Your non-diagnostic vehicle-related problems solved
GENERAL
QI have been an avid reader and DIY nut for many years. I currently own a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS. The amount of info that is not out there is dazzling, however I keep seeing every month reference to ‘emanualonline.com’.
I had a very trying experience – and even trying to download the stuff was difficult, together with having to run it through a virtual box!
Perhaps someone would care to subscribe to this service and report back the findings.
A It is unfortunately very difficult to now get a good workshop manual such as the Haynes type we once took for granted, many years ago. The early manuals were put together by actually stripping down the vehicle and recording the steps needed to effectively carry out any repair.
With a much wider range of vehicles available and the much greater complexity of those vehicles this is now not such a feasible option. Add to this that some vehicles are not so widely produced, the era of the manual in this form has passed – although Haynes do produce manuals online for a range of vehicles.
Emanualonline have grown over the recent years, and the wide collection of manuals can be confusing. It is also true that the downloading and operation of some of the manuals is not a simple task. The full workshop programs need to be downloaded and run in a virtual box programme to enable the original programme to run as intended.
Having downloaded and used the Mercedes manual from emanualonline, I can confirm that it does work, but it does take a while to download and set up. It also requires a good fast connection to ensure it downloads without issue, and a computer with a decent amount of RAM and with a fast processor.
The alternative has been bought to the market by companies who somehow manage to get the actual manual and data used by the manufacturer. I will admit that the origins of this are somewhat foggy, but these type of online or computer-generated details are the best option available to DIY owner.
I would not describe the system as easy to use or to set up, but the information is there when completed. I have also used the support service from emanualonline and they do normally To sum up, this in not for the feinthearted, but once running is fine.
GENERAL
Q How long is the shelf life of engine oil once it has been opened and partially used?
This will of course partially depend on the container and the storage conditions. But if we presume that after opening, the oil is kept in a sealed container that is free from damp and is not subjected to excessive heat or cold, then the oil should remain in a usable condition for around one year.
Whilst oil sealed in its original container should be usable for around five years, once opened condensation may form due to the ingress of air, and as the conta
