How did you learn to work on cars? I want to learn more

A

Anonymous4Runner

New member
Basically I'm interested in taking classes that has to do with automobiles...I'm interested in learning more about vehicles and I was wondering if anyone here took classes. My dad isn't into cars, so he never taught me anything like that...he mainly taught me a lot about economics. Would taking a basic automobile class cover topics such as lifts, minor/major repairs on just about anything inside the vehicle/hood? I'm definitely interested in taking on complex projects where I can install the lifts myself with appropriate tools but I'm not sure how many automobile classes I would have to take in order to master the skills when it comes to doing stuff like that. I would love to learn how to take care of my 4R rather than having to take it to the shop every time there's a issue whether it's a minor issue or not. Also, do classes like I described include misc. topics i.e. soldering, etc?

I'm going to look into classes at a community college back home, and see how much they are for a 12 week course. I don't have time to sign up for automobile classes up here at Virginia Tech as I'm busy with my current workload so taking classes this summer at a local community college is a better alternative.
 
Register to hide this ad
Between 14-17 worked part time in a engine/tranny, paint/body shop. Learned a lot about everything. The guy I worked for was my best friend's uncle.

Loved every second of it. Try and make a mechanic buddy with a shop and volunteer just for experience.
 
Used to help my Dad fix and maintain all of his vehicles as a kid, then when I got into high school took a few "shop" classes. As a young guy also worked at a Pontiac/Mazda dealer for about two years. Take all the classes you can and soak up the knowledge.
 
I learned everything form family members or through a "just do it" attitude. A friend of mine was wanting to learn more about the internals of engines. So I had him go out and buy the cheapest blown motor he could find and a shop manual of any kind. Even a Haynes manual would be fine. I loaned him my engine stand and told him that as long as he was willing to put in the effort, I would help him where ever I could. He ended up disassembling and reassembling the engine 2 or 3 times before he finally decided he felt comfortable enough to buy the parts that he needed to actually rebuild the engine. It took us 2 nights worth of labor (with me do little more than pointing and passing along tricks that I have learned over the years) and a few days at the machine shop to get a Chevy 350 rebuilt and he is about to put it into his Heep.

Learning how to do mechanic work is like doing computer work. A class will help, but it doesn't hold a candle to actually breaking down and doing the work yourself.
 
Anonymous4Runner said:
Basically I'm interested in taking classes that has to do with automobiles...I'm interested in learning more about vehicles and I was wondering if anyone here took classes. My dad isn't into cars, so he never taught me anything like that...he mainly taught me a lot about economics. Would taking a basic automobile class cover topics such as lifts, minor/major repairs on just about anything inside the vehicle/hood? I'm definitely interested in taking on complex projects where I can install the lifts myself with appropriate tools but I'm not sure how many automobile classes I would have to take in order to master the skills when it comes to doing stuff like that. I would love to learn how to take care of my 4R rather than having to take it to the shop every time there's a issue whether it's a minor issue or not. Also, do classes like I described include misc. topics i.e. soldering, etc?

I'm going to look into classes at a community college back home, and see how much they are for a 12 week course. I don't have time to sign up for automobile classes up here at Virginia Tech as I'm busy with my current workload so taking classes this summer at a local community college is a better alternative.
Click to expand...

I do not know what you are majoring in at Virginia Tech, but if it's engineering you will learn very quickly that the degree only shows potential employers that "you have the ability to learn, not the knowledge required to do the job." Based on that addage, you just need to (think Nike slogans) Do It! Change your oil, grease it, put on wheel spacers, put in a CAI or something simple like that. Also read. Read everything on here about mods. Some of these guys are very good with vehicles. Ask questions. Lots of them. Do not be afraid to ask. There are also great articles on the internet on lifts and mods.

Sounds like you have the first part which is desire. Now you need to do a few simple maintenance tasks THEN move to simple mods and then more difficult mods, all the while reading and asking questions. Good luck!
 
google

Im not sure maintaining the family's cars count as "working on cars". My dad and I always did our own maintenance. When there is a problem occurs (owned nissans and fords, so quite a few occured), I googled and went on forums and haynes manuals. Sometimes they don't tell you some of the details involved but once you get in there, you probably figure it out.
 
I come from a family that tinkered on cars, and I've always had a curiosity of things mechanical. One of the best ways to learn is get a shop manual, some hand tools, and pull stuff apart. BE VERY METICULOUS in how it comes apart, placing the pieces in order on a bench or floor, so that you simply reverse the order for reassembly. Car and truck magazines are great knowledge sources--they're always doing build- and replacement-articles. Like "Lineman" mentioned, making friends with a guy at a shop is a great way to learn--getting your hands dirty with an experienced person right next to you is by far the best way to learn. Courses would be very helpful for learning general procedures and tool selection, etc.. Getting over the fear/anxiety is probably the biggest step. Best of luck!
 
I did take auto shop in high school but that just taught me basic process.

There was a mechanic next to where I worked at that I would ask advice. When I was over my head and could not figure things out, I would offer to pay him to do it. He just gave me more advice and told me to fix it myself.
I learned a lot from this guy. He was like Fonzie from Happy Days- white T-shirt and all.

That was back in early '70s. Since then I have busted a lot of knuckles learning.

Guess thats my point- classes are good for getting an understanding but nothing teaches you like just doing it.

Get yourself a mentor and go turn some wrenches.
 
I just started pulling sh*t apart on my dads car when he was on business trips, one time i pulled the headliner to reinstall the sunroof shade with new feet, i pulled the intake manifold and EGR to clean them so i could get a bit more power out of it. Pulled the Valve cover off to reseal the gasket. Pulled the brakes and changed them. (Had my father known i was pulling his car apart he wouldn't let me do it alone, i just decided not even tell him)

I would just look up to see if i could find any write-ups on what to do, i would set up a table to put all the part and tools on, and i would give plenty of time to do the job. After a few years i decided to start buying my own tools, so i bought a nice 192 piece craftsmen kit on sale, and have been buying tools as i need them. My father helped me when i got stuck on some things, but i learned most of it by just diving into jobs. Looking back it might not have been the smartest idea but i now know enough to get myself home if i break down. I have never taken a shop class or anything, always wanted too, but i doubt it will be much help anymore.

*my dad is a certified diesel mechanic, but getting him to help me takes quite a bit of effort, so i do most car work myself.
 
Last edited:
I learned enough from my older brother when I was 18-20 to be dangerous. LOL it takes a willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. When I started wrenching it was less stressful because the only thing aluminum was the intake manifold. Today darn near everything is aluminum. The first tool you need is a quality torque wrench ( beam style is just fine). If you over tighten a bolt into aluminum it will strip out. I still sweat when installing spark plugs.

Search out a good factory shop manual before starting a project and after reading it, google it. Forums are a great place to learn the short cuts and missing info not found in the FSM. For example, the FSM does not say to apply Vaseline to the o-rings on fuel injectors. But without it you will ruin the seals.

The way Ilook at it, if Toyota wants $1200 to replace my fuel injectors and valve cover gaskets, I can buy all the tools and parts I need for the job and still save $800.

The best advice I could give anyone is buy quality tools like craftsman, snap-on, etc. don't waste your money on cheaper tools. They will break or fail when you need them most.
 
Last edited:
I'm still learning so I'll be short. I've learned a lot of vehicle specific stuff just searching and reading on here and other forums. Also, the right tools will make a repair or modification ten times easier.
 
I learned by helping my dad from an early age and I took all kinds of shop classes in Jr and High School. Started working at a gas station in HS, then at a Ford Lincoln and Mazda dealer (sorry) and last at body shop before I joined the Air Force. In the Air Force I was an HVAC tech for 6 years. Anything electrical and mechanical just comes naturally to me. English and math don't!
 
Started by tearing down a lawn mower with my dad as a kid. Moved on to oil changes on our cars by twelve. Worked on friends cars for date money thru high school. Modified my own cars for street racing after graduation. Went to UTI to learn the finer and more advanced points. Started working at Toyota after that. Learned hybrid, CAN networking, engine control from Toyota.
I liked working on cars so much when I started that I never stopped.
 
Roll your sleeves up and get dirty. A set of tools and a shop manual will take you far. If you get stuck, trawl the web for answers. Just before you post up a question, search again. :D

Seriously, engineer has it. Just do it. Don't be intimidated.
 
Old guys like me got into car fiddling for several reasons:
carburetors, points&plugs, brakes, wheel bearings, coolant, filters, belts and hoses, generators/alternators, rusty parts all needed regular attention - no choice but to do lots of maintenance

cars were not very well built compared to today's, the materials did not last long
tires had tubes in them and were nothing but trouble new cars came with a 12,000 mile warranty

there were not as many fun distractions to spend your time on as there are today

cars were about the most complicated thing you could fiddle with and improve
specialty junk yards in cities were incredible, you could get things like used pistons for a Volkswagen that were still warm from their previous duty

the more we worked on them the more mistakes we made (and learned from)
some lessons were painful, not just expensive

my specialty was rebuilding and setting up carburetors, especially after a real mechanic or dealer messed them up

my safety advice: don't get stuff like gasoline, oil and grease on you, not for very long anyway - bad for you, it only takes a little more time to think through the mechanical and chemical safety issues before you start a job.

best advice I have is use the right tool for the job
 
Nothing but experience will get you where you need to be. I have never installed a lift kit before, nothing more than swapping some shocks on my 4wd Chevy truck. Well this weekend I installed TRD struts in the front, I had a mechanic put them together with the 4runner top plate, LC 7 wrap springs in the rear, inner and outer tie rods, lower balls joints, and new shocks in the rear. Next weekend I will finish it up by using the alignment machine at work and mounting some bigger tires up. It is always a good idea when you are tackling a big project to have someone knowledgeable around, that's why I only try to work on my vehicles at the dealership where I work.
Most, not all mechanics started out just like you, with near zero experience and nothing but their brain to guide them.
 
I learn from different forums and I really search something about cars, But that is not enough, I want more knowledge about different cars.
 
There is a great group of guys up here at tech that loves to wrench. If you ever want to learn something, go watch or lend them a hand. They do some pretty crazy stuff to their rigs. Check them out. SC4WDA
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

RMGulchin01
[Build Thread] 3rd Gen Neophyte
Replies
19
Views
7K
RMGulchin01
RMGulchin01
wtfemery
Opinions wanted… what would you do?
Replies
13
Views
2K
JohnMc
J
Lexington
Problem With Key Remote Lock & Unlock Not Working? Heres How To Fix It
Replies
0
Views
3K
Lexington
Lexington
R
Any GM Diesel Specialists On This T4R Board?
Replies
3
Views
6K
Rick G.
R
T
Nightmare 3rd Gen Engine Swap
Replies
5
Views
2K
T4R2014
T4R2014

Members online

Total: 5,607 (members: 1, guests: 5,606)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,316
Messages
3,554,120
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top