Learning new things

[zetsway]

Ok so please don't make fun of me but I would like to learn more about cars. Where should I go?

Please no smart remarks. I'm serious.

And yes I'm not ashamed to say I may be the first male on the planet who doesn't know how to do simple things on his car.

I figured out how to change my windshield wipers the other day

I learn pretty quickly too. I'm just sick of working on PC's all day at work so I want a new hobby.

Suggestions?????

 

[Jahee]

Trial and error! ;-)

 

[amdfansftw]

find a buddy that knows about cars and hang out with them and do some small stuff to your car together. it's all about tinkering with new stuff.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Get a Chilton manual and a basic Mechanic's tool set from Sears and just have a go at it. The only way to learn is to try. You just need to have time to go slowly.

ZV

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: zetsway
Ok so please don't make fun of me but I would like to learn more about computers. Where should I go?

Please no smart remarks. I'm serious.

And yes I'm not ashamed to say I may be the first male on the planet who doesn't know how to do simple things on his computer.

I figured out how to change screensaver the other day

I learn pretty quickly too. I'm just sick of working on cars all day at work so I want a new hobby.

Suggestions?????

It's kinda the same way you would answer the above.

Whatever worked for computers for you should also work for cars.
School?
Friends?
Just taking one apart?
Etc.

 

[zetsway]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I'll start today

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Get a Chilton manual and a basic Mechanic's tool set from Sears and just have a go at it. The only way to learn is to try. You just need to have time to go slowly.

ZV

Exactly what I did. Started off with fluid checks, went on to rotor/pad replacements, and most recently replaced both front axles. Very rewarding!

My take on it is: If you can build a computer, you can work on a car.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: shocksyde

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Get a Chilton manual and a basic Mechanic's tool set from Sears and just have a go at it. The only way to learn is to try. You just need to have time to go slowly.

ZV

Exactly what I did. Started off with fluid checks, went on to rotor/pad replacements, and most recently replaced both front axles. Very rewarding!

My take on it is: If you can build a computer, you can work on a car.

yep. Cars are just larger, dirtier, and messier - and not to alarm you, but there's also much more potential of hurting yourself. Either through consequences of improper repairs (loss of control while driving) or lack of proper safety measures when performing the work.

Never get under a car supported only by a jack. Use stands or ramps, set the emergency brake (unless you're working on the rear wheels) and chock the other wheels.
Never open a hot radiator. OMG BURNS!!11
Coil springs can shoot at you like lethal rockets if precautions are not taken when removing / installing them.

etc, etc. Just use common sense. Learning your way around a car is a fun and rewarding hobby, and will save you a TON of cash. Not to mention, you can often get yourself out of a jam if you break down, rather than waiting for the tow truck.

 

[jagec]

Before you learn how to work on a car, you must first learn how to swear.

Particularly for things like suspension work, clutch jobs, and pretty much anything that requires you to crawl under a filthy car supported by jackstands and remove rusty bolts which were placed at awkward angles and torqued to the limit by slipshod factory workers, then rounded off by incompetent high-school dropouts at your local Kwik-E-Wrench.

 

[compnovice]

Originally posted by: jagec
Before you learn how to work on a car, you must first learn how to swear.

Particularly for things like suspension work, clutch jobs, and pretty much anything that requires you to crawl under a filthy car supported by jackstands and remove rusty bolts which were placed at awkward angles and torqued to the limit by slipshod factory workers, then rounded off by incompetent high-school dropouts at your local Kwik-E-Wrench.

:laugh:

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: jagec
Before you learn how to work on a car, you must first learn how to swear.

Particularly for things like suspension work, clutch jobs, and pretty much anything that requires you to crawl under a filthy car supported by jackstands and remove rusty bolts which were placed at awkward angles and torqued to the limit by slipshod factory workers, then rounded off by incompetent high-school dropouts at your local Kwik-E-Wrench.

Forgot about the 8" long bolts that only have clearance to back out 2" into the inner fender well, all to hold on some trivial part like a water pump or alternator.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: jagec
Before you learn how to work on a car, you must first learn how to swear.

Particularly for things like suspension work, clutch jobs, and pretty much anything that requires you to crawl under a filthy car supported by jackstands and remove rusty bolts which were placed at awkward angles and torqued to the limit by slipshod factory workers, then rounded off by incompetent high-school dropouts at your local Kwik-E-Wrench.

Forgot about the 8" long bolts that only have clearance to back out 2" into the inner fender well, all to hold on some trivial part like a water pump or alternator.

And the inevitable "hose from hell" which requires you to somehow hold the hose clamp open with pliers while pulling the hose off the nipple...all behind the engine, with about a 1/4" of space all around to work with.

 

[FDF12389]

Dont do THIS.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: jagec
Before you learn how to work on a car, you must first learn how to swear.

Particularly for things like suspension work, clutch jobs, and pretty much anything that requires you to crawl under a filthy car supported by jackstands and remove rusty bolts which were placed at awkward angles and torqued to the limit by slipshod factory workers, then rounded off by incompetent high-school dropouts at your local Kwik-E-Wrench.

Forgot about the 8" long bolts that only have clearance to back out 2" into the inner fender well, all to hold on some trivial part like a water pump or alternator.

And the inevitable "hose from hell" which requires you to somehow hold the hose clamp open with pliers while pulling the hose off the nipple...all behind the engine, with about a 1/4" of space all around to work with.

Or the genius who rotated the clamp somehow so that the adjusting section is turned to an area where you can't reach the pliers into that area and have enough space to both squeeze the clamp open AND either slide it off or rotate it without the plier handles hitting something just as you get the clamp barely open... or better yet you can't open the pliers enough to get around the clamp before the handles hit something and you only need to open the pliers another 1/8" ...:|

Thats when I just cut the damn thing off and replace it with a screw band clamp.

And a 4x8 block of wood and a pry bar for those 8" bolts... maybe a jack stand... I'll leave the rest up to your imagination...

 

[MovingTarget]

I'd start with simple tasks such as changing your own oil. You can save a lot of $$ that way. It shouldn't be hard if you have a friend show you how the first time. Once you can do that, your confidence level and technical proficiency will slowly start to rise. Then you can make your way to doing things like tuneups, etc. Good luck!

 

[overst33r]

There is lots of helpful information at www.howstuffworks.com

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Or the genius who rotated the clamp somehow so that the adjusting section is turned to an area where you can't reach the pliers into that area and have enough space to both squeeze the clamp open AND either slide it off or rotate it without the plier handles hitting something just as you get the clamp barely open... or better yet you can't open the pliers enough to get around the clamp before the handles hit something and you only need to open the pliers another 1/8" ...:|

Thats when I just cut the damn thing off and replace it with a screw band clamp.

And a 4x8 block of wood and a pry bar for those 8" bolts... maybe a jack stand... I'll leave the rest up to your imagination...

Speaking of improvising...

When I had to change my clutch, timing belt, and waterpump, the general consensus with my car was that it was easier just to drop the whole engine (It's a MR, really a pain!). I was in a friend's carport for this job, and so over the course of several days I unhooked all the hoses, set up the jack under the tranny and took out three motor mounts, lowered the engine onto a crawler and took out the fourth motor mount, and then started jacking up the body. I had the front wheels on ramps, and as the rear went up higher and higher, I had to find things to use for spacers. By the end of it I had my wheels sitting on the floor under the body, with plywood on top to preserve the rims, a couple big chunks of wood on top of that, and the jackstands on top of that holding up the body at full extension. Finally I was able to roll the engine out from underneath the body and do my work. It was really ghetto looking.

Putting the engine back in was even trickier, because it was almost impossible to line up the motor mounts. I finally got one mount attached, the body back down at a reasonable level on jackstands, and then I had no way of positioning the other motor mounts. I was working by myself, and simply didn't have the strength to shove the engine engine and transmission assembly into place.

So, I found some 2x4s, some string, and some pulleys. I wedged 2x4s in various strategic points in the engine bay, attached the strings to them, and set up the pulleys around the carport to pull in various directions. Then I held all the strings in one hand, and the motor mount bolt in the other. By pulling on the various strings, I could "push" the engine in any direction I wanted via the 2x4s, and then lean over to see if the motor mount was lined up. Once I'd gotten it into position, I was finally able to slide the bolt through, and then attach the last two motor mounts, driveshafts, fuel lines, coolant lines, car computer, etc, etc.

I really wish I'd gotten pictures.

 

[AMCRambler]

Having a friend that's good at working on them is a good place to learn. I learned a lot just by doing it. Get yourself a Haynes manual for your car. They have step by step instructions for nearly everything your average driveway mechanic might need to do. And pictures too! Those are invaluable when you are trying to figure things out. Also take your time. That saing "Haste makes waste" definitely applies. If you get frustrated while trying to bust lose a frozen bolt or working on something delicate that is hard to get to, step back for a minute and think about some other approaches. Brute force can end up making more work for you when you have to repair/replace something you broke in your frustration. And drilling out a bolt because you rounded the head off is a major pain in the ass.