Repair manual finder

Aftermarket repair manuals

Aftermarket repair manuals - from publishers like Haynes, Gregory's, Clymer, Chiltons, etc - are intended to be used by both people with little experience working on vehicles and experienced amateur mechanics.

They generally take you through all procedures with simple step-by-step instructions, and photos and diagrams where needed.

Your typical aftermarket manual covers the following:

• Troubleshooting: a list of symptoms and possible causes
• Maintenance: when servicing and replacement needs to be done, and instructions on how to do it, and specifications of what is needed
• Engine: from basic repairs to a full rebuild, with service limits, torque specifications, etc
• Fuel system
• Cooling system, heating, air conditioning
• Exhaust system
• Manual gearbox: most manuals cover basic gearbox repairs and removal and reinstallation only and do not cover rebuilding
• Automatic transmission: most manuals only cover basic repairs and removal and refitting of automatic transmissions
• Clutch, driveshafts, etc
• Steering and suspension
• Brakes
• Body
• Electrical
• Wiring diagrams: most manuals cover most systems but usually do not have complete wiring diagrams

As Australia is a relatively small market, we often have to make do with manuals from other countries for most models aside from our popular locally made vehicles. This means that we get most manuals from the UK or the USA. This can mean that there are some differences, usually things like differences in emission controls but USA-sourced manuals will of course cover left-hand drive vehicles, so there will be differences in suspension and steering and other related systems.

There are also often differences in what engines were available in different countries, so its' not uncommon for a manual not to cover all engines that were available locally.

It's important to check that any manual you are considering will suit your model and engine.

Factory manuals

Vehicle manufacturers produce their own repair information that they provide to their dealer network. Some of these become available to the general public too.

Factory manuals are very comprehensive but it is important to note that they are intended for use by dealer service departments and qualified mechanics. So they are not always the most suitable choice for the average home mechanic, although sometimes they are all that is available.

The other issue with factory manuals is that a lot of the time they come in large multi-volume sets with even more "supplement" manuals that cover changes made to the model over its life, new engines and transmissions, etc.

This means that you need to make sure you get every manual relevant to your model and year and engine, and when doing work you may have to check supplements to find the latest information and specifications.

We carry some printed factory manuals for older Holden, Ford, Mazda and Nissan models. These manufacturers use a local printing and distribution company to print manuals for their dealers and the general public so these are the official factory-authorised manuals which also means that even some of the old manuals from the 1970s are able to stay in print.

Manufacturers have mostly moved to computer-based and online manuals now so factory manuals for modern vehicles are now unobtainable by the general public (although many illegal copies find their way onto eBay and other sales channels).

Why choose a printed repair manual over a computer-based manual?

• Greasy fingerprints are something to be proud of on a printed manual but aren't good for computer screens.
• You can leave the manual in your car, bike or boat so it's always there if you need it – at home or on the go.
• No huge downloads, no complicated installation processes, no viruses and no expired subscriptions!
• Support the repair manual industry (most of those cheap manuals you find online are illegal pirated copies).