Hello Matt. The best advice I can give you is listen. When an old crotchety grey beard starts talkin.........Listen and learn. Nothing pisses old men off more than wasting breath on someone that wont listen and learn. Good Luck Bro.
how to learn
- Thread starter matt chard
- Start date
1930artdeco
Well-known member
Hi Matt,
This is how I learned. I got a job at Pep Boys learned quite a bit just listening and going through the books. You will be amazed at how simple a car is and how they work and interchange parts. Then I bought a 64 Mustang and tor it apart over the years rebuilding the suspension, engine, ****** and anything else that neded work. As general rule the older the car the simpler it is to work on. the car has not changed much over the past 100 yrs., refined yes but changed much-no.
Living in MI you will need to find something without a lot of cancer. find a simple older car to learn on that has parts availability. This way if you goof up you can replace the part cheaply.
Mike
Oh yeah, buy ONLY American made tools, they will last you a a lifetime. Visit craigslist, it can be you friend at getting good tools at a reasonable price.
This is how I learned. I got a job at Pep Boys learned quite a bit just listening and going through the books. You will be amazed at how simple a car is and how they work and interchange parts. Then I bought a 64 Mustang and tor it apart over the years rebuilding the suspension, engine, ****** and anything else that neded work. As general rule the older the car the simpler it is to work on. the car has not changed much over the past 100 yrs., refined yes but changed much-no.
Living in MI you will need to find something without a lot of cancer. find a simple older car to learn on that has parts availability. This way if you goof up you can replace the part cheaply.
Mike
Oh yeah, buy ONLY American made tools, they will last you a a lifetime. Visit craigslist, it can be you friend at getting good tools at a reasonable price.
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
When I was a kid my dad had me read this book it covers a lot of basics about how the car works.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pop...opular-mechanics/1106498985?ean=9781588167231
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pop...opular-mechanics/1106498985?ean=9781588167231
buy a fiero, you will be a mechanic. lol kidding. actually a fiero isn't a bad car, but it has a great following online and a lot of diy stuff online to learn.
as other have stated learn as you go, read everything you can find, make model specific forums are great, youtube has some top notch people(eric the car guy,rea lfixes real fast,donyboy73 (for small engines))
find a buddy/friend/family friend,uncle whoever that is into cars/repairing things. they can teach you a ton. there is nothing like hands on experiance.
far as tools. just get a basic kit,be it craftsman,gearwrench,hf or whatever. i vote craftsmand or gearwrench as good starter kits. build from there, replace what breaks with something else and get what you need when you need.
take autos in school, great place to learn. i didnt as i grew up working on stuff, so i took woodworking through my school years.
as other have stated learn as you go, read everything you can find, make model specific forums are great, youtube has some top notch people(eric the car guy,rea lfixes real fast,donyboy73 (for small engines))
find a buddy/friend/family friend,uncle whoever that is into cars/repairing things. they can teach you a ton. there is nothing like hands on experiance.
far as tools. just get a basic kit,be it craftsman,gearwrench,hf or whatever. i vote craftsmand or gearwrench as good starter kits. build from there, replace what breaks with something else and get what you need when you need.
take autos in school, great place to learn. i didnt as i grew up working on stuff, so i took woodworking through my school years.
I was in the same boat a few years ago. I bought a '94 bmw 325i and learned tons about car repairs. The nice thing about the bmw community is that there are TONS of internet articles and message board threads on how to fix various items (wayyy better than a haynes or chilton). I imagine if you bought a beetle you would also have a similar type of community to help you with repairs.
actually reading through this thread, you might consider finding a civic. They're fairly bullet proof but have quite the following and i'm sure have tons of articles and message board threads on how to repair various items plus parts have to be cheap on those cars too.
OP
matt chard
Well-known member
- Joined
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Could somebody give me a list of cars that I should look for? I know you guys gave me a lot already though
It would be easier for you to list the cars that interest you. My son is about to start driving and he has an old Toyota 4Runner. The online support for them is awesome and parts are cheap and plentiful and they use many of the same parts as the pickups. If you lean toward a car, a Camry, a Corolla, Accord or Civic would be cheap. On the other hand your last years of high school are probably the only time, until middle age that you can have a fun old (unreliable) car.
e-tek
Well-known member
Too bad you don't live near me - I'm looking to help someone out and get them started, but haven't found anyone yet!
I totally agree on this ^ I spent many late nights reading car books and magazines when I was your age!
As for your poor spelling - that's the first thing I noticed too. The second thing was your poor excuse - since all tabs have spell-check!
dolfans
Well-known member
What types of cars,trucks etc do you like. Did/does a family member,neighbor,friend have had something you like? If so maybe they can help you also.
OP
matt chard
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 57
For starters i found a lawn mower that doesnt work so im going to attempt to fix it up. And we seem to have A LOT of chevy blazers up here so their pretty cheap....im not sure if thats a good car/suv to start learning on but theirs a lot around for sale.
OP
matt chard
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- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 57
Cars that interest me are any cars that I dont have to pay a fortune to drive to town and back everyday in. But other then that I dont have any specific cars in mind.
LB-1911
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Plenty on information concerning Blazers can be found over @
http://blazerforum.com/forum/
http://chevroletforum.com/forum/s-10-blazer-20/
RPH
Well-known member
Lawn mowers are a great place to start. There cheap and simple. Basic fundamentals can be learned here. A strong foundation to build on is a great way to be successful when you do get a car. Go for the mower for now and keep looking for a car.
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
Old Civics and Cavaliers are both cheap to buy and easy to work on. I've owned both. They're both well built cars that have been around a long time. Parts and advice should be cheap and easy to find.
doctordave
Active member
As a teenager i learnt at home with Dad and also in my spare time at one of his friend's workshops for free, its a brilliant way to get hands on experience if you can find the right person.
Some tools i would highly recommend getting is safety glasses, ear muffs, a sturdy jack and stands. Remember safety first, it ***** getting a bit of steel in your eye and a car dropping on you can kill you. That very nearly happened to a friend when a bus fell on him, he was REALLY LUCKY that it fell on something else that stopped it completely crushing him. Don't support the car with the jack, thats what stands are for EVERY TIME.
Some tools i would highly recommend getting is safety glasses, ear muffs, a sturdy jack and stands. Remember safety first, it ***** getting a bit of steel in your eye and a car dropping on you can kill you. That very nearly happened to a friend when a bus fell on him, he was REALLY LUCKY that it fell on something else that stopped it completely crushing him. Don't support the car with the jack, thats what stands are for EVERY TIME.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
Matt, the first tools of my own I bought were an SK socket set up to 7/8", and a 10" Vise Grip. That was when I was 12 years old. The socket set was $13, and the vise grips were $2.45. I am now 60, and they are still in my truck tool box. Go for it, and good luck.
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zcar751
Well-known member
Matt- skip the sockets until you have a few more dollars. Buy a set of wrenches SAE and Metric - combination open and six point box end. Next would be a multimeter that can check ohms and DC. When you get tools you want to buy the best you can with life time warranties as quality = longevity.
The biggest trick is keeping up with the warranty and were you got the tool. Craftsman are good but you can expect to spend upwards of $50 - $100 for a set a anything. Harbor Freight offer decent tools some with lift time warranties.
If you can get a job at shop you will need to first learn patients as you will be go-for and won't feel like your learning in the beginning. But you have to earn respect, trust, and show your willing to listen to them.
When you look at vehicles find what excites you some thing that you have a passion for. If you really like Blazers then go for it. If you think more practical then buy something that is popular = millions sold, again blazers are good. Personally I don't care for Blazers. When I was your age I picked up a Bug because parts were cheep and plentiful. Research your purchase to see what problems the vehicle may have, for instance the S10 based Blazers and well know for eating ball joints.
Keep asking questions and you will get answers.
The biggest trick is keeping up with the warranty and were you got the tool. Craftsman are good but you can expect to spend upwards of $50 - $100 for a set a anything. Harbor Freight offer decent tools some with lift time warranties.If you can get a job at shop you will need to first learn patients as you will be go-for and won't feel like your learning in the beginning. But you have to earn respect, trust, and show your willing to listen to them.
When you look at vehicles find what excites you some thing that you have a passion for. If you really like Blazers then go for it. If you think more practical then buy something that is popular = millions sold, again blazers are good. Personally I don't care for Blazers. When I was your age I picked up a Bug because parts were cheep and plentiful. Research your purchase to see what problems the vehicle may have, for instance the S10 based Blazers and well know for eating ball joints.
Keep asking questions and you will get answers.
nolimits76
Well-known member
You might check w/ your school. During my junior & senior years, I was able to go half a day to normal school and the other half day to a technical training school. They had different classes you could take. I chose drafting & design. However, I had quite a few buddies choose the automotive/mechanic's class.
Best part is our high school paid for them, and you got high school credit. So free and you learn a skill. Add to the fact the classes actually taught us something and it was a real win-win for those that applied themselves and tried to really learn from it.
I know there were several times my buddies tore down engines, replaced transmissions, etc. It's hard to imagine leaving that class not knowing how to fix something.
Best part is our high school paid for them, and you got high school credit. So free and you learn a skill. Add to the fact the classes actually taught us something and it was a real win-win for those that applied themselves and tried to really learn from it.
I know there were several times my buddies tore down engines, replaced transmissions, etc. It's hard to imagine leaving that class not knowing how to fix something.
RobSmith
Banned
simple...when you start to work on anything....work out how it works first...understand that and you can fix almost anything !
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
Stanley has some decent comb. wrench sets. I've had some for about 9 yrs and have been happy with them. However for ratchets and stuff w/ moving parts I'd go with a better brand.
cyamaha2007
Well-known member
Go to a small engine or tractor repair shop. Find a local owned, best is a guy that still works in the shop but owns the place. Offer to help out as a intern. This will likely turn into a job later on. Dont talk to much but dont be shy either. Just listen and be eager to help. I was lucky enough to be around the corner from a airplane mechanic that built racing boats after work. I would go bust my *** for free that was the best education to be had. People that are passionate about what they do are usually happy to help you out.
Matt,
Youtube Eric the Car Guy - he literally has hundreds of videos on youtube for folks just like you (and me). One particular good one to cut your teeth on is 'engine basics'
Then from there, just keep watching others in your spare time.
As for the types of cars you should look for, it depends on what you want to drive. Personally, I would look for things like older 5.0 Mustangs, 3rd generation Camaro's, Ford Rangers, Chevy S10's Toyota Tacoma, Toytoa 4Runners, Honda Accords. Most all of those cars can be found in good condition for $5K or less and have zillions of resources online and are pretty easy to work on.
Your basic gear loadout for auto tech stuff should be:
quality jack and jackstands (x4)
metric socket set
3/8 and 1/2 in ratchets
3,6 and 9 inch ratchet extensions
breaker bar
vise grips and pliers
You can probably get a starter set of all of the above at Harbor Freight for $200 or so.
Youtube Eric the Car Guy - he literally has hundreds of videos on youtube for folks just like you (and me). One particular good one to cut your teeth on is 'engine basics'
Then from there, just keep watching others in your spare time.
As for the types of cars you should look for, it depends on what you want to drive. Personally, I would look for things like older 5.0 Mustangs, 3rd generation Camaro's, Ford Rangers, Chevy S10's Toyota Tacoma, Toytoa 4Runners, Honda Accords. Most all of those cars can be found in good condition for $5K or less and have zillions of resources online and are pretty easy to work on.
Your basic gear loadout for auto tech stuff should be:
quality jack and jackstands (x4)
metric socket set
3/8 and 1/2 in ratchets
3,6 and 9 inch ratchet extensions
breaker bar
vise grips and pliers
You can probably get a starter set of all of the above at Harbor Freight for $200 or so.
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
Eric the Car guy is a great resource, I've learned a lot from those videos
In My Garage
Well-known member
Books!
I did it all from books starting in my early teens, learning how 2 and 4 stroke engines operate, how points ignition works (what the capacitor is for and how the coil generates high voltage), what ignition timing and advance is about, and how a differential works (try visualizing that from a cut-away drawing)...just to name a very few. Later fuel infection came along and I boned up on those systems (Bosch manuals).
Then there are books on fasteners, etc. the Machinery Handbook is one of them.
The one thing to remember, the internet is the greatest source of unconfirmed information, so don't believe everything you read. You need to know enough to determine what is good and what is bad info. I'm on quite a few motorcycle and car forums. Some of the advice I've come across, I can only roll my eyes to. And some of the so-called gurus on some of them, I'd never let close to my vehicles.
I agree with everyone about books. I enjoy reading, so it comes naturally for me. You might be able to find some used vo-tech books cheap. I kept all mine,and they are a great reference. If you can find it, "Automotive Engines" by Tim Gilles is a great book. My thinking has always been, that anytime I get a different vehicle, I get a service manual for it, they will always pay for themselves. The specs alone are worth it. Reading will prepare you for classes. Take any training you can. Think about your tool budget, and plan accordingly. Make friends with someone who has experience, they will teach you things that books wont. The final step, gain experience. If a man is armed with the proper information, and experience, he can do anything. I have to add also, yes watch Eric the car guy videos.
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I didnt read all of the posts, but it will be great help to you to learn basic electrical circuitry and troubleshooting. You can start learning now before you have a car and the knowledge is universal. Electronics in cars are not going away and in fact they are getting much more complicated
rednecklimo85
Well-known member
Who ever said start with a riding lawn mower made a great suggestion. There cheap, plentiful and can be a lot of fun. Growing up my parents wouldn't buy me 4 wheelers and dirt bikes etc. so a buddy and I rode around on what ever lawn mowers we could scavenge from neighbors and get running.
Coming from a mechanic, Nissan and Toyota's can be a bear to work on, and expensive, but known for their reliability. Anything domestic earl 90's and up can go either way on reliability and ease of repair but generally pretty cheap. Fords early OBD ***** big time, GM however nailed it... Anything German is usually very expensive and a pain to work on, suggest staying away except for maybe VW stuff mid 90's and earlier. Honda's are pretty cheap, reliable, and easy. Hyundai/Kia from early 2000 and newer are my favorite, easy to work, not so badly priced, plentiful and pretty reliable. Your not gonna showboat in a 2003 elantra or accent, but they are cheap and damn near the easiest late model cars to work on, and are almost bullet proof, IMHO. The best way to learn is to jump in and do it, good luck and have fun.
Coming from a mechanic, Nissan and Toyota's can be a bear to work on, and expensive, but known for their reliability. Anything domestic earl 90's and up can go either way on reliability and ease of repair but generally pretty cheap. Fords early OBD ***** big time, GM however nailed it... Anything German is usually very expensive and a pain to work on, suggest staying away except for maybe VW stuff mid 90's and earlier. Honda's are pretty cheap, reliable, and easy. Hyundai/Kia from early 2000 and newer are my favorite, easy to work, not so badly priced, plentiful and pretty reliable. Your not gonna showboat in a 2003 elantra or accent, but they are cheap and damn near the easiest late model cars to work on, and are almost bullet proof, IMHO. The best way to learn is to jump in and do it, good luck and have fun.
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Get this book now. It is fantastic.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0895770881/?tag=atomicindus08-20
The first third is just "how cars work", with great diagrams and illustrations. You'd be amazed how much of this old book still applies.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0895770881/?tag=atomicindus08-20
The first third is just "how cars work", with great diagrams and illustrations. You'd be amazed how much of this old book still applies.
rednecklimo85
Well-known member
be sure to also check out you tube. i came across a video put together by either GM or the military back in the 40's or 50's explaining about fluid coupling and torque converters and it is simple yet thorough enough to teach a monkey how it works. There were others that I found by GM from that same time period explaining how their front suspension worked, really neat videos.
http://bangshift.com/blog/video-water-cooled-engines-water-boy-1936-chevrolet-greatness.html
that link should get ya started, at the end of the video it'll come up with several others just like it. hours worth of videos
http://bangshift.com/blog/video-water-cooled-engines-water-boy-1936-chevrolet-greatness.html
that link should get ya started, at the end of the video it'll come up with several others just like it. hours worth of videos
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Garage Dog
Well-known member
Necessity is the mother of invention and learning.
When I was 15, my uncle had a 1966 Pontiac Tempest he hadn't driven in years. He said if I could get it running it was mine. I had a new battery, points, condenser, cap, rotor, and plugs installed in no time. It was running and mine.
My first trip down the road with that car, a rusted ****** line broke and the transmission was toast. That's when I figured out how to remove and replace a transmission. I had to borrow tools from a neighbor.
In addition to day classes in high school, many Vo-Tech type schools offer night classes for cheap as well, that is how I learned body work and painting because I couldn't afford a "nice" car.
When I was 15, my uncle had a 1966 Pontiac Tempest he hadn't driven in years. He said if I could get it running it was mine. I had a new battery, points, condenser, cap, rotor, and plugs installed in no time. It was running and mine.
My first trip down the road with that car, a rusted ****** line broke and the transmission was toast. That's when I figured out how to remove and replace a transmission. I had to borrow tools from a neighbor.
In addition to day classes in high school, many Vo-Tech type schools offer night classes for cheap as well, that is how I learned body work and painting because I couldn't afford a "nice" car.
RPH
Well-known member
One thing that many of us are missing here is where he lives. It one of the nicest areas of Michigan. But it is in the U.P. , this is true boonie stuff. I spent a lot of time in the area and the term can't see the trees due to the forest holds true. Towns, neighbors may be miles away. To the guys suggesting early pre obd cars I agree much simpler to work on but he is a young man without funding. Cheap cars of that vintage are rare and damn near impossible in that area. Obd cars can be a bear to work on without knowledge or tools. It can be very frustrating to troubleshoot without a mentor helping. If he buys tools then the money for a car could be gone. Lets be positive on what we can provide here. We have a great group of knowledgable people here that can be mentors but we need to keep cheap and simple until the foundation is built.
FOWLER
Well-known member
This is exactly what I would do IMO. I started as an apprentice in a local shop part time. Forums are great tools but they will never beat learning directly from someone who does it everyday.Good luck
onewaydave
Well-known member
1. Dad sold me the family lawn mower and bought a new fancier model when I was 9. I tore that thing apart and rebuilt it (with his help). I used it to mow neighborhood lawns for several years.
2. My BIL gave me a 1953 Dodge that didn't run when I was 13. I dis assembled that thing down to every nut, bolt and screw. I never got it to run but I learned a lot about wrenching.
3. Every vehicle I owned "needed" something to improve it.
4. I took my first new motorcycle to a dealer for service and found out that they charged me for several maintenance services that they did not do. I swore that I would do all future maintenance myself from that point on.
5. If it had a screw, bolt or whatever, I could take it apart and try to figure out how it worked.
6. Older friends and acquaintenances had friends "in the business". Sometimes I would have to pay for a lesson sometimes not, but I learned to ask questions and learn.
Today technology has precluded a lot of that kind of learning. But with friends a lot can be accomplished with guiance of friends and acquaintenances. You already have what it takes. Put it to use.
Dave.
2. My BIL gave me a 1953 Dodge that didn't run when I was 13. I dis assembled that thing down to every nut, bolt and screw. I never got it to run but I learned a lot about wrenching.
3. Every vehicle I owned "needed" something to improve it.
4. I took my first new motorcycle to a dealer for service and found out that they charged me for several maintenance services that they did not do. I swore that I would do all future maintenance myself from that point on.
5. If it had a screw, bolt or whatever, I could take it apart and try to figure out how it worked.
6. Older friends and acquaintenances had friends "in the business". Sometimes I would have to pay for a lesson sometimes not, but I learned to ask questions and learn.
Today technology has precluded a lot of that kind of learning. But with friends a lot can be accomplished with guiance of friends and acquaintenances. You already have what it takes. Put it to use.
Dave.
crewchief888
Well-known member
as mentioned previously
an "internship" type thing may be helpful.
i've been wrenching for 30 years, and was a machinist for 7 years previously,
some of best "education" was the time i spent as a crewchief for a short course off road racing team back in '98-'00.
strip a vehicle down to it's last nut & bolt
wiring
plumbing, brakes, fuel system, oil cooler, trans coolers
replace every body panel, including cab corners
rear end gear set up
engine building
only things i didnt have my hands on were the sandblasting, final paint, and transmissions.
i think it made me a better mechanic, welder and fabricator.
if the OP is in the UP michigan, take a trip down to crandon sometime and take a walk through the pits.
it takes a lot of people to run some of those race operations, and most are looking for volunteer help.
an "internship" type thing may be helpful.
i've been wrenching for 30 years, and was a machinist for 7 years previously,
some of best "education" was the time i spent as a crewchief for a short course off road racing team back in '98-'00.
strip a vehicle down to it's last nut & bolt
wiring
plumbing, brakes, fuel system, oil cooler, trans coolers
replace every body panel, including cab corners
rear end gear set up
engine building
only things i didnt have my hands on were the sandblasting, final paint, and transmissions.
i think it made me a better mechanic, welder and fabricator.
if the OP is in the UP michigan, take a trip down to crandon sometime and take a walk through the pits.
it takes a lot of people to run some of those race operations, and most are looking for volunteer help.