Project Porsche: It pays to read a manual

Vacuum leak? Bent throttle arm? ECU issues? Wacky airflow meter? We tracked down the source of the problem with the help of a manual.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/1984-porsche-911-carrera/porsche-idle-adjustment/

I've caught flak from some of my car buddies about using repair manuals, but now that most manufacturers are using wacky proprietary crap, it's always a useful thing to have. I've always bought a manual for every car I work on, much less own.

Now you're trying to turn us all into girly men!

Wait a second, there are manuals?

ultraclyde wrote: I've always bought a manual for every car I work on, much less own.

Ditto - I keep them too. Some were damn hard to find. There are 4 factory manuals that cover the various systems on a '90 Ford van. I managed to get three of them. Used. Off Ebay. For prices that make Bentley manuals look cheap. But they are great manuals, so it was worth every penny.

That said, I also need to start documenting MINI-related tasks that I've learned how to do that aren't in any manual.

Question from a guy who isn't into Volkswagens or porsches: what is a druck press?

In reply to Kramer:

"Druck" is German for "press" or "pressure." In this case the gauge is for oil pressure (measured in bars).

There is a really cool car manual shop in Seattle. That's right -- they sell car manuals. Their prices are not low, but if you need something, you call, they go pull it from their many cabinets of manuals, you say "go," you pay, they ship.

http://www.books4cars.com/

They're car guys. I parked in front of the store once, went in, and the owner starts rattling off stats about my rare Saab at the curb (who the hell cares about random old Saabs, anyway?).

No, I'm not affiliated. but I can appreciate the value of a good manual...

I know how to read a manual. It reads like this:
1 3 5
2 4 R

Helps to be car bilingual there. I also have:
R 1 3
2 4 (can't get lined up right)
and
1 3 5
2 4 6 R

I've also had

R 1 3 5

 2 4 6

and

R___2

1 3

The way to success.

Who is Manuel and why does he have all of the answers???

Mine is:

• R-2-4
• 1-3-5

I sure hope all you guys that are dissing manuals are just kidding. I spend over $500 per month to keep my info systems up to date at the shop, and its the most profitable money I spend.

Mine is 1-N-2-3-4-5-6.

Streetwiseguy wrote: I sure hope all you guys that are dissing manuals are just kidding. I spend over $500 per month to keep my info systems up to date at the shop, and its the most profitable money I spend.

I figured finding that bit about the idle switch saved us the good part of a day of chasing our tail.

First thing I do is buy a manual for every car I get, sometimes I get two one for the car and one for the house. I will admit some of my manuals are Chilton and Haynes but a few are of the better sort. When I can find them and afford them.

Factory Service Manuals FTMFW!

Streetwiseguy wrote: I sure hope all you guys that are dissing manuals are just kidding. I spend over $500 per month to keep my info systems up to date at the shop, and its the most profitable money I spend.

I'm a former aircraft tech inspector and used to write maintenance manuals for a living. Of course kidding. Although nowadays I usually look to the interweb for manuals for my cars.

David S. Wallens wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: I sure hope all you guys that are dissing manuals are just kidding. I spend over $500 per month to keep my info systems up to date at the shop, and its the most profitable money I spend.

I figured finding that bit about the idle switch saved us the good part of a day of chasing our tail.

Chasing your tail is nowhere near as rewarding as chasing someone else's.

I have factory manuals for all of my cars. Even the old Cadillac and the Land Rover. The Land Rover one has the complete set of official "by appointment to (royal family member)" seals inside the cover.

My bookshelf is full of manuals. Probably some I could get rid of.

Manuals FTW..especially when you're just a "parts changer" like me. Without the books (diagnosis), I'd be wasting money instead of saving it.

friedgreencorrado wrote: Manuals FTW..especially when you're just a "parts changer" like me. Without the books (diagnosis), I'd be wasting money instead of saving it.

THIS. If it weren't for my RX-7 FSM and Haynes manuals, I wouldn't have known where to begin fixing anything on that car. They are a huge help for someone like me who wasn't born with a ratchet in his hands.