A Shot List Of Tips And Tools A New Diyer Would Need

[jdnet]

So you want to be a mechanic eh?

Here's a few pointers and stuff you would need.

1. Make sure you have a good attitude. Acting like you know everything is not helpful. Even the most experienced mechanics need advice and help sometimes. Use all the resources you have. The internet is one of the most valuable of them and the fastest. If you can't figure something out, rest assured someone on the internet already has a solution. Use sites like autolanka to find solutions to your problem. Also chances are there will be a forum specific to your model. Use it to find solutions to common problems your car will face.

2. Working on car's is a learning experience. With learning comes reading. Read up as much as you can find about your car. Find manuals or just use the internet once again.

3. Be patient. If you run into a problem while working on tghe car take a break. Chances are with a clear mind you will be able to look at it better. If you smoke go have a cigarette. If not, go have sex. What ever puts you at ease .

4. Be organized. Always keep track of your tools, parts and any bolts and screws you may have removed from the car. Having a tool or anything else lost in the engine bay and hitting a moving part will make for a bad situtation. When dealing with screws and bolts use plastic cups to hold them. If oyu are working on more than one part the use cups for each part to make sure you have the right bolts. Always tighten screws by hand before using a wrench. It will prevent stripped threads. Also if you drop something into the engine bay, your priority dshould be finding it before moving on.

5. Avoid speaking on the phone while working. Just like talking while driving using the phone while working will cause you to loose concentration and make mistakes. Trust me I speak from experience.

6.After completing a job recheck everything atleast once to make sure everything is in place and the bolts and screws are all in place and tightened.

7. Build yourself a basic tool kit. If you are on a budget get the stuff mentioned below.

8.Start small. You are not going to start learning how to work on cars by rebuilding an engine in one night. Start witgh the basic things such as spark plugs, sensors etc.

9.Have fun and relax. Don't stress youself out. While it may be impossible at times, most of the time working on cars should be a fun and rewarding thing to do.

That's Just some basic pointers. If anyone has anything more to add please do.

Tools

Here's a list of basic things you would need to start off as a new DIY mechanic. The following tool kit is what I'm basically using at the moment until my more professional tools get shipped to me in January. This would be a perfect budget kit for anyone putting his first step into the field. It won't cover anything extensive but basic things and even some advanced work could be accomplished in with it. Now you don't have to buy all this stuff at once but it will help get things done if you don't want to drive to the store each time you do something.

Socket set

You can find a 1/2 inch drive basic set that comes with the most common socket types for Rs. 900. You will need to however add a 13mm socket if the set does not come with one. Also there may be sizes that are uncommon in most cars but are needed for yours. You can buy them seperatley at about Rs. 100 a socket.

Ratchet

Ratchets can be bought from Rs. 400 upwards. If you don't want to invest a good deal of money in your tool kit or just want something to use every once in a while then buy a chep one. Make sure the drive size matches the socket.

Wrenches.

Not sure about the price but you can find a basic wrench set for cheap at almost any hardware store. Also try arpico. Having the box end on one side is a plus.

Ratchet extensions

Ratchet extensions have a variety of uses. The most common use is for reaching the spark plugs. What you will need is a 10 inch and a 3 inch extension. The 10 inch extension I have is relatively expensive at 600 but there are cheaper ones to be had.

Spark plug socket

Most garages in Sri Lanka just use an ordinary deep well socket and use the plug boot to pull the socket out. I really think it's better to use a specialized spark plugs socket. There are two types. One has a magnet to pull the plug out and the other has a rubber boot in the inside. I can tell you for a fact that the rubber boot ones get pretty annoying when the boot comes off each time. I got a magnetic one that cost Rs. 450. The mostr common size you will need for a car is 16mm.

Flash light.

Use anything you want. A flash light comes in real handy when trying to look at certain parts in the engine bay. It would be nive to have a standard size together with a small penlight.

Screw drivers

Phillips, flat head. Get an assortment of sizes and leanghts of cheap screw drives. Also make your that you and a couple of stubby ones.

Screw drivers (torx)

You may need a screw driver handle set the comes with a torx bit set for certain applications.

Rubbing compound

3m or similar. 3m costs 1400 for a big bottle but there's other brands for 400 up that work just fine.

Carb cleaner

Buy what ever you think is good. Rs. 400 up

Penetrating oil

wd40 or similar. It will help with stuck and rusted bolts.

Anti-sieze

While not commonly used in Sri Lanka, most garages elsewhere use anti-sieze on the threads of bol ts such as the ones holding the coil packs for spark plugs and also on the spark plug thread itself. Using anti-sieze makes sure you get that bolt out every time and prevents stripped threads. Not sure where you would find it here but you should look around at that famous tool shop. It should be relatively cheap.

Wet/dry sand paper

Some wet/dry sand paper would come in usefull for various things such as restoring lights, prepping for painting and even cleaning parts. Have a few sheets of various grits in your tool box.

Contact cleaner

You will need this to clean up various sensors and other electrical parts.

Soldering Iron and solder

A soldering iron would come in very useful for things such as installing a new harness for a new radio. I use a butane one but a cheap electric one would work fine.

Edited December 6, 2010 by jdnet

[VVTi]

Don't forget Jack stands.

A MUST in every DIY mechanic's kit.

[jdnet]

  On 12/6/2010 at 3:48 PM, VVTi said:

Don't forget Jack stands.

A MUST in every DIY mechanic's kit.

Ahh yes forgot to add that. Although I haven't been using a jack as of late. Waiting till all my tools including the jack stands and floor jack get shipped here. Although there's plenty of work you can do in the interior and engine bay without a jack.

Edited December 6, 2010 by jdnet

[Supra_Natural]

JDnet you are now Officially AL's DIY guru lol...

Awesome stuff man! Keep up the great work.

[sank]

Thanks jdnet.

You can easily buy tools from hardwares at Panchikawatta. There are so many products available including German, American etc. I recently bought Chinese socket set and its very good. Indian sets are also available but durability might be less because in some cases the sharp edges of sockets become round if you try to unscrew bolts. This problem occurs specially in wrenches.

[jdnet]

  On 1/3/2011 at 8:32 AM, sank said:

Thanks jdnet.

You can easily buy tools from hardwares at Panchikawatta. There are so many products available including German, American etc. I recently bought Chinese socket set and its very good. Indian sets are also available but durability might be less because in some cases the sharp edges of sockets become round if you try to unscrew bolts. This problem occurs specially in wrenches.

Well those chinese sets are good for occassional (and the price I mentioned on this thread was for a chinese set) but if you use you tools as much as I do you will so find every socket stripped after a few weeks of use. Now my old craftman ones have taken as much abuse as they can and are still in excellent condition......

[sanjeew]

Great work machan , keep it up

Thanks

sanjeew

[JohnGalt]

Awesome stuff jdnet! BTW .. as newer cars coming with lotsa electronics would you consider getting a device that reads fault codes a worthy investment?

[Scooter]

  On 1/3/2011 at 11:04 AM, jdnet said:

Well those chinese sets are good for occassional (and the price I mentioned on this thread was for a chinese set) but if you use you tools as much as I do you will so find every socket stripped after a few weeks of use. Now my old craftman ones have taken as much abuse as they can and are still in excellent condition......

It's hard to beat the economy of buying quality tools in the first place. I'm still using a British half-inch drive socket set that I bought in 1963 (!) as I first got interested in motorbikes and cars. All sockets remain perfect as does the rachet handle.

[DevakaC]

  On 1/20/2011 at 1:25 PM, JohnGalt said:

Awesome stuff jdnet! BTW .. as newer cars coming with lotsa electronics would you consider getting a device that reads fault codes a worthy investment?

An OBD Reader you mean?

Can be bought for less than a $100. Comes quite handy.

[JohnGalt]

  On 1/22/2011 at 12:45 AM, DevakaC said:

An OBD Reader you mean?

Can be bought for less than a $100. Comes quite handy.

Yeah machang, an OBD reader.

[jdnet]

  On 1/22/2011 at 12:45 AM, DevakaC said:

An OBD Reader you mean?

Can be bought for less than a $100. Comes quite handy.

But you gotta pick the right one. OBDII is a U.S. standard for all vehicles after 1996. When it comes to Japanese vehicles, it depends on each vehicle. Some vehicles past 2000 still came with OBD 1 and the rest either have OBDII or JOBD (basically a version of the obdII platform). Eitherway the majority of newer JDM vehicles will use JOBD. European vehicles use EOBD which is another variation of the system. Eitherway most JOBD scanners will be able to read generic codes on cars with other versions of OBDII, the problem is that they wont be able to read manufacturer specific ones.

If you are going to buy a scanner you should figure out what vehicle you want to read the codes off of and what obd system it uses.

Here's one of the basic scanners I just bought to toss around the place since I do not want to take out my more expensive scanner all the time:

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiDiag-JP701-Diagnostic-Scan/dp/B001LHXUI0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1295681831&sr=8-3

It should work fine on yuour vehicle if it's JDM or european (again, it will not work on vehicles that have OBDI).

If you want to read all cars (OBDI II JOBD EOBD) and get manufacturer specific codes then you are going to need a scanner like the new bosch one I got. Although the price difference is almost $5000 lol.

Edited January 22, 2011 by jdnet

[JohnGalt]

Thanks for details mate!

[MkX]

Guys this is my requirement. Remove throttle body and connected sensors / spark plugs. What type of quality brands available in market i've seen BOSCH tool kits but are they pricy? Any specific place in Kandy area (except for place infront of HSBC, as i'll be going there in my lunch time )