How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

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Annabelle VB
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How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by Annabelle VB »

I know nothing about maintaining my JX... And don't want to have to pay a mechanic every time I need to do something simple. But the practicalities of doing it myself are daunting in case I break my engine....

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itchyfeet
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by itchyfeet »

Start with small jobs and thats how you build confidence.
you will make mistakes we all do you learn from them.
Find somebody to show you some basic jobs
maybe a course at a local colledge
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937carrera
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by 937carrera »

itchyfeet wrote:Start with small jobs and thats how you build confidence.

What I was going to say.

My g/f did a course at a local college a few years ago, it covered basic servicing and she got to do all the work on her own car.
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clift_d
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by clift_d »

937carrera wrote:
itchyfeet wrote:Start with small jobs and thats how you build confidence.

What I was going to say.

My g/f did a course at a local college a few years ago, it covered basic servicing and she got to do all the work on her own car.

This is how I did it as well - a 10 week night school course to get a bit of confidence, and then doing some simple jobs myself.
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itchyfeet
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by itchyfeet »

I learmed by watching my dad and handing him tools when I was a kid.
If you can't do a colledge course then try and find somebody you can watch
youtube vids are good also.
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RogerT
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by RogerT »

There is a manual available from Just Kampers that covers the JX, and there is the Haynes and Bentley manuals for non engine stuff. And of course you can ask even the simplest questions here.
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

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Annabelle VB
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by Annabelle VB »

Speaking of silly questions...

Any idea why my diesel filter only has one tube coming from it instead of 3? Thanks...Image

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937carrera
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by 937carrera »

itchyfeet wrote:I learmed by watching my dad and handing him tools when I was a kid.

Same here :)

Lack of money also helps. First car at 17 needed a clutch (cheaper to buy), then within about 6 months was doing my first engine rebuild as I had blown it up, partly caused by not checking oil levels frequently enough.

Simply watching someone else is a big help, as suggested. I seem to recall in the old days some apprentice roles spent the first 12 months simply watching the master, they weren't allowed to actually do any part of the trade.
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
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bigherb
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by bigherb »

Annabelle VB wrote:Speaking of silly questions...

Any idea why my diesel filter only has one tube coming from it instead of 3? Thanks...Image

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Depended on year and engine, yours is the screw on filter canister type, three pipe jobbies it is a complete throwaway filter.
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Ian Hulley
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by Ian Hulley »

I learned by helping the Stores Manager at work (who was a time-served mechanic) in our cottage industry of servicing people's cars in the stores yard while they were working. Changing brakes, Ford Pinto camshafts and Cortina void bushes :rofl We even used to recondition BLMC gearboxes which used to spit out lay shaft bearings on a regular basis.

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Annabelle VB
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Re: How can I learn to become more mechanical minded?

Post by Annabelle VB »

bigherb wrote:
Annabelle VB wrote:Speaking of silly questions...

Any idea why my diesel filter only has one tube coming from it instead of 3? Thanks...Image

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Depended on year and engine, yours is the screw on filter canister type, three pipe jobbies it is a complete throwaway filter.
Thanks.

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