Where, How, What to Learn About Mechanics [Merged 4-9] rebuild work

[Empyrials]

Best way to learn about your car on your won other than using the forums is the manuals, or as i did, the hardcore way, spend countless hours just looking at the motor and around it, wrenching at it, taking things off and putting it back in, breaking stuff, spend countless hours just looking for the shit you lost in the motor, fixing stuff.
You'll learn a lot that way and it really helps out, it worked for me.

Fixed

i've lost so much shit in my engine... Lucky i've managed to find all but a socket or two . a long magnet and a claw(dunno what it's called, 2' long thing with a claw at the end) have to be my most valuable tools ever, a very close 2nd are 10/12/14/17mm ratcheting wrenches


back on course: DSMTuners, Vfaq(when it still had most of the links working), and my friends

 

[turbodsm18]

Trial and error......

Go by this quote.... "It wouldnt be called research and development if we knew what we were doing"

-Kevin-

 

[shredwin]

I learned by watching other people, asking questions, manuals, and a lot of searching on the internet

 

[KiMo420a]

thanks all i like all the info

 

[Urban Survival]

I learned mostly on my own. When it came to certain parts I didn't understand I hit the internet, manuals, and friends. Friends come in real handy especially ones who already own or have owned DSMs. I would watch them mess up and learn from their mistakes. And as with anything else just take your time and read.

 

[xioca]

Gods divine will. I saw the fast and the furious, then I prayed to the car gods for direct port nitrous. Pretty much it.

 

[JusMX141]

I've always been a wrenchhead.

It all started when I was 13 and racing motocross full time....I was tired of waiting for my father (truck driver) to be home to help me work on the bikes, so I took matters into my own hands one summer. Five years later I was a certified Motorcycle Repair Tech, and I took that knowledge with me into DSM's and eventually into rebuilding turbochargers.

I tend to absorb information like a sponge, and I forget very little....except important dates and occasionally people's names.

 

[knochgoon24]

I bought a Hayne's manual and started reading this site. I'd get on here to get some background on a project, then go out an do it. Twice I haven't found a tech article, so I made them.

My dad was a V8 guy. He's helped some, but he knows nothing about these cars. He worked on my sister's GS and now it won't start up once hot. Oh well, her problem.

The best way I've found to learn is to take stuff apart, then put it back together. I take lots and LOTS of pictures while I'm working, so I can go back and reference them. Plus, it's like having my own personal library of pictures to help others on this site out.

If you're intereseted into entering the automotive mechanics field, then go a school similar to the ones you listed. Otherwise, don't go to school JUST because you bought a car. Find a career path that you will actually enjoy. Education costs a lot now days, don't pay twice.

 

[92AWDHX40]

I bought hauled my dsm from bloomington, indiana while attending school back to kalamazoo when the timing belt slipped then bought a book got some tools and did my first timing belt. From then on 99 percent of everything else. I learned. Spending tones of money, and time doing it myself. I never knew i would be doing clutches, and suspension, paint, everything esle on my own. I just did it thats how i learned not from school, this way i learned over the years how to fix my own car.

 

[snowborder714]

It will all depend on how you learn things. Some people need to learn by hands on experience, some people can learn just by pictures, and some people can learn just by reading a paragraph. Figure out your style of learning and go from there. But physically working on the car is the best way. If you're unsure about something, make sure to have a manual/guide/article/walk through/etc. with you and take your time.

I tend to absorb information like a sponge, and I forget very little....except important dates and occasionally people's names.

Do you remember your anniversary date?

 

[90turbotsi]

I learned from Forums, practice, and not being afraid to try and fix any problems that come up

 

[92AWDHX40]

To me thats all the fun, learning on your own at least for me. This time around with the build i learned more about my engine, and i began to appreciate taking my time as i go.

 

[95redturboawd]

It's pretty simple actually. Buy the gsx. Drive it for a while until something breaks. Fix it.

 

[KiMo420a]

thanks all for the good info

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Do it, if it works, you did it right. If it doesn't work, read+read+read+read, do it again, if it works, there you go, if it doesn't, you didn't read enough. I've easily got 15 hours of reading every little thing about my car for every hour I've actually worked on it.