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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
September 2004
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where to learn
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Tue, 30 November 2004 23:43
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I like driving and everything but I'm a complete n00b when it comes to the internals of cars. I'd like to be able to do my own conversions and am really keen on learning where everything goes and that kind of thing so I don't have to rely on professionals and for my own interest.
I was wondering how everyone here learned what they know and what I might do to start learning myself.
Cheers.
(Also I don't know what extractors are or a pod filter -- for those kind of things should I ask here or should I google them?)
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Tue, 30 November 2004 23:46
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I learnt by pulling my car apart. 
And to answer your last question. Google first and post only after you can't find the answer.
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 00:01
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also go to a second hand book shop and grab a few different car manuals and have a good read.. toyota manuals have good pics too and they come up pretty often on ebay.
basically read as much as you can, google when you don't understand, and start pulling things apart  (you could even start with mower motors and such! )
Cya, Stewart
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Location:
VIC, Sth Frankston.
Registered:
July 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 00:09
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I learnt by stripping my car down almost completly. Dad wasn't happy that I did though cos I lost half the bolts and he had to pay for the new gaskets n bits.
But very good learning experience.
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 00:57
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Yeah, go buy a Haynes or Gregory's manual.
They are good for doing small-medium things.
Start by 'tuning' up the car.
Learn to check/set timing, replace plugs, test compression etc etc.
Start small, work your way up.
Read other peoples conversion writeups too.
Learn what ways NOT to do things.
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Location:
Madrid - Spain
Registered:
August 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 02:28
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Word of advice, when you are practicing pulling cars apart, make sure it is not your daily driver. Otherwise you will quickly learn that you dislike your car immensly.
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 02:34
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 or parents or friends cars...
if you have space, get a free old corolla and pull it to bits... the parts are light and they are relatively simple (what with no electronics to start with)....
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Location:
c'town, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 02:35
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also if you need to get your head around the concept of things try www.howstuffworks.com as well
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 02:43
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| ViPeR_NiPPleX wrote on Wed, 01 December 2004 08:09 |
I learnt by stripping my car down almost completly. Dad wasn't happy that I did though cos I lost half the bolts and he had to pay for the new gaskets n bits.
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What he said...and...I bought a heap of new bolts this morning haha.
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Location:
Sydney/Wollongong
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 06:37
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i was gonna say.. www.howstuffworks.com is great for understanding how stuff works it'll normally sport some great animations..
after trying to explain to my mate how overhead cams and valves work for an hour i jumped on how stuff works and he got it straight off the bat..
then i showed him how pushrods work 
the best way to learn is pull stuff apart in the presence of someone who is willing to explain whow everything works.. and then knows how to put it back together because your gonna have aloooot of pieces
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Location:
VIC, Sth Frankston.
Registered:
July 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 06:53
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I still havent got all the bolts on that car...
It's never going to be the same.
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Location:
Rocky Mountains, Canada
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 07:18
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How about buying a barely running $100 car out of the trader or somthing and working on that?
That way you can practice on it and it doesnt matter if you kill it.
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 07:21
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| M.W.P. wrote on Wed, 01 December 2004 15:18 |
How about buying a barely running $100 car out of the trader or somthing and working on that?
That way you can practice on it and it doesnt matter if you kill it.
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You will probably end up spending too much on it trying to get it running.
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Location:
Dandenong Ranges, VIC
Registered:
July 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 11:21
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| Quote: |
You will probably end up spending too much on it trying to get it running.
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yeah, then you might decide that that little bit of rust needs to be cut out, then you need to cover that hole with some nice paint, then some better wheels, then it'll need to go faster....
i rekon buying a subscription to a car magazine, like street machine or motor might be a good idea, read up on the tech articles and you'll get used to the lingo. they're not as dense as a service manual to start off with so you might make more sense of it all, then mabe get into more detailed stuff like manuals. thats what i did anyway, that and pull apart a corolla (like everyone else apparantly...)
[Updated on: Wed, 01 December 2004 11:23]
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 13:08
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howstuffworks.com
Then come here and read through the tech articles and general car talk. Get some friends who have done engine conversions and ask them stuff (don't nag though, found out the hard way that it can annoy people).
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 13:50
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| greenta22 wrote on Wed, 01 December 2004 19:21 |
yeah, then you might decide that that little bit of rust needs to be cut out, then you need to cover that hole with some nice paint, then some better wheels, then it'll need to go faster....
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Stop talking about my car *he says as he transfers money for rims*
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Location:
Rocky Mountains, Canada
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Wed, 01 December 2004 14:01
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| Quote: |
yeah, then you might decide that that little bit of rust needs to be cut out, then you need to cover that hole with some nice paint, then some better wheels, then it'll need to go faster....
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Yep, but in doing so, you learn a crap load, as i have done working on my Corona.
Because i have done this work on my Corona (engine change, body work, custom ign, different carb, etc), i now know now a lot more for my "real" project car, my RA28 and will be less likley to make big mistakes.
You can read all you like in forums, books, etc, but its never as good as working things out for yourself and with your own hands.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
September 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 08:05
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So much feedback. I love this forum!
Cheers guys, thanks for the help
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Location:
Tassie
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 08:17
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no amount of paper cuts will amount to a skinned knuckle
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Location:
Melbourne - NthSubs
Registered:
January 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 08:33
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| Mookie wrote on Thu, 02 December 2004 19:17 |
no amount of paper cuts will amount to a skinned knuckle
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nah paper cuts are more gay
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 08:37
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The one piece of advice I'll give out is, when pulling a car apart Makesure you have a SOLID bolt placement plan. Im talking cups with labels or pots or whatever you may have.
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Location:
Newcastle
Registered:
June 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 09:38
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If your not in a hurry grab an old automotive manual off ebay and sit it near your dunny. Read for 5 minutes each time your in there. You'll be a whizz after about 200 craps
Thats the theory side of it only
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Epping, Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 10:20
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best advice is what I did to my ra65 - read the haynes manual, then start pulling stuff off.
see what it looks like, work out what it does, and why. best to start with the easy stuff like spark plug leads, etc. Clean then put back together. if it doesn't work, come on here any have a cry, people end up helping out (even if it's something as simple as dropping a live wire onto your engine block and blowing your fuel pump fuse
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Location:
Castle Hill, Sydney
Registered:
February 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 10:28
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i've learnt a shitload about cars in the last year...
when i think back all ive really got info from is asking my dad HEAPS of questions, working with him on a car whenver he was working, and one toymods!
i did tafe but didnt learn much from that at all!
maybe if your real keen try get a weekend job or a job once or twice a week with a mechanic, just as a right hand man to help out, best way to learn anything is always to get out there and do it i believe...
by pulling apart a car ull learn how it all works but there was always things i didnt understand like master cylinder, clutch slave cylinder, proportioning valve, its handy to have someone experienced there to tell you what some things are and what they do! and also some things take a little amount of experience to pull apart,
and whenever ive looked into my manual im amazed at how much it covers, really is a good learning tool!
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 11:07
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i learnt cause my uncle was a lazy cunt! he used to be a mechanic once upon a time and he used to get me to do everything for him. i would ask what this and that is and why they are then, that sort of quiestioning and he was always happy to answer.
from there i just learnt myself bout everything else really. what i have found out (but its not literally like this) is that if you take something out from here then put it back here and you shouldnt have to worry too much. simply if a bolt comes out then it goes back there, after a while you start to learn which bolt is which just by looking at it (i love that! people freak out and ask how did you know its the right one?  )
me personally i can rad a million books and learn nothing untill i pull it apart and then the books will make sense. so my recommendation is if you wanna learn about motors then just buy a motor from the wrecker, get the manual for that motor and start stripping. obviously you will not know if it runs/works or anything but this way you will understand where things go, why they go there, how they affect the motor, why bolts are tightened at certain torque settings, etc, etc and then move on to a running car/motor.
also as mentioned go work experience at a mechanic. lastly what i do is this, im really good friends with my mechanic so im always asking him stuff when i need so if you got a mechanis who is good at what he does then get to know him and ask him when needed. iv always found that mechanics are always happy to answer questions (thats my experiences though) BUT always expect that a mechanic will always end up asking why? mine does all the time, why do you want to know this/that? why are you doing this/that? why waste your money? the WHYs never end... i answer 'are you gonna do it for free for me?' the answer is always NO followed by the answer to my question
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Location:
Tassie
Registered:
October 2003
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 11:18
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When you can correctly guess a spanner/socket size just by looking then you have enough knowledge
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Location:
Madrid - Spain
Registered:
August 2002
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 23:14
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| Mookie wrote on Thu, 02 December 2004 22:18 |
When you can correctly guess a spanner/socket size just by looking then you have enough knowledge
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enough knowledge to pull it apart anyway
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Location:
Sydney/Wollongong
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: where to learn
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Thu, 02 December 2004 23:16
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| Quote: |
When you can correctly guess a spanner/socket size just by looking then you have enough knowledge
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i've been able to do that since i was bout 6 or 7.. its freakin uncanny 
my old man calls it builders judgement.. reckons i got it from him
pull shit apart.. no words are gonna explain what a dizy looks like.. you would never think that how it works is so farking simple.. that was my first insight into how you dont FULLY get it, until you pull it apart and look at it..
that was at age 11.. hooked ever since
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