ALLBIDS Blog

Easy Car Maintenance Tasks You Can Do Yourself

Friday, 28 September 2018 | Mike Leano

Owning a car can get pretty steep, but getting it repaired can cost even much more. According to the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, the average outlay per week for private vehicles can range from $120 to $340, depending on what type you drive.

It's a good thing you can keep those expenses in check by doing proper maintenance. Better yet, you can enjoy further savings if you do the upkeep personally. To help you keep your costs down, here are five simple car maintenance tasks that you can do yourself.

Common tools you'll need

Save for a few exceptions, almost every car today uses the same basic parts, which means you'll also need to use the same tools to maintain, change and/or fix them. Here's a quick rundown of what's commonly needed:

• Ratchet and socket wrench set (with a breaker bar)
• Torque wrench
• Adjustable wrench
• Flat/Slotted and Phillips screwdriver
• Hydraulic jack

Note: If you're changing busted components, you'll need replacement parts as well.

Replace the battery

If you try to start your car and it cranks but doesn't roar to life, there may be something wrong with its battery (among other possibilities). To ensure that it really is the battery, test it with a multimeter first. If you determine that the battery is bad, you need to replace it. Here are the steps involved:

1. Buy a battery at your preferred auto parts store. Make sure it's the type that works on your car.
2. Switch off the engine and pop the hood.
3. Identify the positive and negative terminals on the battery. Positive terminals typically have a red plastic cover or use a red cable.
4. Using a socket and ratchet wrench, loosen the nut for the negative cable clamp that connects to the negative battery terminal, then twist and pull out the black/negative cable.
5. Do the same with the positive battery terminal.
6. Carefully take the battery out of its tray.
7. See to it that the tray, battery clamps and cable connectors are clean and rust-free.
8. Carefully place the new battery in the tray and secure it with the clamps.
9. Attach and tighten the positive battery cable to the positive cable clamp first, then do the same with the negative battery terminal.
10. Apply WD-40 or other similar anti-corrosion solutions on the terminals.
11. Close the hood.

Note: Disconnecting the battery from the terminal disables the car's keep-alive memory, which governs many of its computer-controlled systems.

To avoid this, make sure you connect a keep-alive memory tool and 12-volt power supply to the car before disconnecting the car battery. So when you do remove the old battery, the power stays inside the system and retains the keep-alive memory.

Put in a new air filter

Your car needs a new air filter every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres. Otherwise, a clogged filter will increase your fuel consumption and cause performance problems.

Fortunately, you don't have to hire a professional when the need for an air filter replacement arises. Simply follow these steps:

1. Pop the car's hood and look for the air filter. It's usually in a black rectangular case connected to a long tube. If you're unsure, check the car's service manual.
2. Unfasten the metal clips on its sides, raise open the case and have a look at how the filter sits inside the assembly.
3. Remove the air filter. With a dry cloth, wipe the dirt off the insides of the assembly, then place in the new one.
4. Close the case and fasten the clips.
   
   

Change the oil

You'll have to refer to your car's service manual as to when you need to change its oil. The frequency depends on various factors like model, total distance driven and engine type. But before you jump right in, see to it that you use the proper oil.

Once your car meets these conditions, here's what you need to do:

1. If necessary, let the engine and oil cool down for about 10 minutes. You might get scalded if you change the oil while the engine is hot.
2. Position your car on level ground, then raise it with the hydraulic jack.
3. Find the drain plug under the car, position the drain pan underneath it, then using a breaker bar, undo the drain plug to drain the oil.
4. After the oil is completely drained, put the plug back and tighten it using the breaker bar.
5. Pop open the hood and pour the correct amount of oil back in. If you're unsure about the quantity, check the car's service manual or measure the amount of oil in the pan.

Tip: Replace the gasket in the drain plug every time you change the oil to ensure it doesn't leak.

Flushing the radiator

Over time, your car's radiator and cooling system accumulates dregs that can cause the car to heat up more quickly than it should. An effective way to avoid this is by occasionally flushing the coolant. To determine how frequently you should do this task, consult your car's service manual.

Here are steps involved:

1. Let the engine cool down first.
2. Find the radiator's drain plug. If you're unsure where it's located (or if there's one at all), check the car's service manual.
3. Get a drain pan and place it under the radiator drain plug.
4. Undo the radiator drain plug and let the coolant drain completely.
5. Replace the radiator drain plug.
6. Pop the hood, unscrew the radiator cap, place a funnel in the reservoir, fill the radiator up with water, start the car to suck the water into the engine, then add the radiator flush (check the service manual for the right quantity) and replace the radiator cap.
7. Leave the engine on until it reaches its regular running temperature, blast the car's heater all the way up, and then drive around for about 10 minutes to allow the water and flush to clean out the cooling system.
8. Switch off the engine and let it cool down. The radiator should be cool enough to touch.
9. Pop the hood and drain the contents of the radiator via the drain plug. Don't forget to unscrew the radiator cap to have the water/flush mix come out more quickly.
10. Replace the drain plug, place the funnel on the reservoir, then pour in the new coolant. Make sure you're using the correct type.
11. When you can't pour in any more coolant, start the engine to circulate the cooling system.
12. Add in the anti-rust and sealer additive, replace the radiator cap and close the hood.

Note: Unscrewing the drain plug may involve removing other parts (e.g. the oil filter and thermostat) which may depend on the car's model. If you're unsure how to go about it, hire a professional.

Important: Don't just leave the used coolant around; it's harmful. Make sure you recycle it via your local waste facilities.

More options

ALLBIDS regularly runs online auctions for auto parts. We also provide layers of protection on each auction, which means you can bid with confidence. So look for your auto parts today at ALLBIDS.

You can also use ALLBIDS to sell your own car parts. Get in touch with us today to find out how.