My dad’s super into cars, and knows how to pull them apart and rebuild them. I’ve always found this quite interesting because i’ve been around him while doing it, and I’m just looking to see if anyone has a good guide for beginners on cars. I’m assuming I can learn right off the internet because that’s exactly how i’ve learned about computers. Thanks!
Well it all depends on what you wanna do.
I'd check out Engineering Explained on YouTube. Those are great videos to teach you all the basics about cars.
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how it works .com can give you a good start on the basics.
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If you just want to upgrade cars then mighty car mods is quite good but it depends what your into.
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So.... if your dad is still around you would have the best teacher in the world, if so start a project together no better environment to learn in than with your father that has the skill and talent you admire.
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I've been around cars in my parents shop since 1995 when it opened. The ONLY way to learn is through experience.
Let's put it this way, I have 2 techs in the shop right now. Tech A is closer to my age and has 3 years of tech school and several ASE's Tech A is book smart. Tech B is 18 years old and just got out of High School, he is a hands on learner. Tech B is far superior to Tech A, Tech A spends more time trying to find directions on how to do a repair then actually working on the car. Tech B digs in and figures it out as he goes. Tech B easily clears 40 hours of work in a week, Tech A barely clears 20 hours most weeks.
Moral, if you want to learn, get out there and help your Dad out. Get dirty and make mistakes, that's how you learn to work on cars.
I've watched about 30 of his videos now and it seems he focuses purely on the physics of the engine, is there any guides on the practical use and actual footage of engines instead of the science on a whiteboard. (Although I did thoroughly enjoy learning everything he taught, but I want to also expand my knowledge to real life use)... Or does he eventually get into real-life use in later videos?
If most of you recommend experience (which is obviously a solid option because experience is key), is there any websites you know of that sell engines pretty cheap that are purely for learning and not actually made to go and run in a car? I don't know if that entirely makes sense
i have moved your topic to the car section,
since he have a special sub forum for car related discussions.
I'm sorry, i didn't see it that when i put it in the category
Not that I know of.
Just go to a junk yard and find something if you wanna mess around but really, the basics of most engines are the same. If you wanna learn how to fix cars you need hands on experience.
I'll try to find an engine I can work on sometime soon then, I doubt my dad would let me work on any of his projects considering I'm bound to make tons of mistakes
As someone who does ~80% of his own repairs and maintenance, and has since his first car, I'll say this: You want to learn on a car you need running, because your mistakes mean something, which in turn means they'll stick in your head.
Oh, and any vehicle with an I-6 is a joy to work on. Block's not huge, belts are in the front, everything is accessible in a logical manner.
car-part.com is a source for used engines.
I would suggest an old Small Block Chevy, preferably a 350 (5.7l) should be cheap enough for a rebuildable one. My first engine rebuild was one of these and it's still running today.
I will say though, the best thing to do would be you and your dad find an old project car to restore. You'll learn a lot and it's an experience you'll never forget.
This is true, my Jeep and my BMW are both easy to work on due to the Inline 6. But an old Chevy small block is still very simple and parts are cheap so it's a good one to learn on.
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if you have the car in mine, the mechanics go to book are the bently manuals.
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I would start with the basics. Learn the fundamentals of how the engine, transmission, suspension, etc. works. As far as hands on I would start with changing your oil, checking fluids, replacing brakes and smaller things like that. Bentley manuals are the best that I know of, but you can also get a Chilton or a Haynes manual to start with as well. Hondas are super cheap for just about everything you could want to practice on. Pickup a cheap beater and give yourself little projects to progressively work on.