Young Guys Don't Know Everything

[wctriumph]

But they think they do!

I was drinking beer with a couple of younger "Technicians" over at one's house and they were trying to get an old BMW air head R100 running. It has been sitting for about 5 years, so they go through most of the standard stuff, drain and replace all the fluids, rebuild the brakes, put on new tyres, pull the carbs apart and clean them, check the settings, new plugs, you get the idea. I give a little advice here and there if asked but mostly stand by and observe while drinking cold beer. They get it all back together and now comes the magic moment, "Press the Button Max" and... she starts up and the idle races. Check the carbs over, good to go. Runs on the choke when partly applied, at idle it runs on one cylinder. Give her some throttle and runs like crap. I seriously suggest that they have crossed one of the throttle cables with the choke cable. They look and say nope, impossible.

I go take a leak and grab another beer, come back out to the garage and they are trying to... guess what? Exactly. "Technicians", pah! Whatever happened to "Mechanics"? Young guys don't know crap.

[Great-Kazoo]

That's because most if not all "techs" today Remove & replace. TROUBLESHOOTING [ROFL2] Well the code says to replace. OK have you checked the leads to see if there is an corrosion or loose wires? Well no i'm doing what the code says.[facepalm]
There are a lot of skilled techs, however the majority of those worked there way up the ladder. Apprentice here, trade school there. I'd be surprised if most 'techs' know which to do first, timing or dwell.

[sellersm]

Tech 1: "What's that thing with the flashing/strobe light used for?"
Tech 2: "I dunno, point it to the ceiling and let's put on some 70's music!"

[trlcavscout]

Most shops encourage low paid parts replacers now. I got canned from my last mechanic job at a Chevy dealer because I was told to give all the driveability work to a young guy that wasn't ready to be the only driveability tech in the shop. I was told to help him but I wasn't supposed to take any work from him, and I didn't get compensated for it. But if he couldn't figure it out I was expected to tell him what was wrong.

I got laid off from another shop before that so the boss could bring in an oil changer from grease monkey to save $10 an hour.

[tmleadr03]

That's because most if not all "techs" today Remove & replace. TROUBLESHOOTING [ROFL2] Well the code says to replace. OK have you checked the leads to see if there is an corrosion or loose wires? Well no i'm doing what the code says.[facepalm]
There are a lot of skilled techs, however the majority of those worked there way up the ladder. Apprentice here, trade school there. I'd be surprised if most 'techs' know which to do first, timing or dwell.

I will tell you truthfully that I do not know which comes first. Because they stopped making those cars before I was born. And I work on Euro trash which went to multiport fuel injection when the big three were still doing carburetors.

Now you take one of those guys who knows which is first and ask him if he knows how to diagnosis the dwell I am intimate familiar with (i.e. reading a scope for the electrical signal from an injector) or how to diagnosis a bad high pressure fuel pump just reading the cavitation signal through the sensor using actual voltage not what the computer tells you.

Just because I don't know how to use a matchbook to "tune" a vehicle does not make me less of a professional at my job. Just means I have NEVER had to do it. Ever. Seriously.

[Great-Kazoo]

I will tell you truthfully that I do not know which comes first. Because they stopped making those cars before I was born. And I work on Euro trash which went to multiport fuel injection when the big three were still doing carburetors.

Now you take one of those guys who knows which is first and ask him if he knows how to diagnosis the dwell I am intimate familiar with (i.e. reading a scope for the electrical signal from an injector) or how to diagnosis a bad high pressure fuel pump just reading the cavitation signal through the sensor using actual voltage not what the computer tells you.

Just because I don't know how to use a matchbook to "tune" a vehicle does not make me less of a professional at my job. Just means I have NEVER had to do it. Ever. Seriously.

That's what makes a true mechanic / tech great, versatility. It use to be called NIASE Certification, when i wrenched, didn't have it, didn't get the good jobs.
What separates one from the other? The ability to Troubleshoot, not just remove & replace, hoping that solves the issue.

[DFBrews]

damn old guard thinking they are better than us... I got the troubleshooting part covered. parts changers are just that and always will

[BPTactical]

Dwell is the amount of time the points are open, timing is when they open relative to TDC.

[brokenscout]

Warranty

[ray1970]

Pfft. Rookies.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m98/rjs1970/photo_zps8c26f214.jpg

[ben4372]

Assuming a mechanic gets started in high school. I think the sweet spot for a mechanic is 26ish to 52ish. I used to like working with old mechanics that remember having to trouble shoot AM radio reception problems. Most folks now know about the learning curve that happened, I worked with a guy that talked about the end of whale oil lubricants. Same everywhere, companies love parts swappers until "I swapped everything and is still busted". Then they need a hero. I've long been out of fixing cars but great mechanics are worth more than what they get payed. And I have little use for "techs".

[JMBD2112]

Warranty

That's why I left the dealer, .3hrs to diag a vehicle under warranty. 5-6hrs to overhaul a tranny, 12hrs to rering and replace pistons, went to an independent shop at the beginning of the year and while the learning curve sucks sometimes, I make much better money.

[JMBD2112]

Assuming a mechanic gets started in high school. I think the sweet spot for a mechanic is 26ish to 52ish. I used to like working with old mechanics that remember having to trouble shoot AM radio reception problems. Most folks now know about the learning curve that happened, I worked with a guy that talked about the end of whale oil lubricants. Same everywhere, companies love parts swappers until "I swapped everything and is still busted". Then they need a hero. I've long been out of fixing cars but great mechanics are worth more than what they get payed. And I have little use for "techs".

I was a track mechanic in the army and once I got out I got a job at a GM dealer. I got put on the line and man did I get my ass handed to me. I stuck with it and I'm about 10 years deep now, and I have to agree with you, out of all the guys I've worked with, the old timers always stick out.

[Great-Kazoo]

I still have my 1st tool box from 72. However this saying , hold true through out time.
"Just because you have the tools, doesn't mean you know how to use them"

[clublights]

Tech 1: "What's that thing with the flashing/strobe light used for?"
Tech 2: "I dunno, point it to the ceiling and let's put on some 70's music!"


I miss shooting timing....

one of my fav things to do as a kid with my dad ...


I've never owned a car that needed a timing light tho ... :-(

[DFBrews]

I still have my 1st tool box from 72. However this saying , hold true through out time.
"Just because you have the tools, doesn't mean you know how to use them"


jeez jim it is simple righty tighty lefty loosy the rest is just semantics

[Great-Kazoo]

jeez jim it is simple righty tighty lefty loosy the rest is just semantics

LEAVE religion out of the discussion;)


Unless you have a QD line. You push then pull, or pull then push?

[bryjcom]

I always refer to myself as a refrigeration mechanic.


Never a technician

[DFBrews]

LEAVE religion out of the discussion;)


Unless you have a QD line. You push then pull, or pull then push?
always push to relieve pressure from locking device then pull

[DFBrews]

I always refer to myself as a refrigeration mechanic.


Never a technician

but the ladies prefer technician to mechanic if using profession as a pick up line

[TAR31]

I always refer to myself as a refrigeration mechanic.


Never a technician
Me too, I hate the title tech, techs to me are the school boys that think they know everything.

[bryjcom]

Me too, I hate the title tech, techs to me are the school boys that think they know everything.

I think everybody is a "technician" for the first couple of years. Then eventually your boss stops coming to your rescue and you have to figure it out yourself. The problem is I know guys in the field for 20 something years that are still "technicians". Some people just never grow up....

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

I don't care about a title. I just fix shit. But my official title is 'service specialist'.

[BPTactical]

I don't care about a title. I just fix shit. But my official title is 'service specialist'.

"Shit Fixxer" works Scott[Flower]

[Great-Kazoo]

"Shit Fixxer" works Scott[Flower]

Shit Fixxer Scott, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm where should that title go ? ? ? ?

[TFOGGER]

I prefer the title "Mechanical Exorcist"...

[Mazin]

I don't care about a title. I just fix shit. But my official title is 'service specialist'.

I bet it's actually "Servicing Specialist"
;)


Sent from my Otterbox Defended Tactical iPhone using High Capacity "Clips".

[TFOGGER]

I don't care about a title. I just fix shit. But my official title is 'service specialist'.

Cue the 70s porn soundtrack...

[redneck122]

So because i'm a young mechanic I don't know shit? Good to know.

As far a the "tech" vs "mechanic" deal, who gives a shit? Call me whatever you want. All i wanna do is show up, fix your shit, and go home. I could care less about my title.

[wctriumph]

When it came time to set the timing the book said that they would need a timing light, they looked at me and said I was not going to drive home to get it so I used a broken tour signal from a parts pile and made them Buzz Box, works like one anyway.

[rondog]

When it came time to set the timing the book said that they would need a timing light, they looked at me and said I was not going to drive home to get it so I used a broken tour signal from a parts pile and made them Buzz Box, works like one anyway.

Dude - A MacGyver timing light? That's awesome!

I've always enjoyed wrenching on my own shit, but I figured out long ago that I sure as hell didn't want to do it for a living. I have to admire those who do! It sure isn't a job for fat bastards with broken-up bodies.

[Ronin13]

I dunno about the blanket statement that "young guys don't know shit"- I know old guys who don't know nearly as much as some of these younger guys coming out of DADC or other tech schools. I, personally, can't do much else other than change the oil, maybe an alternator (depending on the vehicle- can't on my BMW but could on the Dodge Ram), brakes, and plugs... other than that, I'm not what one would call "mechanically skilled." However, one of my good buddies from HS worked as a mechanic at Christopher's Dodge World years ago, he's in his late 20's and really knows his stuff- probably why he left Christopher's [Coffee]. Age has nothing to do with it, I think it comes down to how skilled and humble someone is. OP, sounds like those guys gave way to ego rather than someone more experienced giving them advice. I saw it all the time in the Army, age didn't matter, had older guys who thought because I was young I didn't know what I was doing- and what happened when your rifle jammed on the range, oh yeah, because you had a carbon build up on the BCG that I told you needed to be cleaned properly... but that's right, I'm just a young buck that doesn't know shit because I'm under 30. It's not always age, but it is more common for younger people to be less accepting of a more experienced opinion... :/

[Circuits]

I've always enjoyed wrenching on my own shit, but I figured out long ago that I sure as hell didn't want to do it for a living. I have to admire those who do! It sure isn't a job for fat bastards with broken-up bodies.

This - there's not much I can't do by way of fixing my own cars or anything mechanical, but most of it's stuff I pay other people to get grimy and do for me now.

[buckshotbarlow]

I will tell you truthfully that I do not know which comes first. Because they stopped making those cars before I was born. And I work on Euro trash which went to multiport fuel injection when the big three were still doing carburetors.

Now you take one of those guys who knows which is first and ask him if he knows how to diagnosis the dwell I am intimate familiar with (i.e. reading a scope for the electrical signal from an injector) or how to diagnosis a bad high pressure fuel pump just reading the cavitation signal through the sensor using actual voltage not what the computer tells you.

Just because I don't know how to use a matchbook to "tune" a vehicle does not make me less of a professional at my job. Just means I have NEVER had to do it. Ever. Seriously.

that's why my truck is in his shop right now getting some of the European love ^^^^^

[jerrymrc]

As an old guy that has kept up somewhat I look at it both ways. In my current field I have some that want to learn and also want to understand some of the "old days" because some skills never go away.

Now when it comes to cars I learned the old ways, adapted to the new and embrace both. Many new cars have the ability to almost tell you what is wrong in 2 min. For the most part it has been evolution and all the basics that I learned 40 years ago still apply.

And applying new tech to old tech makes the old go much faster. Case in point. Some of my new stuff takes 5 min to hook up vs the 20 min to hook up this that I learned on. And yes, I have one in the garage complete with the HEI upgrade. Just saying.[Flower]31687

[tmleadr03]

As an old guy that has kept up somewhat I look at it both ways. In my current field I have some that want to learn and also want to understand some of the "old days" because some skills never go away.

Now when it comes to cars I learned the old ways, adapted to the new and embrace both. Many new cars have the ability to almost tell you what is wrong in 2 min. For the most part it has been evolution and all the basics that I learned 40 years ago still apply.

And applying new tech to old tech makes the old go much faster. Case in point. Some of my new stuff takes 5 min to hook up vs the 20 min to hook up this that I learned on. And yes, I have one in the garage complete with the HEI upgrade. Just saying.[Flower]31687

I know what this is:
http://dynatune.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Bear_scope.jpg

And have used one against my will.

[rondog]

All I know is I wish I had a bigger, better shop....and I'd kill to have a car lift!

[dirtrulz]

Nothing better than a kid jsut out of trade school who thinks he knows everything because he passed his ASE exams. No offense to all the ASE certified people out there but ASE is a joke, and proves nothing as far as I am concerned. Have seen and been to school with guys who passed the tests with flying colors that I wouldnt let work on my mower and some great mechanics who were not good test takers who failed them. How do you certify a body man, real bodywork is an art, either you can do it or you cant, a test cant determine that.

Being a mechanic has changed a lot in the last 20 years. It is getting harder to find someone who knows the mechanical side of things, they just want to hook a computer up to it and have it fix things. I kind of miss the old days, but I dont work on cars any more, hated dealing with the stupid owners who want everything for nothing and think you are their punching bag. I have found farm and construction equipment much more challenging and fun and the owners are much better to deal with. Plus you get to go out in the field and get out of the shop periodically. To me field work is what sets you apart, there is no one to ask for help, it is all on you to know what to do.