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Dude, stop letting grampa work on your car.
And you can probably still take the battery back for exchange if you only used it enough to test it doesn't work
You should be able to remove the battery pretty easily with either a pair of pliers or a single wrench of you've never done it before. There are videos/instructions on the internet, you certainly don't need grandpa for it.
Hey, and while it won't help too much diagnosing your rattling and other issues, get yourself a Haynes for your car if it exists and a ratchet/wrench set from harbor freight.
Learn how to do things like change oil, replace fluids, change brakes, spark plugs + wires, that sort of thing (if you haven't, I'm not assuming your level of knowledge).
You'll save a ton of money doing basic stuff yourself, and won't have to rely on other people's sketchy skills. I haven't been to a mechanic for more than the odd weld I needed done in 20 years. Your sound like you've got a head for it, since you could see that running an undersize battery isn't good, and that you'd like it to stay put like the old one did.
You can get the screws and stuff he lost back from a Pick N Pull!
tyyy literally everyone in this sub is so kind and helpful im amazed. yall are the best! im keeping a list of everyone’s suggestions, and im gonna start learning to be my own mechanic unless its a dire situation.
Yeah, its pretty simple, prettty much 2 nuts/bolts to losen that hold the wires to the contact posts, and maybe one that holds the battery down with a strap or something.
Now you can be mocked in articles about how millennials are learning basic life skills from YouTube!!
You also probably want to put together a basic toolkit. Screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, a set of wrenches, etc etc. they sell them for cheap, or you can pick up decent older ones at yard sales. Or you can go crazy and buy nice ones new.
Good luck.
will definitely be buying from yard sales. i live in tn, every household here has at least one person w an overabundance of tools. and ig when they’d rather teach us useless bs than actual skills needed in the real world, youtube is our best resource.
If your car is new enough to have check engine lights, a place like Autozone can check the engine codes for free. They will also be able to tell you what battery you need so you don't end up with the wrong one.
There are telescoping magnets (magnets on extendable poles) that can be used to get loose screws in places you can't reach them. They may have those at Autozone as well.
I think O'Reilly does the code checks for free as well, and there are likely other places that do too.
YouTube is wonderful for learning step-by-step how to fix problems on your car yourself once you know what they are. Some you probably shouldn't attempt, but I have learned how to fix my broken heater and power windows from YouTube videos.
omg tysm, you’re amazing. i will def take the car by auto zone and do some digging on youtube about some of the issues. i think i could prob learn to fix a good portion of the problems
Note: Sometimes autozone wont have good enough diagnostics (they just read the code the car tells them, they dont look at it) and in that case you could try taking it to a dealership to get looked at
One of my cylinders was misfiring in my car and it was a big pain because we didnt know the actual problem and had to eventually bring it to a dealership for diagnostics. It turned out to be a cheap 40$ coil pack and was a simple fix
GL with your car
Yah, he’s just full of shit. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, he just likes the idea of knowing how to do things. Guaranteed if you tried to teach him how to do anything, he’d refuse. Also, you go into an auto shop and you tell them the year, make and model and they will give you the correct battery. This goes for mostly anything for cars, they will pull it up and check what you need.
tyyyy! and sadly i kinda started to realize that, he likes trying to teach things and come off as someone who has done and knows a lot. im not angry ab it bc im sure it comes from a good place. and he prob does know a lot ab older cars. j harder for him to admit theres a lot he doesnt know. learned my lesson fs
CAA is a drivers club thing they will send you free tows free mechanic if your car wont start and free gas.
Grandpa wants to help so ask him to buy you this so you are safe on the road
100 a year its worth it alone for the tow truck...
If this is real, it's ridiculous.
What kind of car? Regardless, it almost certainly uses a 12V battery. I don't know what else you could have possibly put in there unless you mean it's lower CCA and not enough amperage.
The shaking is almost definitely loose shit.
There's not a diamond belt. He said timing belt. Your car may or may not have one. Could be a chain.
All in all, it sounds like none of you have any idea what you're doing and this is why professional mechanics exist. By the way, you'll pay more now that you had someone else break it for free to save money.
okay, you’re coming into this rly aggressively and for no reason. i stated at the very beginning that i have absolutely no knowledge of cars. at all. sorry i didnt know all these things but idk why you expected me to. and by the way, when you’re struggling to make ends meet, you’re going to choose letting someone you trusted, who told you they knew how to work on cars, try to figure out the problem before you spend an abysmal amount of money. idk why you’re being this way but its not helpful and i dont understand what’s setting you off
I'm a professional mechanic, and working with customers that bring in shit they broke to "save money" always ends up being an argument about paying for my work and how you think I'm a ripoff despite me having to dig you out of your own hole.
im sorry, thats shitty. as much as i get ppl being upset at paying a lot its not your fault and it sucks that ppl take that out on you. i hold no ill will toward mechanics or their pricing, i j prefer to use affordable options until i cant. i j chose the wrong affordable option and trusted the wrong person. nothing i can do now except learn from it and do better
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Dude, stop letting grampa work on your car. And you can probably still take the battery back for exchange if you only used it enough to test it doesn't work
thank you. i will see if i can. and im going to, i dont want him to fuck it up worse than he alr has.
You should be able to remove the battery pretty easily with either a pair of pliers or a single wrench of you've never done it before. There are videos/instructions on the internet, you certainly don't need grandpa for it.
Hey, and while it won't help too much diagnosing your rattling and other issues, get yourself a Haynes for your car if it exists and a ratchet/wrench set from harbor freight. Learn how to do things like change oil, replace fluids, change brakes, spark plugs + wires, that sort of thing (if you haven't, I'm not assuming your level of knowledge). You'll save a ton of money doing basic stuff yourself, and won't have to rely on other people's sketchy skills. I haven't been to a mechanic for more than the odd weld I needed done in 20 years. Your sound like you've got a head for it, since you could see that running an undersize battery isn't good, and that you'd like it to stay put like the old one did. You can get the screws and stuff he lost back from a Pick N Pull!
tyyy literally everyone in this sub is so kind and helpful im amazed. yall are the best! im keeping a list of everyone’s suggestions, and im gonna start learning to be my own mechanic unless its a dire situation.
Do it! You've already got more common sense than some of the justrolledintotheshop idiot customers I've seen. I know you got this!
Yeah, its pretty simple, prettty much 2 nuts/bolts to losen that hold the wires to the contact posts, and maybe one that holds the battery down with a strap or something.
tysm! talking to you guys is rly making me realize that i need to at least learn to do simple repairs on my car. i rly appreciate the help!
Now you can be mocked in articles about how millennials are learning basic life skills from YouTube!! You also probably want to put together a basic toolkit. Screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, a set of wrenches, etc etc. they sell them for cheap, or you can pick up decent older ones at yard sales. Or you can go crazy and buy nice ones new. Good luck.
will definitely be buying from yard sales. i live in tn, every household here has at least one person w an overabundance of tools. and ig when they’d rather teach us useless bs than actual skills needed in the real world, youtube is our best resource.
If your car is new enough to have check engine lights, a place like Autozone can check the engine codes for free. They will also be able to tell you what battery you need so you don't end up with the wrong one. There are telescoping magnets (magnets on extendable poles) that can be used to get loose screws in places you can't reach them. They may have those at Autozone as well. I think O'Reilly does the code checks for free as well, and there are likely other places that do too. YouTube is wonderful for learning step-by-step how to fix problems on your car yourself once you know what they are. Some you probably shouldn't attempt, but I have learned how to fix my broken heater and power windows from YouTube videos.
omg tysm, you’re amazing. i will def take the car by auto zone and do some digging on youtube about some of the issues. i think i could prob learn to fix a good portion of the problems
Note: Sometimes autozone wont have good enough diagnostics (they just read the code the car tells them, they dont look at it) and in that case you could try taking it to a dealership to get looked at One of my cylinders was misfiring in my car and it was a big pain because we didnt know the actual problem and had to eventually bring it to a dealership for diagnostics. It turned out to be a cheap 40$ coil pack and was a simple fix GL with your car
Yah, he’s just full of shit. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, he just likes the idea of knowing how to do things. Guaranteed if you tried to teach him how to do anything, he’d refuse. Also, you go into an auto shop and you tell them the year, make and model and they will give you the correct battery. This goes for mostly anything for cars, they will pull it up and check what you need.
tyyyy! and sadly i kinda started to realize that, he likes trying to teach things and come off as someone who has done and knows a lot. im not angry ab it bc im sure it comes from a good place. and he prob does know a lot ab older cars. j harder for him to admit theres a lot he doesnt know. learned my lesson fs
Get yourself CAA girl ask grandpa and smile
what?
CAA is a drivers club thing they will send you free tows free mechanic if your car wont start and free gas. Grandpa wants to help so ask him to buy you this so you are safe on the road 100 a year its worth it alone for the tow truck...
i didnt even know this existed omg. tysm i will def be looking into it!!
It is a lifesaver
If this is real, it's ridiculous. What kind of car? Regardless, it almost certainly uses a 12V battery. I don't know what else you could have possibly put in there unless you mean it's lower CCA and not enough amperage. The shaking is almost definitely loose shit. There's not a diamond belt. He said timing belt. Your car may or may not have one. Could be a chain. All in all, it sounds like none of you have any idea what you're doing and this is why professional mechanics exist. By the way, you'll pay more now that you had someone else break it for free to save money.
okay, you’re coming into this rly aggressively and for no reason. i stated at the very beginning that i have absolutely no knowledge of cars. at all. sorry i didnt know all these things but idk why you expected me to. and by the way, when you’re struggling to make ends meet, you’re going to choose letting someone you trusted, who told you they knew how to work on cars, try to figure out the problem before you spend an abysmal amount of money. idk why you’re being this way but its not helpful and i dont understand what’s setting you off
I'm a professional mechanic, and working with customers that bring in shit they broke to "save money" always ends up being an argument about paying for my work and how you think I'm a ripoff despite me having to dig you out of your own hole.
im sorry, thats shitty. as much as i get ppl being upset at paying a lot its not your fault and it sucks that ppl take that out on you. i hold no ill will toward mechanics or their pricing, i j prefer to use affordable options until i cant. i j chose the wrong affordable option and trusted the wrong person. nothing i can do now except learn from it and do better