best way to do most small repairs to cars is to get in and get dirty. One thing I have discovered about manuals is that they tend to assume that the person reading them has all the tools they will need to complete the job. This is not always the case. For instance, you may not have an impact wrench which would be needed to remove a pulley retaining nut. Therefore, you will have to improvise a way to hold the pulley still while you remove the retaining nut. This is a required step if you are going to change a timing belt. Manuals also assume that the reader has some basic concept of internal combustion engines and how they work. This also is not always the case.

If you have any mechanical aptitude at all, tearing into an engine is actually quite simple. The main thing is to remember where everything goes when you put it back together. To ensure you have the right bolts on the right brackets and such, I suggest using several coffee cans to store the bolts and brackets in. One can for the alternator bracket and bolts, another for the head bolts and so on.
Also, the ability of the car owner to repair his or her own car also depends on how old the car is. Most newer cars have computers and fancy electronic gadgets in them that most people know nothing about. Unless you are a serious mechanic, I don't suggest you tackle things of this nature. I have been building and repairing cars ( as a hobby) most of my life, starting with working in my dad's rod shop when I was a kid. With all my experience, I won't tackle the fancy electronic gadgets. It's cheaper in the long run to just let an ASE certified mechanic do those repairs.
Don't be afraid to take the alternator or the A/C unit off a car though. As long as you don't start pulling electronics out, most backyard mechanics can save a lot of money by doing things themselves: Oil changes, radiator flushing, belt replacement, alternator and water pump replacements.
One simple rule that I follow: If you don't think you can do it, don't try.

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