43 replies to this topic

[4N2NR]

I guess I would be between basic to intermediate shade tree type that doesn't specialize by brand. I have swapped in motors and transmissions, wired/rewired as needed, can rough arcweld (bigger the glob better the job sorta welding) and remove and replace most types of parts as well as modify things to fit. I can diagnose a range of failures on older vehicles that don't need computers to keep everything running. Newer stuff or ones I am not a regular driver of I need assistance in diagnosing. What I haven't done is body work, transmission or motor rebuilds, and air conditioning. Mostly because I don't have the knowledge, place, tools or time to do the machine shop stuff. I can pull the part, take it to the shop and then reinstall it. Usually, if I decide to do the job myself, I can do it and only need help because of the awkwardness or location of things. For instance, I am replacing body mount bushings and installing a 3" body lift on my Bronco II currently and need a hand inside to hold a wrench while I am under the frame working. Any volunteers? Oh yeah, the olds mount bolts are really rusted so it takes a sawzall to get them off before the new ones can go on.

[1gcvcb18]

I would be in the advanced tech since i rebuild the engine for the frankenstein with new vitara pistons and eagle rods and new bearings and rings. Also i have a degree in automobile mechanics in fuel injection a year and a half. Made the car fuel injected when she was carbed. As on the suspension and steering installed every bushing and terminales and balljoints. Good in body work (fiberglass, fiberglass molding, body filler, sanding and painting) Have little knowlegde in welding so that would be the next thing to learn.

[87MugenProCR-X]

If we are talking about just 1g/3g's then I would say advanced. I work as a Volvo technician and they are much more complicated than these cars since they are now all fully networked with tons of modules running various equipment in the car. If we are referring to a real dealership technician I would say upper intermediate, network issues still scare me

Julian

Edited by 87MugenProCR-X, 22 November 2007 - 11:01 AM.

[lil buddy]

during high school i took a 2 year course in auto body. i learned welding and sheet metal repair.
in 1995 i attended LTI for automotive technology.it was an 18 month course that enabled me to have the fundamentals in how things operate. i then got a job with a Honda dealer here in NY. i have spent many weeks at the Honda New England training center in windsor locks CT. its so cool to work on brand new ITR long blocks, and my fav was the 86 crx HF they had with like 3k original miles on it.so many cool cars at the training center. i haven't been to the training center in a while but i keep myself up to date with the online self study provided to me from Honda.

so i guess i would say i do it all. i have done everything at work from short blocks on S2Ks/civics/accords. trans rebuilds(so many i can't remember). i pride myself on diagnosing electrical and just about anything the other lazy techs complain about. this is my 11th year as a Honda-tech and i plan to keep this going for a very long time.

dave

[cbstdscott]

I follow the path of Zen when it comes to automotive repair. If I have no experience with a particular repair, I meditate upon the issue until a solution is revealed to me.

I am not afraid to tackle any job.... except clutch/tranmission stuff. I know that lots of guys bench press their tranny into position while lieing on their back on a gravel driveway in a snow storm. Not me.

Scott

[Sgt. Pepper]

Before RPR and Liz, I was in the basic category. I did all the oil changes on our cars and basic maintenance.

After getting Liz and finding RPR, I now consider myself somewhere between intermediate and upper intermediate.

If RPR did not exist, I would still be in the basic category.



I've always been interested in cars and always wanted to restore/rebuild one. So this is like fulfilling a lifelong dream and I'm pretty proud of how much I have learned and accomplished thus far. With help from RPR friends, I have: rebuilt an engine, fabricated, swapped an engine, repaired rust, rebuilt brakes and learned to weld. I'd still like to learn body work and paint, but I think I'll leave the painting to the professionals this time.

[1gcvcb18]

If RPR did not exist, I would still be in the basic category.

Same for me without RPR i would have never learned how to swap an engine or converte a carbed car to fuel injection.

[SEEKERone]

With your description, nobody in the world could make Advanced...

Hmmm. I consider myself advanced. I can and will tackle whatever is necessary. I might not "know" everything, but understanding things completely might be a better description. If I haven't done something, I am smart enough to do some research and ask questions. Bodywork/paint is not my strong suit and I can barely weld but the question was about a "tech". Diagnosis and electrical troubleshooting is my speciality.

My qualifications includes 18+years experience as a Honda tech (all at the same dealer). I am Honda master certified and have been ASE master (and A1) certified but those have recently expired and have yet to recert.
Honda used to hold a yearly "TopTech" contest until 2000...of the five times I went, I won three.
My experience goes beyond the dealer.
Among some of my outside work,
My own car...converted from carbed to EFI while installing B16...then later rewired to OBD1 in order to run Hondata with turbo install.

I wired the 2 engines that had been custom mounted into a 1965 MINI pickup Link to feature article
(The owner claims 1100HP but that is a load of crap...if you saw the size of the turbos and the routing of the piping you would know what I mean...my guess puts the total closer to 550-600 between the two engines)

I was also the electrical mastermind behind the LHT Performance project car called K-sight. A K20 powered Insight with the goal of being a real street car...not just a drag racer. Car is complete including air conditioning, power steering, anti-lock brakes and a fully functional S2000 instrument cluster. On the road to NOPI Nationals last September, one tank of gas got ~45 MPG while criusing around 75mph with A/C on. Recently shown at the FLCRXMEET.



So..... put me down for advanced

Edited by SEEKERone, 22 November 2007 - 01:22 PM.

[C8V6C]

I dunno what I would consider myself :

I have taken the motor in and out a few times, changed the clutches, axles, rear disc, fuel pumps, suspension, simple wiring, etc....

I would not rebuild a tranny. I would not build a motor, but I can take it apart.

I can do all wiring, but need to know what to do. For instance, I have done obd1 conversions, dpfi to mpfi swaps, etc with diagrams.

[slavteren]

we have another way to do this in Denmark, it is an 4year long education period that changes between schooling and working.. i finnished that education in 1998 and have worked proffesionel or in my own int. with cars ever since...


so i would say advanced, only that i believe that noone can have all the ansvers, and many times the hard jabs require a teamwork..

[BGPKR]

Intermediate.

[rollz87civic]

I would consider my self Upper Intermediate i may only be 17 but i have built 3 sb 350 from a bare block up and have done all kinds of body work. I 've been around cas for a long time i have my bad days and my good days buy yes sometimes a second set of had a good.

Here one of my car i did

when i first got it



the day i sold here


I swap out the slow 305 for a nice 350 with cam, intake, carb, exhaust was a fun car.

Edited by rollz87civic, 22 November 2007 - 11:05 PM.

[gustav129]

Hell, looking at all the other posts, I think I'm gonna downgrade to intermediate. I have alot of schooling, but I don't have the Honda swap and conversion experience like everybody else. Mostly because before my 3g, every thing has been 4x4 trucks.

Edited by gustav129, 22 November 2007 - 10:55 PM.

[danielleb]

I think I fall into this category:
Intermediate: You know most stuff but are afraid to go into rebuilding engines or transmissions or most advanced jobs because you are not sure whether it will come out well and you are not very good at diagnosis.


... I dont know everything... but I know enough to tackle it by myself if I HAVE to!

[redrex]

I would have to say that Im upper im. I like to work with others just to find out what they think. 90% of the time I am right but its always the 10 % that counts.