Being able to change your own oil doesn't make you a mechanic

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: Quasmo
I replaced a fuse for my glove compartment light... when do I get to start rebuilding my own transmission?

Well thats where I started. I rebuilt my automatic trans about 2 years ago so you have about 5 more years to go.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Fvck......how am I going to put this engine back together now...................

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: jtvang125
My roommate had his dad come over (3hr drive) to help him replace the clutch on his car. By doing it themselves they figured they'll save some money. He needed it done quite quickly because he needs the car for work and school.

Now for the sad part. It took them four days to do the job and when I say day, I mean morning til night. At the end of the day they look like monkeys. So on the fourth night his dad finishes the job while he's off to work. I'm in bed already by then but not totally asleep yet. I hear him start the car and try to shift...grrrrrrrrrr, ggrrrrrrrrrrrr. The transmission will not shift into gear at all.

4 full days of work and you end up worst than when you started. Sad, just sad.

But when they're done, they'll have valuable experience. Sure, it took them a while to do it, but when all is said and done they'll have a new clutch and newfound knowledge, whereas someone who paid to have it done gains no knowledge.

I make it a habit to do everything myself. And over the years, all the knowledge adds up. I don't think I own much that I haven't taken apart.

In fact, I owe my career to my attitude because I learned to work on all my computers by myself. I was taking computers apart when I was 12 and building them for people when I was 14. Now I'm 29 and working for IBM, running a datacenter.

Amen, that just about doubles for me, except the 29 part I completely pulled my one and only PC apart for fun, laid every individual part out, and reassembled it correctly on the first try, I was about 11/12, you can't be intimidated sometimes, although if I didn't take the right steps, I would've ruined my only computer and probably wouldn't have been able to buy the parts to fix it I swapped out my broken transmission on my old Shelby, and I'm getting ready for a crash course in sheet rocking as I refinish the basement in my mom's house, that'll be fun

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, I just think it's important to diversify oneself

 

[Baked]

They are men amongst themselves, but they're monkeys to others.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I can do a bunch of stuff myself when it comes to cars but there is no fvcking way I would tackle that job. Tune ups, replacing O2 sensors, brake jobs, headers, replacing shocks and struts? No problem.

Clutch? Transmission? Cylinder heads? No way.

What the fvck is so hard about a simple clutch? Even the "nightmare" clutch on the 944 isn't bad at all if you have the space to get around under the car. Just takes a weekend to do if you don't have a hydraulic lift.

ZV

"hard"ness clarified.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Zebo
I can do that in less than half a day, I swapped a hydrolocked diesel in my F350 in a day.. Love it!

I'm an engineer but if I could choose any other career I think it would be a mechanic, working with tools, fixing things is cool....or interstate truck driver since these brats around here drive me nuts at times.

All it takes is patience, and researching the procedures throughly before you start...

I never researched anything. Some people are mechanically inclined you know, I'm one of them. Wether fiberglass patching my boat or building a barn I don't read anything. (on principle)

Well, that's good for you. If you like to just tear into things blind, more power to you. Personally, I'm mechanically inclined, but I don't see where knowing the stuff I'm going to need, and what's involved in the process, before I start makes me any less competent working on the car.

I assume you have more than one vehicle? What happens if you are doing a job, and find out you don't have everything you need? You just "make it work"?

I'd love to see you do a rebuild on a motor without bothering to look at any manuals for tolerances and tourque specs..

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Zebo
I can do that in less than half a day, I swapped a hydrolocked diesel in my F350 in a day.. Love it!

I'm an engineer but if I could choose any other career I think it would be a mechanic, working with tools, fixing things is cool....or interstate truck driver since these brats around here drive me nuts at times.

All it takes is patience, and researching the procedures throughly before you start...

I never researched anything. Some people are mechanically inclined you know, I'm one of them. Wether fiberglass patching my boat or building a barn I don't read anything. (on principle)

Well, that's good for you. If you like to just tear into things blind, more power to you. Personally, I'm mechanically inclined, but I don't see where knowing the stuff I'm going to need, and what's involved in the process, before I start makes me any less competent working on the car.

I assume you have more than one vehicle? What happens if you are doing a job, and find out you don't have everything you need? You just "make it work"?

I'd love to see you do a rebuild on a motor without bothering to look at any manuals for tolerances and tourque specs..

Just follow the Shade Tree mechanic torque guide: tighten it 'til it strips, then back it off a 1/4.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
Just follow the Shade Tree mechanic torque guide: tighten it 'til it strips, then back it off a 1/4.

:laugh: