As I have mentioned, I have a 25-second video of me fumbling with pliers and replacing my PCV valve.
I can do everything on my
initial list in 5 minutes or less except for brake pads. My distributor is right on top, has two bolts, a cable, and the ignition wires. I think the starter has two bolts, too, but I don't remember replacing it!
I cannot imagine replacing wipers taking 5 minutes, but many people pay someone else to do it.
Adjusting my power steering belt should take less than 5 minutes and I cannot even do it properly. Like with Mom's Camry you are supposed to adjust it by putting a breaker bar on aluminum, which cannot handle the torque. I push up on the power steering pump with a pry bar, although considering how many times I have adjusted it, I do not feel that I have the hang of it.
I just watched a couple of videos and nobody used a breaker bar.
I redid it the other day, but there was too much slack and it squealed, so I tightened it and it still squealed, so I tightened it further and, would you believe it still squealed?
I bought that belt from a dealership 28 months ago. People claim they are supposed to last at least 60,000 miles.
I ran to the store last night and the belt squealed on and off the entire time, not just on startup, so it must be too tight, but I can still rotate it 90°.
Clearly I am too strong.
For some reason I didn't copy over my files onto this laptop. Hopefully they are on my external hard drive! I am not downloading the FSM right now, but someone shared it saying that a new belt is supposed to flex less than half an inch and a broken-in belt is supposed to flex slightly more than 0.5".
When it is light I will check that.
I would pay a professional to do it right the first time, but they may say "I can't work on that, it's broken!" Also, I don't feel like paying double for the belt, an hour's labor, shop fees and tax.
Do I want to adjust it periodically for $21 or spend $132 once?
I cannot imagine rotating my tires in 5 minutes.
- Cracking 20 lugnuts.
- Jacking up the front and sliding in jack stands.
- Jacking up the back and sliding in jack stands.
- Removing 20 lugnuts and 4 tires.
- Rotating 4 tires.
- Fastening 20 lugnuts.
I kind of want to time it, though!
Changing a tire should definitely take less, even though I hate using scissor jacks.
Now I am looking at Stubby's list of 88 repairs.
I haven't replaced a
or filter. The filter is in the pump in the tank and that video is almost four minutes, so I doubt you could do it that fast.
Alternator: FixBook has a 16-minute video and Fix It Angel has one that is 1:48, but it is vastly more accessible than on my Civic!
Charge the AC? Screw in the can and pull the trigger?
Many sensors are easily accessible.
Isn't the muffler attached to the catalytic converter with a couple of bolts and then attached to the car with a couple of rubber hangers?
Am I getting ahead when I mention the cat? I think that mine is 5 bolts total and the oxygen sensor.
I replaced a window motor and since it requires removing the door panel I doubt that I could do it in less than 5 minutes.
The radiator has two bolts and two hoses, but burping alone would take more than 5 minutes.
Replacing the hoses would also require burping.
Cleaning ground connections should be fast. I need to look up mine [again].
How much rust and dent repair can you do in 5 minutes?
"Break in to your own vehicle when you've locked the keys inside at work." Yes... your own vehicle... at your work...
"How to have Home Depot cut a metal non-chip key for $5 to keep in your wallet."
I nicely explained to 3 different employees and ended up with one with plastic on the head, but I can remove that.
I doubt that you can bleed brakes in 5 minutes, so anything related would be out.
Honda-Tech says that it would take 10 hours to replace the oil pump.
You must not know about me!
Can you change any fluid in 5 minutes? Let's skip the time that it drains and just count the hands-on time.
Dipstick O-ring?! Woah! Who do you think we are?!
I doubt that I could remove [and reinstall] the bumper in 5 minutes, so the windshield washer reservoir, pump, and hoses would be out.
Mom's reservoir leaks. I would share a picture, but I cannot get it to load. For some reason I am still looking at Black Friday laptop sales. This computer is a month old and periodically freezes.
I think the best price that I can find for a reservoir is $30-35.
I had a great day on Monday! Let's just top off Mom's washer fluid! She has a fancy light!
...and Mom's car peed the driveway...
Let's finally replace my intake tube! It has a 1/4" hole!
The new one has a 1.5" hole!
Uh... 1/2 of 1/4 squared is 1/64th. I am supposed to multiply by pi, but I am not going to!
3/4" squared is 9/16th. I did not multiply by pi before and I am not starting now!
The new hole has 36 times the area of the old one.
It took me hours to figure out all of this. The 2001-2002 Accord has a new secondary resonator. Some dealerships show the hole for that and some don't--with the same part number, both for 1998 - 2000 Accords.
Unless you closely examine your intake while looking at the pictures you wouldn't realize there is a difference.
Now I need to plug the hole because I am not buying a second resonator.
Then I tightened my belt, which didn't stop squealing, so I need to replace that, too. I thought that I would knock out three maintenance items and now they will take an entire morning.
Right. I cannot order the reservoir without determining whether her car was built in the U.S. or Japan.
Another thing to check when it is light out!
Anyway, back to the list!
Throttle body & intake manifold cleaning: I just need to pop off the brand-new intake tube to clean the throttle body, but don't I need to remove the intake to clean the manifold?
The only other thing on Stubby's list that might be quick is installing a trailer hitch. Hopefully 3 bolts won't be bad, but I am still waiting for mine to arrive!
JSH mentioned the thermostat. That is attached with 2 bolts, but again we have the burping problem.
Sure, some people will always waste $100 or more for something they know they can do themselves, but I don't think that many people realize how easy some things are.
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