Advice for all you car people!

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There is some posters that just won’t take advice or acknowledge u even gave them any. U ask them for info and never get it. Or it’s good or it’s fine. That is not the answer we want/need to know. Kim
 
I'm not real active on this forum, so I don't respond to tech questions as much as I read and lurk. One thing I absolutely love about this forum is the tech section where so much applies to everything built by Chrysler.

I am active on FCBO though and a couple of these things really hit home.

1) When asking for help, please provide enough information to assist others in finding a fix. Starting a thread with My car runs bad. Is it the ignition or carburetor? while not even mentioning the type of car, engine, transmission, additional symptoms....What kind of help do you think you'll get?

OMG, yes! No one is a mind reader and they won't remember what car you have what the engine is etc. What amazes me then is people that start giving answers like they know, when it turns out that the answers aren't even for that car!

2) If responses come in that fix your problem, be sure to thank the member. If the responses don't help, thank them anyway. Some of us have LONG memories and may scroll by you the next time if we think that you are not decent enough to show some appreciation.

This is another pet peeve. Then I've seen when people have gotten annoyed because they just took well intentioned advice and it didn't work out.

Then there's this... and this just plain pisses me off... Some guys won't do any form of diagnostics, even when you give them a step by step procedure. Instead, they want an instant answer and buy the part and like magic, it's fixed. They've already changed a bunch of unrelated parts (ballast resistor comes to mind for everything wrong) and because they did, you now really have to explain that new doesn't mean it's good.

I've explained the simple procedure of checking fuel pump with a soda bottle countless times and I can't remember one guy that actually did it. Geez... Then use of a DMM or god forbid, doing a voltage drop test (I even have a great video I post on that) but it's too much and they don't want to be bothered.

One more thing... And I've seen this a lot lately. "My mechanic worked on the car and now it" and you can fill in the blank. There seems to be a lot of mechanics that can't handle drum brakes, ignition points or carburetors. The ones that can probably don't work in the tire shop in the back of Walmart.

Oh... and another.... Read the fricking FSM! Lot's of answers there...
 
I do see people just shuffle others off to Read the FSM as if it is the answer to everything.
Sometimes the pictures in there do help. Sometimes though the FSM was printed at a point long before a flaw was found, a replacement superseded it or a modern fix had been found.
In some cases, the text of the FSM is a bit abbreviated and hard to follow.
Mine for a '70 Charger/Coronet has several wiring diagrams that don't show some of the wires my own car has and my interior harness was 100% original before I got the car. The FSM is great but in many cases, real life experiences can explain how to fix something in a way that is much easier to understand.
 
First, as responders, we should answer the questions regarding what they were asked about. In other words, someone asking about a slant six shouldn't get "A 318 will make more power....". I think they already know that.

Likewise, every bit of information should be provided by the person asking. Not just "my car is running bad, what can I do?" Believe it or not, we've had some that bad. Then when someone spouts off "we don't have a crystal ball" the OP gets all butthurt and it goes downhill. But it's true. Nobody here has a crystal ball. It's up to YOU to provide all information up front.

Now, sometimes the OP doesn't know all the answers. In that case "hey guys, I have an *** kinda of car and I don't know what engine it has. Can yall tell me how to tell? It's running bad and I need some help.

The bottom line is, the more information YOU give US up front, the better your answers will be.

One last thing. Don't bring your dumb butt in here and then keep asking the same question over and over looking for the answer you want to hear. Just because you don't like an answer, doesn't mean it's wrong. If the answer to a question has the majority of active members in agreement, LISTEN TO THEM.
 
As the guy that does a whole lot more asking than answering it burns my butt the get the classic, use the search engine or get a service manual answer! If you don't know the answer don't freaking reply as simple as that! Alot of time when I ask a question I will research it first to get a general idea then post on hear to see if the answers align. I'm not the type of person to believe everything I read or see on the internet so I like to get multiple peoples opinions before I draw my opinion! So don't take offense if I don't heed every word. I have had an experience on here when someone answered me and I simply did not understand the answer it just didn't register so I asked for further information and they didn't like that at all and got all butthurt about it. I'm sorry I just didn't understand im sure they was as clear as they could be so don't take offense if someone don't understand your answers. Someone can't know what they don't know!
 
As the guy that does a whole lot more asking than answering it burns my butt the get the classic, use the search engine or get a service manual answer! If you don't know the answer don't freaking reply as simple as that! Alot of time when I ask a question I will research it first to get a general idea then post on hear to see if the answers align. I'm not the type of person to believe everything I read or see on the internet so I like to get multiple peoples opinions before I draw my opinion! So don't take offense if I don't heed every word. I have had an experience on here when someone answered me and I simply did not understand the answer it just didn't register so I asked for further information and they didn't like that at all and got all butthurt about it. I'm sorry I just didn't understand im sure they was as clear as they could be so don't take offense if someone don't understand your answers. Someone can't know what they don't know!

Most of the time when people say get an FSM they are simply trying to help. You should have one anyway. It will answer a ton of questions. They are great for exploded diagrams and things like that. The FSM should be as important a tool as every tool in your toolbox. Maybe more so. People who are too hard headed to get an FSM......especially those that are FREE FOR DOWNLOAD I usually just quit helping. The FSM can teach you a TON about your own car.
 
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Most of the time when people say get an FSM they are simply trying to help. You should have one anyway. It will answer a ton of questions. They are great for exploded diagrams and things like that. The FSM should be as important a tool as every tool in your toolbox. Maybe more so. People who are too hare headed to get an FSM......especially those that are FREE FOR DOWNLOAD I usually just quit helping. The FSM can teach you a TON about your own car.
Yea I agree and have one downloaded but there is times its just alot simpler to get a answer from someone who has done it than read thru page after page trying to find the answers.
 
Yea I agree and have one downloaded but there is times its just alot simpler to get a answer from someone who has done it than read thru page after page trying to find the answers.

I think you retain it better if you read through page after page trying to find the answers. Plus, you may even learn more than what you were looking for!!

Now, if you read it and still don't understand, or you can't find what your looking for (sometimes the answer isn't in the FSM) then say that in the question. It shows folks you are very interested.
 
Not talkin about @dartfreak75 here.....but some people simply want the answer handed to them on a silver platter. But WTF good does that really do? I don't understand that mindset. You learn NOTHING. Not one damned thing. Also, most people don't know the answer, because as usual, a LOT of information is left out.
 
Not talkin about @dartfreak75 here.....but some people simply want the answer handed to them on a silver platter. But WTF good does that really do? I don't understand that mindset. You learn NOTHING. Not one damned thing. Also, most people don't know the answer, because as usual, a LOT of information is left out.
Instant gratification, why should someone be forced to do the troubleshooting when they can just post a question and wait for answers.
 
Instant gratification, why should someone be forced to do the troubleshooting when they can just post a question and wait for answers.

Right. One way, they actually LEARN something that sticks with them a lifetime. The other, they learn nothing.

A LOT of us on here had to learn it for ourselves because we started out when there was no internet, no nothing to refer to.......other than a service manual. Maybe that's why we're so quick to point to it. Remember, with the FSM, you don't have a bunch of forum gurus fightin it out on a forum just to be RIGHT about something. You have FACTS in front of you in black and white.
 
I am a self taught old school mechanic. I had to learn the hard way. Many times without a service manual or anything in black and white. No factory type tools to do the job either. Just good old engineuty. We could be stumped on lots of things that no shade tree mechanic b4 us ever did other than at the dealerships. The little town I grew up in the line mechanic only worked on Chevies. He also learned on his own. I only got my journeyman’s certificate in 1995 as the Canadian National Railways required that I be a journeyman to work on their trucks and equipment. Kim
 
I'm also a self taught learned the hard way old school backyard mechanic. While I did work in the trade for a number of years, I never got licensed or took an apprenticeship. The shop I worked in had NO special factory tools, we figured **** out for ourselves, and we shared our knowledge with each other, much like so many members here do. I remember when we got our first code reader, and how expensive it was, but it was necessary if we wanted to stay in business and service the newer vehicles that our clientele was beginning to bring in.
 
Funny thing: Last winter when I was building the engine to swap into my barracuda, my wife asked " Where did you learn all this?"

Told her I guess I was just born with it.

Never had any formal schooling on mechanics. Did go to Vo-tech in high school for machine shop though.
 
Funny thing: Last winter when I was building the engine to swap into my barracuda, my wife asked " Where did you learn all this?"

Told her I guess I was just born with it.

Never had any formal schooling on mechanics. Did go to Vo-tech in high school for machine shop though.

Yup me too. You know the best thing I learned from that old instructor we had? ...and I quote "If somethin's hard to do, you're doin somethin wrong." That right there has served me better than anything I've ever learned anywhere. That doesn't mean it's always gonna be easy. It just means if something is unduly difficult, you're probably goin about it the "wrong way".
 
Yup me too. You know the best thing I learned from that old instructor we had? ...and I quote "If somethin's hard to do, you're doin somethin wrong."
I'll bet that guy has never tried installing headers on a V8 A body car.
 
I am a self taught old school mechanic. I had to learn the hard way. Many times without a service manual or anything in black and white. No factory type tools to do the job either. Just good old engineuty. We could be stumped on lots of things that no shade tree mechanic b4 us ever did other than at the dealerships. The little town I grew up in the line mechanic only worked on Chevies. He also learned on his own. I only got my journeyman’s certificate in 1995 as the Canadian National Railways required that I be a journeyman to work on their trucks and equipment. Kim

Yup, when I was a kid, I never even thought of an FSM. Once I opened one, I realized just how valuable a resource they were.
 
I'll bet that guy has never tried installing headers on a V8 A body car.

Well....I think for the most part he was speaking in terms of general repair on stock vehicles.
 
I started learning on my own, back in the '50's, when all vehicles had basically the same repair procedures. Bought the GOOD Chilton, Motor, and Mitchel manuals. I have several book cases, of these manuals, dating back into the '50's, going up to the late '90's. As the cars changed/improved, talked with other mechanics about fixes. Later on went to Part time tech schools like AC Delco at the GM training centers, and seminars put on by parts manufactures, and part stores. At that time these were all FREE (now you pay good money for training). Could not believe how few people took advantage of this free training. I went to everyone I could. At one time I was a ASE master auto tech, and had some truck certs. Now retired.
 
I am a self taught old school mechanic. I had to learn the hard way. Many times without a service manual or anything in black and white. No factory type tools to do the job either. Just good old engineuty. We could be stumped on lots of things that no shade tree mechanic b4 us ever did other than at the dealerships. The little town I grew up in the line mechanic only worked on Chevies. He also learned on his own. I only got my journeyman’s certificate in 1995 as the Canadian National Railways required that I be a journeyman to work on their trucks and equipment. Kim
School of hard knocks. I share a similar story.
Had to prove 9,000 hours experience before challenging for my ticket. I had 12,000 in by the time i wrote the test. That does not include side jobs or the stuff i did before i decided to challenge.
 
I just downloaded the fsm for my 2006 nissan xTrail. Engine management alone is 1,500 pages.
Some days i wonder why i run this new fangled stuff.
I could almost memorize a 70’s workshop manual.

For someone new to old school,the basics are missing. I like the fact that the younger generations are picking up the hobby and are trying. But the difference has been mentioned, instant answers. Without them posters get frustrated.
 
Never had any formal schooling on mechanics. Did go to Vo-tech in high school for machine shop though.

Yup me too.

Same story here.

I never made a living at working on cars. More money to be made in the machine shop or toolroom, but I saved a lot of money over the years being able to fix the daily drivers.
 
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