DIY Car Maintenance

[DarrenSV650S]

Ok I'm looking for some advice about whether I can do some work on my car myself or if it's best left to the professionals. It's a mk4 1.4 golf

First thing is the wishbone bush is knocking quite badly so I need to put in a new wishbone. The garage quoted about £120. I've had a read through the haynes and the only thing putting me off is the bit that says "tighten the rear mounting bolt to the specified torque and angle". It doesn't say what angle or how you measure it?


Second problem is the alternator has started whining this week. Apparently it's not worth replace the bearings, and better to just get a new alternator. He wasn't sure which alternator I needed but worst case was £180 for the part, so £350 with labour and VAT. Gulp
Looks pretty simple in the haynes. Just the belt removal and tensioning that I'm not sure about. Is that pretty straightforward?

Oh and the other thing is I only have a trolley jack. Don't have any axle stands. So should I give it a go or get the wallet out

[NTECUK]

Don,t go under a car with out a back up of Stands.
The torque for the arms probably in the tec data.
but if you attempt it Do get stands as all that pulling about might get it falling of the jack and hurting you, with no one to get you out from underneath it.
Dont change the alternator with out reading the precautions about the battery and and air bags etc oh and your need a radio code when you disconnect the battery

[maviczap]

Glad I'm not the only one with a shagged alternator, plus a pinhole in the exhaust.

Alternator I can do, because my van doesn't have any big gizzmo's, but its £120 I could do without spending.

Exhaust is a cheap fix £28, but is a garage job as the bolts holding the section together are beyond plus gas and will need cutting off with oxy/actelyne

Axle stands are cheap, so worth a little bit of expenditure, put the wheel under the chassis to save your legs as well.

[timwilky]

Replacement alternators require the pulleys swapping over. Usually a specialist tool required to be able to lock the shaft whilst turning the nut.

Also again specialist tensioning arm required to make sure you get it right.

Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S

Just the belt removal and tensioning that I'm not sure about. Is that pretty straightforward?

ah famous last words, I rarely ever work on my car now due to muttering these myself. It doesnt help I only have £500 snotters that are always shagged and worn out, so every job snowballs into deaper depths of hell!!

Why use just that garage doesnt hurt to phone around, my recent gearbox change was done by a mobile mech, about £200 cheaper than a local garage.

Lee

[Wideboy]

all sounds easy enough, i echo the axle stands but also if you have steel wheels (or alloys that wont get damaged) shove them under the door seals encase the unlikely event that the jacks fail the car will fall onto the wheels saving you being made dead and most importantly money for damage

the belt should be on a spring loaded tensioner which keeps the belt under the correct tension. usually there is a locking eye so you can push the tensioner back to the stop and then stick and allen key through the two eyes to hold the tensioner back. i usually put a screw through the tensioner eyes so once its its bolted back onto the side of the block and the belts on you just unwhind the screw and the tensioner pings back into place.

most of all haynes like to over elaborate everything, usually things are alot simpler than what they say it is.

You don't want to do it yourself, you want the Ecosse section's very own Shmoo.

[NTECUK]

Don't do the wheel thing . Unless your thinner than a road wheel .
Get or blag a set of stands and use them .

[DarrenSV650S]

Originally Posted by NTECUK

Don,t go under a car with out a back up of Stands.
The torque for the arms probably in the tec data.
but if you attempt it Do get stands as all that pulling about might get it falling of the jack and hurting you, with no one to get you out from underneath it.
Dont change the alternator with out reading the precautions about the battery and and air bags etc oh and your need a radio code when you disconnect the battery

The torque isn't a problem, it's more the angle thing I'm not sure about

Airbags?

Originally Posted by maviczap

Glad I'm not the only one with a shagged alternator, plus a pinhole in the exhaust.

Alternator I can do, because my van doesn't have any big gizzmo's, but its £120 I could do without spending.

Exhaust is a cheap fix £28, but is a garage job as the bolts holding the section together are beyond plus gas and will need cutting off with oxy/actelyne

Axle stands are cheap, so worth a little bit of expenditure, put the wheel under the chassis to save your legs as well.

Unlucky. Everything seems to be happening all at once just now.

Originally Posted by timwilky

Replacement alternators require the pulleys swapping over. Usually a specialist tool required to be able to lock the shaft whilst turning the nut.

Also again specialist tensioning arm required to make sure you get it right.

I'm thinking I might try a second hand one. I know it's a gamble but hey it saves a bit of money just now.

Originally Posted by leebex

ah famous last words, I rarely ever work on my car now due to muttering these myself. It doesnt help I only have £500 snotters that are always shagged and worn out, so every job snowballs into deaper depths of hell!!

Why use just that garage doesnt hurt to phone around, my recent gearbox change was done by a mobile mech, about £200 cheaper than a local garage.

Lee

I'd rather learn if it's not too complicated. Save a bit of dosh

Originally Posted by Wideboy

all sounds easy enough, i echo the axle stands but also if you have steel wheels (or alloys that wont get damaged) shove them under the door seals encase the unlikely event that the jacks fail the car will fall onto the wheels saving you being made dead and most importantly money for damage

the belt should be on a spring loaded tensioner which keeps the belt under the correct tension. usually there is a locking eye so you can push the tensioner back to the stop and then stick and allen key through the two eyes to hold the tensioner back. i usually put a screw through the tensioner eyes so once its its bolted back onto the side of the block and the belts on you just unwhind the screw and the tensioner pings back into place.

most of all haynes like to over elaborate everything, usually things are alot simpler than what they say it is.

Cheers for the tip

Originally Posted by Tiger 55

You don't want to do it yourself, you want the Ecosse section's very own Shmoo.

Too far away lol

Originally Posted by NTECUK

Don't do the wheel thing . Unless your thinner than a road wheel .
Get or blag a set of stands and use them .

I probably am tbh, but yeh I should really get some stands. Last time I was under the car I just parked with two wheels on the kerb

Darren , the thing I always think about is access . Underneath the car is hostile environment as you know , the nuts on any threaded section are gonna be a right swearfest to undo . You may need a long bar or even a bit of pipe on the end of that bar to get the leverage required to undo anything on the wishbone . You may have to factor that into the equation . And it`s bloody cold out there so within 10 minutes your gonna be nipping in and out to warm fingers up . I would also get a mate in to give a hand so you can swap roles and have a spotter with you .