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How did you learn how to do your own work?



my brother works out of a leased building on his own. he can pick and choose the work he wants.

the bad part is that he is not smart with money. he needs someone else to manage it for him so he isn't always broke because he spent all of his cash earnings on stupid things instead of paying off the credit card that funded the work being done.
 
Auto School, Forums/Internet, Asking questions but mainly just diving in and teaching myself. Spent/Wasted a ton of money learning how to do it by myself but very rewarding. Also like Sexman said, learning the basics of automotive is key.
 
Thanks for all the positive comments, makes me not feel so out of it. I've got a scanguage to wire up, headlights to rewire back from this rigged halo setup of the previous owner back to stock, coil packs plugs and plug wires to change (getting to them is going to be the thing), thermostat to replace, and a coolant flush. Nothing too major, and I've done most of these things aside from the wiring before. Google and forums will be the best bet I suppose. Thanks again everyone, gotta learn somehow.
 


plugs are easy, go watch a youtube vid or two.

hell ive had mine out 3 times in as many weeks. and doing them again tomorrow. dont ask lol
 
I know they're not too much of a task, just used to the SRT-4 where they are right up top with the coil pack. 3 time? Ha kind of want to know now lol
 
Everything has been self-learned here, with the help of forums here and there. Started wrenching on my own stuff at about 12-13 and that's when I started buying my own tools. Done a couple valve cover jobs, coolant elbows, plugs, etc. Nothing major yet, mainly because I haven't needed to, but can't wait for when the time comes. I HATE electrical systems, however, I LOVE building wiring harnesses, have really been getting into it the past few months.

Crap, I've spent more in hand tools and other small garage misc over the past 3-4 years than I have ever put into my '99 GTP.
 
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psi said:
I know they're not too much of a task, just used to the SRT-4 where they are right up top with the coil pack. 3 time? Ha kind of want to know now lol
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took em out to install rockers, then took them out to install headers, then took them out go to a cooler heat plug after a pulley swap, now today i have to drop to a cooler plug still.
 
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I also started my wrenching on bikes and mini bikes but never got into the engines. It was more like "I have no idea what that carb does and I better not touch it". Apparently, my Dad used to work on our cars but I more remember him just swearing a bunch and getting super pissed off. Throughout my years as a cyclist, I got to the point where I could disassemble and reassemble a bike completely, do my own repairs and troubleshoot. When I would talk to some people (namely my Dad) about how it really wasn't that complicated it dawned on my that since he held the same opinions towards car, maybe I could tackle car maintenance as well.

After I owned my own car out of college I began browsing a lot on this forum. As issues came up I began tackling them myself - routine and preventative maintenance started falling on my shoulders instead of bringing it to a shop. Oil changes, oil filters, air filters boosted my confidence slightly > spark plugs and wires another boost > brake pads, rotors, throttle body cleaning and MAF I was like I can do this stuff! This spring (with a lot of reading and pondering) I tackled serpentine, water pump, coolant elbows, engine and trans mounts, control arms, all new strut assemblies, and a shift kit / filter and rear calipers. I have to admit I am proud that I have been able to check so many things off my list!

Like others have said start small and build confidence while becoming comfortable around and under you car. I like to go in knowing almost exactly what I'll be doing step by step but other may be different in that regard. I've definitely had some "oh s**t, did I f****d this up?!" moments but patience is key.

Good luck!
 


Started with watching/helping my dad with the basics such as the oil change and repacking wheel bearings. As a teen my best friend's neighbor ran his shade-tree garage to supplement income and that took me all the to swapping axles.. have just progressed over the last 30 years
 
My dad taught me basic maintenance with oil and brakes. My first car taught me TONS of stuff with all the crap that kept going out on it...I did some exhaust work, radiator, learned that you can hold shift linkage together with zip strips...lots fun stuff. My dad would guide me to make sure I didn't do anything that would cause a safety issue, but it was mostly me for the most part. Since then, sites like this one have taught me what I needed. That and like Chiltons manuals and what not. Once you know the basics, everything else kinda makes sense, but I still don't trust myself enough to really tear into things without checking sites for walk throughs and videos. Always good to be sure you know what to expect before you're elbow deep in your motor and have no clue what's coming up next.
 
My dad was a mechanic when he was young, so he passed his knowledge on to me and my brother. Since then, I have been in the automotive industry doing everything from parts, to paint, to wrenching. Over the years I have stayed close to any techs, learning along the way. Many of my friends are techs, and even after 26 years in the industry, I learn stuff from them all the time.

Dive in and try it, and learn from your mistakes. I used to clean my brakes with gasoline when I was a teen..... until my dad saw this and smacked me in the back of the head. :th_laugh-lol2:
 
Start with simple stuff and work your way up. Buy some tools from harbor freight if you don't have any. If you find yourself breaking a tool often replace it with a craftsman or napa brand tool. Unless you have money to burn. Then go for snap-on, mac, or matco

I grew up around a dad who was a mechanic and took 3 years of high school automotive and then went to college for automotive. I enjoy working on and fixing anything and everything. I currently work as a hydraulic repair technician for heavy equipment.
 


I made the mistake of buying a 95 Talon Tsi AWD for my first car at 16. I didn't know how to work on cars much other than oil and maybe spark plugs.

The thing with Turbo DSMs such as the talon and eclipse is they need a lot of care as they break down a lot. With the help of dsm forum and senior year classes for auto I was able to learn to rebuild engines, transmissions, turbos, etc and do the usual work on everything else.
 
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