How To Teach Young Children Basic Automotive Repair

Always teach them about the things that can burn or hurt them first. I always tell my daughter to stay away from the car after it has been run. It needs to cool and she is not allowed near it while it is running. There a few simple keys that I keep for her:

1. The exhaust is hot under the car and in the engine bay!
2. If the car is running, there are too many moving parts that can hurt them or get caught on them and cause serious injury.
3. Never attempt anything or use a tool without an adult.
4. The car must be secure if you are climbing under it.
5. Gloves should be worn to protect hands. Latex or nitrile gloves are sufficient.
6. Safety goggles are recommended since dust, rust and other particles always break loose when removing any part.
7. Explain that certain items and fluids are corrosive and explain what corrosive means. ie: battery acid, radiator coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, gasoline. Engine oil and windshield washer fluid are safe to get on the skin, but not to ingest.

I know this seems like a lot of work and you probably didn't think it was THIS dangerous but I assure you, if you watch your child closely and educate them of the dangers, they will be more likely to learn the proper way of helping you with the car safely.

Start with simple things like checking the oil, washer fluid, the wiper blades and checking the air in the tires.

I would recommend the First Grade age level for these simple tasks. I know my daughter hangs around us at her young age, but we only let her watch and explain things to her. She understands and can use tools when we give them to her. We feel she is too young to help us with the car for safety reasons.

Checking the oil: Make sure the engine has been off for at least twenty minutes to allow the oil to settle and the car is on level ground. Refer to your owners manual for the location of the dipstick, the oil fill spout, and the recommended oil type. It is different for every car and there are a select few makes that don't have a dipstick tube. Most engines have an oil fill spout on one of the valve covers and some may require you to use a special funnel to fill through the dipstick tube. There are several oil types and it can cause damage if you use the wrong type.

Have a rag or paper towel handy and remove the dipstick from the tube. Wipe it off and then replace it in the dipstick tube and then remove it again. We do this because running the engine will have oil coating the entire dipstick. Wiping it off to clean it and then replacing it back into the tube will then give you an accurate reading of the oil level. There are two marks on your dipstick: low and full. The oil level needs to be between these two marks. If its close to the low mark you should probably add some oil. Again, refer to the owners manual for oil type recommendations. There are several oil types and it can cause damage if you use the wrong type.

Only add about a 1/4 of a quart at a time if it is only low and check the oil level after each 1/4 you add. You may be surprised how quickly it fills. You also don't want to add oil above the full mark because you will actually increase the oil pressure in the engine block and possibly cause damage to the engine. Just keep the oil as close to the full mark as possible without going over it and you will be fine.

Washer Fluid: Refer to the owners manual for the washer fluid reservoir. Most vehicles do not require a specific type of washer fluid and you can use the cheap "blue water" or the high tech Bug wash or Rain X washer fluid. Just check the level and fill it up if it needs it. If is spills over, no big deal. You'll just smell some baking fluid for a few miles when you drive the car until it burns off. It won't damage anything.

Checking Tire Pressure: Refer to the owners manual for the recommended tire pressure. Most tires require a pressure between 28 and 32 pounds of pressure. Using a tire pressure gauge (you can find thousands of different types but a simple pencil type will do the job), remove the tire valve cap and place the tire pressure gauge on the valve stem. The pressure from the tire should push the needle out. The number on the needle where it stops is your tire pressure. Use an air hose (most Stewart's shops and gas stations have free air you can use) to add air if needed. If your pressure is too high, you just push in the valve and let a little air out. The wrong tire pressure will cause your tires to wear unevenly and you will need to replace them prematurely. You may also have handling issues with the wrong tire pressure.

Wiper Blades: Checking the wiper blades is simple. Just lift the arm and inspect the rubber. If it looks cracked or there are chunks missing, you probably need to replace them. Replacing them is complicated in terms of figuring out what type of hook-up you have. Once you figure that out, it's usually pretty simply with just a flat head screwdriver. I've had to change thousands of wiper blades from working at Advance for 8 years. I know all the types and can change them in a matter of seconds. If you own a high end car, you may need to go to the dealer to get them replaced because you can't replacement blades at the local auto parts store. The wiper blade packages usually come equipped with a diagram to help you change them.

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For these tasks I would recommend a 3rd grade age level. Now you can move up a little to changing the oil and changing bulbs.

*Again, make sure they understand the rules that an adult MUST be present whenever they are going to complete a task on a car.*

Changing The Oil: Refer to the owners manual and the repair manual for the oil specifications, oil filter specifications, location for the drain plug and the locations for appropriate jack points. Most jack points are located on the frame or a cross -member of the car where the weight of the car can be handled. Don't just place a jack anywhere and jack up the car. My dad had a kid put the jack through the floor of the car on him when he was teaching him how to do basic repair. After a lot of hammering and welding the car was fine but you don't want that to happen. Once you jack up the car, place safety jacks under the cross-member. The cross-member is a very thick metal bar that is the frame for the engine block. The repair manual should provide a picture for what it looks like for you. Once you have the safety jacks in place, give the car a shove from the side and shake it a little. If it falls off the jacks, you didn't quite place them right, and that could have been you under the car! If it feels solid and doesn't move, you did a great job and it should be safe to climb underneath the car.

Have a drain pan handy that will hold the same amount of oil as you plan to put in the engine. Using the proper socket size or wrench size, remove the drain plug. Some engines have 2 drain plugs (like my Mustang) so be sure to read everything in the repair manual. If the instructions tell you to replace the oil filter, you can remove it at this time and allow it to drain along with the drain plug. Allow the oil to drain from the car for about 20 minutes. Once the oil is drained, insert the drain plug and tighten to the proper torque specifications. Replace the gasket if required to do so. Place the new oil filter on the block and double check that all the holes you opened are now closed. You don't want to put new oil in the engine just to have it run out the bottom.

Remove the oil pan and the safety jacks and lower the car. Add most of the oil to the engine and check the oil level. For example: If the repair manual says your vehicle needs 5 quarts, only put in 4 quarts. The dipstick should read full. The reason for this is because if you've changed the oil filter, it holds approximately 1 quart of oil. You need to turn on the car and run it for about 1-3 minutes to allow the oil to move around the engine block and fill the oil filter. Turn the engine off and let it settle for about 15 minutes. Check the oil level again and it should be low. Add about 1/2 of the last quart of oil and then check the oil again. You should be reading close to the full mark but add oil a little at a time and check the oil level like you would when simply checking the oil. Once the oil level is where it needs to be, clean up your tools and wipe down any spilled oil. Be sure to bring your oil to a recycling facility when you are done. If you spilled oil on the engine while filling, no need to worry, the oil will simply burn off when you drive to your next destination. It will smell for a few miles but should go away once it's completely burned off.

Changing Bulbs: Changing bulbs can get complicated depending on your car. Most headlight bulbs are a halogen or xenon bulb that plugs in through the back of the housing. Other bulbs such as parking lights or brake lights are small incandescent bulbs. Both bulb types are set up the same way in terms of replacement. Grab the socket and give it a 1/4 turn and pull out. The bulb is exposed and the still in the socket. Most bulbs you pull straight out of the socket or turn a 1/4 turn and pull out. Always wrap a rag around the bulb when doing this as I have seen enough bulbs break. This will prevent you from cutting your hand if it happens. Placing the new bulb in the socket has proven to break far less bulbs so it's not much of a concern. Just push in the new bulb to the socket and return the socket to the housing.

A few things to remember when changing bulbs: Headlight bulbs need to be replaced carefully. DO NOT touch the bulb with your fingers! The oils from your hands will cause it to blow the first time you turn them on. Use gloves whenever replacing bulbs. If your vehicle requires an HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlight bulb, they replace the same way, but be prepared to pay between $100 and $300 for a new bulb. In terms of brake lights, some newer vehicles have LED lights and you may need to replace a circuit board instead of a bulb.

You can start teaching them how to replace the fan belt and work on the brakes when they've developed confidence in using tools and exhibit proper safety precautions when helping you. I wouldn't recommend this step until they are about the 5th grade level. These jobs are more vehicle specific and thus my descriptions will be more vague and short.

Changing The Fan Belt: Refer to the repair manual and acquire the proper tools. Some vehicles only need a wrench and to loosen the tensioner. Others may require you to use a special wrench you can rent from the local auto parts store and the removal of certain items such as the alternator or air conditioning components. Be sure you know what you're getting into before you start. The fan belt is simple, remove the old one and replace the new following the routing diagram provided in the engine bay (some specifications are placed on stickers in most engine bays) or refer to the repair manual. The best way to tell if you need to replace the fan belt is if it is dried out and cracking or glazed. If it is dried out, it could break causing some serious damage to your car depending on what type of engine you have. Some cars will simply stall and it is a simple fix. Other engines will seize and you may as well start looking for a new car all together. If the belt is glazed (typically it squeals really loud and you are embarrassed to drive your car) Something else is wrong and a pulley is putting too much pressure on the belt causing the squealing. This will cause the belt to slip and the timing to go off. The problem needs to be identified and fixed along with fan belt replacement.

Changing the Brakes: Again, there are a plethora of brake set-ups depending on your car. I could go on and write an entire book on brakes and still not exhaust all the different job types you might run into. I would refer to the repair manual and gather the appropriate tools to do the job. Begin by jacking up the car. Once you jack up the car, place safety jacks under the cross-member. The cross-member is a very thick metal bar that is the frame for the engine block. The repair manual should provide a picture for what it looks like for you. Once you have the safety jacks in place, give the car a shove from the side and shake it a little. If it falls off the jacks, you didn't quite place them right, and that could have been you under the car! If it feels solid and doesn't move, you did a great job and it should be safe to climb underneath the car. Remove the wheels from the car and then assess what you need to do next based on the step-by-step instructions provided in the manual. Some things I would recommend would be some penetrating oil, a breaker bar, and some brake lube to put on the new brakes along with the other tools necessary to do the job. Some brakes may have quite a bit a rust on them and can get stubborn. There are various methods you can use but the most safe is to use a penetrating oil to loosen bolts and allow them to soak in for about 10 minutes. The next step would be heating them using a torch (not so safe) and the last may be to use a high powered cutting tool (more dangerous). I literally had to cut my rotors in half on one car because they were rusted so bad. Those jobs may require you to take it to a professional, but your child can at least learn some of the basics and the mechanics of the job.

Most braking systems have a rotor, caliper, brake hose and brake pads. The intervals for changing these items should be in the owners manual. To do any part of the job, the caliper needs to be removed. Usually, there is a caliper bolt on the bracket the you remove and you should be able to lift the caliper from the rotor. The pads are inside and come out easily. Replacing the pads is not as simple. The pistons in the caliper need to be compressed to make room for the new, thicker pads. There are several methods used to compressed the pistons so refer to the repair manual. Decide if the rotors need to be replaced and remove the old rotor and replace it with the new rotor. Just because it is rusted doesn't mean it needs to be replaced. Remember, they are exposed to salt and water regularly so rust happens. It depends on the thickness of the rotor at to whether you need to replace it or if it warped causing a pulsating when you use the brakes. A warped rotor will cause your brake pads to wear out very quickly.

Replace the rotors, pads and calipers. Check to be sure that all the bolts are tightened according to torque specifications. Check the brake fluid reservoir and add fluid if it needs it. Have your child climb in the car and pump the brakes until they feel hard. If they continue to feel mushy, you may have air in the lines and bleeding the brakes may be required. If the brakes feel hard, you can put the wheels back on and lower the car. Take the car out for a test drive to ensure that the braking system is working properly and safely.

Once they've developed mastered skills in these previous areas, you can move to tune-ups and more intricate repairs such as changing the spark plugs, various engine modules, head gasket replacement and eventually engine or transmission overhaul. I did my first engine AND transmission overhaul when I was 15. Obviously, your child should be of a certain age before you should try to teach them more complicated tasks such as these, but it's not to say they can't do it. I did!