Thread: Mechanical knowledge

I have never learnt so much about cars then since my Land Rover ownership began. So you are off to the right start .

If you want to learn the best way is to pull one apart, as for vehicles, well you can never have too many Landies . Get yourself a couple of Series vehicles (1 to drive & 1to 'practice' on ) as they are very basic & go for it! Otherwise check the internet (youtube etc) there's sure to be something in there & there could be an after hours basic mechanics course through TAFE. Good luck

Get an old car, get its Haynes manual and the workshop manual and take it apart component by component - that'd be great fun and a fantastic learning experience.

What it won't teach you is WHY certain cars have certain components. I've often found that learning the history and background is a good way to understand cars.

A mate of mine found a book a few years back and lent it to me and it's brilliant. Loads of pictures, exploded diagrams, explanations as to what all the different parts do and why.

It might be a good place for you to start because the book is aimed at those who don't have much knowledge on the subject....and it doesn't skimp on the more complex parts too later on in the book.


Automotive Mechanics Fundamentals | Gregory's

Also, as pointed out, Google and YouTube are your friends too!

Bobby

start with a lawnmower.

once you can strip one of them and put it back together and get it working get a series.

its all the same, just more parts and new combinations of ways for things to go wrong.

mechanicing is essentially the art of understanding a handfull of fundamentals in physics, (thermodynamics, fluid flow + pressure, leverage, mechanical advantage, gearing, metalurgy, basic (advnced for modern EFI stuff) electronics, right off the top of my head) once you have that down fault finding is as simple as reverse engineering the symptoms onto the existing model until you come up with a theoretical systemic failure related to a portion of the operation of the item. That gives you whats broken, fixing it is as easy as making it look like it should or pulling things off substituting new bits and then putting it all back together like it should be.

Its pretty easy, I can do it.

and of course on the long nights insomnia grants me Im happy to put the words down range.

I've only recently started to get any confidence in it.. Started with an old B&S chipper.. it didn't start when I got it, so I methodically took it apart and put it together again. And kept doing that about 50 times until one day it scared the crap out of my by starting.

It really started when I got my Landrover 110. I've (almost) completed replacing the firewall on it, and in doing so I've had to do a lot, and learn a lot. I learn by doing.. so you just have to dive in.

I've found that I need to read and re-read the workshop manuals a few times before I start.. but when I work I usually spend just as much time look at the parts manual as it shows you how things join together.

Also - have a digital camera with you, and take lots of photos of everything as you take it apart.. this has saved me thousands of times when you are unsure, and you can just flick back through the camera and see the answer.

I get stuck a lot, and when I do I just leave it and come back later. If I can't work it out, I ask here and people always help out.

I've got a long way to go, but slowly working away and learning so much has been a great experience.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

start with a lawnmower.

once you can strip one of them and put it back together and get it working get a series.

its all the same, just more parts and new combinations of ways for things to go wrong.

mechanicing is essentially the art of understanding a handfull of fundamentals in physics, (thermodynamics, fluid flow + pressure, leverage, mechanical advantage, gearing, metalurgy, basic (advnced for modern EFI stuff) electronics, right off the top of my head) once you have that down fault finding is as simple as reverse engineering the symptoms onto the existing model until you come up with a theoretical systemic failure related to a portion of the operation of the item. That gives you whats broken, fixing it is as easy as making it look like it should or pulling things off substituting new bits and then putting it all back together like it should be.

Its pretty easy, I can do it.

and of course on the long nights insomnia grants me Im happy to put the words down range.

Did that with Dad's mower as a young fella (long time ago ). Always had a bit left over and it always still ran. Still baffles me how 40 years later

Originally Posted by pop058

Did that with Dad's mower as a young fella (long time ago ). Always had a bit left over and it always still ran. Still baffles me how 40 years later

I know how you feel...

Buy an old series Landy, download the manuals, buy some spanners and screw-drivers, and start a rebuild.

What will you get out of it?

- mechanical knowledge
- immense satisfaction
- a return on your investment as good looking Series Landies can ALWAYS be sold