4x4 Action Group

I have seen it in the past and again on Saturday.

Lots of forums and info out there on the Net that is incorrect. Ok to be more specific technical stuff.
Youtube videos on almost every single car related service or repair to be find. Most made by so backyard mechanics. Beware lots of wrong specs and wrong doings to be find in them. Also on forums.

My youngest Ignus was busy with his 125 Offroad bike on Saturday. Like the new generation he called on Google to help. Not giving attention to what he was doing.
I have a QEM manual for the bike on my PC. Wow how far off these Youtube and Google Experts can be is just amazing. Experience over many years have made me prefer OEM manuals over search engines and forums when hooking up jobs where you need to rely on accurate specs.

Do you guys rely on Youtube, search engines like Google or am I the only old, Old school goat that are insane always referring to the manual

Only if I can't find a OEM manual or something similar to a Haynes manual will I look at other internet options. Short cuts or quick fixes do sometimes work but there is no substitute for doing something the correct way. Using the correct specifications, be they torque values or tolerances, can be the difference of an engine lasting only a few km or for many years. I have an old computer in the garage that has all my manuals loaded on to it for easy reference.

I often find the same when using electronic media, but (BIG BUT) I still look up things regularly. I have a full electronic factory manual for the Jeep, but find that a lot of the procedures in the manual require special, dealer only tools and equipment. GOOGLE/YouTube an forums often assist with ways of getting past these. Often special equipment/procedures are specified to stop the enthusiast from bypassing the dealer for simple repairs. VW used to be notorious for "special" tools needed for simple jobs.

Another prime example is the removal of the starter motor on an A-Class (w168) Merc. The dealers insist that the engine must be removed to replace the starter - YouTube had many different by-passes, all requiring loosening engine mounts and tilting the motor "just so" in order to get the starter out. The Jeep Mechanic that I have on speed dial, said "Bring it in, I am sure I can make a plan" - which he did by removing some of the ancillaries and instead of taking out the starter form the bottom, like the stealers insist is the only way, took it out from the top relatively easily. My point is that if everybody sticks to the OEM manual procedures, the logic goes out the window.

Apart from the electronics even modern engines are simple mechanical devices that can be figured out by someone with mechanical experience fairly easily. For the electronic diagnostics, a simple OBD scanner linked to an old cell phone does the trick in most cases. Torque specs and tuning settings are obviously OEM settings only.

Thys I do agree with your post that it could be of great help. As you said some guys have easier ways than in Manuals.

My concern however are specs that are given not correct on Forums and other social platforms. Found that guys have carb Jet sizes, torque settings, clearances and other technical detail horribly wrong.
I am a member of several engine building and performance forums. It is sometimes shocking to find that the so called elite members have specs and advise wrong.
When building the 347 stroker I had questions relating ignition and cam timing. None of these expert forums could give me satisfying answers. I got hooked up with a guy from Ford Racing in the States. Now this is a real pro. He immediately knew what I was talking about. The 347 being a non OEM engine certain specs were eluding me and most of the guys on the Net. Everyone keep telling me I had to use 302 specs. In person it did not make sense to me. So on my Ford Racing friends advice I used specs for cam and timing of a 351w. The big difference it make in performance were unbelievable. Running a 351W cam and firing order in steed of 302. My logic just told me that a engine with a 5.7l capacity could not run the sam cam profiles as a 5.0l engine.

Only a simple example but just confirming that the real experts on the net is scarce.

In the case of the 125 motorbike on Saturday it were alarming to see how specs got mixed up.

I agree with your post Thys. I have lots of home made and modified tools that are for the race cars and engines I regularly used to work on. There's a box with lots of odd shaped spanners for doing specific jobs on the Lotus 7 where there is no room to work in the engine bay. Running a car that is home built with a Toyota engine and gearbox that weren't made to go together, an Alfa diff and rear brakes with front hubs from a Chev Forenza, life gets interesting.
I have found that good information is readily available on the internet from reputable suppliers and motorsport guys. If you get a blank stare when you ask if the guy used Plasti-Gauge to check clearances, walk away.

unfortunately the internet is a double edged sword - there is lots of information, it's just that as it gets easier for people to post anything they want, you have to sift out the useful information from the wheelbarrow mechanic's opinions.

Apocalypse wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:01 pm

unfortunately the internet is a double edged sword - there is lots of information, it's just that as it gets easier for people to post anything they want, you have to sift out the useful information from the wheelbarrow mechanic's opinions.

You have a way to use so little words and say so much

What I try to point out since my first post.

Thanks Alex

My issue with Google....it gives the answer you want to hear according to them.

Use a different Search Engine, especially one that locks out good ole SA.

I prefer OEM manuals, and have a jaundiced view of all instant fixes and YouTube vids.

The old saying...caveat emptor

grips wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:42 pm

Apocalypse wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:01 pm

unfortunately the internet is a double edged sword - there is lots of information, it's just that as it gets easier for people to post anything they want, you have to sift out the useful information from the wheelbarrow mechanic's opinions.

You have a way to use so little words and say so much

What I try to point out since my first post.

Thanks Alex

I aim to please!

..................but, but, but I got excellent info on GOOGLE to get my wheelbarrow's rusted front axle to stop squeaking by the application of copious amounts of 2SO. I DO now have the issue of an oil slick, that a Landy would be proud of, following Philemon

When I removed the soft top from my TJ the first time I used the Google and I found it to be immensely useful.

Google helped me a lot when i had to cut a hole in my Defender , to replace Diesel pump They just forgot to mention some electrical wires and diesel pipes . But I missed those with a bit of luck

I have downloaded the RAVE manual for my D1 V8i. Seems fairly simple to follow and accurate