DIY Oil + Plugs + Brake Pads etc. etc.

OldmanMondeo

el tel wrote:

Me too, she's an '86 36F...

No need for a Jack Stand there then....

MarkR

I'll post up in the motors section if I see the stands / jack again soon. In the meantime you can borrow the stands / jack / sockets if you'd like. After reading this I think I need to service the car again, but send me a pm if you want to borrow them for a weekend. Get your hands dirty before forking out too much.

Raiser

Hey MarkR - thanks for your very decent and generous offer - much appreciated

- I think I'm going to pick up the bare essentials before the weekend though and maybe a few other bits and pieces along the way.

Besides - if your missus discovered that you were letting odd folks from the Internet rifle throguh the contents of your shed on Sat. mornings she'd prob. disown you :eek: !!!

blastman

Lots of good advice here lads, can I just add (based on Saturday's experiences) that changing your oil when it's any way windy is officially a Very Bad Idea.

- Trolley jack from Lidl.
- Axle stands from Halfrauds (they were on offer at the time though, so the price was OK)
- Small spanner set from H's
- Socket set from H'd (had to buy the additional long spark plug socket separately though, think I got it in McQuillans)
- Oil filter wrench is a kind of forceps thing, but works well, got it in H's or McQ's, can't remember.
- Oil catch can from H's for easy transport to the dump (the stuff that doesn't end up on the road anyway!).
- Assorted other bits and pieces from Lidl and H's built up over the last couple of years.

My oil filter actually is accessible from the top of the engine, and I've fitted a sump plug that you don't need to remove to drain the oil, so future oil changes should be stress-free, wind permitting.

MarkR

Actually, where do you recycle oil? Is it your local garage or motor factors or what? I still have a couple of bottles of old oil in my shed I think!

Darragh29

Don't forget the bag of rags and WD40!

macnab

I bought one of those oil sucker things. You just pump it up to create a vaacum and put the pipe into the dipstick hole. It sucks the oil out of the engine. €90 in a motor factors. I love it, I do.

Wossack

macnab wrote:

I bought one of those oil sucker things. You just pump it up to create a vaacum and put the pipe into the dipstick hole. It sucks the oil out of the engine. €90 in a motor factors. I love it, I do.

Only thing is it doesnt get all the junk and crud down the very bottom of the sump... worthwhile taking the sump plug out too, might a be magnetic one and should be cleaned

rebel.ranter

The council recycling facilities usually have a section for batteries and waste oil.
I bought 2 magnetic sump plugs for the cars. Planning on putting them in the next service. Are they any good?

Furp

I just changed my own oil for the first time, I have done other work on the car before spark plugs, filters, even the brake pads. But I was always apprehensive about changing oil knowing that I would have to be underneath the car and the awkwardness of getting the oil filter off.

I am so glad that I did it now though, cost of oil, filter, air filter, spark plugs was €52 euro and about an 1.5 hours to change them all. Quote from gargae to do the same service on an 8 year old primera was €235.

Next on my list to do is new brakes discs. And I also need a new clutch but I will not be doing that myself.

gyppo

Furp wrote: »

I just changed my own oil for the first time, I have done other work on the car before spark plugs, filters, even the brake pads. But I was always apprehensive about changing oil knowing that I would have to be underneath the car and the awkwardness of getting the oil filter off.

I am so glad that I did it now though, cost of oil, filter, air filter, spark plugs was €52 euro and about an 1.5 hours to change them all. Quote from gargae to do the same service on an 8 year old primera was €235.

Next on my list to do is new brakes discs. And I also need a new clutch but I will not be doing that myself.

Just be aware that some cars need a special tool which simultaneously compresses and screws back the piston in rear brake calipers.

Front calipers just need to be compressed back - others mentioned the quick release cramps from aldi - these are perfect for the job. Also, be careful compressing any pistons back - take it nice and slow or you risk damaging the brake master seal.

eringobragh

Good oil filter removal tool I got here use it with a ratchet:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160293208960&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX_Stores&refitem=160286124701&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget&_trksid=p284.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%252BIA%26itu%3DCR%252BIA%252BUCI%26otn%3D4%26ps%3D42

The Metal Band one I found It slipped alot.

EDIT:

This site reviews some tools I've found it very helpful:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/archive/

Darragh29

Raiser wrote: »

Am tired of the hassle of trying to get the basics done, losing a lunch break in traffic while trying to get oil changed & can't go near a mechanic on a Sat. afternoon with all the Q.'s

- Was told recently by a mech. re. front brake pads to drop the motor in on Wed. and he might have it for Fri. ???


I want to buy in the req'd tools and find out how to do all this myself [basics only no timing belts or clutch replacements ]

Anyone recommend what essential kit I'd need to buy in and where to source this at a reasonable price ? Halfords seem to stock most bits and pieces - but seem to charge quite a lot.

Shopping list at the moment is:

1 X Hydraulic Jack
2 X 2 Tonne Axle Stands * Ramp idea scrapped in favour of stands
1 X Brake caliper wind-back tool
1 X Oil Filter removal tool * Band type
1 X Decent Socket set - inc. a few extension bits and a Spark plug tool

+ Courtesy of wise boards.ie' grease monkeys
1 X Haynes Manual
1 X Inspection Lamp
1 X double-sided spark plug spanner
1 X Tube of Copper Grease
Disposable vinyl/latex gloves
Tub of Swarfega
Decent set of Spanners
Funnels
Good set of Allen Keys
Hoard any large containers for old oil * Locate your local recycling centre.
Pry bar for levering/laying down the law.
Engineers hammer and a set of parallel punches
N.B. Nephew/misc. child to hold things in place/Run and get forgotten tools



- Can anyone comment on above and add anything I haven't thought off? + Recommend where they can be gotten cheaply ? - (am in Limerick for any regional type suggestions.....!)

Can't believe nobody told you to get a bag of rags and a few cans of WD40, AKA supersauce!

Plug

Darragh29 wrote: »

Can't believe nobody told you to get a bag of rags and a few cans of WD40, AKA supersauce!

.........or brake cleaner, god i love the smell of it in the morning!

L-M

BrianD3 wrote: »

As regards oil filter removal tools - many of these are crap. I believe the best ones are those that use a strap. Hopefully you will be able to remove the old filter by hand and won't need to resort to a tool. If you can't remove the filter by hand don't do what some do and hammer a screwdriver through it. Becasue if the filter still won't come off you won't be able to drive the car with a holed filter. Better to leave the old filter on and undamaged and think about what to do next.

Oil filters can be great fun lol,
http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=20299

As for tools, alot of cheap bits and pieces can be picked up in Lidl or Aldi, they seem to do the job. You don't want to go spending 100's, for rare use it'll defeat the purpose.Haynes manuals are great, if everything goes right. They tell you to take off something, but they don't help you if something goes wrong. I wouldn't rely on them, just as a guide.

slimjimmc

Get yourself
- a pair of vice-grips, THE essential tool.
- pointy-nosed pliers, useful for pulling out R-pins.
- something comfortable to kneel on, some flat polystyrene foam packing is ideal.
- safety googles keep all the crap and grit out of your eyes while you're rooting around underneath on your back.

BrianD3

Limerick-man wrote: »

Oil filters can be great fun lol,
http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=20299

yep, if you hammer a screwdriver through the filter and it fails to come off on the first attempt you've got a headache. Filter now has holes in it so car can't be driven and any further hammering will only mangle and weaken the filter body even more. Filter removal tools are not designed to go onto mangled filters so you're probably looking at tapping the inner ring of the filter with a chisel to get it turning

Oil filters always seem to require more effort to take off than they did to put on. Having said that I have a pretty strong grip (from weight lifting) and don't need to use tools to remove oil filters anymore. Anyone with reasoanble grip should be able to do the same. Tip: if you rub lifting or climbing chalk on your hands it will give you a great grip on the filter and prevents slippage from sweaty hands etc.

L-M

BrianD3 wrote: »

Oil filters always seem to require more effort to take off than they did to put on. Having said that I have a pretty strong grip (from weight lifting) and don't need to use tools to remove oil filters anymore. Anyone with reasoanble grip should be able to do the same. Tip: if you rub lifting or climbing chalk on your hands it will give you a great grip on the filter and prevents slippage from sweaty hands etc.

The ould chain does the job too haha:P

JimmyCrackCorn!

BrianD3 wrote: »

yep, if you hammer a screwdriver through the filter and it fails to come off on the first attempt you've got a headache. .

Nissan gave me the wrong one the first time i ever did an oil and filter change. It threaded tight and never sealed. Turned over the engine for 2-3 seconds and still had oil warning then shut it off.

Wondering what went wrong i went round the front of the car to see a stream of oil flowing from under the car.

A large amount of bad language 4 old bath towls every scrap of newspaper in the house and a boat load of fairy liquid later a trip to halfrauds (Sunday) for more oil. Put the old filter back on (again sunday) filled it up and all went well. (changed the oil again and filter 2 weeks later)

A friend of mine had a peugeot and had a simular problem. Wrong filter on a sunday and put a screwdriver through the one he took off.

Lets just say i double check all part numbers now.

congo_90

Edit:
This is probably the smallest post here but I didn't notice it anywhere..

Bungee cords;


these things are great for holding your calipers when changing disc brakes instead of straining the lines/ child holding them. Just wrap around your coils and hook em' on they're generally handy around the car for bits and pieces like that.. just my 2 cents

Plug

TBH I don't think these tools are all necessary to repair your car. I mean will it fiananically wise to spend all that money on all these tools. It would probably end up cheaper going to a garage!

Furp

The only part that had me worried was when I was under the car, I had eye protection, gloves and an old padded high vis jacket but I was trusting my live with a pair of axle stands I bought in lidl for €9.99 :eek: but they did the job and did not seem too strained.

I have found that I have built up a lot of the required tools over the years.

On brake pads the only problem I had was with one of the rear pistons, on the Primera you need to turn the piston to get it back in no pressure required but one of them was seized but with a lot of force and WD 40 it eventually went back into place. The front pads where a doddle, I used a U clamp that I picked up cheap for £2 in a hardware outlet store in the UK.

I found the oil filter easy enough as well, a little too easy in fact as I just used my hand without any force and it unscrewed, I was surprised that it had not already been leaking.

Seth Brundle

Furp wrote: »

I was trusting my live with a pair of axle stands I bought in lidl for €9.99 :eek: but they did the job and did not seem too strained.

Do I really need to ask?

Plug

Limerick-man wrote: »

Oil filters can be great fun lol,
http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=20299

As for tools, alot of cheap bits and pieces can be picked up in Lidl or Aldi, they seem to do the job. You don't want to go spending 100's, for rare use it'll defeat the purpose.Haynes manuals are great, if everything goes right. They tell you to take off something, but they don't help you if something goes wrong. I wouldn't rely on them, just as a guide.

Ha jasus! were you tightening it instead of losening it?

L-M

Plug wrote: »

Ha jasus! were you tightening it instead of losening it?

I wish lol, it was apparently changed recently, but no service history, a genuine Vw filter and manky oil... I think not:D

Furp

kbannon wrote: »

Do I really need to ask?

No its just that they are only rates a 1 tonne each so are fine for lifted only one end of the car at a time, but after putting the right side up on the stand I was lifting the other side and did not like the sounds I was hearing.

Seth Brundle

If you are ever in doubt then place a spare wheel (if wide enough), block or something else under the car to take the hit if the axel stands give in!

vibe666

is the rating 2 tonnes each or between 4 of them?

I was thinking of getting some, but my motor is a little heavier than most (about 2.2 tonnes).

i was thinking if i could jack the front up and stick 2 in under there and then do the same with the back, as long as they were 2T each they'd be grand.

of course, I could always get 8 of te beggars and double up on eac corner of the car.

as long as it wasn't wheel work I had an idea of using some scaffold planks cut into progressively smaller lengths and then screwed together with the longest at the bottom and shortest at the top as improvised ramps. it would only need to be about 4-6 planks high to be useful. or am i thinking like a dangerous suicidal maniac?