How to learn my way round a car?

[Jigs2895]

So I'm currently at college studying A levels, and it's boring as shit..

But since I got my VTR I have loved doing mechanical stuff and really enjoy fixing things, Before i got my car I didn't even know how to check the oil level, and now just through reading posts on here and gaining knowledge from different threads i've been able to roughly learn my way around the engine.

However my knowledge is only limited, examples of things I have done so far are:

Changed stepper moter
Changed Gearbox oil
Changed engine oil
Taken apart standard air housing and cleaned and back to blacked and replaced air filter
Changed over to alloy wheels
Changed CAT
Replaced Lamba sensor
Replaced fog lights

I'd like to be able to learn a lot more deep down in the engine but obviously can't really go on a mechanics course as i'm doing my A levels, any suggestions of other ways I can gain some more knowledge of mechanics within a engine?

[jasonmayall]

You could always buy a spare VTR engine, they're pennies.

rebuild it and fit it into your car? Yes, it may be a wasted exercise in the fact you might not achieve a fat lot, but you'll learn a lot by doing it!

[Jigs2895]

You could always buy a spare VTR engine, they're pennies.

rebuild it and fit it into your car? Yes, it may be a wasted exercise in the fact you might not achieve a fat lot, but you'll learn a lot by doing it!

I was thinking more along the lines of buying a beaten up old car and turning it around, I have a friend who owns a paint shop so bodywork is never a issue, its just finding a car with a simple enough engine that I can learn to fix and at the same time the car only being cheap!

[Giraffe]

I was thinking more along the lines of buying a beaten up old car and turning it around, I have a friend who owns a paint shop so bodywork is never a issue, its just finding a car with a simple enough engine that I can learn to fix and at the same time the car only being cheap!

Get an old VW then, like a beat up Beetle

[Jigs2895]

Do they have all the right facts? Im looking for easy to fix, simple engine, cheap to buy and parts that arne't to expensive

[Giraffe]

Do they have all the right facts? Im looking for easy to fix, simple engine, cheap to buy and parts that arne't to expensive

Dunno really, I just know that Edd China supposedly "cut his teeth" on old VW's, and he was harping on about how simple they were on Wheeler Dealers. That's the extent of my reasoning.

[Jigs2895]

Dunno really, I just know that Edd China supposedly "cut his teeth" on old VW's, and he was harping on about how simple they were on Wheeler Dealers. That's the extent of my reasoning.

Hahahahaha thats brilliant, I do love that program

[Gandi699]

buy a knackered one and get it running then sell it on?

[Jigs2895]

buy a knackered one and get it running then sell it on?

This, but someone with no engine experience or knowledge, getting it running would be the worry

[Gandi699]

thats part of the fun though mate! You learn by getting stuck in, and if its not your daily driver then it doesn't matter if you mess something up, especially on these cars too as parts are cheap.
Also, on the flip side - breaking a car up for parts is quite fun and you learn a lot about how they come apart.

[Jigs2895]

Thats true, what car would you recommend to give this a go on? Something I can get my hands on fairly cheap?

[RobVT]

vauxhall corsas 106/saxos all easy to work on similar size have a look at your local selling pages on your facebook

[Mickswan]

Doing something similar, just bought a S lump to rebuild. I've done bike engines just wanted to do a learning exercise on a car engine. If all goes well I'll probably drop it in my R.

Start of my thread

http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457008

A thread I'll be using for help

http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=453316&highlight=Engine+rebuild

[holdawayt]

Our resident Isle of Man, mx5 driving, drum kit wonder man Jay wanted to do something similar. He bought an old engine and began to strip it down.

It's how I learnt, my Dad got an old engine and we rebuilt it together over a winter. Any questions I had I asked away. If you don't have somebody like that who's good with cars, it's all pretty straight forward.

Also, Haynes do an utterly fantastic kit where you build your own engine. It explains how everything works in a very basic level, but it's brilliant for beginners.

I couldn't change springs, oil, coolant or anything in 2008 when I started driving. I can now fairly confidently give anything a go.

[Ali123]

To get me started off I went to a local college , and did it once a week in the evenings for 12 weeks
Tbh it was pretty pointless as it was things just like changing light bulbs, dropping oil out etc but it was thing I could already do , so was pretty useless and by the thing you've done already I'm pretty sure it would be useless for you too

I went to college too and did my A levels which were a bag of shite but then went straight into a mechanics apprenticeship:) just over 2 years into it now :)

Or if that isn't an option for you and like already has been said get your self an engine ( all of them are pennies these days )
Strip
It down and rebuild it or get a 1.1 saxo/106 etc with a fucked engine and have a go dropping a new engine into it etc

[0rang3peel]

get an old beetle if you're lucky you can get one without the scene tax that most dubs have

[m4tt274]

Just do bits and bobs on your saxo, you will slowly improve.

Fit a 4/2/1 manifold, strip it out for a weekend, then put the interior back in, lower the rear beam, or raise it...

loads to too!

[Jigs2895]

To get me started off I went to a local college , and did it once a week in the evenings for 12 weeks
Tbh it was pretty pointless as it was things just like changing light bulbs, dropping oil out etc but it was thing I could already do , so was pretty useless and by the thing you've done already I'm pretty sure it would be useless for you too

I went to college too and did my A levels which were a bag of shite but then went straight into a mechanics apprenticeship:) just over 2 years into it now :)

Or if that isn't an option for you and like already has been said get your self an engine ( all of them are pennies these days )
Strip
It down and rebuild it or get a 1.1 saxo/106 etc with a fucked engine and have a go dropping a new engine into it etc

Thanks mate, helpful to see someone in the same mindframe. I am thinking about doing a course after I have finished my A levels, just gives me more options and I learn something I have always wanted to learn in the mean time