What is the most complicated auto repair DIY?

What is the most difficult of the auto repair work? Wheel bearing, Wheel hub bearing, engine, timing, air conditioner bearing, clutch release bearing, etc.? Nowadays, fewer and fewer people choose to repair their cars, and wisely choose to hand their cars to car maintenance technicians. This is partly due to the complexity of cars in the world today, and cars 30 years ago can be repaired by almost any convenient owner with tools and a little car knowledge. After investigating various recommendations from auto technicians, these are widely regarded as the most difficult car repairs. If you decide to take an apprenticeship as an auto mechanic, you may want to keep these four challenging maintenance tasks in mind in the future.

1. Replacing an Engine

People who have experienced the pain of replacing an engine, whether it is ordinary man or a qualified car technician, will say that this is the biggest challenge of all cars. Cars are expensive, so it is feasible to replace the engine instead of buying a brand new car. In many cases, using the company’s remanufactured engine to power the car is the most cost-effective long-term option for the vehicle. Although the cost may be between 2,000-4,000 US dollars, this only accounts for 10-20% of the cost of buying a new car. However, repairing is not as simple as installing a new engine (it is a difficult process in itself). Depending on the mileage of the old engine, you may need to replace some connecting parts that have accumulated mileage, such as the gearbox.

2. Transmission

The transmission is arguably the most complicated part of a car. This is the heart of most vehicles. The transmission contains thousands of complex parts, which play a very important role in moving the car forward or backward. Due to its complexity, the transmission can hardly be repaired or replaced by an ordinary backyard mechanic. However, many people try to repair the transmission themselves, usually with disastrous consequences. Even changing the transmission oil in a car is complicated, and special procedures must be performed by a mechanic.

As we all know, the repair of transmission is expensive, so mechanics may find that some customers are unwilling to solve these problems until they are in a crisis stage. Leaking transmission oil is the easiest way to understand some incorrect phenomena. The problem of manual shifting may be caused by insufficient transmission oil or improper adjustment of the shift cable or clutch linkage. Overheated fluids, gear slippage and terrible drag clutches all require professional attention.

3. Timing Belt

If you have owned the car long enough, you will eventually need to replace the timing belt. Moreover, although many people try to replace themselves, it is never recommended. This is because A) the timing belt is an important part of keeping the engine running, and B) it will be necessary to disassemble about half of the car’s engine to reach the timing belt that needs to be replaced. Even if you successfully replace the timing belt, it is difficult to assemble the engine perfectly. The slightest mistake can cause long-term and irreparable damage to your car engine.

4. Replacing suspension components.

It looks like suspension parts such as struts, arms and bushings that are easy to replace, but there are many ways to make this repair that can lead unskilled people astray. Beginners may not understand the huge force in compression coil springs (for example, when replacing struts); they may do things in the wrong order; otherwise they may not realize that part of the suspension supports the front subframe and engine. For home mechanics, it is impractical and costly to have some special equipment (such as wheel alignment brackets) required to complete the work correctly. For typical suspension maintenance, the labor cost is not high, so You may leave them to professionals as well.

5. Clutch

As a “worn” part in the vehicle, depending on your operating conditions, the clutch may need to be replaced every 30,000 kilometers. A less common reason for clutch maintenance is that improper assembly can cause oil leakage. Repairing the clutch involves disassembling the gearbox, which is mainly what makes repairs so difficult

6. Spark Plugs

The spark plug is responsible for igniting the gas vapor and running the engine. Although the maintenance cost of the spark plug is not high, it is a necessary maintenance because the spark plug is often worn out during use. The difficulty lies in their small size, coupled with the fact that they are stuck in hard-to-reach car areas. Some engine compartments are more crowded than others, so depending on your car, this may end up being just a simple repair

7. Wheel bearing

Wheel bearings are essential components that allow the wheels on the vehicle to rotate freely with as little friction as possible. Wheel bearings are ball bearing rings fixed in a ring, which is called a “race”. This simple and clever design helps you turn the wheel with minimal friction. The wheel bearings are a set of steel balls, which are contained in a metal shell called the track, located in the hub of the wheel. If you hear a moan or hum while driving, it is likely that one of the wheel bearings of your vehicle has started to malfunction.

Replacing your own wheel bearings is considered an intermediate job that can be done at home, but requires some special mechanical tools. The steps provided below are summarized to cover the three most common wheel bearing types on most vehicles. Before starting repairs, be sure to obtain the vehicle’s repair manual and determine the type of wheel bearing that the vehicle is equipped with.