I tried to do an intake/carb swap on my 3rd gen and I did a crappy job. I ended up paying a mechanic to pretty much do it anyway. I have the desire to work on my car, but I don't have a background or family that worked on cars. So I was wondering what book/books you guys could recommend that would help me be able to do work on, not only my 84 Z28, but the basic knowledge to do work on most cars.

Thanks.

 

Reading a book will tell you what to do and maybe how to do it, but experience is what helps you do it well. Learning about why and how things work is a good background to learning how to fix them, so you might want to look around with that in mind.

Also, many of us have taken a lot of classes. Learning hands on from a professional is one of the best ways. Maybe next time, if you do screw up again, have your mechanic show you what he's doing. You're paying for his time, you might as well learn something from it.

 

Im with rezinn. When I bought my car I had little or no mechicanical knowledge. Its still very limited, but after swapping my intake 5 or 6 times and setiing the timing tons of times and just plain doing stuff over and over until I got it right, I have learned alot.

 

I started off with the books too. I still can't do a lot of things but most of the things that I've learned to do I learned off the internet. Rather than skimming through pages and pages out of a book just do a search on what you want to do and try you best to find out how to do it. Many websites have pictures. You can almost bet that if it can break, it has already broken and someone out there knows how to fix it. It never hurts to ask. I'm not beyond calling the local repair garage and asking how to fix something.

 

I'm a huge research freak when it comes to getting info before I attempt a "new" endevor, but IMO there is nothing in the world that is better than actual hands on, having the correct tools for whatever the job is 80% of it-believe me, and having some fellas around that have done stuff is always a plus-just sucks when YOUR the go to guy Seems like you never have time for yourself since everybodies callin ya for this or that

 

I read books as well and then one day my motor decided to crap on me so I was kinda forced into mechanical work earlier than I wanted. But it gave me valuable experiance that helps me a ton with many vehicles that I work on. Plus I can figure out about anything when it comes to my motor messing up now, i've replaced almost everything on my car myself.

 

amen on having the right tools....

 

Yup, these guys all have the right idea. I'm good at bolting stuff on, but most tuning escapes me. Check out your local community colleges, as many of them offer classes in auto mechanics, welding, and so forth. They're a pretty good deal for the money.

 

Start off doing the easy things like changing oil and basic tuneup stuff. Whenever you work on a car make sure you have the haynes or chiltons manual for that car. They give you good detailed instructions and pictures about how to do most things. It will help out a lot.

I guess I was lucky because my dad was/is very good at working on cars. I am 16 and started really getting into like two years ago. My dad started working on cars around my age also so he has been able to teach me a lot. I rebuilt my first engine last year, and am going to do an LS1 swap in my car this summer probably. Good luck with everything.

 

better yet... get both the haynes AND the chiltons manuals. I go looking through both when I go to do something and there are little details in one that won't be in the other.

 

i've read alot of books and web sites and for that hands on experience i head out to the junkyard, it always seems easier to work on cars that arn't yours

 

that's how I learned how NOT to remove parts

 

BillZ28 - I know exactly how you feel. I'm the same way, but it is true, experience yeilds knowledge. I can tell you every nut and bolt on my 92 S-10 and I can tell you by smell and sound what the problem is. However, this comes from 185K of shadetree work, and plenty of trial and error work. The biggest thing is patience and like someone else said, research. Use every resource you have. This website, Chiltons, shop manuals, etc. It also helps to have a buddy to help to, after all....misery loves company..lol.
I get frustrated cause I love nothing more than working on my IROC, but I just don;t understand the ins and outs of the TPI and all that other crap. So, my wife and I are taking some night classes this summer in auto mechanics. My best friend is going to do the same in auto body. Hopefully, between the two of us, we can avoid starting a project and then having to tow the car to the mechanic and giving him your box of parts and a wad of cash.

 

Haynes sucks, though they do have good pictures sometimes. Chiltons is better. Helms is the best, but the most expensive.

 

Enkil - I second that. You are so right about the Chiltons manuals...thats why I didn;t mention them to BillZ28. They pretty much suck. If I could afford the Helms, I'd have it, but the Chiltons is about as good as it gets for folks on a budget.

 

I do have a Haynes manual and I can't say it has helped much. I did buy "Workbench Book" How to Build the Smallblock Chevrolet which seems to be a really great book, but I don't have all the tools needed to completely assemble an engine. Like I know a problem I have now is my 700R4 needs rebuilding and I heard it costs in the neighborhood of $1000 to have someone do it.

 

Books are good, but can only take you just so far. A book n hot-rodding will often assume that you know you're supposed to clean all the old sealer off of head bolts before you re-use them; or how to stab in a distributor or adjust rockers in an engine on a stand that haas to drop in and drive away, which to many people is black magic; or other common tasks that are almost insurmountable until personally experienced and mastered.

The best way to really learn is by doing. Unfortunately, when it's your own car, that means it's your money, and that you get to walk or ride the bus when you don't get it right the first time. If you really want to learn, go hang out with people that build race cars or fast street cars or something; make yourself useful, even if that means cleaning parts or sweeping the floor. Watch what goes on. Ask questions. Jump in and help. That way, you have people with experience around you, who will tell you the right way or the quick way to do stuff, and you won't have to learn by experiment (trial and error.... usually more trails and errors than trials and successes).

 

If you have the space, why not go buy a wrecked car. Get a manual to go with it and take the engine apart. Label everything up in accordance with the manual, and then put it all back together. You don't have to spend money on new parts if it's only a wrecker, but give everything a quick clean up to facilitate the rebuild process.

Once you've done that, why not take it apart again, and replace the worn out parts. You could then sell the engine on and scrap the rest. You've learned something, and made a few bucks to boot!

 

Haynes and Chiltons are both good books to have to get started. Granted, most of us are referring to the model specific ones, but a lot of the info in them is pretty wide reachings. After all, they're all engines, no matter how many cylinders, etc. The key is to take it slow. Start with easy, safe projects before throwing yourself into something really big. That way you'll gain experience, tools, and confidence to do whatever new job you attempt. Another good thing would be to have somebody (friend, family, etc) who has more experience help you from time to time. The presence of somebody who's done the job before can make a world of difference.

As for myself, I started with just a Haynes manual and an 84 2.8 5 speed sport coupe with a missing window that didn't run and needed a transmission rebuild. I replaced the window, the battery, and did some tune up work (it ran after replacing the battery). I paid to have the trans rebuilt because it was beyond my ability. Tuneups prepared me for carb rebuilds, etc. After a while I had everything I needed to be comfortable taking out the 2.8 and swapping a 350. Take your time, go gradual,things will work out.

MikeS

p.s. can I ask what went wrong with the carb and intake swap?

 

Someone also needs to mention the "practice" part. Get's you used to having to figure out problems on your own, understanding diagrams, learning how to properly torque intakes ect... Books help, but having the next door neighbor who is an old hot rodder helps alot too

Not being afraid to "take a part off" helps also. The first time I changed the oil in my 86 Blazer, I decided to pull the starter. First time I did it, and I was glad I did. Later that month my mom's starter went out. After that practice run on the Blazer, I had a better idea of what I was doing. So don't be afraid to "experiment".

 

As for what was actually done wrong, well I took of my valve covers to swap them for some Edelbrock's, and the gasket was not put on correctly. I managed to kink the power brake booster line. The distributor and cap weren't lined up to fire on cylinder #1. That's about it, it resulted in an incredible amount of cuts on my right hand (removing old computer lines and smog equipment) and removing the TV cable from the old carb was soo hard, and I still have no idea how I managed to get it off.

 

Sounds like you only damaged one thing though. Congrats!

 

Yeah, and also I didn't use a manual or anything. The only thing I read on was how to install the distributor and timing, and that's what I did do wrong.

 

I agree with these guys about the GM Service Manual from http://www.helminc.com (or sometimes found on eBay). Reading through that will get you up to speed quick on the f-body. I usually recommend the Haynes 82-92 Camaro/Firebird manual as a "first, beginner's guide" kind of manual. You won't find how to change your oil or change spark plugs in the GM service manual!

Plus a lot of the drawings in the Haynes manual are the exact same as in the GM Service Manual. The Haynes is also awesome for finding a torque spec immediately; sometimes you have to hunt for 'em in the GM book.

As for how I started; I learned basic maintenance from my dad, and when I got my own car, I just took off from there.

And I also agree about getting decent tools- so many guys try to start off with a $20 Walmart/Kmart/Target/etc socket set. Those cheap sockets ruin more bolts and cause more cursing then is worth it! Plus, when the cheap sockets finally strip out and become useless, you have to spend another $20 for another set. If you buy a Craftsman/Husky/Matco/SK/Snap On socket set, you not only get perfect sockets, but you get a lifetime warranty if you ever ruin one. It's a set you just buy once.

The idea of buying another car can also be copied if you go to a junkyard. Pick a part you don't need... like... I dunno... a water pump? Then go to a junkyard and pull one out of an f-body. Even better if you do this to an f-body that's been totally raped of any useless parts, that way, you don't mess the car up for someone else. There's nothing I hate more then seeing a perfect fender from 100 feet away, getting up close, and finding out someone destroyed the front of it trying to get the damn bumper cover off. Or finding a full gauges dash panel that someone cracked the end off of to get an air conditioning vent. Or seeing a center console cap snapped in half because some jerk wanted the leather boot for the shifter. etc, etc... no wonder a lot of junkyards don't let people get their own parts anymore!