apayner1

Hey.
I really need help!
I am so tired of being an idiot. Quite honestly I cannot even have a decent conversation with a mechanic about my car!
I just want to admit my problem (it hurts) move on, learn everything (the facts about car mechanics in general) and go from there.
Can you Help me please?

This is the plan I had so far:
Read up on one particular car part for instance like a cam. Read up on howstuffworks about the basic mechanics, then search the forums on everything related to a cam.

This plan sucks! But at least it's something.
Does anyone else have advice on what I should do?!

1BAD_LS1

iTrader: (36)

http://www.howstuffworks.com/search....rms=car+engine

check that out. Check out engines and performance parts....I hope this helps...i just did a quick search on google "car engines" and it came up with www.howstuffworks.com

Furious_George

iTrader: (12)

quite a few oklahomans on this board. to be honest it just takes time and busted knuckles for the most part. but to get a good grasp on how everything works together, yes howstuffworks is a great website. i'd start by studying the part on there about how the entire engine works, then OHV cams, and transmissions. that helps clear some of the fog. also if you're looking for something specific, search on this forum. people are always posting installations and pictures and tons of information. i'd also check out ls1howto.com and look at all of the installations to become more familiar with the parts of the engine and their functions. it's alot of stuff but if you're really interested, you'll pick it up pretty fast. good luck.

apayner1

Ok.

Ok.


Also, is there anywhere I can get a good diagram, labeling all (or most) the parts of the engine, suspension, exhaust, etc? That would make thing so much easier.

Thanks!

Furious_George

iTrader: (12)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-diagrams.html

there you are sir.

apayner1

Thank you!

myk

iTrader: (4)

In time you'll learn what you need to know as long as you keep at it. Back in
'94 I picked up my '69 Charger and couldn't change out a headlight, let alone understand engines, transmission, electricals and all that other stuff. Buying a shop manual and just poring through it eventually taught me alot. This was even before I had the internet, so the amount of learning you can have by just reading up on stuff is amazing.

Like I said, keep studying, and/or wrenching and you'll eventually get what you need to know..

TYR_FRYR

Pick a nice day and pay your $2 to go to a pic-n-pull. It's like a real life exploded view of about anything you want to see. Take some tools and disassemble if you want to see more. If you break something it's no big deal, plus you don't have a disassembled car in your driveway. Have a question about something, write it down and research later. Cheaper than a movie and if you truly are a car guy, it's far more entertaining. I think I could spend days in a junkyard just poking around looking at stuff. It's the best learning museum there is.

Mike101

iTrader: (3)

practice

TheBlueKnight

iTrader: (4)

Just a few years ago I wasn't to sharp on car stuff. But a combination of car magazines, lots of ls1 tech reading, howstuffworks.com, and tinkering around on cars got me to were I am today. Even go cruisin on a sat night and check out the local hot spot. Spot some cars you really dig and ask the drivers about them. Most guys will talk your ear off about their ride, I know I love when people ask me questions.

elias_799

iTrader: (8)

i started out by buying a blown up motor for 100 bucks and started do dissemble it. once i started to disassemble piece by piece i searched up stuff that i did not know what they where. i found it very interesting and now i have a nice trophy engine block sitting on my table. also if something breaks don't be scared to fix it yourself. obviously don't start with something big like a spun rod bearing. and if you **** up just pay somebody and whatch them when they do it, so next time you could do it yourself. and people post allot of how 2's on this forum with pictures and good explanation.

demonpixel

iTrader: (19)

Read a book called Auto Repair for Dummies if you know absolutely nothing about cars (no joke, that's the first car book I ever read), and Automotive Mechanics by Crouse and Anglin. Start off with small projects, replace a headlight or spark plugs, change oil, keep reading, get magazines, get How To DVDs on automotive stuff (I got a DVD on an SR20DET engine because it showed how to measure engine tolerances), hang out in other people's garages when they work on their stuff, do not be afraid to ask a **** ton of questions, even if you feel they are stupid everyone had to learn it at one point, join a car club, watch car shows on TV, the SPEED channel, hang out at car shows and tracks, google, and spend hours on ls1tech.

Three years ago I didn't even know how to replace my spark plugs. Since then I've fuel injected my 72 Firebird and built my first engine (LS1). Trust me man you came to the right place to learn, tech is the greatest automotive forum in the world.

What helped me was instead of trying to study one car part at a time, think of a car as a collection of systems when you are first starting to learn: the fuel system, the brake system, the electrical system, the powertrain. Try to get an idea of how these work on their own. It didn't do me any good to learn about drum brake material when I needed to know how a distributor worked.

72 Z-28

iTrader: (2)

I just read this i think most of it is covered so i just wanted to add my 2 cents "Ain't nothing to it but it do it!" haha I've always loved that quote..

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

you have to really want to learn, sieze every oppurtunity to learn then it will eventually come over time.