Quest for Knowledge

[SolidSoln]

Hey guys I haven't posted in a very long time. Been really busy with school, and working to pay the bills and tuition (not fun), so that basically kills any time for me.

Anyways to the point, I've always had an interest in cars, but I have no knowledge about them except for the very basics that most cars owners should know (check oil etc.). I don't really know anyone with much knowledge about cars, so I'm sorta at a stump as to where to start. I was thinking about buying an Automotive Handbook <http://books.sae.org/book-bosch7> , but I probably won't have much of an understanding to it.

I'm currently studying Mechanical Engineering, and I've wanted to join the Formula SAE team which builds race cars from scratch (except for the engine; which is tuned) by students; but time is an issue so its not possible. (I'll attempt to do it next year, if time permits; but I want some sort of understanding so I don't jump in and feel left out)

Any tips as to where to start?

Thanks,
SolidSoln.

[Recon427]

Right, well do you have a 318ti? Or some car?

That would be your number one resource to learn on how to work with cars.

If you have a BMW I would highly recommend you get yourself a copy of the Bentley Repair Manual for your car. They are a great resource to use. It is a bit expensive so look for a pirated version online. Yes, they are out there

But, from my experience, the best way to learn is to pick something small to do with your engine and go from there. Small like: Replacing your valve cover gasket.

I had limited knowledge about car maintenance until I got my 318ti. I mean, I could replace brake pads and change the oil but that was about it.

Once I got the BMW 318ti; I identified things that were wrong with it. Did a ton of research on how to do the job properly [primarily from this forum] and then went out and did it. I mean, this coming weekend I will be rebuilding the whole cooling system and fixing the oil filter housing leak. Those are the main things but I will replace / clean things as I go along as well. Heck, I think I will make a video about the process as a comprehensive How To guide for novice people like me and you.

Anyways, I don't know if this helped.....good luck all the same!

[b.u.ti-ful]

+1

Necessity is the mother of invention and she teaches wrenching too.

[SolidSoln]

thanks for the reply,

I do own a 95' 318ti; IIRC I think the car came with one when i bought it last year, and I really love this car, so i want to fix her up properly and perhaps do an engine swap someday. Thanks for giving me an idea as to where to start.

Good luck with that cooling system.

[UberWagen]

I've always wrenched on old 16V Vdubs, and when I got a Ti I learned everything I know from these guys on the .org. I'm still learning and I've had the car for about a year. Just browse through forums, youtube, and performance websites. I start mechanical engineering at Auburn U. next year after community college. I know your pain man. Just getting registered is a PIA.

Originally Posted by SolidSoln

thanks for the reply,

I do own a 95' 318ti; IIRC I think the car came with one when i bought it last year, and I really love this car, so i want to fix her up properly and perhaps do an engine swap someday. Thanks for giving me an idea as to where to start.

Good luck with that cooling system.

[ChItalian1027]

I would definitely start with things you already know. When I first got my ti I was already through two years of automotive classes at my high school and had some knowledge of how to do things. But when I came on here I learned a lot about the car. My dad even uses this forum to help me work on my car he says that my car is kind of easier to work on then his chevys and his Fiero GT.

I would also look into getting the Bentley Manual. It has a lot of knowledge, I have yet to get one but I got the Chilton Manual and the 101 Performance Projects Book. I think there is a .pdf version of the Bentley Manual floating around the forum.

Good Luck with working on your car. Your going to garner a lot of knowledge and know how to work on these cars. Also check out the DIY section on the forum

[SolidSoln]

thanks for the tips; since my car doesn't have much for heat, I think i'll start working on that as my summer project. I did read about it being a common problem on the forums, though i didn't understand much of it. Gotta start somewhere

P.S. FYI, working + full school course load doesn't mix lol.

SolidSoln

[Recon427]

lol, hey don't feel like you are the only one. I am pulling 22 credit hours [last semester as an undergraduate in Economics & Mathematics program] plus a 40 hour a week job. So....yeah, I know how you feel.

Your cooling problem:

There have been numerous posts in the Engine forums about this.

Are you having no heat? If so, is your temp gauge at the "cold" mark even while driving on the highway?

If so, then it is your thermostat. Very easy to replace but you will need to flush your cooling system.


If you temp gauge warms up to the mid mark and stays there but you have no heat then you need to bleed the cooling system. I.E. Park your car on an incline. Wait for the engine to cool [about 1 hour]. Open the radiator cap, take out the bleed screw. Put key into "On" position. [Don't start the car]. Turn heat to full red, turn fan setting to the highest [4]. Then, pour a 50/50 mix of BMW coolant and distilled water into your expansion tank until you have coolant coming out of the bleed screw hole. Massage the lower and upper radiator hoses, tap the top of your radiator and pour more coolant in until you have no air bubbles coming out. Then put your radiator cap back on. Put your bleed screw back in. Turn car on and drive it until it warms up to 1/2 mark. then repeat this whole procedure a couple more times.

Should be blowing hot air now. :P

This was a brief outline of how it should be done. Cooljes did the official write up on this in the Knowledgebase section.

FYI: when you do a cooling system rebuild or your replace major components in your cooling system you should replace your radiator cap (about $20) and just for fun replace the bleed screw with the brass one (about $3)

All the best!

[b.u.ti-ful]

Probably the best tip for someone just starting to work on cars is to not over torque nuts and bolts.

Aluminum threads strip easily - 6mm bolts snap off.

Invest in a torque wrench and get the feel of the difference between 10 ft lbs and 25 ft lbs.

And always look up the torque spec in the manual when you are putting something back together or ask the forum for a consensus of opinion.

Getting old rusted bolts out might require a torch or penetrating oil overnight.

[SolidSoln]

Originally Posted by b.u.ti-ful

Probably the best tip for someone just starting to work on cars is to not over torque nuts and bolts.

Aluminum threads strip easily - 6mm bolts snap off.

Invest in a torque wrench and get the feel of the difference between 10 ft lbs and 25 ft lbs.

And always look up the torque spec in the manual when you are putting something back together or ask the forum for a consensus of opinion.

Getting old rusted bolts out might require a torch or penetrating oil overnight.

Thanks for the tip, by 10 ft lbs and 25 ft lbs, do you mean the tightness of the bolt?

[Recon427]

Remember to convert in-lbs to ft-lbs when dealing with torque settings. Some things for your BMW are specified in in-lbs....most torque wrenches [or the 3 that I have] all deal with ft-lbs. [to convert, just divide in-lbs by 12 to get ft-lbs].

Did you get that Bentley Repair Manual for the BMW yet? If not send me a private message with your email address and I will email it to you.

[pdxmotorhead]

You should really use a Inch lb torque wrench.

I used to work with a calibration lab, we tested a lot of torque wrenches and most are only accurate in the middle 30% of their range.

If you drop a click style on the floor it can throw it off 10 lbs ....

Dave

[b.u.ti-ful]

Originally Posted by SolidSoln

do you mean the tightness of the bolt?

Yes.

And you will see various increments including Newton Meters (NM).

Here is a converter just for fun:

http://www.boltscience.com/pages/convert.htm

[Philly]

When I bought my car, I didn't know 2 ****s about them. 3 short years later, you can see the transformation of it in my sig, I did 95% of my work myself including the engine swap (minus the heavy lifting, my mechanic dropped it in) and all with a 260pc socket set, a bunch of extenders and a few random tools i bought as needed.

Trust me, there will be alot of frustration and headaches - but its all worth it when you complete a job and it works exactly how expected. The trick is to arm yourself with a good organized workspace, a good bentley manual, and EXPERIENCE - the more you tinker with it, the more you learn...

[ChItalian1027]

Originally Posted by Philly

When I bought my car, I didn't know 2 ****s about them. 3 short years later, you can see the transformation of it in my sig, I did 95% of my work myself including the engine swap (minus the heavy lifting, my mechanic dropped it in) and all with a 260pc socket set, a bunch of extenders and a few random tools i bought as needed.

Trust me, there will be alot of frustration and headaches - but its all worth it when you complete a job and it works exactly how expected. The trick is to arm yourself with a good organized workspace, a good bentley manual, and EXPERIENCE - the more you tinker with it, the more you learn...

couldn't agree more phil!!!