Yes, you read it right. You can service your car yourself, turning your splendid home into a service centre temporarily. Every household nowadays has an expensive automobile comfortably parked in its garage showcasing its grandeur.
We all know buying a car can cost us a huge sum of money. However, this expense doesn’t just end there. Fuel, insurance and maintenance are the perennial costs of the car, which one can never do away with. Nevertheless, one can surely reduce these costs to a large extent and still reap the benefits of a maintained car. Car service Tamworth is very much possible at home. All we need is a little skill, some knowledge and a set of tools to do this work.
Here’s a guide to service your car yourself and the tools you require for the same. Read on.
Tools required for servicing a car yourself
You need the following things –
· Carjack
· Wrench
· Oil drain tray or a small bucket (to collect the oil)
· Screwdrivers
· Oil filter remover
· Tyres pressure gauge
· Old rags
· Nitrile gloves (optional)
· Funnel (optional)
All the above things mentioned can be bought from any place keeping the components of the car.
You need to purchase some replacement components as well, which must be mentioned in the user manual of your car. So, do refer to it once. Some of these are -
· Oil
· Spark plugs (based on the make and model of the car)
· Oil filter
· Air filter
· Windscreen washer fluid
· Anti-freeze
Here’s a list of tasks that you need to perform in basic service.
· Oil change
· Air filter change
· Spark plug change
· Tyre pressure check
· Fluid check
· Tyre condition check
Now that you’ve collected everything, here’s a step by step guide to do it –
1. Well, the first step is to lift your car using a jack and axle stand, so that you can go under it easily. Now keep the oil drain tray underneath. Drain the engine oil from the sump of the car, which is situated at the bottom of the engine.
2. Once this is over, remove the oil filter using a screwdriver pushing it through the soft walls of the oil filter. Once the oil has drained out completely (which might take some time), discard the filter.
3. Be careful to dispose of the used oil properly. You can take it to your nearest oil bank to discard it. Do not dump it on the ground or in a drain, whatsoever.
4. The next step is to replace the fuel filter, which is situated near the fuel tank. While doing so, be careful to get the direction of the fuel accurate, or else your car won’t function smoothly. Replace the sump plug too. Fill in the oil in it and fasten the plug.
5. Now is the time to change the air filter, which is situated in an airbox with clips on it. You’d notice that the air filter would be black because of the muck trapped in it. Once it’s replaced, fasten the airbox again. Just be sure again that it’s installed in the right direction.
6. Change the spark plugs now using a spark plug planner. Be careful of not to over tighten them, lest you may damage them.
7. Replace the spark plug leads in the same manner as you had unplugged them.
8. Now check your windscreen washer fluid, brake fluid, engine coolant and power steering fluid.
9. Check the tyre pressure by attaching the gauge to the valve of each tyre. Now record the reading and see if it matches the one printed in the manual. Adjust the pressure if it’s too low or too high.
10. Inspect the condition of the tyres by noticing its tread depth. Also look for any cuts, punctures and bulges in the tyres.
So, you see, Car servic by yourself is that easy to do! However, all the above steps mentioned are only providing a basic service to your car, which should be done every year. Cars should go for a major service to the garage as and when required, especially when the hydraulic oils need to be changed.
So do give it a try yourself and save your money.
