From: chapman@cs.cornell.edu (Richard Chapman)
Subject: Re: Good books to learn auto mechanics?
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 18:01:41 GMT

brooks@mcnc.org (Ted Brooks) writes:

>To learn to fix cars is much like learning many other skills. Read. Analyze.
>Assimilate knowledge. PRACTICE - time and again. Know when you're getting
>in over your head, and ask for help, or wait till tomorrow, when the problem
>may look a whole lot clearer. Seek out a mentor if possible.  And take your
>time. Haste makes waste may be a cliche, but it's true.

I agree with every word of this, and can vouch for Ted's ability -- over
the net he has helped me several times with problems I've had getting a
'37 Nash in shape.

The easiest way to be a mechanic is, undoubtedly, to grow up being a 
mechanic, starting with lawnmowers, go-karts, and model planes, then
scooters, motorbikes, old cars, then modern cars. The hardest way is probably
to start in by attempting the repair your late-model automobile needs at
the moment so you can drive to work. 

So what if you weren't born with a wrench in your hand? You can do
what I did. I started about 3 years ago with a '77 Motobecane moped I
bought at a yard sale (in several big cardboard boxes of parts). Went
to the library, bought the necessary tools, talked to everyone I knew,
started putting it together. Learned a lot of basics in the several
months it took to get it in good running shape. The thing was light,
only 100 lbs, 2-stroke engine, minimal electrical system, everything
in easy reach of everything else, and parts were cheap (when I
could find them at all -- ended up making some things, and that was
also educational).  Ended up spending about $150, sold it for $60.

Then I bought an '82 Chevy Cavalier for $100 -- wrong move; too hard
to work on at the time, given what I knew. Got rid of it. 

Then I salvaged an '81 Suzuki GS650E motorcycle from the garage of the
house I was renting, that the previous owner had crashed and abandoned
(also learned a lot about the DMV trying to get a title for it). That
took another year or so to get going, but I learned a lot more, about
DOHC engines, CV carburetors, hydraulic disc brakes, manual
transmissions, and the like. Actually made a profit on that one: spent
$600, sold it for $775. 

Then I bought the '37 Nash, which by now I felt confident I could
handle, even with the engine seized at the time I bought it (it is now
driveable).  I learned a _lot_ about autos in general reading the
books in the library about fixing old cars, which were so much
simpler. As far as books on auto repair in general, read the old ones!
Then learn how cars incrementally arrived at their current state as
you need to. The Nash has no rat's nest of vacuum tubing, no emissions
controls to worry about, no electronic ignition or computer of any
sort, no air conditioning, no automatic transmission. Everything on an
old car is much more accessible for working on, also. You needn't go
back that far in history: any car before about 1970 is pretty simple
compared to a '92 Honda Accord.

I'm not sure I ever want to fix my late-model daily-use car, for the
reasons given by the previous poster who is studying to be a mechanic.
It's just too damn hard for the most part, for an individual to get
access to the necessary equipment to even do the diagnosis, much less
the repair.  But, I think I know enough of the general principles to
be able to (1) choose a competent professional when I have to (2) know
when someone is talking shit (either a mechanic or a salesman) (3) do
the simple stuff myself

In the process I've acquired a garage-full of tools, suffered a fair
number of skinned knuckles and high-voltage shocks, inhaled a good bit
of fumes, broken a fair amount of stuff (hopefully less than I have
fixed), and acquired some knowledge. Good luck,
Richard Chapman
From: Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP