🔧 Car Repair Guides

101 guides covering DIY maintenance, diagnostics, and workshop repairs

These guides cover the repairs and maintenance jobs that come up most often across MyCarFault's fault reports — written as step-by-step instructions rather than the case-by-case format used on individual fault pages. Use them alongside a specific fault report when you want the full procedure, not just confirmation that a fix worked.

Guides are organised by vehicle system and tagged with a difficulty level and estimated time, so you can judge upfront whether a job is realistic to attempt yourself or better left to an independent specialist.

⚡ Quick Summary

101
Guides Published
2
Systems Covered
11
Beginner / Easy
How to bleed brakes - all four metho…
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  1. Browse by vehicle system below, or use difficulty (🔧 Beginner → Expert) and estimated time to pick a job that matches your experience and how much time you have.
  2. If you've already diagnosed a specific fault on a fault report page, check whether it links to a matching guide here for the full repair procedure.
  3. For diagnostics rather than repairs — "what is this noise" rather than "how do I fix this" — start from Browse by Symptom instead.
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🛑 Brakes (16)
How to bleed brakes - all four methods explained
Four brake bleeding methods explained including gravity, manual, pressure, and vacuum methods.
⏱ 1.5 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 35
How to replace front brake pads and discs
Complete guide to replacing front brake pads and discs on most modern vehicles.
⏱ 2 hours 🔧 Intermediate 👁 33
Repairing a Leaking Brake Pipe
Rusty brake pipes are common on classic cars. Repair requires correct copper-nickel tube and proper flaring tools.
⏱ 2-4 hours 🔧 Intermediate 👁 21
Replacing the Brake Master Cylinder
A bypassing or leaking master cylinder gives a sinking pedal or no pedal pressure. Replacement requires full brake system bleed.
⏱ 3 hours 🔧 Intermediate 👁 18
Replacing a Drum Brake Wheel Cylinder
Leaking wheel cylinders contaminate brake shoes and reduce braking effectiveness. Replacement is straightforward.
⏱ 2 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 17
Replacing Front Disc Brake Pads
Brake pad replacement is one of the most accessible DIY jobs. This guide covers sliding caliper and fixed caliper types common on classic cars.
⏱ 1 hour 🔧 Beginner 👁 16
Adjusting Drum Brakes on a Classic Car
Non-self-adjusting drum brakes require manual adjustment periodically as shoes wear. Correct adjustment gives firm pedal and effective braking.
⏱ 30 minutes 🔧 Beginner 👁 16
Replacing the Handbrake Cable
Frayed or seized handbrake cables reduce effectiveness or prevent release. Replacement is straightforward on most classic cars.
⏱ 2 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 15
Overhauling Rear Drum Brakes on a Classic Car
Drum brakes require periodic overhaul to replace worn shoes, free seized adjusters and clean brake dust. This guide covers the full procedure.
⏱ 3 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 14
Bleeding Brakes on a Classic Car — Two-Person and One-Person Methods
Air in the brake system causes a spongy pedal. Bleeding removes air and replaces old fluid.
⏱ 1.5 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 14
Changing Brake Fluid on a Classic Car
Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, lowering its boiling point. Classic cars that sit unused are particularly prone to moisture contamination.
⏱ 1 hour 🔧 Beginner 👁 14
Testing and Replacing the Brake Servo
A failed brake servo requires excessive pedal force. Testing identifies servo failure versus master cylinder issues.
⏱ 3 hours 🔧 Intermediate 👁 13
Fitting Braided Stainless Brake Hoses
Braided stainless hoses reduce brake hose expansion under pressure, giving firmer pedal feel. They also eliminate the failure risk of perished rubber hoses.
⏱ 2 hours 🔧 Easy 👁 13
Inspecting Brake Discs for Wear and Damage
Brake disc condition directly affects braking safety and pad life. This guide covers measurement and identification of disc faults.
⏱ 30 minutes 🔧 Beginner 👁 12
Rebuilding a Fixed Brake Caliper
Fixed calipers on classic sports cars can be rebuilt with new seals and pistons. Rebuild restores brake feel and eliminates leaks.
⏱ 3 hours 🔧 Intermediate 👁 11
Classic Car Rear Disc Brake Conversion — Overview
Converting rear drums to discs improves braking balance and reduces fade. This guide covers planning and execution for common classic car conversions.
⏱ 1 day 🔧 Advanced 👁 10
⚡ Electrical (1)
How to test and replace an ABS wheel speed sensor
Step-by-step guide to diagnosing a faulty ABS wheel speed sensor with a multimeter.
⏱ 1 hour 🔧 Easy 👁 21

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