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How did you learn how to do your own work?

P

psi

New member
So I've got all these parts but not the know how on how to install them. Thinking about taking it to a local shop, but I want to learn to do most of my own work. How did you guys learn to do your own work? I didn't have a dad or mentor to show me like a lot of people and never got the opportunity to learn. Thinking about just trying to do it, but don't want to mess anything up. Any input on what to do would be great..
 


My dad didn't teach me a lot and let's say you and I were similar. I would bring the car to someone. I met a guy who is now a good buddy that was a mechanic, hung out with him etc. Learned just by being around. That's not the only way though. If you want to learn, write ups etc etc can help a lot. As can asking questions and being willing.

I've taught a few friends that most would think unlikely to work on their own cars. Most of that teaching was via a forum. Start with some basics and build up your confidence. There is never too many questions when it comes to learning.
 
Unlike Bill, I had a lot of hands on garage time from about the time I was 12 hanging out in the shop and learning this and that. Afterwards, I went to trade school, worked in the automotive field for years, and now I teach 15-19 year old high school kids the same stuff. I feel it's important to learn the basics and have SOME mechanical aptitude established. I tell my students that if they want to know something Google and forums can be a wealth of knowledge but take it slow. Do small stuff to build confidence and progress to the bigger stuff. Don't worry about how long it will take, just focus on getting the job done right and the details.
 
Also, don't feel bad when you make mistakes, it gives a great opportunity to learn something from it. Mistakes have taught me to triple check EVRYTHING.
 
my dad did simple maintenance and i was told to do the same to all of the cars i drove to maintain them.

and when i started buying performance parts i figured "it's just nuts and bolts, why not?" and just went ahead and jumped right in. a lot of times things didn't go my way and i'd be stuck because i forgot something or broke something along the way, but it helped a lot with being confident for doing most repairs. i can safely assume that given the time and the correct parts/tools i can fix anything short of working on the bottom end of the motor or rebuilding the transmission. even those i think i could do, but that would be a hefty learning curve.
 
I grew up in it I'm a 4th generation mechanic I was out in the shop from the time I could walk watching and learning. My dad never did much aftermarket stuff. So when i wanted to start doing that stuff I bought the parts and went at it when I had questions I either asked my dad or looked on the internet. The only thing I go to a shop for is alignments
 


for me it all started with my bikes as a kid, flat tire, hell ill fix that. then went on to mini bikes, and go carts, blew a lot of small engines up, like rods blew threw the blocks lol good times.

then when i got a car, my parents told me flat out, and i quote: " do not ask for a dime for gas, insurance, repairs, tires ect" so with those words being said i had to do my own repairs. got lots of used parts from the junk yard too. best way to learn is on a car you dont care about, aka junk yard car. do all you screw ups removing the part you want, so you learn the easy way to get it done on your car with no damage.

back in the day, pre Internet, i went to the library, broke out my card and took out chiltons manuals. you guys today got it easy with all the forum help, and you tube vids out there.


like bio said, its just nuts and bolts.
 
I told a waitress last night that working on cars is simple as long as you can turn things clockwise and counter clockwise.
 


Below Average Joe said:
The correct tools help out too.
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thats why you steal every tool you find in the house/garage. then get yelled at cause the adjustable that belongs in the junk draw is missing again lol

tools were a slow thing in the beginning for me. had to borrow tools a lot. stuff just was not as cheap back in the day. for 30 bucks in tools today you can rip a engine and tranny out of these cars, and do most maintenance type repairs.
 
Well my dad is a packaging engineer (yes he designs boxs/display shelving) so he wouldn't be what you would call super knowledgeable about cars untill you look at when he grew up. His older brother was a huge gearhead and my dad was wrench ***** pretty much. He learned off him doing jobs like watching ect. Then I learned only very basic stuff from him like changing a tire and how to replace disk brakes. Everything else I learned has been from GPF and the internet and the awesome guys like Bill, and Scottydogs. My first major job was valve cover gaskets and it took roughly 8 hours or more because I wanted to get everything right and I still ended up messing up. But you learn from the mistakes.

I say just drive right in, do research on the job before you start. If you get stuck and can't find an answer ask questions.

Sent from the Milky Way
 
My parents only did maintenance some times. My passion and love for cars came on my own. And for me. I like to ask lots of questions and read before I do anything cause I like to get things right
 


No father figure here as well mom raised me and my sister. I got the bug when I bought my 99 Trans Am in 2000 I found LS1Tech and the seed was planted. I had a few buddies that were pretty mechanically inclinded so when I wanted to mod I offered up beer pizza alittle cash and made sure to tell them I WANT TO LEARN SO SHOW ME DONT JUST DO THE WORK.

I also would tear apart small engines from snowblowers, lawnmowers and try to fix them.

What kind of parts do you have that you need installed.
 
When buying tools.. I'd make some suggestions to narrow in the better tools and not spend on stuff you wouldn't need.
 
When I was younger I was always tinkering with stuff from bikes, to gocarts etc. I was always taking things apart and fixing them and changing them out etc. Learned a tad bit of maintenance from my dad when he was always working on his semi. Learned a lot more from watching other guys do things and I took automotive at the local tech school for a few semester while in hs that taught me a lot and I was helping buddies fix or mod their cars.. Few years later I got the GP and started modding slowly and doing all the basic to it and eventually got crazy with it.

I had thoughts of making a career out of it and becoming a mechanic but after I witnessed a bunch of guys who once use to love it end up hating it after awhile after day in and day out of fixing someone else's crap and being covered in grease and grime for crap pay.. I said yea that's not for me I'll stick to it as a hobby only. So I just work on my own projects, or family or give my buddies a hand when they need it.


Just have the eager and willingness to learn and you'll find out the wealth of information that's available to you.


I always had the mentality that I will not pay someone to do something for me as long as I'm able to do it mentality and physical I will do it myself. My body hasn't let me down yet so I will continue doing things for myself.
 
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REDCOMPG said:
I had thoughts of making a career out of it and becoming a mechanic but after I witnessed a bunch of guys who once use to love it end up hating them after awhile after day in and day out of fixing someone else's crap and being covered in grease and grime for crap pay.. I said yea that's not for me I'll stick to it as a hobby only. So I just work on my own projects, or family or give my buddies a hand when they need it.
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This it's the truth I have 3 really good friends in the field and I'm glad my mom pushed me and I'll keep it as a hobby but I'll always be there to help them or them help me.
 
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