Auto Repair without a Wrench

By Carl J. Monteleone

Good news! This book is your first step toward your independence from fear and anxiety about having a repair issue with your vehicle.

No experience necessary! And no tools! You’re not going to learn to be a certified technician; rather, I will teach you about your vehicle and the important parts of the vehicle that you need to keep an eye on.

I will guide you to where you can get the information about your vehicle that you are going to need to know and the manufacturer wants you to have. No Internet or cell phone necessary.

We are going to look at ways to understand the issue with your vehicle and then clearly communicate that information to the repair shop. We will take it slow and cover all the basics.

As we move forward, I’ll add a layer of relevant information, adding in some cases to what you have already learned. We will avoid information overload or paralysis from analysis.

Knowledge is king. Gone are the days of “I only put gas in it.” From reading and referring to this book, you are going to understand and be able to take control of your vehicle’s wellness and repair.

Congratulations!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636305028

Book preview

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Auto Repair without a Wrench

Carl J. Monteleone

ISBN 978-1-63630-501-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-502-8 (Digital)

Copyright © 2021 Carl J. Monteleone

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Tools

Your Vehicle

Inspecting Your Vehicle

General Maintenance

Your Issue

Warning Signs, Part 1

Warning Signs, Part 2

Components

Systems

Warranty

Parts

Repair Facility

Recap of the Recap

My Take

Good News!

First, let me say thank you for your purchase. This is the first step toward your independence from fear and anxiety about having a repair issue with your vehicle.

No experience necessary! This book is not designed to make you a certified master technician. That would be a big book, would take months to read, and would cost a lot of money for tools.

Rather, I will teach you about your vehicle and the important parts of the vehicle that you can keep an eye on. Believe it or not, this can save time and money in diagnostic charges and downtime without your vehicle. We will look at ways to understand what the issue is with your vehicle and how to communicate that issue properly to the repair facility. Ever seen the funny commercials about people trying to describe their issue to the mechanic? Not too funny when it is your car!

We will also explore where to get the correct information about your vehicle without having to rely on your cell phone or computer. In fact, the manufacturer of the vehicle wants you to know all there is about your vehicle so you can get the most out of it. The information is in the same place for most all vehicles.

You are going to come away with a good idea about a few things that you can do to be proactive in your vehicle care. If you do some things on a regular basis, you may even prevent yourself from having to make an unexpected trip at any repair shop.

We are going to discuss the types of repair facilities there are. This should enable you to decide where you want to have your vehicle serviced. We’ll also discuss some of the things that go on at the repair shops. This will give you an idea of who you will be speaking to and what their responsibilities are.

There is a lot of information about your car that you may be hearing about for the first time. We will start with the basics in each section that you will use for the most part. As we move forward, I’ll add a layer of information that is relevant to that section.

This should help you build on the information that you already have without trying to understand the entire concept from the beginning. As you learn more theory and practical application, you will see that it will make more sense. Knowledge is king.

In addition to your vehicle and the repair facility choices available to you, we are going to talk about parts, warranty, and a few things that come into play when an estimate is built for your repair.

We are going to review and make a small list of things to know and do, but don’t think you have to memorize or retain everything in the book. Remember, you can reread it for free. You only buy it once!

If you stole this book, please donate the amount of money for the book to charity.

And stop stealing.

The next few pages of this book are about me. I’ll try to convince you that I am a regular guy and have a lot of talent, experience, and training on this subject. I hope that works for you!

About the Author

I was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City, a long time ago. This makes me an original lord of Flatbush, even before the movie came out. We lived in Queens, and for fifteen cents, we took the bus to the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing. Long before Men in Black got there.

My dad moved us to New Jersey (the country) late in ’66, when he was transferred there with Bell Labs (AT&T). I told you it was a long time ago. My mom, sisters, and brother went from a brownstone by the el (elevated train) to a house with three floors, a full basement, and a garage. Not to mention the lawn.

We only had the ’63 Rambler 660 wagon. Mom didn’t drive and didn’t need to, until we got into the country. The new ’72 Lemans Wagon came just about the time Mom and Dad needed their own vehicles.

I was thirteen when I did the first tune-up on the Rambler. Dad got help from a friend on the phone, and we did it together. I did it myself the following year. Oil change, spark plugs, points, and condenser. For some reason, I was hooked.

When I had the opportunity in high school, I signed up for the wood shop and auto classes. My dad was great with woodworking. He built the desk and bookshelf that he still has in the den. Along with the closet he built in the master’s bedroom.

I worked in the coop program in high school and went to work in an auto parts store in the afternoon. There I learned a great deal about cars and how to run a machine shop. I learned how to machine drums and rotors, grind flywheels, bore and deck a block, do valve jobs, replace guides and seats, press bearings, studs, and just about anything else you needed to rebuild a motor.

I went to a vo-tech college that didn’t satisfy my learning ability, so I went to a technical institute after that. Between the study there and my time still at the auto parts store, when it was time to take the NIASE tests for certification, I passed all eight tests on the first try.

I’ve spent more time on this part of the book than I had anticipated, but my nephew told me to not make it read like a résumé. I’m going to cheat here and continue my story with just the highlights. Sorry, Eric. (He’s got a masters in English and helped me with the editing.)

I’ve been extensively trained in all phases of vehicle repair to include automobiles, light duty trucks up to a ton, and RVs. Over forty combined years in the auto, RV, fleet, and rental industries. Over twenty-five years in management with local, regional, and national responsibilities.

Some of the certifications I achieved include all eight in NIASE: AC, brakes, transmissions, engines, suspension, fuel, and electric systems. IMACA and forklift safety trainer were also achieved.

In the parts sector, I managed inventories from $100,000 to over $1.5 million with four to six true turns. I’ve led over thirty-five people in one department, handled logistics in more than nine locations in three states, and was the single point distributor for hazardous material to Hawaii and Puerto Rico out of New Jersey.

I’ve moved dealership’s parts departments, had mezzanines built, and controlled the inventory of multiple carousel storage systems to 99.9 percent inventory accuracy. A carousel storage unit is like a 20-feet vending machine. I had three, and they stored over 6,300 different parts and close to 10,000 SKUs.

My parts departments supported an iconic sports car company on a national level and a fleet size of over 18,000 vehicles in peak season on a regional level.

On the service side, I’ve led a staff of over fifty in a stand-alone satellite warranty facility for the largest manufacturer of its kind at that time. This facility also included a full-paint body shop.

I’ve monitored over thirty-five technicians in a service center, with forty-two bays, to consistently achieve prep goals of over six hundred units a month. My computed CSI scores were over 96 percent, and I have many running months at 100 percent.

I’ve influenced teams of union employees to maintain a fleet just north of seven thousand vehicles in peak season while complying to all safety, OSHA, HAZMAT, and ADA regulations.

Co-managing a busy interstate auto parts store with a machine shop for over eight years gave me some of the resources I used to become the chief engine builder and crew chief for a start-up dirt-track race company. While we didn’t win much, we had a great time and learned enough for the owner’s son, who took over the driver slot a few years later, to be quite successful.

Having been in the private, dealership, and multifranchise sectors in all phases of repair, I have a unique perspective of the best practices to accomplish the highest level of repair and customer satisfaction.

I get many calls from family and friends about how to go about getting something repaired and what it might be. I’m sure this book will prepare you to answer those questions and show you how to be proactive with your vehicle maintenance.

Thank you again for your purchase, enjoy the book, and have a blessed day.

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National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, as it was called in the day. It’s been shortened to ASE, Automotive Service Excellence. It’s also rare to find a tech these days with all of the certifications.

You’ll find out what SKU stands for in the book. It’s an obscure addition, so see if you remember it when you read it. I could have said ten thousand pieces, but that’s not parts department talk.

Tools

No wrenches!

Here are the tools I recommend that everyone has for each vehicle you have in your household. You probably have most or all of them already.

Envelope

A legal-size manila envelope is generally large enough to hold any receipts or warranty contracts that you have or will get. This will be our toolbox, which will have room to carry some of the other items listed.

Small pad

Not sticky notes. Just to-jot notes. You can get a one-subject notebook and keep all your information in it, although you shouldn’t be using this very often.

Pen and/or pencil

Pencils need to be sharpened, and pens run out of ink. Keep at least one or more of either.

Marker

To write on the envelope. It’s easier to read and write with marker on the envelope.

Tire gauge

This will read the tire pressure. Not all vehicles require the same tire pressure, so be sure the gauge reads the highest pressure of the tires in your household. You only need one per household, but everyone should know where it is. They aren’t normally expensive. Putting one in every envelope is the best way to go though.

Flashlight

Small LED style. Something to use versus your phone.

Find a place to put the envelope with these items in it. You can leave it in the car, but don’t let it get wet or wrinkled. You are going to need this to keep information about your vehicle and keep track of parts and repairs.

You may already have a system that you use, and that’s fine. If you’ve never given it a thought, then this is a good starting point.

I have a separate file for the receipts for each vehicle. I keep other information in the car so it’s on hand when I do my inspection. When I’m ready to perform some maintenance service, I have all the info in the vehicle.

While most people have some tools in the home, the only other tool you are going to need is a paper towel or old rag to check fluid levels. If you would like to consider this book as a tool, then this completes the list!

Let’s go to the next section and find out about your vehicle. Bring your new toolbox with you.

Your Vehicle

For the most part, in this book, we are going to be dealing with vehicles that have combustion engines that require regular oil changes and standard radial tires. If you own an RV, see the RV Edition of this book that I also wrote (am writing).

Any new vehicle should come with a paper owner’s manual. If it did not, maybe it came with a USB stick. In that case, you will need your laptop or computer to get the information that you want.

The owner’s manual is there to describe the functions and features of your car, how they work, and how you operate them. If you haven’t read the