How to learn to fix/tinker/restore your car?
Discussion
I have absolutely no mechanical know how what so ever. I've never serviced my own car, can just about change the bulbs/fuses etc but ive got a mad craving to learn how to be able to work on my own car.
In some ways I think it's becoming a dad the last year.... Would sound good to get out of shopping with the girls when my daughters old enough ... "can't come to town love the old girls back firing again I may be a few hours etc" or "sure I'll take a look at your poxy spotty boy racer boyfriends car love, no I won't break it I promise"
How has everyone else done it?
Trial and error on their own cars?
Hayes manual?
Bought something cheap to have a go on?
Courses?
Had a mate who knew a thing or two etc?
I love the idea of getting to a stage where I'd be able to have a smallish project but right now it'd probably take me a year to change the oil
In some ways I think it's becoming a dad the last year.... Would sound good to get out of shopping with the girls when my daughters old enough ... "can't come to town love the old girls back firing again I may be a few hours etc" or "sure I'll take a look at your poxy spotty boy racer boyfriends car love, no I won't break it I promise"
How has everyone else done it?
Trial and error on their own cars?
Hayes manual?
Bought something cheap to have a go on?
Courses?
Had a mate who knew a thing or two etc?
I love the idea of getting to a stage where I'd be able to have a smallish project but right now it'd probably take me a year to change the oil
It's all trial and error but usually not much error. There's no a great deal you can do with a modern car other than servicing and maybe brakes as everything else is so complicated.
I learnt by just taking things apart. Did the head gasket of my XR2 that didn't need doing!! Was taught how to gas flow on that head.
Wouldn't do it these days, not enough time.
I learnt by just taking things apart. Did the head gasket of my XR2 that didn't need doing!! Was taught how to gas flow on that head.
Wouldn't do it these days, not enough time.
I found having a simple car to start off on helps. All my previous cars went to the garage for everything. When I got the Elise I got so much more involved with how it works and how to fix it DIY through owners clubs (SELOC and MLOC - thanks guys!) that it's carried through to my current car and helped me out no end.
So, maybe not go to the extent of getting an Elise, but maybe an original Mini, or something minimal on the computers to get a grounding in it.
So, maybe not go to the extent of getting an Elise, but maybe an original Mini, or something minimal on the computers to get a grounding in it.
Cheers so far chaps.
Along with the desire to learn I must say it's partially down to cash flow at the moment too.
Martin I think an Elise is wayyy out of the question at the moment.
Looks like the old Volvo may be getting treated to it's first lubrication change and air filter change for years when I can get my finger out.
Problem being putting petrol in the thing is even a struggle at the mo. I'd chop the old girl in for something a bit more economical but it's worth feck all to anyone else so I'd struggle to replace it.
I did tell a lie before I change the air filter on my old mk3 astra to a k and n panel and de-restricted the top part of the box. It was easy with just a few clips opening it up. It was when I looked at getting the whole box out that I got lost. I later found out the final screw was located in the wheel arch and there was nooo way I was trying that
Along with the desire to learn I must say it's partially down to cash flow at the moment too.
Martin I think an Elise is wayyy out of the question at the moment.
Looks like the old Volvo may be getting treated to it's first lubrication change and air filter change for years when I can get my finger out.
Problem being putting petrol in the thing is even a struggle at the mo. I'd chop the old girl in for something a bit more economical but it's worth feck all to anyone else so I'd struggle to replace it.
I did tell a lie before I change the air filter on my old mk3 astra to a k and n panel and de-restricted the top part of the box. It was easy with just a few clips opening it up. It was when I looked at getting the whole box out that I got lost. I later found out the final screw was located in the wheel arch and there was nooo way I was trying that
Buy an oldish fiat, you either become a mechanic or bankrupt I'd never done anything on a car when I turned 17 and then just took on bigger and bigger jobs as I or my mates broke things. Now 8 years on I'd say there aren't any jobs I can't tackle myself short of computer stuff. PS manuals are for fags just remove things until you get to the part you want and then remember how they all go back together
Buy an oldish fiat, you either become a mechanic or bankrupt I'd never done anything on a car when I turned 17 and then just took on bigger and bigger jobs as I or my mates broke things. Now 8 years on I'd say there aren't any jobs I can't tackle myself short of computer stuff. PS manuals are for fags just remove things until you get to the part you want and then remember how they all go back together
Oldandslow said:
Being poor
This. Very much so. When I had my first car 10 years ago I was low on money and was hence forced to do the basic stuff myself, and car tinkering was never a hobby of mine to say the least.
But beeing skint also meant I was holding on the first car longer than I should have and for sure someday the problems went too big and I had to get it to the professionals anyway, ridiculing the economic effects I was hoping to achieve, but that's another story
. - But for sure I did learn the very servicing basics like oil changes, more elaborate stuff like break pads replacement, rust attack maintenance, and electronics fixes for example.Shortly after I found my current job, and the income suddenly went up into higher middle class terrain. But even with a good income I'm still a banger man (never had a car that was younger than 10 years old), but what has changed is the fact that I went completely off the line of doing stuff myself. From my second car on even for basic servicing I just gave it to the next garage. And from the second car onwards I also found the bangernomics system of owning every car only for two years and then simply chucking it away to buy another one, MOT'd and serviced.
falkster said:
It's all trial and error but usually not much error. There's no a great deal you can do with a modern car other than servicing and maybe brakes as everything else is so complicated.
This is not true, it may be the case with certain models or certain manufacturers but it certainly cannot be said about all modern cars.In a lot of ways cars really have not got that much more complicated, sure there are certain parts that can only be serviced and repaired by specialist but this is nothing new, i can't imagine there are many DIY mechanics that would be prepared to tackle a rebuild of a 40 year old auto box.
Much of the stuff which people say has become more complicated has really had little change, it has just become more electronic and less mechanical.
With the amount of low cost diy diagnostic kit you can now get a lot of faults that 10-15 years ago might have needed a trip to the dealer or a lot of trial and error on switching out parts now can be found a repaired with kit you can buy for less than £20 that connects to your existing phone or laptop.
There is also a huge amount of information now available on the internet including things like walk through guides with photos and even full video tutorial for a lot of jobs. There are also forums full of people who can probably answer your questions within hours some times minutes. I would say in many ways it has never been easier to get started as a DIY mechanic.
I have a little Suzuki vitara in 1990 flavour, no ecus just a carb and an engine. Before i got it, I had very limited know how when it came to repairing anything remotely mechanical. I got it as a cheap toy to take off road. However this activity has led to numerous mechanical failings! As such iv had to learn myself. First thing was to get a Haynes manual. Forums are a great resource.
I would start off with small things first and build up your confidence. One thing I will add is it certainly helps if you have the correct tools, it's worth the initial expense.
I would start off with small things first and build up your confidence. One thing I will add is it certainly helps if you have the correct tools, it's worth the initial expense.
It was getting into biking that got me going on DIY repairs, as everything on a bike is on a smaller scale. Doing stuff on the cars is a pain in the road, now made easier with a driveway. Start small and work your way up. The internet has helped loads as most things are covered well by someone online.
Do what my mate did, buy a shed of a classic mini, rip it to pieces and bin the stuff that can't be saved and the you are stuck with an absolute tip on your driveway and the only way to move it is to fix it again. Worrying when you take the rear seats out and find holes in the floor pan you can put your fist through though.
Sometimes the answer really is an MX-5, and this brilliant book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mazda-Workshop-Manual-Enth...
I dont think mechanical stuff is any harder than it used to be, things have got more complex in terms of electronics but they need less work than carbs and points, the internet helps massively, there is always a forum where the job you need to do has been discussed and photos posted.
I tend to buy tools all the time, the wife despairs, but I remind her, the service I did would have cost her £250 instead of £60, so twenty quid on a hex key and a new oil filter remover isnt so bad.
My issue is my garage cant fit a car in due to havingads of stuff in it, including domestic appliances and a toilet so I am stuck, can only do stuff outside, usually its cold, raining or dark, certainly at this time of year but I plan jobs for the summer months, I was workign on my car on Sunday, as long as it isnt too cold/wet its fine.
Not having to have the car ready for work the next day is a major plus point, I am lucky in having three cars, being able to work from home and being able to cycle to the office, so, my 944 is having its gear linkage refreshed (pig of a job), I can just leave it until I can work on it, with any job, in principle it is perhaps simple but usually there is a stuck bolt or soemthing, thats where newcomers come unstuck, the linkage I was doing wouldnt come off so it got sawn either side, it is knowing how much force to apply, in which direction, which tool to use, whether to use heat, whether to cut it off etc, working on a newish car is generally easy, after 20, 30, 40 years when bolts have fused and have no flat sides left is when it gets fun, being able to adapt and improvise is a key skill as well, proper mechanics are really skilled, artists.
I would say buy an old car off Ebay and do some tasks on it, not being scared is a big plus point, so I can see why a novice may not want to start takinghis pride and joy apart, but £300s worth of MOT failure is a different matter, helps not to look at it as a purely financial proposition, say ou buy that £300 banger and fix it up, new shocks, brakes, a timign belt, valet, bit of paint, new tools needed, few fixings, an MOT, it may stand you at a grand and thats all you get, maybe less, ok a profit is good but see how much further on you are, how much would you have paid to go on a course to learn that ?
Get a PC in your garage, its great for playing music and ordering stuff, looking at forums for help and ideas etc, best tool I ever put in my garage !
I tend to buy tools all the time, the wife despairs, but I remind her, the service I did would have cost her £250 instead of £60, so twenty quid on a hex key and a new oil filter remover isnt so bad.
My issue is my garage cant fit a car in due to havingads of stuff in it, including domestic appliances and a toilet so I am stuck, can only do stuff outside, usually its cold, raining or dark, certainly at this time of year but I plan jobs for the summer months, I was workign on my car on Sunday, as long as it isnt too cold/wet its fine.
Not having to have the car ready for work the next day is a major plus point, I am lucky in having three cars, being able to work from home and being able to cycle to the office, so, my 944 is having its gear linkage refreshed (pig of a job), I can just leave it until I can work on it, with any job, in principle it is perhaps simple but usually there is a stuck bolt or soemthing, thats where newcomers come unstuck, the linkage I was doing wouldnt come off so it got sawn either side, it is knowing how much force to apply, in which direction, which tool to use, whether to use heat, whether to cut it off etc, working on a newish car is generally easy, after 20, 30, 40 years when bolts have fused and have no flat sides left is when it gets fun, being able to adapt and improvise is a key skill as well, proper mechanics are really skilled, artists.
I would say buy an old car off Ebay and do some tasks on it, not being scared is a big plus point, so I can see why a novice may not want to start takinghis pride and joy apart, but £300s worth of MOT failure is a different matter, helps not to look at it as a purely financial proposition, say ou buy that £300 banger and fix it up, new shocks, brakes, a timign belt, valet, bit of paint, new tools needed, few fixings, an MOT, it may stand you at a grand and thats all you get, maybe less, ok a profit is good but see how much further on you are, how much would you have paid to go on a course to learn that ?
Get a PC in your garage, its great for playing music and ordering stuff, looking at forums for help and ideas etc, best tool I ever put in my garage !
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