Any mechanics?

[Stan]

After I get caught up with some other projects, I would like to learn about engines and repairing them. I never had any mechanical skills at all. Never even changed my own oil. But lately I've developed an interest in learning those skills.

My plan is to start with my lawn mower which has a fuel issue causing it to cut off aftrr a few minutes. I'm guessin YT can educate me on changing the fuel filter and cleaning or rebuilding the carb. I also have a weed trimmer that's not working.

Next step will be to take courses at my local community college and move up to actual vehicle repair. I want to learn about engine basics and then brakes and manual transmissions, electrical, etc.

Finally, unless I have died by then, I'd like to find a pre 1980 car or truck with a manual transmission and try to get it running. I have friends who are actual mechanics that will help and advise me.

It'll be something to do and a useful skill to have I think.

There are bound to some guys here who work on their own cars. Tell me about some of your projects and thing you have done.

[jmg]

Joegoat is your guy.

It's been my experience with small motors, when there's a problem, is to just assume it's a carburetor issue...unless obvious otherwise.

[michigander]

I'm guessing that what you'll learn at community College will help you diagnose and repair a vehicle much more modern than a pre-80s vehicle. The fundamentals, of course, will be the same, but the technology has evolved significantly in those 40+ years.

Also, from the early 70s to the late 80s the emissions control devices were a mess. Vacuum lines and ported delay valves were all the engineers had to try and meet the emission standards, but they were bad. Really bad. That said, almost all the vehicles have those things stripped off at this point.

Oh and if you live anywhere near the rustbelt those cars a basically rusted to beyond repair. Unfortunately a lot of the skill neefed to work on those older cars is knowing the tricks to deal with rust and frozen bolts.

Anyway, it sounds like a good endeavor. You'll learn new things and get to work with your hands.

[Hovannes]

I'm currently getting a '24 Model T back on the road.
The Volkswagen For The Complete Idiot manual was my most read book in high school.
In college I tried to impress a girl by changing the points on her car(an ex-police cruiser Ford Custom, which was built like a tank)
I actually fixed correctly but I still don't know what I'm doing most of the time.
Beware of You tubes. There's good ones and seriously bad ones.

I think taking a community college course is a fine idea.

[joegoat]

I don't know what type of learner you are, but if you are drawn to machinery, you're probably a tactile learner. You learn by doing. I recommend looking at the online classifieds and finding an older, smaller piece of machinery like a 1960's riding mower, that doesn't run, but isn't a total basket case. This will give you several different projects to learn on.
Older machines are pretty basic and easy to learn on. New stuff is just too much plastic and electronics for my liking. Try to pick something that has good parts support and a healthy collector following. As far as riding mowers go, old Cub Cadets are a great choice. The Kohler motors are very simple, rugged, and there are lots of parts for them for very reasonable prices. There are tons of collectors as well.
I love old farm tractors and in particular, Gravely walk behind tractors. Gravely's are a little regional. Most of them are in the eastern United States, but if you can find one, they're a great machine to wrench on. When you get into bigger tractors, you need some bigger tools, but if you start on smaller stuff, basic hand tools will typically take you far. Stuff that doesn't run is often cheap to buy. You can get it running and sell it for a few bucks more, but trying to make a profit or even break even us next to impossible. It will free up some cash and space to start something different though.
You can PM me if you decide to go this route and I can do my best to help you pick a good first project.
Being able to fix something is a valuable skill and will give you great pride. Best of luck! Approach the internet advice with caution. Not everyone is an expert. Haha

[Stan]

I don't know what type of learner you are, but if you are drawn to machinery, you're probably a tactile learner. You learn by doing. I recommend looking at the online classifieds and finding an older, smaller piece of machinery like a 1960's riding mower, that doesn't run, but isn't a total basket case. This will give you several different projects to learn on.
Older machines are pretty basic and easy to learn on. New stuff is just too much plastic and electronics for my liking. Try to pick something that has good parts support and a healthy collector following. As far as riding mowers go, old Cub Cadets are a great choice. The Kohler motors are very simple, rugged, and there are lots of parts for them for very reasonable prices. There are tons of collectors as well.
I love old farm tractors and in particular, Gravely walk behind tractors. Gravely's are a little regional. Most of them are in the eastern United States, but if you can find one, they're a great machine to wrench on. When you get into bigger tractors, you need some bigger tools, but if you start on smaller stuff, basic hand tools will typically take you far. Stuff that doesn't run is often cheap to buy. You can get it running and sell it for a few bucks more, but trying to make a profit or even break even us next to impossible. It will free up some cash and space to start something different though.
You can PM me if you decide to go this route and I can do my best to help you pick a good first project.
Being able to fix something is a valuable skill and will give you great pride. Best of luck! Approach the internet advice with caution. Not everyone is an expert. Haha

Thanks for the advice. I will PM you when I get started. I have a John Deere lawn tractor that I parked several years ago. It's anout 10 years old, so I thought I start with that since I already have it. It was cutting out after a minute or so of running when I parked it so I'm guessing that I should clean out the tank, fuel lines, replace the filter and maybe try and clean the carb to start with but I'm not sure.

[joegoat]

I don't know what type of learner you are, but if you are drawn to machinery, you're probably a tactile learner. You learn by doing. I recommend looking at the online classifieds and finding an older, smaller piece of machinery like a 1960's riding mower, that doesn't run, but isn't a total basket case. This will give you several different projects to learn on.
Older machines are pretty basic and easy to learn on. New stuff is just too much plastic and electronics for my liking. Try to pick something that has good parts support and a healthy collector following. As far as riding mowers go, old Cub Cadets are a great choice. The Kohler motors are very simple, rugged, and there are lots of parts for them for very reasonable prices. There are tons of collectors as well.
I love old farm tractors and in particular, Gravely walk behind tractors. Gravely's are a little regional. Most of them are in the eastern United States, but if you can find one, they're a great machine to wrench on. When you get into bigger tractors, you need some bigger tools, but if you start on smaller stuff, basic hand tools will typically take you far. Stuff that doesn't run is often cheap to buy. You can get it running and sell it for a few bucks more, but trying to make a profit or even break even us next to impossible. It will free up some cash and space to start something different though.
You can PM me if you decide to go this route and I can do my best to help you pick a good first project.
Being able to fix something is a valuable skill and will give you great pride. Best of luck! Approach the internet advice with caution. Not everyone is an expert. Haha

Thanks for the advice. I will PM you when I get started. I have a John Deere lawn tractor that I parked several years ago. It's anout 10 years old, so I thought I start with that since I already have it. It was cutting out after a minute or so of running when I parked it so I'm guessing that I should clean out the tank, fuel lines, replace the filter and maybe try and clean the carb to start with but I'm not sure.

Cutting out after a minute of running? I think you're on the right track with fuel delivery. That's also where I would start.

[gaining_age]

Thought this might be a physics thread.

[Jocose]

Thought this might be a physics thread.

Or an observer effect thread

[Stan]

Thought this might be a physics thread.

Or an observer effect thread

That depends on your point of view.