Are we all like minded
06-27-2015, 02:02 AM
#31
That's why I feel with respect to board members, everyone does not have to have a desire to physically work on these cars. My comment above was definitely limited to the actual automotive designers.
What we pay for when we take a car to a mechanic is 80% (or so) his knowledge and 20% the actual physical labor. That 80% involves clean hands because it's purely brains and experience to diagnose the problem. Likewise, many of the posts on this board have nothing to do with physical labor like changing an alternator or brakes; it's insurance, bluetooth connectivity, lease vs buy decisions, electrical diagnosis, and lots of other things that go into the overall car ownership experience. It's that 80% knowledge that can be passed around by people knowledgable in those fields without ever touching a wrench.
With that said, I personally enjoy diagnosing and wrenching. 35 years as an engineer designing oil refineries probably put that in me. Once, I spent the entire weekend after Thanksgiving under a car rebuilding a transmission valve body in a 7 series BMW with a cell phone in one hand and a wrench in the other. I didn't even know which bolt to loosen first but a guy talked me through it on the phone. The dealer wanted $2300, I did it for $150 in parts. I ended up writing a DIY procedure with photos on how to do it. But everyone doesn't have a desire to do something like that.
I do respect those that don't feel the same way, but instead just enjoy driving their car.
What we pay for when we take a car to a mechanic is 80% (or so) his knowledge and 20% the actual physical labor. That 80% involves clean hands because it's purely brains and experience to diagnose the problem. Likewise, many of the posts on this board have nothing to do with physical labor like changing an alternator or brakes; it's insurance, bluetooth connectivity, lease vs buy decisions, electrical diagnosis, and lots of other things that go into the overall car ownership experience. It's that 80% knowledge that can be passed around by people knowledgable in those fields without ever touching a wrench.
With that said, I personally enjoy diagnosing and wrenching. 35 years as an engineer designing oil refineries probably put that in me. Once, I spent the entire weekend after Thanksgiving under a car rebuilding a transmission valve body in a 7 series BMW with a cell phone in one hand and a wrench in the other. I didn't even know which bolt to loosen first but a guy talked me through it on the phone. The dealer wanted $2300, I did it for $150 in parts. I ended up writing a DIY procedure with photos on how to do it. But everyone doesn't have a desire to do something like that.
I do respect those that don't feel the same way, but instead just enjoy driving their car.
Did you ever design using Victaulic fittings/valves?
06-27-2015, 10:37 AM
#32
Rennlist Member
but there is so much free info on these forums to get an exact idea of what has gone wrong and what probably will
06-27-2015, 10:46 AM
#33
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yeah, this forum is a great resource. i may even look at the extra stuff that supposedly comes w a pd sub some day lol
06-27-2015, 01:07 PM
#34
Rennlist Member
No I haven't personally used them, but it appears they are used in fire protection systems and I've done a few NFPA fire protection systems as part of refineries, LNG facilities and gas plants. My guess is the Piping engineers on my team are familiar with them. We use Piping, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical (Process), and I&C engineers and each has expertise in their particular field. My background is Instrumentation and Controls although the last 15 has been spent managing projects. So emergency shutdown systems, control of flow, pressure, temperature, and level are my expertise (supposedly). It's funny how the technology used to control refining crosses over to automobiles; MAF as a type of flow measurement, capacitance probes for measurement of level, analyzers such as O2, thermocouples and RTD's for temperature, etc. are standard fare in both fields. Just the scale of the device and the manufacturer are different.
Use of controls in critical systems is why I have a personal opinion about using a single level device to measure oil level in cars. But I won't take this thread on a different tangent any more than I already have.
Use of controls in critical systems is why I have a personal opinion about using a single level device to measure oil level in cars. But I won't take this thread on a different tangent any more than I already have.
06-27-2015, 01:58 PM
#35
No I haven't personally used them, but it appears they are used in fire protection systems and I've done a few NFPA fire protection systems as part of refineries, LNG facilities and gas plants. My guess is the Piping engineers on my team are familiar with them. We use Piping, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical (Process), and I&C engineers and each has expertise in their particular field. My background is Instrumentation and Controls although the last 15 has been spent managing projects. So emergency shutdown systems, control of flow, pressure, temperature, and level are my expertise (supposedly). It's funny how the technology used to control refining crosses over to automobiles; MAF as a type of flow measurement, capacitance probes for measurement of level, analyzers such as O2, thermocouples and RTD's for temperature, etc. are standard fare in both fields. Just the scale of the device and the manufacturer are different.
Use of controls in critical systems is why I have a personal opinion about using a single level device to measure oil level in cars. But I won't take this thread on a different tangent any more than I already have.
Use of controls in critical systems is why I have a personal opinion about using a single level device to measure oil level in cars. But I won't take this thread on a different tangent any more than I already have.
Lol, you're an engineer there is never a short answer. I do regional sales for Victaulic in west Texas and deal with the upstream side of things. Batteries, swd's, comp stations, etc. We started fabricating full facilities a few years back and getting non Victaulic engineers to agree is an uphill battle for some.
06-27-2015, 09:49 PM
#36
I was also not necessarily saying that you have to work on your car to understand its mechanics, simply that we are not all alike. As with any other forums, their are true experts, enthusiasts, and guys that simply like to post. Their is also a lot of regurgitation without understanding. I know because I was guilty of it in high school on the ricer forums. I didn't know how to hook up a VCR but I could advise you on exhaust size and back pressure without knowing what it meant. I laughed at myself remembering this when I took fluid dynamics in college to earn my engineering degree. I then understood. Anyway if you want to see guys that don't know anything about cars hop over to the 991 section. I read it all the time and laugh. Lots of surgeons that could fix your heart but not change your oil
06-29-2015, 11:38 AM
#38
06-30-2015, 06:10 AM
#39
[QUOTE=Blswan;12393958]
it's plain weird. to me sounds like someone ASKING to get bent over at a mechanics shop without grease, and yeah, i guess some chicks'd like that.
so thats two regular contributors i count that admit in having zero interest in how their cars work. they're here for the camaraderie!? i thought folks joined car chat boards to learn about them. if not that, then what?!
the world's goin soft, i tell ya lol
so thats two regular contributors i count that admit in having zero interest in how their cars work. they're here for the camaraderie!? i thought folks joined car chat boards to learn about them. if not that, then what?!
the world's goin soft, i tell ya lol
06-30-2015, 09:20 AM
#40
I'm the complete opposite of the above:
- I need to know how everything works
- I do all of my own work unless I don't have the tools or skills (corner balance, alignment rack, etc..)
- I check this forum everyday and want to keep learning
Adding to my car dedication, I'll be at Laguna Seca in a couple days for a long weekend of wrenching and racing with the ChumpCars
- I need to know how everything works
- I do all of my own work unless I don't have the tools or skills (corner balance, alignment rack, etc..)
- I check this forum everyday and want to keep learning
Adding to my car dedication, I'll be at Laguna Seca in a couple days for a long weekend of wrenching and racing with the ChumpCars
06-30-2015, 09:41 AM
#41
^ i fully agree and will agree with ***** that i know NOthing. lol, but am here to learn.. can't imagine ANY other reason for being *here* ( beyond my chats with ***** ) and that other guy i ignore ) and am smarter than the average bear, in spite of my ability to parrot info.
80% of the work done on my car bi-weekly is also done at my home. i learn by watching mostly and have the luxury of being able to have help that gets dirty, as i'm not super fond of grease.
especially if it comes from mechanics. though i suppose it WOULD be better than none, i have no plans to offer ***** any *data* points on THAT lol.
80% of the work done on my car bi-weekly is also done at my home. i learn by watching mostly and have the luxury of being able to have help that gets dirty, as i'm not super fond of grease.
especially if it comes from mechanics. though i suppose it WOULD be better than none, i have no plans to offer ***** any *data* points on THAT lol.
06-30-2015, 11:40 AM
#42
Drifting
There are plenty of people that enjoy things they don't understand or know anything about like music for one. I was raised in a garage and while choosing another field of work I still kept up with things and did repair work regularly on my cars and those I bought for resale. I do believe its good to understand something we rely on as much as a car but its not necessary with info/pricing available on the interweb lol. As far as camaraderie its more important than most believe and can say after retiring from a place that I basically lived at for 30 years that even the person I cared the least for is now a fond memory lol. Just opinions.
06-30-2015, 12:07 PM
#43
06-30-2015, 01:15 PM
#45
Race Car
Does it really matter?
I come here because I enjoy the company and the passion for our cars that we all share.
My regular friends are all over the place too and I don't think any less of any of them.
Having said that, I am proud when someone asks "who works on your cars" and I say "me".
BTW The first page was more fun!!!
I come here because I enjoy the company and the passion for our cars that we all share.
My regular friends are all over the place too and I don't think any less of any of them.
Having said that, I am proud when someone asks "who works on your cars" and I say "me".
BTW The first page was more fun!!!