TRUE Beginner Questions

[Thassodar]

I find it quite annoying sometimes when people go on and on spouting all kinds of mechanical jargon that a TRUE beginner would never know, myself included. I've been prowling this site for more than a year, and I still find myself only maybe 15% more proficient when it comes to possibly doing a swap on my car.

Unlike most people on this forum I personally have never done anything to my car besides change the oil, spark plugs, wires, windshield wipers, and refill the brake fluid. Everything else I'm pretty much a...beginner. I don't understand half the crap in the "no bs swap" post and I remember when it was posted originally. I really, really know NOTHING about the internal workings of cars, and you can read my previous posts to see how much money I threw away recently to get my car running. I have spent more money paying someone else to fix my car than I paid for it in the first place for the simple fact being that I have no other car and I need it running when I need it running. I simply cannot sit down and take apart my car to find out how it works, because if I did I'd end up making it undriveable somehow and have to pay someone yet again to fix my car.

All that being said I haven't given up on the prospect of doing a swap, I just need some info that I haven't been able to find in all these swap guides:

1. What EXACTLY are all the tools (sizes, best brands, etc.) I will need for the swap? Are they common? Could I get them at a Autozone or something?

2. Everyone suggests replacing a whole lot of stuff while the engine is out...but if I know nothing but how to do the swap due to the site, how will I possibly know how to take out my clutch, transmission, flywheel, etc.? I don't know anyone, who wouldn't charge me, who would know how to replace these things. How could I find out?

3. I own a Chilton's for the Mazda/Ford Probe, etc. but it hasn't helped me much when it came to fixing what went wrong previously, compounded with the fact that my mechanic stole it. Is it possible to get back order Chilton's?

4. I'll need a engine lift thing (I forget the name of it) but where can I get one? Do auto stores rent them out?

5. For a ABSOLUTE beginner could the swap plausibly be done in two to three days? That is quite simply how much time I could possibly spare.

6. I own, as I stated in my previous posts, a 1992 MX-3 that has stock everything minus the stereo. Recently I had the wheel bearing for the passenger side replaced, as well as getting a brand new front side axle put in. Question: Shocks/struts/suspension? Are there different sizes or are they one size fits all? I know one of them lowers the car X amount of inches depending on what you buy, but I do not know which one does what.

7. According to the Wikipedia article the BPT is only found on the Mazda Familia and the Ford Laser, so how would someone in the states get ahold of one? Not only that, but if the swap "is sooo easy for beginners" how would a beginner put a turbo on the engine if he was...a beginner?

8. I only vaguely know what/where the distributor is because when my car broke down last time we thought it was the problem. Is it possible to replace the distributor, or would it already be on the engine I got from the junkyard or online?

9. I love my MX-3 to death, but I reckon it would be cheaper to do all these things to it and love it even more than it would be to purchase a new car. Is my assumption correct?

10. Where did all the GOOD body kits go? I've seen some insanely crappy body kits, I've seen some very sexy body kits, but all the links on the site are 3+ years old! I consider the MX-3 on the main site's body kit sexy. Where could I get (besides Ebay) body kits from?

11. I make roughly $1200 a month, can everything (paint, replaced parts, swap, etc.) be done in a 2-3 month period with not much money?

12. My mechanic replaced (so he said) the computer, steering wheel switches, fuel pump, and water pump. All of the above was around $700, as posted in a previous post. How could/would I check to see if this were true?

Please, please understand that while parts of these questions have been answered on the forums, most of them have been answered in a way that I could understand. (Replace the temperature gauge behind the firewall? My car has the internet?) Search, search, search people say. I DID search, and I HAVE BEEN searching since I joined this site in 2005. I even looked on the atlanta-mx3.com forums as well, and none of them were easy enough for someone like me to consider doing a swap alone or with a friend who was just as ignorant about cars as I am. I don't expect easy answers, but please don't just post links to XYZ article here and there, odds are I've probably seen XYZ article and am still lost.

If this post is deemed unnecessary, please delete it. I will edit this post with more questions if I have any, and I will be checking the topic daily. Some questions are personal, the others are questions I believe any beginner would have.

[neutral]

I find it quite annoying sometimes when people go on and on spouting all kinds of mechanical jargon that a TRUE beginner would never know, myself included. I've been prowling this site for more than a year, and I still find myself only maybe 15% more proficient when it comes to possibly doing a swap on my car.

Unlike most people on this forum I personally have never done anything to my car besides change the oil, spark plugs, wires, windshield wipers, and refill the brake fluid. Everything else I'm pretty much a...beginner. I don't understand half the crap in the "no bs swap" post and I remember when it was posted originally. I really, really know NOTHING about the internal workings of cars...

Members are gonna assume any reader pursuing something like an engine rebuild, engine/trans swap, suspension rebuild, etc. already has some knowledge about how a car's systems function. True of any car-related UBB, not just this one. For example, let's say your mech reports that he needs to replace a water pump and timing belt and you decided to do the work yourself. Any info you requested and received on this or any other site logically assumes that you at least understand what engine timing is and why it's important.

Problem = a desire to do an advanced DIY project like engine/trans swap in light of your admitted self-definition as a true beginner who "really really knows nothing about the internal workings of cars." It would help to develop some kinda baseline knowledge of how engines, transmissions, etc function. Not difficult but takes some time and research that is probably best focused outside of this site. Then you can take what you learn and apply that knowledge to better understanding the info that you DO find on mx-3.com.

There are resources on the Web to help. One is http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automobile.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Easy to understand descriptions of car systems with lots of diagrams and animated graphics to clarify and reinforce the presented info. You can run specific word searches on that site for some of the terminology you come across in UBB posts that has ya stumped - great way to learn what is being discussed by more experienced members. As for the Chiltons, and given your advanced aspirations, you should also have a Mazda MX-3 Factory Shop Manual. Chilton's info covers a wide range of related vehicles and runs what, maybe 150 pages? Chiltons or Haynes manuals provide limited information on any specific vehicle although chapter intro's do include some good basic descriptions of how certain systems function. Chiltons photos of various parts can also be pretty helpful however, the factory shop manual is focused just on the MX-3 and contains over 1000 pages of instructions/info and exploded diagram views of every single system, nut, and bolt on the vehicle. I own both a Chiltons and Mazda factory manual, wouldn't tackle many repairs without em, have been a shadetree mech for years and still learning.... Ebay is a good source for both manuals. IIRC, I paid ~$10 for my Chiltons and ~$35 for the factory shop manual. You might have to lurk on ebay but these do still come up for auction and usually at reasonable prices since the MX-3 has been out of production for so long, not a real high demand for the books. You have a '92 so manuals that cover either the '92 or '93 models are applicable to your car and it's engine etc.

[wytbishop]

That how stuff works site is awesome. It has excellent illustrations and animations. You can learn alot there. I also suggest opening the online manual when you're reading a technical post. Look through the appropriate section of the manual to try to get an understanding of what a post is reffering to.

Don't be afraid to ask. Some guys will be jerks probably, but if you make it clear in the question that you have no mechanical knowledge, someone will answer you. If all else fails PM me if you want. I don't know everything MX-3, but I was a professional mechanic once and I'm an engineer now, so I can explain most of it.

[Sortin]

Quite simply put, a "true" beginner shouldn't be considering an engine swap. Drive your car, keep it on the road, and save your money.

When a repair needs done, consider how long it should take you, and how much a shop would charge. If possible, get a ride to work instead of shelling out money for a repair you could get through. Otherwise, at least try to watch what they're doing if you have to pay someone.

[Limegreen mx-3]

where in tx are u from i see that ur from TX and im from san antonio..

[ElectricEnergy]

I wouldn't say that you shouldnt' consider an engine swap. But definitely not until you are a lot more familiar with the car. I've learned everything I know in the passed 2 years working on mine, and my friends cars when something breaks.

In that short amount of time I have learned to do things like properly rebuild a turbocharger, and soon, how to do an engine swap.

If you go to http://www.mx-3.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; there is a VERY helpful shop manual in the links on the left hand side. Whenever you have a question about any of the cars systems, or need to fix something, look it up in that manual and see exactly what it involves. If you still have questions, google is your friend.

It all comes down to experience, and you need to enjoy working on cars. Drive the hell out of your mx-3 until something breaks and then fix it.

David

[Mooneggs]

I was a beginner once... until I helped swap my klze into my car and since then I have been working on my car myself. The biggest thing is stepping out and taking a personal risk of estimating your own skill level. As long as you have a manual and a decent set of tools you can do anything (just about) to your mx-3. I used generic tools until I got a Craftsman 253 piece tool set a year ago (lol)... granted it's not snap-on or mac but it gets the jobs done. I have also bought some random specialty tools over the years as I have encountered different problems...

It sounds to me like you have the motivation, but maybe you just need a little hands on guidance. It would be ideal if you could work with another mx-3 member to see how it's done.

Whatever you do don't take your car off the road unless you have a backup, especially since you don't know what you are doing - you will set yourself up for failure!! I was out a car for several months and it is not fun trying to source a ride to work, etc...

[Flyer]

Just need a manual and someone with the correct tools...and space...

Preferably that someone will not set something on fire before making sure the new part fits >_>