True, but the one I got, which is an el cheapo model with just an LCD screen, was like $20.Originally Posted by John K Jordan
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True, but the one I got, which is an el cheapo model with just an LCD screen, was like $20.
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That is about right. Just at dealer for radiator work. Mechanic said I should replace the 2 belts while there because once antifreeze gets on them they will squeel and they were 10 years old. $100 for labor and $90 for parts. probably took him 20 to 30 minutes to change. Chevy Silverado pickup 2012. Plenty of work room.
John T.
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I don't know how common it is these days, but DIY work on my 2016 Honda is complicated by the fact that there is no "factory service manual" available. That function is strictly an on-line subscription service starting at $35 for one day access.
Last edited by Lee DeRaud; 01-14-2023 at 2:04 PM.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
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Recently redid front end ( upper and lower ball joints, A-Arm bushings, sway bar bushings) on my 94 Ford Areostar. Had rebuilt the rack, including outer & inner tie rod ends a couple years earlier. Did it part time over a period of three days. Parts were about $70 total (combination of Ebay and Rock Auto.) Shop price was $1600, plus parts. So I made over $500 a day, part time doing it myself. Watched a Ford forum where poster showed a picture by picture of how to do this job.
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Lee, there are probably youtube videos on whatever you need to do.
Bruce, that sounds about right. I always end up replacing other stuff while I have something opened up that I'm sure a pro wouldn't, and still come out way ahead.
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Youtube is fine for "how", not so much for "what".
The factory manual is pretty much essential for diagnosis, working down from the codes to specific failed components. Not to mention things like wiring diagrams and component locations.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
Contributor
+ 1 for having the best manual available for what ever car you might try to work on. Our library does a good job with the auto repair section, digital and print. I have several Haynes manuals. I shopped for cheap cars based on which manual I have on hand. Chevy Nova, Geo Prism, Toyota Corolla, The were good low stakes cars for kids learning to drive. They are all covered in 1 manual.
Best Regards, Maurice
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The manual for my tractor repair, I rebuilt everything including a power reverser in front of the rear end, was invaluable. It not only told step by step what to do, torque for every fastener, but also has pictures of every step.
So far on my truck, I've been able to get by without a manual. I replaced every moving part in the front end, and on front of the engine. It's a 2001 diesel with 360,000 miles. I only put 672 miles on it last year, so no sense in buying a new one. I'd like to have a manual, which is in three books, but they are more expensive than any repair I've done. So far, getting by with youtube videos. There were none on that 1979 John Deere that I needed.
edited to add: Back before youtube videos became so popular, I replaced the fuel injectors in that truck with a lot of help from pictures in threads on a Forums devoted to those first Duramax diesel trucks. I would think there would be about anything available on Honda cars.
Last edited by Tom M King; 01-15-2023 at 9:22 AM.
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For some arbitrarily low value of "available": as I said, everything 2015 and newer is online subscription and/or blind faith in Internet randos.
And those forums are cesspits of misinformation and attitude. (Not quite as bad as Corvette forums, but still...)
The good news, of course, is that Hondas are stupidly reliable, at least at the age/mileage I currently dealing with. At my age I'm unlikely to tackle anything major, but it's still nice to have a preliminary diagnosis of any problem, if only to sanity-check the dealer's estimate. (Yes, "dealer": he's within walking distance and has a lower labor rate than the independent mechanic that handles GF's Kia.)
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
[OP]
Contributor
Totally agree on value of having a paper (or electronic nowadays) manual. Starting back in the 60s when I bought my first car and everyone after that up until my 2001 Chevy pickup I would purchase the service manuals right away. Most were one volume and maybe had a separate one for the body but my '01 3/4 ton Silverado had 5 volumes with a combined thickness of about 12 inches.
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I purchase service manuals for all vehicles and all equipment (skid steer, excavator, mowers, tractor, etc). Most are quite expensive and have to be ordered because the dealers never sell them so never keep them in stock. The manual for my diesel truck is over 2" thick. Most come 3-hole punched but I usually punch the others to keep them all in binders (and so they will lay flat when working). They take up at least 4' of space on the shelf.
I can't imagine doing serious repair or even basic maintenance without manuals. For example, how would an owner know to periodically apply 25 pumps of grease at each quadrant to lubricate the big swing gear on the excavator?
When buying one new car I negotiated that the dealer supply the shop manual as a condition of the purchase. He was not happy when he later found out what it cost.
I dislike digital manuals since I can't write in them or put sticky notes and page tabs where needed or stick in loose pages of notes and such as needed. The digital manuals are quite handy for searching, though.
When I bought the excavator I asked the dealer for clarification of some things in the user and shop manuals. He had to go research - said I was his first customer who actually read the user manual!
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John Ziebron, If you're running an LB7 in that '01 3/4 ton and ever need to replace the front main seal, I have both the puller kit, and the installation kit. You can't hardly replace it without those tools, and they cost about as much as a service manual does. I wouldn't send them off to just anybody though.
I simply couldn't have worked on the guts of either tractor without a manual, but I've never felt like I needed one on a truck or car. They're so well covered with youtube videos. The list of stuff I've replaced an the dually is long in the 22 years I've owned it. I wouldn't go in the motor or transmission though, more than the stuff I've replaced on the outside of the motor. If the motor or transmission goes, I'll replace them with rebuilt, or out of a newer wreck.
John Deere has wonderful parts lists online. So many of the part numbers have changed several times since the ones in the original 1979 manual. I print a page from online, and make a list of parts I need to have when I call the dealer with part numbers.
https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/...quipment/79943
When I replaced every seal, orifice, dryer, and compressor in the AC system on the dually, I got an exploded view of that assembly and parts list from the dealer for no charge. I had already replaced the heater fan so fortunately didn't need to go deep in the dash.
I also have manuals and parts books for the Stihl pro saws. I wouldn't want to split the case on one without the manual.
Last edited by Tom M King; 01-15-2023 at 9:35 PM.
Contributor
I'm sure this doesn't help but I have a 50+ year-old Porsche and the forum I have belonged to there for 15 years enabled me to rebuild pretty much every component on the car except the engine which didn't need any major help.
Plenty of Idots on the internet forums - yes I said Idots. Seems like for older rigs the input is more valuable. For newer stuff you have to weed through a lot of garbage. Repair manuals old and new can be frustrating. Wouldn't want to have to deal with modern electricals/electronics.
Regards,
Kris
[OP]
Contributor
Tom, when I bought my Silverado I would have liked to have had the diesel option but at that time couldn't afford the extra $5K but I did get the 8.1 liter option because, like the diesel, it came with the heavy duty Allison transmission. I sold it 6 years ago but never really had any serious issues with it. I bought my Kubota tractor new in 2002 and one could find free parts lists for it but I did have to purchase the service manual. I've made a lot of modifications/additions to it over the years but the only repairs have been replacing both front axle seals and the mid PTO seal. Easy fixes with the service manual. Of course, as I'm sure you're well aware, regular maintenance is key to fewer repair issues.
Member
Every one of my vehicles has an OBD2 scanner in the glove box: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1
I always have Torque pro loaded on my cell phone to read the codes and look them up on the internet for me: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...US&gl=US&pli=1
For the few dollars I have invested I can't imagine not having this capability at my finger tips. Admittedly I have used my readers to help out others more than I have used them myself. It is awfully nice to see what a code is right when it pops up though. I had an code pop up on the way home once. I scanned it, looked up the problem and drove back to the gas station to get the gas cap the attendant forgot to put back on (I live in Oregon and we don't have self service gas).
When I helped my boss out a few years ago by scanning the codes on his truck he was impressed until I told him the price. He immediately bought a bluetooth OBD2 reader for ever one of his children and all his brothers, sisters and parents for Christmas that year.
Last edited by Michael Schuch; 01-16-2023 at 5:24 AM.
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