Do a search first Folks!

It appears that no one reads the stickies up top, so I'm hoping that they'll read this.


DO A SEARCH FIRST!

I've seen 3 people ask basicly the same question on 4wd trouble shooting just today. And it's still early.

I answered the exact same thing on the first 2, and I hope that no one answers the third person.

There is a link posted in the FAQ sugestions box answering this question.
It will hopefully be transfered into the regular FAQ box soon, or a modified version added.

Plus the same question has also been answered several times by several members here.

A quick search will show you several of these threads.

So please instead of wasting both our time and your own do a search first.

Thanks

bump bump bumpity bump bump

Thanks gorgon

im gonna bump this post every day, how often do you see.... so and so blazer wont start, and so and so blazer 4x4 yada yada

Perfect, and thanks man

I agree with you. I've probably answered some questions 50 or more times over again. And I know that everyone here sees the same thing that I do

It's a good thought, but it won't work. We used to have a sticky at the top of the forum that said "Search Before You Ask Questions!" and no one ever paid attention to it.

There's still one in the Jimmy forum and it doesn't work either:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=493291

They even ask common question in the "Search Before You Ask Questions!" thread: :disappoin
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=375281

we had this problem in another forum, theres always those people who join to ask one question.... a good idea would be to have a limit of replys to threads before you can start a thread, that way if they looking for something right away, their obligated to search

:headshake I felt bad enough starting this thread :headshake

I agree a search first is the best thing to do.
But like my post 2000 Blazer Won't Start, after searching for hours and not finding a problem just like mine I thought I would ask for Help describing my own Problem. Sorry if that bothers you.

i think to avoid annoying people, you should say something like i ve searched but nothing seem to help or sumpt etc...

gorgon is right there.

It never bothers us if people try a search. I've posted a few questions knowing that there were simular questions out there that just weren't the same.

Every problem is a little different as well, ane we are finding new answers to old problems all the time.

I kinda think that it's sometimes a good idea to bring some old related threads to the top with your question

Then we don't end up giving the same answer again, which is obiously wrong.

Some people need to be taught how to search

Some people need to be taught how to search


hahaha, well said short and sweet

Bump

Well I feel like an ass right about now.

The boards search isn't working properly right now.

I typed in 97 heater core replacement and I got a message from the board saying

The search term you specified (97) is under the minimum word length (3) and therefore will not be found. Please make this term longer.

If this term contains a wildcard, please make this term more specific.

Brian I don't really know who to report such problems with, could you possible relay the message on to the right person.

Or tell me if I messed up. In my opinion the year included in the search is very important

Thanks

The search engine would be burned out searching for "the" and "a" when people inadvertently use them in the search window.

If you need to use a short search term like 97, then tie it to another word with quotation marks.

Search for "97 Blazer" heater core replacement

Well, that was a bad example, but if there were hits, they would show.

Searching for a specific year is a bad idea. I would just use words that describe the problem.

heater core

for example

or use 1997 for the year

Search for "97 Blazer" heater core replacement
Sorry - no matches. Please try some different term

Blazer heater core replacement 97
The search term you specified (97) is under the minimum word length (3) and therefore will not be found. Please make this term longer.

If this term contains a wildcard, please make this term more specific.

Sorry Brian, it still doesn't seem to be working for me.

Do you mind trying with your computer. It's possible that it's in my user settings

Thanks

"97 Blazer" heater core replacement was a valid search. There were no hits.

You can't search for 97 sitting by itself without quotation marks.

Also, check to make sure you are searching the forum and not just this thread.

Thanks Brian.

Looks like I need to use the " marks there for searches now

LOL, if you are using heater core replacment as a search criteria because of the post on the front page, he spelt it "heater core repacement"

You'll never find it with heater core replacement - with an "l"

Even if you tie it to another word, such as "97 blazer" it still doesn't work. If it did, it would return this thread as a result, but it is returning 0 results.

Why would you want to add the year in the search, anyway? The different year models are so similar that you would be much more likely to return useful information by not including it.

Even if you tie it to another word, such as "97 blazer" it still doesn't work. If it did, it would return this thread as a result, but it is returning 0 results.

Searching for "97 Blazer" with the quotation marks works fine for me. I pick up tons of hits. Try again.

LOL, if you are using heater core replacment as a search criteria because of the post on the front page, he spelt it "heater core repacement"

You'll never find it with heater core replacement - with an "l"


LOL. Your right Brian, I did the copy and paste thing without looking at the spelling.

My spelling isn't much better though. :frown:

And the answer to your question blazee is I find that the odd time some things are different in 1 year, and I didn't want to give the guy a wrong answer.
I know that most S10 and S10 Blazer heater cores are located under the dash, but I don't know if they all are.

I guess this thread is turning out to be a useful thread for alot of people...

I'm laughing at myself, because you were right when you said
Some people need to be taught how to search

I just didn't think that I was one of them :rofl:

I took off heater core replacement and just searched for "97 Blazer" and got some results, but if you'll notice, it doesn't pick up all instances of the words:
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/413/17ko1.th.jpg (http://img235.imageshack.us/my.php?image=17ko1.jpg)

Before I did a copy and paste from your post exactly as shown in brackets {"97 Blazer" heater core replacement} expecting to at least get this thread and got nothing.

I think what's wrong is that you searched using quotation marks for a string containing quotation marks. It doen't interpret quotation marks as a character, but as an operator. If you search for heater core replacement, you will find it.

Well I just tried another search saying
heater core replacement
and it worked. I gave the guy a link for a 96, welcomed him to AF, told him that if his is different to try another search.

Also told him that if his was different than the others to let us know in his origional thread.

Well I got some good laughs at myself tonight, and I feel better now because of this thread.
Plus we've learned some things tonight, and he got his answer.

I guess that it all worked out. In a strange way

My point was that searching {"97 Blazer"} returns this thread and searching {heater core replacement} returns this thread.... however, searching {"97 Blazer" heater core replacement} does not.*

Is not this thread the some of it's parts? :)


*Curly braces excluded from actual searches.

I think the point is that you can't search for a string containing quotation marks. They are not used as characters in the search. They are used as inclusion operators. This is ok. No one really uses quotation marks when they are typing that string. You are searching for an abnormal string. Try anything else.

I understant what you are saying.... let me try explaining it differently. There are instances of 97 and Blazer being used without quotation marks, these show up when you search for "97 Blazer". The terms heater core replacement are also used is this thread and show up when you search heater core replacement.

Given the results of these two searches and that all terms were found and identified. Combining the search terms should also locate this thread, but it does not.

numbers appear mess it up as well

I understant what you are saying.... let me try explaining it differently. There are instances of 97 and Blazer being used without quotation marks, these show up when you search for "97 Blazer". The terms heater core replacement are also used is this thread and show up when you search heater core replacement.

Given the results of these two searches and that all terms were found and identified. Combining the search terms should also locate this thread, but it does not.

The difference between the individual searches and the combined search is that, in the combined search, you are searching for a string in which there is a quotation mark within the string, instead of none.

The difference between the individual searches and the combined search is that, in the combined search, you are searching for a string in which there is a quotation mark within the string, instead of none.
At the risk of running this subject in to the ground....... I completely understand what you are saying, and I agree that the reasons you stated are why it doesn't work. I'm not arguing as to why it doesn't work, I'm just simply pointing out that it doesn't always work.

This thread has all the key search terms (with and without quotations) to make a thorough "how to" covering the replacement of a heater core. Given that fact, this thread should make a good simulation of a "how to" thread as far as the search bot is concerned. However, using the method of searching that you recommended has yet to return this thread as a result. I'm simply stating that if this would have been a helpful thread the searching method would not have found it. It appears that tieing the search terms together may hinder the quality of the results.

No doubt about it. Making the search more stringent always hinders the results. Sorry I misinterpreted your question. I thought I was being unclear.

Am I on-topic yet???

hi my blazer doesnt start it stalls when i get to the streetlight wuts wrong?

hi my blazer gets stuck in 4hi whats wrong?

hi i dont have any heat wuts wrong?

hi my blazer wont start sometimes then it will and the lights dont come on the dash sometimes wuts wrong?

hi whats better dex cool or green?

hi what should i use for spark plugs?


bump :lol:

Can we have something like this response added to the forum, so we only have to hit a button to post it?




Please do a search before you ask commonly asked questions.
You’ll probably find a suitable answer, and if you don’t
please feel free to open Up a new thread
Thank You

This is a great site and the chevy forum is my favorite but it is the only forum that I have ever seen such a debate over frequently asked questions. if someone has a question then ask it! some of these problems can be repaired a few different ways and when it comes to working on cars we learn from experience right? I go to this forum to see what is the issue of the day and if we're dealing with heater cores for a few days chances are my shop is dealing with the same problems. Lately I'm finding it easier to post problems with other forums because you don't have people giving you crap about your question. I'd still like to hear about the PVC catch can question but do you think I'd bother asking that one on this site again?

Jkdon

This is a great site and the chevy forum is my favorite but it is the only forum that I have ever seen such a debate over frequently asked questions. if someone has a question then ask it! some of these problems can be repaired a few different ways and when it comes to working on cars we learn from experience right? I go to this forum to see what is the issue of the day and if we're dealing with heater cores for a few days chances are my shop is dealing with the same problems. Lately I'm finding it easier to post problems with other forums because you don't have people giving you crap about your question. I'd still like to hear about the PVC catch can question but do you think I'd bother asking that one on this site again?

Jkdon

I know that I'm just getting tired of people thinking that no one has ever had the same problm as they have and yet 2 posts under theirs (and often right under theirs) there was a post almost identicle.

If there's no good answer to their qusestion then they can add it to this post

About the PVC catch can.
I think that it's a very good mod, and I'll have to do it on all my cars soon.
If you want to ask some more questions about it I'm sure that one of the people that have done the job will gladly help you out.
Here's the link
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=469918&highlight=PVC+catch
BlazerLt The creator of that link is very good about answering peoples questions when the ask in the right places.

I don't know about other members, but several people PM me questions that they don't want to ask on the main forums. And I've always ansewerd these as good as I can. I'm sure that the other members do too.
This is just 1 option. I've done this as well

Just a thought but why not do this everytime someone creates a new topic that we already have a FAQ on.

Since they are unable to find it by searching (if they even tried at all) be good enough to copy and paste the link into their post and I will close them as often as I can after the link is inserted. My theory is that the more post's there are with good links in them then maybe it will be easier for AF's search engine to come up with more results once searching, and the link to the proper thread will be in the post at least.

I dunno if that's a good idea or not but it's my suggestion.

That's fair Shortbus, I've often just given links to people.

Even outside links if I thought that the best ansewr was on another site.

This might be a stupid idea or way to much work but since they seem to be able to find their way into the Blazer forum easily enough do you think that it would work creating seperate sections on the forum.
Like the shop style manuals do.
Go to the right section and it'll be easier to find the answers.

I know that your limited with your time, and this would take a lot of work to set up

I tried it once and the admin actually deleted a whole shitload of posts and some got moved to all together different forums. It was a nightmare, also I guess lately we are pressed for space here. It would be great to be able to do that though. There just aren't enough people here to manage that part of the VB where you make those changes at. Only admins can do it, and I havent' seen one around for ages...

Too bad, oh well it was just a thought.

It's nice to see that it's been tried anyways, otherwise we would have never known

hi my blazer doesnt start it stalls when i get to the streetlight wuts wrong?

hi my blazer gets stuck in 4hi whats wrong?

hi i dont have any heat wuts wrong?

hi my blazer wont start sometimes then it will and the lights dont come on the dash sometimes wuts wrong?

hi whats better dex cool or green?

hi what should i use for spark plugs?


bump :lol:

bump bump :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

sorry. I'll spend some more time on this even more.
I was just getting frustrated going between forum and repair shops.

bbuuuuummmmpp, it started falling down the list

bbbbuuuuummmmmppppp