Where did you learn Auto Mechanics? - Page 2

Fightinfire921 · 07-25-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upflying

Learned from my dad, car magazines, high school auto shop and friends. Wrenching all my life.
Unfortunately all my expereince is on carburetors, distributors, points and condensers.

How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell?

dmginc · 07-25-2011, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYKOFF69Z

[/B]

How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell?

if you asked one you would probably get that deer in headlights look.

I had a few friends to show me some things and bought the Hanes/Chilton's books for cars I needed to work on, those books are very helpful most of the time.

coolman · 07-25-2011, 10:07 PM

I've been working on cars since I was old enough to say car just about. That's just one of the many things I have my Dad to thank for.

BigDan · 07-25-2011, 10:26 PM

Magazines, literature, and internet forums have taught me a lot more then then the two community college auto courses I took back in the late 90's, but I didn't need a degree just knowledge.

TOMS1SS · 07-25-2011, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoboDelta

I'm getting interested in learning how an engine runs,
and what all the parts do. So my question is, where is a good place to start learning the basics?

Get yourself a motorbike at the age of 5 and start going to every single shop class you can sign up for starting in middle school. Wait....do they even have auto shop classes anymore?

derklug · 07-25-2011, 11:57 PM

Learned from my dad, then the Air Force taught me planes, then I went back to cars, and then trucks. If all you want is a basic understanding and the ability to do simple things like brakes and exhaust, check out your local community ed. If you want to go into the buisness, you will need more training at a tech school.

Russell James · 07-26-2011, 09:03 AM

Dad
High school small engine repair
High school auto shop
Community college auto technology 2yr
State college auto tech/management 4 yr

.... it was all butterflies and rainbows after that

A good starting place is to find a thrown away lawn mower engine that doesn't run... and make it run. That was my first project 30 years ago in small engine class.

Originally Posted by WYKOFF69Z

[/B]

How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell?

or adjust a choke pulloff and idle mixture screws?

*SSE 4 2SS* · 07-26-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYKOFF69Z

[/B]

How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell?

No lie, or how many know what happens when you charge a condenser and then throw it to someone that actually catches it...

OP, I tore apart and rebuilt my first quadrajet carb, (quadra-junk to those of you familiar with them), when I was 11. My dad was considering buying a rebuilt one, so I figured no harm no foul. Rode my bike to the local parts house, slapped it on the counter, asked for a kit and anything else I might have needed and they hooked me up... Cost me about 30 dollars at the time, kit, float, and three or four cans of chem cleaner... Took it home, carefully tore it apart, and studied everything... cleaned it all up, changed out all the replacement parts, put it back together and when dad got home, we tried it out... It was still running fine when we got rid of the car years later...

Like was mentioned, get an old lawn mower at a junk sale and see if you can get it running...

Hall of Fame · 07-26-2011, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYKOFF69Z

[/B]

How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell?

I still have my dwell meter. BTW.. they set 28-32 on a chevy v8. I am old school. Took apart everything and assembled it when I was a kid. Clocks, chainsaws, lawnmowers etc. Automechanics in HS for 2 yrs. We had to take apart a chevy v8 and then make it run again along with a powerglide tranny and turbo 400. I didn't get into mechanics afterwards but went into aerospace machining.

gahammerle · 07-26-2011, 10:56 AM

School of Necessity - still haven't graduated.

ROBOSSRS · 07-29-2011, 11:06 PM

Hot Rod Magazine . Seriously the magazine did help. Just taking stuff apart when it didn't work and fixing it, but I don't do too much mechanical work anymore. I do enjoy painting though. I painted my shark fin to match on the Camaro and the black mirrors on my Equinox to match the body color on the Nox.

*CamaroSpike23* · 07-29-2011, 11:10 PM

breaking tons of crap by doing things wrong... lol

gml1998 · 07-30-2011, 08:32 AM

I learned auto mechanics from my Dad (under the shade tree) lol.Then spent almost 20 years at a Chevy dealer ,not as a Mechanic but a Service Consultant.
If you want a tough and mostly thankless job this is it.

Skyblu · 08-01-2011, 02:37 PM

I learned first from my father at a really young age,was twisting wrenches with him by the time I was 8. In high school I actually took a course through the mail that was very helpful at the time. I worked in auto parts stores for about 7 years and that really helped too. At the time no dealerships or garages in my little po-dunk town would hire women as a mechanic so that is why I went with parts instead. I also worked at a boat yard that sold small engine parts and worked on outboard and inboards so I learned about those as well.You can learn alot from other people that have been doing it for a long time, they are the best teachers.

07-25-2011, 11:57 PM	#20
derklug Drives: 12 Boss 302 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Grand Rapids, Mi Posts: 1,369	Learned from my dad, then the Air Force taught me planes, then I went back to cars, and then trucks. If all you want is a basic understanding and the ability to do simple things like brakes and exhaust, check out your local community ed. If you want to go into the buisness, you will need more training at a tech school. __________________ The biggest mistakes in life come when you know exactly what you are doing.

07-26-2011, 10:56 AM	#24
gahammerle Drives: 2010 Camaro LS M6 Inferno Orange Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lebanon, OH Posts: 1,673	School of Necessity - still haven't graduated. __________________ Gordy Injen CAI / Solo Mach-X LLT / Solo High-flow res-cats / Barton short shifter / RX Catch Can / RPI Gills / 35% tint / LED Footwell Lighting Front & Rear / Pedders Street 1 / Pedders steering rack bushing / SS struts / Pfadt drop springs / VMax Ported Throttle Body / Spohn Toe Rods / Spohn Trailing Arms / Trifecta Tune / MACE 25mm Intake Spacers Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gahammerle

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Side Mirror: Upgrade to heated and auto dimming	shiftz33	Camaro DIY & HOW-TO instructions & discussions	15	12-05-2021 11:35 PM
2006 TRAVERSE CITY AUTO CONFERENCE	KILLER74Z28	Off-topic Discussions	2	09-18-2010 10:45 AM
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW - February 12-21 - WHO'S GOING?	CamaroScotty	USA - Great Lakes	43	02-26-2010 07:05 AM

07-25-2011, 10:07 PM	#17
coolman Guest Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: PA Posts: 4,812	I've been working on cars since I was old enough to say car just about. That's just one of the many things I have my Dad to thank for.

07-25-2011, 10:26 PM	#18
BigDan Drives: bug Join Date: May 2009 Location: nv Posts: 1,319	Magazines, literature, and internet forums have taught me a lot more then then the two community college auto courses I took back in the late 90's, but I didn't need a degree just knowledge.

07-26-2011, 09:03 AM	#21
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	Dad High school small engine repair High school auto shop Community college auto technology 2yr State college auto tech/management 4 yr .... it was all butterflies and rainbows after that A good starting place is to find a thrown away lawn mower engine that doesn't run... and make it run. That was my first project 30 years ago in small engine class. Originally Posted by WYKOFF69Z [/B] How many techs today can install a set of points and set the dwell? or adjust a choke pulloff and idle mixture screws?

07-29-2011, 11:06 PM	#25
ROBOSSRS Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS Inferno Orange Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: York, PA Posts: 6,592	Hot Rod Magazine . Seriously the magazine did help. Just taking stuff apart when it didn't work and fixing it, but I don't do too much mechanical work anymore. I do enjoy painting though. I painted my shark fin to match on the Camaro and the black mirrors on my Equinox to match the body color on the Nox.

07-30-2011, 08:32 AM	#27
gml1998 Drives: 2010 Synergy Green Camaro Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minooka Illinois Posts: 693	I learned auto mechanics from my Dad (under the shade tree) lol.Then spent almost 20 years at a Chevy dealer ,not as a Mechanic but a Service Consultant. If you want a tough and mostly thankless job this is it.

08-01-2011, 02:37 PM	#28
Skyblu Drives: 2010 Aqua blue 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 990	I learned first from my father at a really young age,was twisting wrenches with him by the time I was 8. In high school I actually took a course through the mail that was very helpful at the time. I worked in auto parts stores for about 7 years and that really helped too. At the time no dealerships or garages in my little po-dunk town would hire women as a mechanic so that is why I went with parts instead. I also worked at a boat yard that sold small engine parts and worked on outboard and inboards so I learned about those as well.You can learn alot from other people that have been doing it for a long time, they are the best teachers.