Tips for Online Auto Repair
Learn how to easily fix your own car or truck with step-by-step instructions using online auto repair manuals. Save money and make automotive repairs fast and fun.
Check out online auto repair manuals when it comes to repairing your own car or truck. You may just avoid a disaster.
Your car or truck is a big investment and it should be treated as such. When it comes to auto repair it can go one of two ways.
You can be successful and fix it right the first time. Or you can make matters worse by creating additional problems. The latter will increase repair costs and down time of the car or truck.
Let me give you a real life example of this. I had a gentleman e-mail me for help with a no start condition. My first advice to him was to get some online auto repair assistance from a quality manual, to properly diagnose the problem.
My favorite online auto service manual has the most incredible no start diagnostic charts in the business, because they come straight from the manufacturer auto service manuals. Easy to follow tree charts with pictures and helpful tips.
The gentleman told me he could not afford the $24.95 and he thought replacing the distributor would fix the problem. A new distributor was $650.00.
He bought and replaced the distributor but this did not repair the problem. It was also not returnable like most electrical parts. Again I said cut your loses and get any kind of auto service manual and diagnose the problem, do not through parts at it.
Well He replaced the coil, cap, rotor, wires and spark plugs. It Still would not start. Now he is a thousand dollars deep in un-needed parts. The guy who could not afford $25. Finally he towed the car to the auto repair shop and they fixed it for about $500.00 by replacing the fuel pump.
As a side note I did try to help him by explaining, in a no start condition you either have no fuel or no spark (or rarely no air). The gentleman explained he was getting plenty of fuel. But he was not.
So $1,850 later he was motoring again. And to let you know step 1 on the diagnostic tree chart was an in-depth procedure with pictures for checking for fuel delivery.
Also the online repair manuals had a technical service bulletin on the fuel pump for this specific vehicle. This is why the online auto repair manual can make things easier. What if you had the same auto repair information that the dealership level mechanic has?
But in a format that provides step-by-step instructions and pictures that a person of any skill level can follow. The virtual online auto repair assistance system was created to bring top-level information to the do it yourself auto repair public.
Find the auto repair information you need fast and simple with the online auto repair manuals handy search function. Just type in the component or area of the vehicle you need help with and the online programs gives you with just what you’re hunting for.
No more going through old-fashioned paper auto repair manuals filled with outdated information. You now have access to the same information professional auto repair techs use. Mechanics may have more hands on experience then you but they are not smarter then you, they just know how to find the required information
Mark Gittelman is an ASE Master Technician With more than 24 years experience in the automotive field. For more free information and stories visit his Automotive Repair Information Area. Or if you would like to post a car question visit the Car questions help page.