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In my thirty (30) odd years as a mechanic, perhaps the one type of vehicle I dread working on, is the car that has been severely neglected.

Generally these types of vehicles are picked up on the cheap by uneducated car buyers looking for a so called `bargain`… but, if only they knew beforehand.

I recently ended a business relationship with a customer because the vehicle he bought (@the spur of the moment) was so run down and clapped out, that to get the vehicle back to safety certificate standards, would have been two to three times the actual value of the car!

What makes it so frustrating is that the wear factor is throughout the whole of the car-meaning you go to fix one component and all the surrounding components require to be replaced or repair – inflating the repair price beyond the quote given and of course when this is explained to the customer, their comeback is “but the car is not worth that much!”

We live in a world where “time is money!”- a mechanic cannot be a miracle worker – though the car may be initially cheap to buy, the parts are still at full retail value and some times because of their scarcity, can actually be more expensive. Also going to the wreckers to get parts can be an option, but this also takes time and at a rate of $110 plus a hour this is still very expensive.

The real solution is knowledge is power – do your due diligence before buying, ensure there are log books, observe there is a track record of servicing done to the car with tangible phone numbers, where you can ring the actual company who serviced the car at previous service intervals.

Also I recommend a vehicle around 5-8 years old to buy.

In my experience, I have found it difficult to find parts for a car from a company like ford that are ten years old, they simply discontinue making parts after that time causing another headache.

Low kilometres mean less wear and tear and try avoid buying a car from outback Australia.

To summarize, I believe with a little care, asking a lot of questions and understanding, taking precautions, getting pre-inspections will minimize the risk of buying “a dangerous clapped out money pit!”

Manuel Adams – Mannys Mechanical Repairs

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

Check out our first video, an introduction to the business and our services.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q_WanyRcHI&feature=youtu.be

Regards Manny

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

Today`s car engine has come a long way with the advent of computerized fuel injection, but the operation principals are virtually the same since the early model t ford.

The car engine requires several components groups that supply spark & electrical, fuel distribution & engine compression. These groups must be in sync with each other to obtain engine combustion and power.

The term “Tune” can be related to a musical instrument like a guitar or a violin, occasionally the chords have to be adjusted on the instrument to give the right clear note. Hence tune up!.

But in a car engine , The term tune is the optimum combustion of air, fuel & spark coming together referred to as ‘Stoichiometric’ 14.7:1 which is 14.7 parts of oxygen molecules to 1 fuel molecule this combination gives ultimate combustion resulting in power and low emissions-this is the holy grail.

Back in the old days pre-1986, cars were brought to the garage, ignition points, spark plugs replaced ,engine timing set and the carburettor was adjusted- the car was Tuned & off you went home to watch Hey Hey its Saturday. The only problem was that these components fitted to the vehicle would wear with in a relative short time and the car would start to have poor fuel economy and be OUT OF TUNE.

UNBURNT FUEL OR EXCESS HYDROCARBONS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DETERIMENT / POLLUTERS TO THE ENVIROMENT AND THAT WITH THE OLD AIR CONDITION GAS FREON 12 CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE OZONE LAYER.

By the year 2000 nearly all vehicles had computer engine management systems, the carburettor was phased out because it could not deliver a accurate supply increments of fuel unlike today`s electronic fuel injector. Today`s car computer or engine management system.. controls, fuel delivery, spark, it adjusts engine timing to suit load conditions and can control engine valve duration and to make things more scarier .., it even controls the throttle opening and has dispensed with the old accelerator cable , YOUR VEHICLE`S ENGINE IS VIRTUALLY CONTROLLED BY THE COMPUTER. The engine management system has a feed back sensor which monitors oxygen in the exhaust emissions-this information feeds back to the computer telling it to modify fuel injector spray pulse durations and constantly keeps the engine close to a Stoichiometric state at most times-this is called a closed loop system.

IN OTHER WORDS THESE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TUNE THEMSELVES AND CAN ACTUALLY LEARN !

But.., like everything else in life, components fail and deteriorate ..actuators like fuel injectors get blocked, idle motors seize causing a high idle, manifold gaskets perish causing

air leaks affecting idle, ignition coil drivers can fail causing engine miss, oxygen sensors can slow down causing high fuel consumption.

Ironically even in the computer/information age we live in now the car engine still requires constant repair and vigilance with a trained mechanic to ensure all components are running true and minimal emissions are produced this is what a tune up is all about.

I hoped this has helped !

Regards Manny

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

Recently The TV show A CURRENT AFFAIR decided to nail the shonky Mechanics to add to their hard hitting repertoire of shonky builders, plasterers and pensioners getting ripped off by internet dating scams from Africa.

The vehicle in question was a Subaru Forrester which was thoroughly inspected by so called Experts and had done 100 000km.

Now first let me say.., That I recommend every one reading this blog to join the RACQ especially for the breakdown and towing service they provide-it is simply insurance for your car especially if you breakdown. Even as a experienced Mechanic I had my daughter join.

After a thorough inspection by these so called experts the vehicle was deemed to be in good working order and with the reporters with hidden microphones & cameras unleashed to capture the so called shonks or rip off artists.

And of course that captured a few idiots.. `But!` and the big but…, was this initial vehicle inspection truly accurate?.

Not once was the log book referred too and at 100 000km this vehicle Is required to have a timing belt to be replaced (and a strongly recommend) water pump add this with other 100 000km service requirements the bill would easily come to $1000

Now we come to the tricky part.., A lot of these Mechanical workshops recommended struts and Shock absorbers to be replaced.

A Mcpherson strut & shock absorber act similarly in that they minimize suspension spring oscillations, keeping the car stable but most importantly KEEP THE TYRE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE ROAD.- This is done by a cylinder of oil is passing through metering orifices minimizing & slowing up and down motion by the springs as the car and tyres go over bumps.

A vehicle can be failed during a safety certificate inspection when this oil leaks out externally from the shock absorber or opposite when the orifice is damaged causing the shock absorber not to do its job at all- The point I am making is that gradually deterioration of the shock absorber occurs , Though the component is working it is not working to its full capacity & a lot of these workshops quoted on replacing the shock absorbers which is around $600 to $1000

The car as mentioned was a Subaru Forester which is a constant 4wd and also has a very high roof height making the centre of gravity very high. Thus I believe a good set of mcpherson struts & shock absorbers would have been a good investment making the car

handle better and far more safer combined this cost with the service you would have a bill of $2000 which would have been a good investment in the constant upkeep of this car

And yet This TV show did not really give a full picture nor was the initial so called expert really accurate- I believe this show should really do their home work and focuss on what they do best- doing stories on gardeners ripping off pensioners

Regards Manny

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

What is a car service? What does a service do for my car ?

Car servicing is one of the most important aspects in the upkeep of your car and it is perhaps the most mis-understood.

Car servicing is really periodic maintenance and inspection of your vehicle,set by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

The car is built up of different systems- steering, brake, suspension, heater/airconditioning, powertrain (engine/gearbox) electrical ,cooling, differential.

All these have to be checked and sometimes tested/repaired at required intervals which is generally set in your manufacturers logbook .

hence the term ..a logbook service.., Where the confusion and general mis-understanding comes in is where the customer has a problem with the car and assumes a service will fix the problem !

There are many types of problems- which generally can be broken into two categorys hard fault or intermediate fault.

A hard fault is a problem that occurs all the time.., ie brakes grinding.generally these problems can be picked up by your mechanic,because they happen all the time it can be rectified or diagnosed pretty quickly.

The intermediate fault is the one that causes most of the anguish,this is the problem that causes so much frustration and money because many times the fault does not occur when the vehicle has its service time.

And this is a important note to the people reading this blog and that is that mechanics are only allowed a set amount of time to work on a car ,therefore to assist the mechanic ,have a written notes on what problems you have with the car ,write .. When ,where the fault occurs does the car hop,skip,jump,smell,is there a noise,a grind,a vibration and at what speed?.

Have as much information written down ,and also one other thing, when booking your car in,tell of these problems when booking in the car- there is nothing more infuriating and costly when there is a known fault with a car and it is not relayed to the mechanic before it is booked in .the other infuriating action –please make sure there is petrol in the car- there is nothing worse than going for a test drive only to run out of fuel.

To sum up servicing is a periodic maintenace to your vehicle.., logbook servicing does not sometimes fix the problems with your car..

To fix problems i recommend to give as much information to the mechanic and most importantly be prepared to be with out the car for a few days until it can be accurately diagnosed & fixed.

Neglect- perhaps one of the greatest crimes that have destroyed many car engines is simply neglect,here are some pictures of what can happen when the timing belt is not replaced periodically.

Regards Manny

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

8 bent valves due to timing belt failure

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