Haynes was set up with precisely one aim – to help you, the home mechanic, repair your vehicles. Here, we celebrate those who use their spare time and Haynes Manuals to repair and improve their pride and joy.
DIY champion: Sheforn Thomas, Trinidad & Tobago
Vehicle: 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
He may live in what most of the world believes to be paradise, but Sheforn Thomas knows it can be a bit less than idyllic in Trinidad and Tobago if your car packs up. Indeed, running a car can be pretty expensive, which is why lots of people have taken to pedal power over the past few years.
So, given that motoring is costly, it’s a good idea to have a car you can rely on, and Sheforn is off to a good start with his Mitsubishi Lancer, a car that might not raise the pulse, but which will keep the bills down because it’s so dependable.
Until the day that it wasn’t.
Yes, one day Sheforn was driving along quite the thing, when his car gradually began to emit some untoward noises. Rattles and grinding noises are rarely the sign of anything good, and so it was here – they were classic symptoms of a worn-out clutch flexplate.
Keeping down costs was a priority, so Sheforn had no option but to change the flexplate himself. So, he dug out his Haynes manual, furnished himself with the relevant knowledge, got out the tools and set to work.
So, off came the automatic transmission, a task that also involved removal of the suspension and driveshafts, plus the removal of the starter motor.
After that, it was a case of taking off the old flexplate and fitting the replacement item, before reassembling everything. A lot of effort, but all worthwhile when Sheforn took the car out and the driveline performed flawlessly. And not only did he have the satisfaction of a job well done, but he also gleaned much happiness when looking at a bank account that wasn’t nearly as depleted as it would have been if he’d paid someone else to do the job.
We love the feeling that we get from fixing our vehicles ourselves. After all, it really isn’t that hard, and it can save you a huge sum of money. That’s why we want to hear your tales of DIY repairs and maintenance.
Just send us a few details about yourself and your vehicle to yourrepairs@haynes.co.uk
We want to hear about how smoothly (or not) the job went, and if you could send in some pictures, all the better. We’ll then feature you on our website and social channels.
