<VV> Why Do Manuals...? My rantings

[John Kepler]

You probably aren't going to like any answer I'm gonna give...so I'm warning
you ahead of time!


> Why do the tech manuals suck hard boiled eggs through coffee stirs?

They don't as a rule....but you aren't going to understand most of what's
written in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) unless you
gone to medical school at a minimum....same deal with shop manuals.  They
assume a certain minimum basic mechanical skill-level going in.  If you
haven't passed that point in the learning curve....there are inevitably
going to be difficulties.  This resource exists as a sort of "auto mechanics
101"-level substitute (or "Corvairs for Dummies")

> I have gone over the collection of manuals I now own and still have a hard
time finding what I'm looking for if I ever find it.  The reasons I suppose
I can't find what I'm looking for is
> 1).  I don't know the proper name nor the proper system that it is a part
of

Correct terminology is always important...if you don't speak the language
communication is gonna be difficult, whether it's locating a heater-duct
thermostat bellows in a Corvair, or trying to order noodles from a
street-vendor in Beijing!

> 2). It's just not in the manuals

Sure it is!  You just don't know where to look!  I found your bellows in my
"Detroit Iron" CD copy of the GM Corvair Shop Manual in about 3 minutes (I
timed it!) (Group 6 (Engine), Pg 6-15)

> 3). It's there but not enough information is given for my needs

Hmmmm.........what is it you needed to know that isn't in the shop manual?
Looks pretty complete to me!

> Yes I said collection... OK it's only four but I started out with two
purchased the chaassis manual at everyones suggestion and it does me little
good and even bought Corvair Basics it's a nice book but again does me
veeery little good.
>
> I just descovered that I need thermostat bellows... and how did I
discovered this?  NOT from the manuals but from one of my fellow VV'ers,
Thanx Del!!! Being the novice that I am and no car genius after dropping the
engine lower shrouds and see how it looks like part of the exhaust system, I
thought to look ing the exhaussst section of the manuals and NOTHING!!
> But with a name like thermostat I thought OH cooling system!!! and what
did I find NOT A DING DANG THANG!  And that big ole hose that runs from the
driver side baffle to the passanger side wall what is that and what's it
connected to and how do you change it?  Hell if I know... can't find
anything on that either!

Sticking with the  medical analogy, you are reading a text on how to do
open-heart surgery, when you don't yet know how to take someone's
blood-pressure, or what the number you get if you do happen to do it right
means!  It's a TOUGH situation to be in without an instructor/mentor.  But
you actually DO have mentors....right here on this list   USE US!  As A kid,
I, and I dare say, a large percentage of the participants of this list,
spent HOURS digging around in various hunks of machinery with a shop manual
of some kind.....just learning the proper name for THAT gizmo, and some hint
of what it did.  It's called "exploration", and it can be fun!
>
> So I guess someone will suggest I purchase yet another manual to explain
the manuals RIGHT?!?!  OH I DARE YOU!!!  I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!!!

Nope....not a book, a class in basic auto mechanics at your local Vo-Ed!
>
> If the manual companies are gonna sale these, IMHO, senseless misuse of a
perfectly good tree could they at least give me some useful information?!?
>
> This has been a 60 second commentary by one ticked off sista!

Blaming a book for your unability to understand it is like blaming a
thermometer for the temperature in a room!  MOST shop manuals are written by
engineers to be read by trained mechanics.  Some are written to be read/used
by relative novices, but they generally fail to be effective simply because
they are by design....highly simplified by leaving out a lot of the details.
You may be "ticked off", but remember....it takes 2 years of post-high
school education to be a Certified General Auto Mechanic, and 5 to 6 years
of college to be an entry-level engineer.  You're coming into the "game"
with nothing much more than some tools and enthusiasm....and it's a pretty
steep learing curve  So you need a little help....BFD!  EVERYONE does from
time to time!  As long as folks give you meaningful answers....you keep
asking!  Between this list and those books you don't like....you'll keep her
running!

John