Best way to learn to fix cars?

[Cuddles]

I have an interest in learning how to fix common car problems so I'm less reliant on mechanics. I have a basic understanding of how cars work (e.g. I can tell you what a distributor's function is, etc.), but I'd like something more than pure, academic book-knowledge. Since I have a "day job" and I don't want to make a living out of this or pay money for some trade school, I was wondering if anyone has any good ideas on how to get hands-on learning for free (or even make a bit of money off of it).

My current cunning plan is to ask around at garages in my area and see if they want someone to work part-time at nights and/or weekends doing menial tasks in exchange for a little experience. Is there a more obvious, simple way to really learn how to diagnose and fix car problems?

P.S. I'd really like to avoid telling neighborhood kids to do something awful to my engine, covering my eyes, counting to ten, turning around to face my car, and then trying to fix it. The last time I tried this, they put two cases of BubbleYum (TM) in my gas tank and it took a whoooole lot of peanut butter to fix that mess.

[K Frame]

One start would be continuing adult education classes through your local high school or community college.

Cars are becoming more and more complex every day. Today's shade tree mechanic is, I fear, largely an endangered creature.

I used to do things to my Dad's Scout or my Maverick that I would NEVER EVER consider trying today.

[charby]

Buy a Hanes or Chilton book specific to your vehicle. Fix things as needed.

-Charby

[Art Eatman]

yuh, whut charby sed.

You can find tools at garage sales, quite commonly.  Pick and choose, not trying to build up a big set of tools in any hurry.

A very handy thing to help keep stuff in good shape is a good used bench grinder, with a fine wheel on one end and a wire brush wheel on the other.  You can reshape screwdrivers and wrenches as need be.  And buy an old rusty wrench and brush the rust off...

You wouldn't need a whole 1/2"-drive socket set, but a good breaker-bar and a socket the same size as your lug nuts is a good combo.  And, a 4" extension.

Little stuff:  If you have a 13mm wrench, it is just barely bigger than a 1/2" and will readily substitute.  14mm = 9/16".  An 11mm wrench = 7/16".  Lotsa 12mm stuff on Jap cars; 13mm on German.

But reading through a shop manual while looking in, at and around your car will help a lot.

Computerized cars, there's not much tuning you can do, if any.  But you can learn how to get behind door panels if there's a window problem, and learn about fixing brakes.  Same for "R&R" (remove and replace) belts, alternators, etc.

Everything is easier, the second time around.  I had to get the injector pump rebuilt for my backhoe, and I didn't get things lined up right when I put it back in place.  Gotta pull the pump, mess with it, and then reinstall.  And pray.

Art

[tackleberry]

I started back in '94 busting tires and changing oil. It's been a long and expensive travel, lots of tool expenses, but i've worked my way up to being an ASE Master Auto Technitian (sp?). all on the job training, very few classes, but I've done well.


If there is anything I can help with, or any questions that I can answer, just let me know.

[Tallpine]

Best way is when your car breaks down and you don't have money enough to pay somebody else to fix it

[Lennyjoe]

I'm a self learner so I tear into everything.  Started when the lawnmower died back when I was 12.  Since then I've been fixing everything.  If I don't know how to do it I grab a manual and get to work. 

Newer cars are a pain in the back side for me though.  I'm used to an engine, distributor, carb and fuel.  Nowadays the motor looks like a ball of spaghetti with all the wires, hoses and *expletive deleted*it under the hood. 

As far as I'm concerned, there's only 1 way to learn. 

[Stand_watie]

I started back in '94 busting tires and changing oil. It's been a long and expensive travel, lots of tool expenses, but i've worked my way up to being an ASE Master Auto Technitian (sp?). all on the job training, very few classes, but I've done well.


If there is anything I can help with, or any questions that I can answer, just let me know.

The answer is very simple. You need to find somebody like tackleberry who lives near you, and works on his or others cars on his or her off time. Watch them work. Hand them wrenches and ask questions.

One of the better human traits is the desire to teach that is inborn in almost everyone. A humble supplicant is rarely at a loss for a teacher.

[Monkeyleg]

I started working on cars in the mid-1960's, so take that into consideration.

Get the tools you need, and get good quality tools.

Buy a real shop manual for your vehicle, not a Haynes book.

If your problem is ignition-related, see if you can't isolate it to a spark plug, plug wire or other simple ignition problem. If not, then take it to a pro shop, because you probably can't afford the computer diagnostic equipment to test the various black boxes.

If you're dealing with purely mechanical problems, take your time. Shave off the old gasket material completely. Keep your contact surfaces clean before you reassemble.

Actually, as I think about it, you might do better to buy a car that you don't need on a day to day basis, and use it for experimentation. My problem was that I learned shade-tree mechanics on cars I needed to drive.

[Stand_watie]

.. My problem was that I learned shade-tree mechanics on cars I needed to drive.

A problem in the short run, sure. But you learn a whole lot faster that way now don't you?

[Stand_watie]

..
Actually, as I think about it, you might do better to buy a car that you don't need on a day to day basis, and use it for experimentation. My problem was that I learned shade-tree mechanics on cars I needed to drive.

Here is a take-off on monkeyleg's thought..for about 50 or a hundred bucks you can buy an old junker that doesn't run to work on. It's a good investment. I'd suggest a 1960 - 1975 dodge 'slant six' or a 1960 - 1980 Chevy 'straight six'. Use it to learn the basics of the internal combustion engine, and then recoup your cash investment by selling it to a junkyard. Then buy a 85 - 95 Japanese junker and use it to learn the electronics of more modern engines. I have one I'll give you if you'll come haul it off.

[Silver Bullet]

Best way to learn to fix cars?

Get lots of experience -- buy a Yugo !

[Monkeyleg]

A Yugo? Try a Renault LeCar!

[Bogie]

Charby's right.
 
Get a Chilton's or a Haynes, specific to your vehicle, and any other material you can gather on it.

Then crawl all over it on a nice pleasant saturday afternoon. The hard part is learning where everything is.
 
After that, it's just a matter of "how the heck do I unbolt that?"
 

[mtnbkr]

Sunday, I removed, rebuilt, and reinstalled the started that had been giving us trouble.  It took all of an hour, including getting the tools out and putting them away.  Total cost: $50.  The dealership wanted nearly $500.

I've never touched a starter before.

Tools required: 3/8" ratchet, several extensions, a universal joint, 12mm, 14mm, and some itty bitty socket whose size I forget.

Chris

[Nick1911]

Get the basics down pat.  Know the basic four cycle.  Know (in theory) how valves open and close.  How does that linkage work?  Do you have a pushrod engine or overhead cam?  What is the difference between the two? 

If you want to become really proficient at working on modern cars, you will need some electronic test equipment.  I find that I can test most sensors and gizmo's with a digital and analog multimeter.  Occasionally I find myself using my oscilloscope.  Electronics aren't that complex,  you just need to read up on what kind of inputs and outputs a device has.

[Stickjockey]

Get the basics down pat.  Know the basic four cycle.  Know (in theory) how valves open and close.  How does that linkage work?  Do you have a pushrod engine or overhead cam?  What is the difference between the two?

The best way I found for this is to do a bit of searching and find yourself a copy of Tech Manual TM 9-8, Principles of Automotive Vehicles. It covers the basics of just about everything; engines, transmissions, suspensions, clutches, cooling systems, you name it.

Check it out online:

http://www.tpub.com/

Click on "Automotive/Mechanics"

From there, click on "Automotive Engine Mechanics"

It's down at the bottom. I tried to link directly, but it doesn't seem to want to work.

TM 9-8000 is also available on Amazon.com, IIRC.

[Cuddles]

Wow... that was a lot of good information in a hurry.  Once again, APS proves its wide knowledge base.

[mr.v.]

What I'd really like to learn how to do is put lights underneath my car, lower it, add NOS injection, pull off the muffler, and drive it around nice neighborhoods lowering property values...

[charby]

Monkeyleg is right about the shop manual specific to the vehicle, especially if you are new to mechanical repair.

I have always used a Hanes or Chiltons because I have been tearing into cars since I was 15 and tractors and small engines when I was 11-12 and I use the Hanes or Chiltons are a reference to me. They are a good book for doing ruintiene maintence and repair. Not the greatest for rebuilding and engine or transmission. When I was driving clunkers I usually bought the engine manual and transmission manual specific to that vehicle.

Many specialized tools you might need for one specific repair can be rented as needed.

You are also going to want to purchase at least 2 jackstands for when you are working under the vehicle.

-charby

[Thor]

When I was a young Sailor, I could rarely afford to take my vehicle to the shop to be repaired. The first somewhat major project I tackled was a water pump on a 1970 Olds 98. It went well, with some minimal supervision from a shadetree mechanical friend of mine. My next project wound up being a brake job. I've learned that the Haynes Manuals are a bit more specific than the Chilton's manuals. What's even better, is a manual from the Manufacturer. When I purchased my new 1979 Datsun 310GX, I also purchased the manual for the vehicle. It was the BEST $20 I'd ever spent. In addition to common hand tools, I'd also recommend a code reader. Something that will allow you to read the codes, reset them, etc. Too many vehicles are far too reliant on computers to make them run and it's a major guessing game without a code reader. As a self taught mechanic, I've gotten as far as a total engine rebuild. It was all learned little by little. RTFM becomes a very important fact of life when one has no formal training!!

[Tallpine]

Here is a take-off on monkeyleg's thought..for about 50 or a hundred bucks you can buy an old junker that doesn't run to work on. It's a good investment. I'd suggest a 1960 - 1975 dodge 'slant six' or a 1960 - 1980 Chevy 'straight six'. Use it to learn the basics of the internal combustion engine, and then recoup your cash investment by selling it to a junkyard.

Even better idea: once you get it running good, just keep it and drive it.

Benefits include: no car payments; lower insurance (forget collision and comprehensive); and nobody will argue with you over a parking space.

[mtnbkr]

BTW, most of the problems you'll run into even with today's computerized cars don't involve much of the high tech side of those cars.  There's still quite a bit of plain ol' mechanical work to deal with.  The most common failure on the electronics side seems to be the O2 sensors and they're easy to diagnose.  Do some research and see if your car has a way to pull the computer codes without a scanner.  There's usually some minor procedure to do so (my old altima had a button you pushed to make the CEL flash the codes for example).  If you can't figure that out, many places such as Autozone will pull the codes for you, for free.

Edit to add: Haynes/Chilton manuals are just about worthless if you don't have at least an idea of what you're looking for or trying to do.  They leave out entire steps, useful pics, etc.  The manufacturer's shop manuals are much better, but expensive (expect $50-$200).

Chris

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

When I was a little baby, before I could walk or talk, my mom caught my dad with me under his arm one night.  He was leaning me over the engine bay of their old Honda accord, explaining to me what the different parts were, and what they did.  I think he was pretty excited to have a son   When I got my driver's license, I started my long and exciting journey through various beaters and junkers, and did lots of repair work myself.  The best way to learn is to start with the basics.  How does a car engine work?  Suck squish bang blow.  Understand the concepts, then get a manual and jump it.  It's fun!
Oh, and if anyone needs Volvo 240 advice, let me know   I'm intimately familiar with those things.

[onions!]

I'll just add that learning the ins & outs of an internal combustion engine is all well & good but you'll be at least as far ahead to learn to read the electrical wiring scematics.

The newer the vehicle is the more important the electrical becomes.