WGSB Car Maintenance
Welcome to the WGSB Car Maintenance page. Here, we aim to showcase some of the work done by students on the Car Maintenance course. The course teaches the basics of safely running a car, from checking the condition of the brake pads to the oil level. Below, you can read the students accounts of the week, which detail what they saw and how they corrected it.
Anthony - Year 12
Monday
Today I carried out checks on my own car which is a VW Golf MK4 (1998), these checks consisted of:
Through carrying out these checks I have found that my car needs two new rear brake disks and pads, two front lower wishbones, set of four new ht leads, more antis-freeze in water, new clips for rear window, new lock barrel on driver side door.
Tuesday
Today I carried out similar checks that I did on my car but on a different car, this car was a Renault Mégane, the car was in a very bad state, it was miss firing from two cylinders, it smelt of petrol when started the interior was so messy and it took so long trying to find the locking wheel nut to get the wheels of the car to carry out final checks, doing this we also found that the cars bearings had gone in both front wheels and the pads were quite warn and one of the tyre treads (the front left) was illegal, upon finding all this information out about the car we then filled out the forms we were given telling the teacher she needed to go and get the car fixed.
Wednesday
Today I came in with all the parts needed for my car and for about half of the day I managed to get both rear wheels off and remove the brake disks and pads. We were shown how to do one with the help of the mechanic and then on the second I was able to have a go myself with Craig and Luke, once we got the new brake discs in and put the pads on the brakes were checked by the mechanic to know there were safe then I had to pump my brakes up and the car was ready to go. After lunch we then sat in the classroom and watched restoration videos of cars to see how cars can be rusty scrap metal turned into a nice gleaming car within a week
Thursday
After the pads and disks were done on my car yesterday and it would be a bit difficult to do the wishbones myself the only thing left to do was to clean my car, with all the equipment supplied by the teacher. Firstly craig and I started out by washing my car off just with a sponge and a bucket of clean water, once the muck was off we then used T-Cut to get rid of some of the marks on my car and the extra bit of blue paint that somehow was on there, once the T-Cut was dry we rubbed it off with a cloth making the car soft and cleaner. After the T-Cut we then applied Ultra-Gleam to the car to bring up a nice silver colour which I didn’t know existed once I had put this all over my car and left it to dry we could then rub it off and see a nice clean car that I didn’t even know existed.
Today I carried out checks on my own car which is a VW Golf MK4 (1998), these checks consisted of:
- Oil check
- Anti-freeze
- Washer fluid
- All lights and lenses
- Brake disks and pads
- Suspension coil springs
- Doors and windows
- Wheels and tyres
- Instruments and controls
Through carrying out these checks I have found that my car needs two new rear brake disks and pads, two front lower wishbones, set of four new ht leads, more antis-freeze in water, new clips for rear window, new lock barrel on driver side door.
Tuesday
Today I carried out similar checks that I did on my car but on a different car, this car was a Renault Mégane, the car was in a very bad state, it was miss firing from two cylinders, it smelt of petrol when started the interior was so messy and it took so long trying to find the locking wheel nut to get the wheels of the car to carry out final checks, doing this we also found that the cars bearings had gone in both front wheels and the pads were quite warn and one of the tyre treads (the front left) was illegal, upon finding all this information out about the car we then filled out the forms we were given telling the teacher she needed to go and get the car fixed.
Wednesday
Today I came in with all the parts needed for my car and for about half of the day I managed to get both rear wheels off and remove the brake disks and pads. We were shown how to do one with the help of the mechanic and then on the second I was able to have a go myself with Craig and Luke, once we got the new brake discs in and put the pads on the brakes were checked by the mechanic to know there were safe then I had to pump my brakes up and the car was ready to go. After lunch we then sat in the classroom and watched restoration videos of cars to see how cars can be rusty scrap metal turned into a nice gleaming car within a week
Thursday
After the pads and disks were done on my car yesterday and it would be a bit difficult to do the wishbones myself the only thing left to do was to clean my car, with all the equipment supplied by the teacher. Firstly craig and I started out by washing my car off just with a sponge and a bucket of clean water, once the muck was off we then used T-Cut to get rid of some of the marks on my car and the extra bit of blue paint that somehow was on there, once the T-Cut was dry we rubbed it off with a cloth making the car soft and cleaner. After the T-Cut we then applied Ultra-Gleam to the car to bring up a nice silver colour which I didn’t know existed once I had put this all over my car and left it to dry we could then rub it off and see a nice clean car that I didn’t even know existed.
Stanley - Year 7
Monday
Citroën berlingo KD04
Tuesday
Citroën berlingo
VW camper 1983
Wednesday
Renault scenic III 2010
Thursday
Vauxhall Astra 2007
Rover mini;
BMW X1;
Citroën berlingo KD04
- Oil: ok
- Antifreeze: ok -40°
- Front right brake: ok 10% worn
- Front left brake: worn
- Back right brake: worn
- Back left brake: worn
- Suspension: ok
- Body work: not bad 1 dent and little scratches
- Lights: ok
- Tracking: needs work
- Tyres: good (front left worn) (winter tyres)
- Windscreen wipers & washers: ok
- Air con: great
- Advisories found: cracked passenger mirror, clutch replacement will be needed in the future
Tuesday
Citroën berlingo
- Overall good car but does need some work.
VW camper 1983
- Rear right brake piston needs replacing but drum and shoes good
- Lights ok
- Body good
- Windscreen wipers & washers good
- Oil refilled
- Antifreeze bad 15°
Wednesday
Renault scenic III 2010
- Oil ok
- Lights ok
- Windscreen wipers & washers ok
Thursday
Vauxhall Astra 2007
- Brakes pads replaced on all four corners
Rover mini;
- Washed and polished
BMW X1;
- Washed
Callum - Year 12
Monday
Basic checks on both the Fiesta XR2 and Vauxhall Minerva:
We then removed the front wheels on the Fiesta and checked the brake discs and pads for excessive wear. We also looked at the suspension and checked the tyre tread.
Carried out a diagnostics check on the Renault Megane and found that cylinder 3 had a serious misfire.
Tuesday
Rear wheels off the Fiesta to check rear brakes
Basic checks on Vauxhall Corsa:
Front wheels off and front brakes check
Wednesday
Removed rear wheels on Beef’s mini to check brakes as they are drums
Cleaned rear wheels
Watched the restoration of an old mini
Thursday
Changing fan belt on Beef’s mini
Changing oil filter
Basic checks on both the Fiesta XR2 and Vauxhall Minerva:
- Oil check
- Washer fluid
- Anti-freeze
- Light checks – front light on Fiesta needs replacing
We then removed the front wheels on the Fiesta and checked the brake discs and pads for excessive wear. We also looked at the suspension and checked the tyre tread.
Carried out a diagnostics check on the Renault Megane and found that cylinder 3 had a serious misfire.
Tuesday
Rear wheels off the Fiesta to check rear brakes
Basic checks on Vauxhall Corsa:
- Oil
- Washer fluid
Front wheels off and front brakes check
Wednesday
Removed rear wheels on Beef’s mini to check brakes as they are drums
Cleaned rear wheels
Watched the restoration of an old mini
Thursday
Changing fan belt on Beef’s mini
Changing oil filter
Lewis - Year 9
Monday
On Mr Wrigley's car, which is a Vauxhall corsa I looked at the brakes on the front right and the brake pads and disc both are recommended to be changed, also I did a light check and I have found that his fog light doesn’t work and that the bulbs of the other light our a bit low. I checked the oil of the car it was fine, I also checked the anti-freeze in the car it was fine and could stand temperature down to -22°C. I checked the wind screen washed and found that there was enough in there. I also found that the rear window wiper the rubber on it has split and the bottom of the arm is cracked. Tomorrow I going to check the brakes on the front left and both back tyres.
Tuesday
On Mr Wrigley's car which is a Vauxhall corsa, I checked the brakes on the front left and they were badly worn and I recommend that he changes them. I didn’t have time to look at the back tyres. I then went on to Mr Chidlow's car which is a Vauxhall Astra I looked at the engine under the bonnet and I filled the antifreeze up a bit to the maximum line and filled up the washer fluid. I also checked the lights of the car they all worked fine.
Wednesday
I worked on Mrs Walters’ car which was a Citroen Nemo, I checked the oil of the car and it was fine so then I took off the front right tyre of the car it was fine and so were the brake disc and pads. I filled up the washing fluid on the car because it was low, then we checked the antifreeze it was fine. I did checks on the car like if the car lights are working they all worked correctly and were fine. Everybody else together we looked at a VW camper van which belonged to Mrs Smith, we took off the back brake on the left and saw that the brake disc could be replaced as a recommendation.
Thursday
I worked on Mrs Wong's car which is a Toyota Yaris and Mrs Calvert’s car that was a Peugeot 206. I washed them both off with sponges and water so they were clean then, I used a polish called auto glym and wiped on the entire car then let it dry on both of the cars. I then wiped it off and whilst I was wiping it off the body of the car started to get shiny and be brighter. I then used a leather cloth to clean the entire inside of the doors on both cars. Then I cleaned all the wheels on both cars with a spray cleaner called tyre black
On Mr Wrigley's car, which is a Vauxhall corsa I looked at the brakes on the front right and the brake pads and disc both are recommended to be changed, also I did a light check and I have found that his fog light doesn’t work and that the bulbs of the other light our a bit low. I checked the oil of the car it was fine, I also checked the anti-freeze in the car it was fine and could stand temperature down to -22°C. I checked the wind screen washed and found that there was enough in there. I also found that the rear window wiper the rubber on it has split and the bottom of the arm is cracked. Tomorrow I going to check the brakes on the front left and both back tyres.
Tuesday
On Mr Wrigley's car which is a Vauxhall corsa, I checked the brakes on the front left and they were badly worn and I recommend that he changes them. I didn’t have time to look at the back tyres. I then went on to Mr Chidlow's car which is a Vauxhall Astra I looked at the engine under the bonnet and I filled the antifreeze up a bit to the maximum line and filled up the washer fluid. I also checked the lights of the car they all worked fine.
Wednesday
I worked on Mrs Walters’ car which was a Citroen Nemo, I checked the oil of the car and it was fine so then I took off the front right tyre of the car it was fine and so were the brake disc and pads. I filled up the washing fluid on the car because it was low, then we checked the antifreeze it was fine. I did checks on the car like if the car lights are working they all worked correctly and were fine. Everybody else together we looked at a VW camper van which belonged to Mrs Smith, we took off the back brake on the left and saw that the brake disc could be replaced as a recommendation.
Thursday
I worked on Mrs Wong's car which is a Toyota Yaris and Mrs Calvert’s car that was a Peugeot 206. I washed them both off with sponges and water so they were clean then, I used a polish called auto glym and wiped on the entire car then let it dry on both of the cars. I then wiped it off and whilst I was wiping it off the body of the car started to get shiny and be brighter. I then used a leather cloth to clean the entire inside of the doors on both cars. Then I cleaned all the wheels on both cars with a spray cleaner called tyre black