I know nearly everyone ( if not all) in this forum does all thier own work on their cars. But is there always a point where the pro's gotta take over???

Myabe we should ask the pro's??

 

sorry bout the pic, my mistake

 

If you have the tools and some knoledge you can do almost everything on your car. But when it comes to tuning, there is better to stop and have a pro to tune your car even if you think that you know what you're doing. This is how i see it.

 

I agree with let the pros do the tuning! However my Son, now 16 but 15 when I got my 93 fd last may, installed my down pipe & cat-back system with litlte to no help from me..............

he's now the proud owner of my old 87 non-turbo

 

I have done all the work to my cars myself including installing dp,cb,FMIC, intakes, Power FC, and more on my 3rd gen plus fabricating and welding a 3" mandrel bent exhaust for my dodge caravan, installing a T60-1 turbo. My next plan on my next 3rd gen is to customize the whole turbo kit install it and do all the piping myself and basically install everything mechanical on the car myself with some help from someone who knows a bit more than me then take it and get it tuned. When it comes to body work or tuning, its time to let the pros take over. Keeping the motor running and the outside looking good is important.

 

let the pro's do the tuning just about everything else is common sense also have a 3rd gen workshop manual handy

 

Workshop manual = priceless

 

workshop manual was the best investment i ever made simplyfies everything make sure u have one

 

and this is 3rd gen specific because????....

 

It depends on what is involved. I have never brought my car in a shop since I do all the work myself. Only because I know it will be done right and I like to learn more about my car.

I would probably only bring my car to a pro if I need a tranny rebuild, major bodywork done, and dyno/street tuning.

 

Gotta love workshop manuals, my fave being a 1st gen owner is the Haynes '78-'86 manual.
So far I've had great success with tuning, bodywork repairs (my sev is arrow straight, I've only worked on the 323/GLC), polishing alloy wheels, ignition upgrades, engine replacement, clutch work, stereo installs (quite a few, uncomfortable stuff), suspension changes etc.
I'm building my own 12A finally so I can get the motor I've allways wanted - reliable, >10,000rpm, powerful (I still think of 12A Bridgeport's as powerful even though there is a large turbo following now).

I'd leave real performance dyno work to the pros, but I'd want to show up with a car that wasn't too far away from being in an ideal state of tune as dyno time can be pricey.

I'm thinking about building a close ratio gearbox at some stage too, has anyone found any cheap gears that will fit. I have some ratios in my 323/GLC that are nice but I don't think(unsure) I'll be able to use 'em in a sev tranny.

I think you should do as much work as you want to do, but you'd want to be careful if you ever tried re-engineering parts to save weight - I like things safe and strong.

 

Ahh yes, a bit of a concern, let's see some old skool rotary speak in this thread too.

It seems that there must be a lot of nice 3rd gen cars around if people are going all out DIY on them, nice 1.

 

When it comes to working on your own car it is good to know your limits. Although I do all of my work on the cars I work with including my own, except paint. Tuning is not as difficult as it seems, as long as you know the program then you'll be fine. Then I guess that comes back to experiance. If in doubt, pay someone else.

 

I let a machine shop resurface my flywheel.



-Ted

 

I have word from good sources that Ted spent a lot of time sanding his flywheel with 50 grit. Don't believe him.

 

What if you ARE one of the "pros"?

I can't remachine or rebalance because I don't have that kind of equipment. (Yet.) Everything else is done by one person...

 

the limit is tools. you can DIY anything you have the tools for, if you dont have them, and the they are too expensive to buy, then you take it to a shop.

pat

 

I was thinking about it further.

I don't DIY everything. Almost everything I do involves paying someone else to do the work for me.

For instance:

I don't refine my own oil or gasoline, or any other automotive fluids.
I don't make my own oil/air/fuel filters.
I don't machine my own gears.
I don't make my own electronics.
If I did, I wouldn't be making my own components (ICs, resistors, capacitors)
I don't strand and insulate my own wiring.

Etcetera.

I don't make the stuff. I just spin wrenches and play with metal-mangling and metal-assembling equipment.

- Pete (Welding.... is using lighting to stick metal together)