Three Easy Auto Repairs You Can Do at Home

If you own a car, you might one day decide to tackle some of the simpler kind of repairs yourself. Here are three easy repairs you can do yourself with the help of a few tools and a little time:

Change the oil:

How often do you need to change your oil? Experts disagree. Much depends on the age and condition of the engine, your driving habits (high speed, peeling out, dirt roads), whether your car is driven primarily on the highway or around town and other factors, such as extreme heat or cold climate.. Owners' manuals may recommend going 3,000 miles between oil changes, or 10,000. The famous "Car Talk" experts, Tom and Ray, recommend changing it every 5,000 miles. Check your oil level every 3-400 miles - if it looks dark, change it.

Since clean oil is essential to the proper operation of your vehicle, let's talk about oil for a moment. In the high temperatures connected to engine operation, oil breaks down and becomes less efficient as a lubricant. Engine parts start to rub against each other. Also, the additives in oil get used up resulting in a loss of engine efficiency. Also, oil tends to pick up dust, combustion byproducts and water, and hold them in suspension. Once the oil is saturated with contaminants, it will stop absorbing them. When the oil is changed, the left-behind sludge stays in your engine.

Now, let's get started:

You'll need a jack and jack stand or some ramps, newspapers, an oil filter wrench, box-end wrench and a large bowl or bucket to contain the old oil.

1.Take your car for a little trip around the streets, to heat and thin the oil so it will drain completely. If you don't have a heat gauge, turn on the heater and drive until your feet get warm. Take the car home and park it on a flat spot. Pull the emergency brake on. Use jackstands.

2.Get under the car with the container and open the drain plug. Look for it close to the ground - look for a label, "drain plug." Don't mistake it for the transmission plug; the oil plug has a smaller nut and will feel hot to the touch. Don't take the nut all the way off.

Don't worry - you can fix it!

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