working on cars

Post by **fiznat** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

haha is that a general enough subject for ya?

ok here's a good question, but first a story:

One of my friends is always talking about how someday he's gonna get a big block vette and build the hell out of it... he talks about all these chrome blowers and wheelie bars and the sound its gonna make, etc, etc, etc all the stereotypical muscle car crap. But the thing is, right now he NEVER works on cars. Whenever I or one of my friends ask him if he wants to help work on a car or whatever he always turns it down--he even takes his own car to jifflylube to get his oil changed!

Now every time he does this I gotta make fun of him of course, but I also ask how is it that he claims to like working on cars and all that when he doesnt even want to work on his own or help me and my friends? His answer is always "I dont wanna work on somebody else's car" or "my car isnt worth my time, I just wanna get something good to work on." ...but I dont understand that cause I know I am HAPPY to work on a car, no matter if it's mine or somebody elses: nice or crappy as hell...

...I donno I guess im just askin if you guys like working on ONLY your own cars or if you get enjoyment out of working on cars as a whole, and dont discriminate based on whatever car it is..

Post by **Antyoo** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

i too like working on cars. some people are just like that.

basic maintainance can be boring and a pain in the *** tho, but i like to do everything to my car that doesnt require high quality welding.

Post by **Nathan** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I like working on cars, it's nice stress relief...I try not to go near my car though, thing pisses me off. It'll continue to piss me off until I can actually put the motor in the damn thing...stupid car.

Post by **Dano** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

i work on all cars, from hondas to cougars...and enjoy every min of it....unless ure dealing with an electronic headache, lol.

-Dan

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I must agree, I like working on other peoples cars, but I hate the routine stuff for my car that I have to have, such as a waterpump. I don't really like to replace a water pump because I have no choice I must do it and can't enjoy doing it because if I mess up I got no ride.

Post by **jacob360** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I work on cars for a living, but I'm still entry-level.

People think it's easy, and alot of it is, but there are the little things you have to know, even on easy jobs, to avoid fvcking stuff up. It all comes with experience.

One of the things I enjoy is how it's like a puzzle alot of the time. Diagnostics of course, but using a special tool or technique, or figuring out the best angle, combination of extensions, u-joints and wobbles to get to a hard to access bolt. And when I get to it, or diagnosis and fix something, I can see the results of what I've done, and I get a feeling of accompishment.

Until now, I haven't had the money, or a car worth putting the money into. I know for sure that building my 240 up will be even more rewarding. I'm going to do everything myself except for the paint, body, and machine work if I decide to go the turbo KA route.

If your friend is really serious about working on his own car, he needs to get as much experience as possible. There is absoutely no replacement for it, including book knowledge. If you don't actually wrench, you have no idea what it's all about.

I think alot of people fall in love with the idea, but once they do it, they realize it isn't for them.

Why do you think the pay is so good?

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Much respect for mechanics. :batman

Post by **Touchdown038** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Exactly. As I've come to find out in the year or so that I've owned and worked on my 240, I love working on cars and teaching other people about cars and stuff.

Kinda makes me wanna change my major to mechanical engineering so I can work on machines and things of the sort.

Post by **BuudWeizErr** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Hey, you know what though... I never did anything to any of my previous cars. I didn't change the oil, I think the only thing I ever did was change a tire. And I almost failed that too.

But now I've got my SR installed, runs great, and the only thing not done myself was the engine harness wiring and the welding of the hotpipe.

Just because your buddy doesn't know much now, if someone is around to help him out, he will figure it out as long as he has the motivation to do it.

Website · Post by **matchstyc** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Working on cars makes me feel productive. That's gotta be a good thing. It's just gratifying to look at a car you've put hard work into. Speaking of which.Fiznat, do you happen to know why the pics for your Eibach/KYB sticky are all red X'd? I'm shooting for tommorrow on installing my eibachs and KYB's and tht little sticky looked like a lot of help when I read it a while back.

Post by **BenSR2095Se-R** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

i work on cars for a living too. im going to school for my ase certification now. only thing i hate is the electronics. that's the only thing i would really try to avoid. lolz. jacob360 is right. there is a lot to learn. alot of safety ****. alot of technical ****. alot of trial and error. but practice makes perfect, ya know.

Ben

Post by **fiznat** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

matchstyc wrote:Fiznat, do you happen to know why the pics for your Eibach/KYB sticky are all red X'd?

Hm thats not good, they were all hosted at entity.... Ill see whats goin with that, thanks for the heads up!

Ill reply to all of this later... gotta get to stupid class right now

Post by **Trigger** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

i have been working on cars for a long time. I love doing everything i can to my own car, but i will not think twice about helping a friend in need. I like working on different cars...gives me a chance to learn about all types of cars

Post by **rco8786** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

fiznat wrote:haha is that a general enough subject for ya?

ok here's a good question, but first a story:

One of my friends is always talking about how someday he's gonna get a big block vette and build the hell out of it... he talks about all these chrome blowers and wheelie bars and the sound its gonna make, etc, etc, etc all the stereotypical muscle car crap. But the thing is, right now he NEVER works on cars. Whenever I or one of my friends ask him if he wants to help work on a car or whatever he always turns it down--he even takes his own car to jifflylube to get his oil changed!

Now every time he does this I gotta make fun of him of course, but I also ask how is it that he claims to like working on cars and all that when he doesnt even want to work on his own or help me and my friends? His answer is always "I dont wanna work on somebody else's car" or "my car isnt worth my time, I just wanna get something good to work on." ...but I dont understand that cause I know I am HAPPY to work on a car, no matter if it's mine or somebody elses: nice or crappy as hell...

...I donno I guess im just askin if you guys like working on ONLY your own cars or if you get enjoyment out of working on cars as a whole, and dont discriminate based on whatever car it is..

I have a friend who told me he was planning on rebuilding his CA when he gets it(broke and no job). A few days ago he argued with me that you could stroke a motor by putting new cams in.

Post by **K240** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I also like working on cars. WILL WORK FOR FOOD =]

Post by **D1SR240** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I love working on all cars, just to try and learn and experience new things. I also have a friend like you fiznat, but he just bought a riced out civic (has nothing done to the engine) and he says he's gonna get a turbo kit and all this crap and do it himslef, but he needed my help to install his clear tailights and his wiper squirters that have the light, of course i don't mind helping him even though he is a ricers, but he shouldn't say all this crap if he doesn't even know how a turbo works.

Post by **Hellion240sx** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

i enjoy rotating my tires ( when i have a sec cuz i still have the original jack and still use the donut lol ) my friend is fixing up a 90 nissan truck, and he lets me help. i am mechnically inclined/challenged but any work i can do i enjoy it. to bad i have no friends that are willing to teach or do anything car wise for that matter. I want to swap my ka to the sr but i dont know jack about turbo's. i just met a friend who has an awd talon i believe, sleeper to the fullest, cracked front bumper looks all beat up faded paint everywhere. i was talking to him today and i asked him to teach me everything he knows about turbo's and what not cuz i wanted to know as much as possible b4 i swap. the knocking is getting louder i get worried evryday.i mean hes got the hook up on getting it installed for less than $1000 so i just need to find an engine. I want to learn. even if its to change my oil for pete's sake!!!!!! sighgreat i am now more depressed then i was b4 :*-(

Post by **Hellion240sx** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

oh yeah also to learn a little bit more i had enrolled in a few automotive classes. yeah that didnt help to much it was more about safety and book material. not enuff hands on training. i thought we were going to do all kinds a stuff. yeah, no, didnt happen. i also took an electrcail vaccum diagram something or oher class. yep no help there. it was me and this other kid there and then the rest were older, past 30's, that were in that class the other kid worked on mustangs and everyone else already worked in a shop. so i was left out big time. yeah all that and no new knowledge oh well. i cant even do a tune up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! then again i dont have any tools either. sniff*sniff* depression sets in again

why doesnt she call back?!?!?!?!

Post by **Onizuka** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I started working on cars just about a year ago (and i mean oil changes and crap like that). Now im halfway into a motor rebuild and i have done it all myself. My freinds dont mind getting dirty in the engine bay either which is nice. I just got my basic shop certification so i can use mills and metal lathes and stuff like that and make stuff like motor mounts out of solid chunks of metal. Its all about being willing to put in the hours and not being afraid to break stuff. Anybody who is college bound i highly suggest joining the school Formula SAE team. Besides having access to a full machine and welding shop equiped with everything from airtools to CNC machines, you get to learn how to build real racecars and work as a team.

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Makes me wish I was still in school to be an engineer. Oh well marketing for me.

Post by **Altiman94** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

I plan on going to ISU (iowa state university) for mechanical engineering. All work that has been done on all of my families cars has been performed by my dad and I. The only thign we aren't doing is puttingt he new engine (rebuilt ka24e) in my hatch because we don't have an engine hoist.

Post by **jacob360** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:43 pm

Altiman94 wrote:The only thign we aren't doing is puttingt he new engine (rebuilt ka24e) in my hatch because we don't have an engine hoist.

You could always rent one for the day. It shouldn't cost very much.

I can usually find a decent one to buy at my local swap meet for around $100.

working on cars

working on cars

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