Car repair for the complete dork

[rikibeth]

I went to the auto parts store after work. I got coveralls, a case of oil, a new oil filter, a new air filter, an oil filter wrench, and a shop manual for my car... but they did not have just plain gaskets. A new oil filter cap would have been about $7, and a gasket should have been about a buck, and they said try the hardware store. So I did. When I got to the hardware store I opened the hood to pry the old gasket out of the cap so I could get a new one the right size... and discovered that the reason I was burning so much oil from under the hood was that I had not put the cap back ON after I put oil in on Friday.

I am an idiot.

It was a good thing I'd bought a can of engine degreaser too.

Then when I went into the hardware store they didn't have automotive gaskets. They said I needed the auto parts store, and I explained to them about the auto parts store not selling plain gaskets any more.

So for $2.79 I got a small sheet of gasket rubber the right thickness, and I cut it at home with a matte knife.

I also managed to wedge one of the ramps under the car the first time I tried to drive up onto them. I got it unwedged and up onto the ramps, but I am much too tired to try to change the oil and degrease the engine today. So I will take shadowflyer's car to work tomorrow and deal with my car afterwards.

I need a shower and sleep.

Comments

[princejvstin.livejournal.com]

I'm more of a dork than you are :)

[wyomingnot.livejournal.com]

All that hassle is exactly why I pay someone else $25 to do it for me.

10 minutes at Jiffy Lube and I'm done.

:)

Yes, I can do it myself. I can do quite a few things under the hood. But. 9 times out of 10, I'm gonna pay someone else for the hassle and grease.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

I pay Claude to read the computer codes and tell me when I am mystified about what is making the car Not Work Right.

I have to do this a bit more often than I'd like.

So the things I CAN do... I'm going to make an effort to do myself.

Especially since pixel left the nice ramps in my garage.

[neilfein.livejournal.com]

Last time I went to change the oil in my car, I slid under the car, placed the drain pan, and opened the oil plug. As it was draining out, I remember thinking: This is remarkable. I've never had the used oil turned purple before.

I ended up making a quick drive to the auto parts store in matfein's car, to pick up replacement transmission fluid.

(I eventually did change the oil properly, but not before getting out a chilton guide to triple-check that I was indeed draining the correct fluid. although I can't imagine what else there'd be a drain plug for, I'd rather not find out.)

Spiffy.

[lordavon.livejournal.com]

You can fix your car.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Dorky?

Actually, it's pretty cool that you can do this :-)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

The dorky part is not putting the filler cap back on Friday. It made the most GODAWFUL mess.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

The dorky part is not putting the filler cap back on Friday. It made the most GODAWFUL mess.

Okay, that is a _little_ dorky, but still... complete dork you ain't :-)

[djinnthespazz.livejournal.com]

Caught before disaster occured.
Color yourself lucky!

[heck.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. When *ahem* someone tried to do me a favor and top off my oil, someone left the oil cap off and made a godawful mess.

The sad part is that this happened TWICE.

I'm not letting anyone top off my oil for me anymore, favor or not.

[neilfein.livejournal.com]

You could always look and see that the cap's back on, no?

[heck.livejournal.com]

This is true, but I never get back to the car until the next day and by then I never think of it. Yes, the entire household pretty much has the attention span of a gnat. Besides, I enjoy fussing with my little pain-in-the-ass car, and it gives me something to do while he cooks dinner. :)

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

[snarkyman.livejournal.com]

Oil sitting on top of a very hot engine block in sufficient quantity is a fire hazard. Depending on how much mess the oil made under the hood, you may want to investigate getting your engine compartment steam cleaned.

I made the same mistake about 14 years ago with my VW Rabbit. I opened the hood after driving without the oil cap Manchester to/from UCONN and the oil on top of the engine ignited. I was able to blow it out. The next morning, I cleaned up the oil using rags and drove to a VW dealership in West Hartford. They steam cleaned my engine compartment. The process was quick and cost about $35 including tax, etc.

Good Luck and be safe.

Re: Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Got it covered, didn't you see the bit about the can of engine degreaser?

Steam cleaning: $35 or more
Can of degreaser: $2.99

there's a reason I'm doing as much as I can myself... we're *broke*.