How can I learn about cars and car parts?

I am a girl and I am sick of all the stereotypes about how girls cant fix cars and know about car parts. Are there any websites or books I could read to learn a good bit about cars and how to fix them and what not?


I want to be one of those girls that when her car breaks down, I can just pop the hood and diagnose the problem myself.


Anything helps!





Thanks|||Firstly, you must consider that only a physical book


on any subject is the best to learn from. If you are


wanting any more than just some basic awareness


of a particular subject, then you must glean knowledge


from a book, or from first hand experience. Don't try to


become fairly knowledgeable on any subject merely


from these 'boob tubes' as all you will gain is just some


basic familiarization without much useful knowledge.





There are a number of good books that explain engines,


and how they work. One of the best that you can buy


was published a long time back. I think the name is


"Auto Engines and Electrical Systems". It is a hardcover,


maroon colored book. It can give one of the best educations


on this of all that I have seen. There is a good reason for


this.


The internal combustion engine has not changed in it's


design since it was invented. It has gotten larger, made


more precise for power, and has been given a whole


bunch of things that don't have one thing to do with the


actual design of the engine to run. Every internal combustion


engine needs only four things to run.


Air, Fuel, Spark, and to be properly In-Time. When the


engine is put together, and has these four things it will run.





As for other books on cars, there are several possibilities.


First off you don't need to go out to buy books for a


particular vehicle just to learn. If you actually need to have


a generalized book on auto repair, the Chilton multi-year,


multi-vehicle auto repair books are handy. However, these


books cover several years, and all the basic American,


Foreign, or Truck vehicles. Why would one need to get


a book that covers the years of vehicles that he doesn't


own, or expect to have to work on soon?





To gain knowledge on particular vehicles you can borrow


some books from your local public library. But, the best


books for the best information you cannot take from the


library. You are allowed to make copies of sections you


want for ten cents a page. For that price you can use


the 11 X l7 size paper, which can copy two book pages


at a time.





The books are in the Business, Science, Technology


section of libraries. The best you can find are the auto


manufacturers service manuals, or the Mitchell Automotive


series manuals. The Mitchell are, by far, the best. Look


for whatever you need in the year, and make sets. There


are manuals for a particular year, and make on anything


you need. There are several manuals for that car of that


year in each area of knowledge. One for engines, and


electrical systems (with good schematics), one for


transmissions, one for chassis, etc.





You can have a lot of info copied that you need, and a


wealth of knowledge without spending all the wealth on


books. I have four, file cabinets full of books, and two


bookshelves that cover many years, and vehicles. Too


late I learned what I could get through the library. Now,


if I own a vehicle, or have to work on one model a lot,


I will buy the books for it so I have them. Otherwise, I


just make copies of the proper sections I would need


to work on one.





I do have, and recommend that one above. Even though


I have read it cover-to-cover several times, I still may


refer to things now and then. It is the most informative


book one can get for all the basics of internal combustion


engines.





One last thing! The best thing you can do is to actually


have an engine to work on for practice. Get an old, junk


engine that is not one so great for rebuild to tear into to


learn how it went bad. A little work on it, and you can


use it as a model to tear apart, and put together. If


you get good enough, try getting one that is rebuildable,


and taking the time to tear it down, do whatever work


should be done for a rebuild, then buy the parts to


actually build a running engine. It should be kept inside


someplace, and out of the weather while you are doing


this. Actual work on them to make them work while you


are able to follow the books is the best. It is the old


principle of "We learn to do by doing, so let us do!"





As you go along this path, don't forget to listen to


others. After a while you will learn if what is being said


by another is 'fact or fantasy'. Many who talk are merely


'talking through their hat'. Listen to mechanics who are


discussing a particular problem as you can get ideas.


Watch those who are working on a problem so that you


might pick up ideas on how to solve a problem. Learn to


'listen to your car'. Sounds it makes help to identify many


different problems even before they cause a problem in


the driveability.





Studying, listening, and doing are the best teachers. You


will be able to learn about everything that makes a car


run, including the parts needed, which are best, and how


they are designed.|||howstuffworks.com


find the auto section|||google.com