AN expert mechanic has revealed an easy DIY job that can save you hundreds.
Scotty Kilmer shared the handy tip on his YouTube channel and explained how basic maintenance jobs can be done at home for a fraction of the cost.
youtube scotty kilmerExpert mechanic Scotty Kilmer showed viewers how to fix an oil leak[/caption]
youtube scotty kilmerHe used a special UV dye to detect where the leak was coming from[/caption]
Scotty, who has over five decades of experience in the motoring business, showed viewers how to fix an oil leak using basic tools.
First of all, he mixed a small quantity of “leak-detecting dye” in with a top-up of engine oil.
This colours the oil and makes the exact site of a leak easily visible under a UV light.
Once that’s done, you just need to get under the car and spot where the oil is leaking from.
In the case of the Nissan Scotty was working on, the issue was a loose seal on the crankshaft which he simply had to replace.
He did this by removing any obstructing parts with an electric bolt extractor and a normal socket set.
Then he used a seal puller, which are available online for £5.99, to remove the faulty seal and popped a new one, which costs about £7.
Scotty said: “Just thank goodness it was the front main seal, an easy job, and not the rear main seal.
“If it was the rear main seal we would have had to pull the entire transmission off the car [to get to it].”
The cost of fixing an oil leak professionally can range wildly depending on the cause of the problem.
More complex issues could see you shelling out hundreds to replace key parts.
Social media commenters shared their gratitude for Scotty’s advice.
One wrote: “Scotty is the only mechanic I know who uses UV leak dye.
“All of our local mechanics just guess where the leak is, which can be very expensive.”
Another added: “Had no idea you could swap that without tearing the engine down. Very cool.”
It comes after Scotty warned drivers about “pointless” £50 car accessories that could be leaving them out of pocket.
Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to The Sun Online, he explained why EVs aren’t actually better for the environment and cost more than normal cars.
youtube scotty kilmerDoing simple maintenance jobs at home could save you hundreds on repair bills[/caption]