Turning a wrench... A dying skill?

Sad that the little kids behind the counter really have no idea what they are and what they are used for .
I have plenty in all colors in my tool box ! I got mine from Jegs so i just order a lot at one time so I don't run out and have to visit the local so called parts store .

Retro Jim

 

If there is anyone that lives close to me or wants to take a ride , I will be more than happy to show you just about anything you want to know about . All you have to do is ASK ! I really don't mind at all either . I actually had no one to teach me anything . I learned everything myself unless I got a tip or something along the line from someone . Other than that , I picked up a book and went from there . Just buy something from CL or the salvage yard and rebuild it and learn how to repair it ! It's really that simple .

Retro Jim

 

i am a "technician" on paper,but I AM A MECHANIC!!!

i have worked at dealerships and indipendants and i can say a good tech is not a parts changer but understands system,its all the same as it was 100 yearts ago except the auto makers have taken out the `mechanical portion and replaced it with electronics and computers.


the sad thing is most techs have no clue what some stuff is.when i bought my 50 chevy with the stock inliner and i drove it to work the first time.no one knew what they were looking at and could not beleave the car could run with only 4 wires going to it!!

i also bought an edelbrock intake with 2 one barrels on it and on guy who was in the trade for about 10 years thought it was a duel coil ignition system!!!

with that said im done with the trade i have over 50,000 invested in tools and untold hours in classes upgrading and keep all my licenses and documents in order.and whyÉ so i can get every shitter and problem car that comes in? i get no more pay then the knuckle dragger who does brakes and tires all day.

so im done and im out and this is the problem with the industry dealer ships will not pay for qualified mechanics who understand cars and the basics so they will hire any young guy with little or no experience so they can pay them bottom dollar,well the quality of work will suffer and this trade is going down the shitter because of it.

at my work they are putting the apprentices on flatrate!!!!!!!!! who is going to take the time now to train them or show them how to diagnos something correctly? not me so what future do these kids have?

the dealer took 2 kids who with the right training and gudance would have become good or great tech and have now turned them into hack and butchers.

the time for qualified trades is gone and dead as all bosses and ceo`s only want `the bottom line` dont care about quality or any pride in craftsmanship.

its a sad time.

 

An interesting discussion. I am of an age that grew up with electrical systems, no electronics. My wife's older son is an many multi graded ASC (or whatever it is) "technician". Okay. He is VERY sharp with all these computer controlled units and does very well for himself. However, when younger brother pickup a 54 Chev that didn't run, Older boy was totlly lost with points, condenser and carb. And his knowledge of drum brakes was not worthy of speech. This, my friends, is what they call progress. Have you tried to find a cobbler to replace heels and soles on footwear? It can be done, but you will be dealing with a geezer. Uh, make that "mature gentleman". I am one!!

 

I've got a '51 Chevy that I picked up right after Christmas. I haven't had much chance to work on it yet and a couple of weeks ago we were at my sister-in-laws for a cook-out. My 17 year old niece who is very much a Tom-boy walked up to me and asked "when are we going to start working on your old car?" All I could say was "What?!?!" And she said "I'm going to help you rebuild your car." I never even thought about asking her to help me. I didn't even know she wanted to learn about cars. Well, you can bet she will be getting her hands dirty before too long.

All is not lost!!!

Doc

 

I couldn't agree more. I work for a lexus dealer and man, it sure has become an unpleasant thing to be a tech. Money sucks cuz noone is willing to spend and in the past 4 years the industry has been going dooown hill. I went to school to be a tech, not worth it, should have stayed longer and had a real degree and had a more decent paycheck. on the other hand I'm glad I have the knowledge to fix stuff cuz I enjoy fixin my 50 chevy p/u. Anyways, I need to find a way out of the automotive business...any ideas?

 

Spent 40+ yrs at Ford dealers & indepedent shops. Started out working with generators, points & carbs & ended up working on ECM's, COP's & EFI's. I think I recieved less respect at the end of my "career" than when I started as a kid. I should have listened to all the "old guys" at the shop not to pick this as a career. "Dying skill" not really, they're just killing us.

 

I try to get my little brothers into it but its like they have a attitude that's life's graphics are awesome but the gameplay sucks

 

i WONT own anything younger than me, that will never change, not a house, boat, motorcycle, car , or truck . unless... i build it myself.

 

You're probably right. With the newer cars guys change a chip, put a cold air intake on it, have exhaust put on her and say the hot rodded it.

I do the work on my '05 chevy also, but that's been limited to things like brakes and a water pump plus all the things I had to remove to get to the water pump.

I lift the hood and can't tell how many cylinders it has!!! Can't wait until I get rid of the '05 and have nothing but real cars and trucks.

 

I'd so take you up on that offer if CA and PA weren't so damn far apart!

 

Swap Lincoln/Hyundai for Holden and we're doppelgängers.

 

My Dad swore his 283 powerpack and powerglide was good for a solid 20 mpg back and forth to work for years. I know the trees are greener now, but have we really come that far?

 

I think not! Although there are less and less of us.

 

I farm so I still have the opportunity to do my own repairs on our grain trucks, tractors, and equipment. Love the challenge and making things work.

Now our p/u trucks and new cars are a different story, won't touch 'em outside the usual servicing.

 

I'll work on just about anything as. I've been turning wrenches for over ten years, started with my pops in my early teenage years. My boss send us to any and every update class/es that "they" have so we can stay on top of the game. I'm not having as much with this skilled trade as I use to but I'm making it work. I find time to get my head right!

 

AMEN,sir , I worked at a chevrolet dealer for 28 years, the alcoholic service manager gave all the gravy jobs to the apprentices, the crap went to experienced techs. when the job came back,it would go to experience,to repair under a parts warranty. usually half the time.[flat rate time] Ive spent to 70000 in my tools alone. my income since the early 80's went from 60000 to a 32 hour guarantee. dealer education stopped,they wanted me to pay for schooling to repair there vehicles. ASE certification is a joke for a tech, makes me no more money. looks good for ceo. I finally gave up and retired

 

You can teach some things, but other things have to come naturally. Since I was a kid I've taken my toys apart and usually ended up breaking them. My parents would freak out when a toy a few days old was apart in pieces.

Nearly 50 years later, I still do the same thing only I reserve it for things that need to be taken apart. And now I've figured out how to put them back together (mostly).

I recently taught a friend how to remove a bad alternator, take it to the alternator shop, get it repaired for $25, and put it back. I told him he just made between $300-$400 for himself in saved money. He's hooked.

 

A long time ago, a mentor told me that a good vocational choice will always be any type of "repair" work or trade. Reason being everyone has things and everything wears or needs maintained. At that time he was correct, It is/was generally cheaper to fix a quality item than to get a new one. That was the key point.

Today, quality items are very few and inferior goods that can be had cheap for replacements has taken over. Some of this is be design and specifically creating circumstances to exploit the situation. For example: replacement parts support needs to be maintained for a certain time period and generally past tge warranty period. So manufacture decides to design in obsolescence and key parts for older models that were designed or destined to fail cost more tgan a complete new unit. No repairs and forces new purchase, and whipping boys to get them thru warranty period.

It's easy to see what I mean if you look at an extreme example. Todays cars can get 100k powertrain warranty and can get 100k on a set of plugs. What if they decide sparkplugs cost 1000.00 each ? Would you spend 8000.00 in just parts to maybe get your 100k mile car tuned up or go get a brand new one with brand new everything for 20k. tough call and most of the later generation would just go get a new one. There would be no repair shops. They are working their way that point.

 

Heres a fine example of how smart the "tachnicians" are now days....

Recently got my wife a new 4 door jeep wrangler had it a week and it started acting up. It would crank fine all day then all the sudden it was like the battery was dead. Let it sit 30mins and it would fire right up. Took it to the dealership of course they just say its the battery slap a new one in and send me on. Well the next week it does it again so i start thinkin and lookin, i grab the shifter take it out of park put it back in and it fires right up....so its gotta be neutral safety sensor right? oooo noooo cant convince these dealership clowns of that. Its now on its 3rd new battery and they still wont listen to me about the neutral safety.....they are just MORONS!

 

Unless its acting up while in the shop, or on a data loger when it acts up they can't tell what it is. They have a symptomatic approach to fixing stuff. Example tire is flat, add air. Flat add air again. Flat again - look for a leak.

Had a Ford master tech guru king puba idiot working on my truck.
A side issue was pinion seal was leaking bad. Grime all over the diff, drive shaft, floor boards real mess and obviously leaking. Asked if they fixed it. He told me that it was on his lift for a few days and "there were no spots on the floor, no problem found" .

I flipped out and demanded they put it back up on the lift. Git the GM, the SM , the Advisor and the tech over there. X3 I hear " sir there were no drips on the floor" I said "I believe you, but look at this!"

Then asked about "super tech's" credentials and training , boy they didn't like that at all.
I asked if they had an apprentice there to check the fluid level in the diff because it must be above "super tech" to do it. I said anyone with two braincells to rub together ought to be able to figure out that if its not dripping now maybe its empty from throwing gear lube every where. Yea it was really low, hanging on the lift took the level away from the seal so "there were no drips on the floor"

 

As a 28 year old, I find myself frequenting the Jalopy Journal less and less. As much as I love traditional rods this forum is slowly evolving into a bunch of old farts moaning about how things aren't as good as how they used to be.

 

C'mon man, I know people do tend to moan a bit every now and then, but there's a point to it. That's a plain nasty comment. This topic has a point, and even though I'm 36 I do feel the same and have bitched about it in another forum. So that makes me an old fart?

I've learnt quite a lot, and I'm still learning. One thing that is true is that there'll always be gearheads (or petrolheads as Brits say), and they'll learn some way or another. But some skills are dying and not being passed on, which is a shame.

I started to learn basic mechanics with an old school mechanic, and spent quite a good part of my free time as a teenager in his shop, either doing up my own car or learning seeing him working on others, he'd take the time to explain stuff to me, and we'd chat cars all the time. He was a great man, and I miss him dearly, he passed away a few years back. And I wish I could have learnt much more from him, as he knew a lot of the skills I'm now trying to learn to work on my Deuce.

I've continued to learn from the internet, and still do, but some things don't come by easy when you don't have a tutor at hand. And that's a shame. Not all things can be properly learnt or taught via the internet, and there's a lot of bad info out there you need to filter out.

So take it easy and don't bitch on people... they have a point.

Cheers, Eddie

 

There not, just look around you. Dont worry you'll get there soon.

 

You tell me....you can get twice that on a car that's almost always faster and much more reliable than that 283. It's quieter, safer, and puts out much less pollution, too.

 

As a 28 year old, I find myself frequenting the Jalopy Journal less and less. As much as I love traditional rods this forum is slowly evolving into a bunch of old farts moaning about how things aren't as good as how they used to be.
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Im 25 years ol and i know how much things suck now! Were surrounded by idiots with no work ethic and no desire to learn how to do anything except use there new freakin iphone.......aint just people bashin' its the dang truth.....the good times im afraid are for the most part in the past not much left to be real positive about!
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I agree ,to a certian point, about the 'griping old farts'.comment. But as long as there is something to fix or work on there will be people 'twistin wrenches' I do not believe that our best days are behind us as some here do ,but things are changing .Its up to us how we handle these changes. I have a positive outlook for the future of 'wrenching' though I do not know what it will look like........ I wonder if cavemen griped about how young people didnt draw on the cave walls like they did or how technology like the wheel is going to ruin civilization.

 

It's funny that you see it that way and I see it completely different. I'll admit there is stuff I don't click on because it doesn't sound interesting (to me) but overall, I think it continues to get better.

I miss certain people that used to be more frequent posters (or that have passed) but other people step up to the plate.

I used to be of the mindset that there's only so much history you can dig up and talk about and eventually the Jalopy Journal will plateau, but I haven't seen it.

I guess, the best thing I could say is, don't surround yourself with stuff that makes you think that way and it doesn't occur. Sounds dumb but it's true. I come to the HAMB for fun and learning and I'm never dissapointed. Maybe it's just my outlook or... ignorance is bliss.

 

Where did you get this? This thing rules.