where did you learn?

[directory]

with all of the great help on this board, and the many of knowledgable people....where did you learn to work on your rodeo/passport? what books did you get? trial and error?

i have been searching these forums using random words, and have learned a lot. what size of job is too big for you to tackle, what is your experience level? what are you most comfortable doing?

[abilyk]

Originally Posted by directory

with all of the great help on this board, and the many of knowledgable people....where did you learn to work on your rodeo/passport? what books did you get? trial and error?

i have been searching these forums using random words, and have learned a lot. what size of job is too big for you to tackle, what is your experience level? what are you most comfortable doing?

I just buy the Haynes manual for any vehicle I have. I teach myself everything. A person can do anything if they just get over their fear of what could happen (what if's) and just do it,excercising all safety measures of course. Just take it apart and see. If your not affraid to take it apart you will see that most of the time It's not as bad as you think.

[corning_d3]

Or you can enroll yourself into a technical college...lol!!

[amigo-2k]

I'm fine with the basic stuff like oil changes, plugs and filters. After that I let the dealer mess with it (like the bearing noise I have right now which I think is the S-Belt idler pulley).

[directory]

Originally Posted by amigo-2k

I'm fine with the basic stuff like oil changes, plugs and filters. After that I let the dealer mess with it (like the bearing noise I have right now which I think is the S-Belt idler pulley).

i think i have that issue also, a tiny squeek every now and then, especially after start up....not a major issue.

[marcre]

I've got a new sqeak under the hood as well. Hopefully it holds.

As far as learning, I don't know a whole lot, but I am trying. All my previous cars never needed work I could do, so the rare occasion they needed work, it was off to the dealer. Oil changes used to be cheap, so I'd pay for those too.

When I got the Rodeo I got curious. All I had ever done in the past was the rare oil change and many moons ago some spark plugs. I was at my mechanics with the Rodeo getting an oil change when I first got it and was looking at the pricing on the wall. I figured I'd save some money and do the easy stuff myself. I changed the coolant last spring and saved a pretty penny. I am going to do it again this spring because I want to change the hoses. All fluid except the tranny I do.

I was talking to a co-worker just the other day and he said his mechanic wants $280 for a Differential fluid change. I laughed at him. He could do it himself for less than $20. To be honest, I enjoy doing these things now. I wish it was time to change the oil now.

When I fixed the wiper problem a month ago, it took a while and was a pain, but the satisfaction that came with it was amazing.

The best way to learn is to do it, just take something apart and go from there. I may takle my rear brakes this summer.

Marc

[Gizmo42]

I come from a family of mechanics and racers so I grew up around, pretty natural to me. I took apart my first lawn mower engine and put it back together at 4 yrs old

I always buy haynes manuals when I get a vehicle too. Though I will say the one for the rodeo is the worst one I've seen. They should have seperated first and second gen so there is less lumped into one book. Isuzu made too many changed between years for just one book.

The only things I pay someone else to do is stuff I dont have the tools for (and I have alot of tools), or if I just dont feel like messing with it and feel its worth the cost for someone else to fight with it (shocks! and oil changes), or if its just not really possible to do in the parking lot of my apt.

I've worked with some people that were afraid to work on certain things worth 10's-100's thousands of dollars because they didnt want to mess anything up. Never bothered me because its already broken, otherwise I woulndnt be working on it.

One thing that always annoyed me is full grown men that dont know the simplest thing about cars. Dont need to be a mechanic but at least learn the basics.

[marcre]

Originally Posted by Gizmo42

One thing that always annoyed me is full grown men that dont know the simplest thing about cars. Dont need to be a mechanic but at least learn the basics.

Agreed. How can you own something and not know anything about it? To me, it's about respecting your property.

I agree on the Haynes manual. It is a joke in many repects, especially to a novice because things are different than they say.

[surferfletch]

At 25 (just over a decade ago) the only thing I would try to tackle was the oil change. My Dad never even did his oil changes consistently, so I didn't gain any knowledge there. I got sick of paying huge repair bills and never really knowing if I was getting ripped off or not, and if the repair was done right. I went to the library and got a book on the internal combustion engine to start learning something. I also use the Haynes manual and the internet for all my vehicles. Now I'll tackle just about everything but A/C, engine internals, and auto trannies, aside from changing fluid and filter. Timing belts and water pumps don't scare me anymore, and I've done a clutch twice. Tonight I swapped out a half axle in my Jetta and replaced some bushings in the linkage. It saves a lot of $$ to DIY!

[amigo-2k]

Yup, it was down to about 0 here last week and I could here it for about 1 mile. Also I have a noise that sounds like air being pushed out of a straw when I hammer on the peddle I can here it about 500 rpm before hte tranny shifts (I can drop it in neutral and rev it and here nothing. I'm guessing it is the egr gasket or some part of the EGR that is slightly plugged that is causing the problem.

Originally Posted by directory

i think i have that issue also, a tiny squeek every now and then, especially after start up....not a major issue.

[directory]

the only experience i have with engines was on my 1971 chevy impala. it had a 350, a very common engine--so everything was easy to work on. changed the water pump and alt, put on new valve cover gaskets and changed the spark plugs, etc. with an old car like that, it was weekly maintainance. but then again, it was old technology, no wires running everywhere. now i worry about messing up sensors and stuff. various other cars i had were mainly just replacing the alt and minor maintainance.

i'm going to learn to do basic stuff on my passport. the big jobs (like the IMG that's on the horizon) will be left to the pros--or people who offer warranties

i would love to have the knowledge (and time) to build an engine from the ground up...

[Cat Fuzz]

I've taught myself everything I know about cars. I had to learn or else not drive since I couldn't afford a mechanic in high school. I have always loved knowing how things work. The only thing I have someone else do is alignments and tires. I've done everything else. Swapped engines, differentials, starters, bunches of things. I've been a mechanic for a forklift dealer for almost a year now. Got the job without any formal training. I'm just a gearhead.

[rodeo02]

I've learned lots from older brothers and have always enjoyed tinkering. I've always been in a technical/mechanical field as well. Things I've done in the past range from brake and suspension work to starter & alternator replacements. For my DD, I'll try to tackle anything that doesnt require pulling the engine or dropping the trans!

Joel

[highlandlake]

[quote=directory]where did you learn to work on your rodeo/passport? what books did you get? trial and error?

QUOTE]
I learned by buying my Rodeo from a co-worker several years back. I paid less than half what it was worth. His wife never changed the oil regularly and it developed "THE TICK". I bought a Haynes manual and recollected the last 15 years of trial and error on other cars I've owned. Then I disassembled the top end of the engine in my driveway. Amid a cloud of biting blackflies and mosquitos. I got to know the parts counter guys of an Isuzu dealership about ten miles away. They gave me a lot of good advice and printed some TSB's. This forum was a great help too.
I rebuilt the top end and since then have not been scared to work on this vehicle. Just wish I had a two-bay garage it sure would be easier. It took me a whole month to find the patience and time to do it right. I haven't had to touch the engine since (except the EGR valve) and am proud to say it runs pretty good today.

Oh yeah, a Haynes manual is OK, but I you be better off acquiring a factory manual.