Who works on their own vehicle nowadays?

[Wayne02]

I do all the work on my wifes and my trucks. Even though you have a manual that doesn't mean that they are showing the quickest or easiest way to get it done. For example, I had to replace the fuel pump on my 2002 chevy S-10. The book said to remove all kinds of stuff under the tank, then lower the tank from below to access the pump which is located on the top of the tank. My garage has a grass floor and sky lights, 8 bolts and a couple of wiring plug ins and me and a friend simply lifted the bed up and back and there it was. just gotta try to use common sense sometimes. not that easy for me.
G.T. Smith

Excellent point. The internet is a wonderful thing for this type of deal as it opens a whole new pool of resources for reference. Many of these resources are actually people who have been there and done that, and there is seldom a better source of information then those who have actually done the work before.

I had the same issue when replacing the fuel pump in my truck. The shop manual had a long multi-step procedure for replacing the pump from below and I have a lift so would be better off than most, yet a little research on the net proved that lifting the bed was the way to go (even with a lift).

I am preparing to replace a leaking lower intake manifold gasket on my wife's car and again the shop manual lists a very involved process to do this. Yet some research on the net reveals that with a purchase of a $15 tool and some rethinking of the process greatly simplifies the replacement of said gasket. To the tune of many hours of labor and cursing.