Best automotive repair books according to redditors

You can sub to channels like Engineering Explained. /Drive also had a small series where they brought in different people from different areas of cars to give their input. They had exhaust people, engine builders, turbo specialists, etc.

Engineering Explained

Drive Playlist

I started reading this by Tom Newton. Once I read the entire thing I then started to research into each category specifically.

I have no suggestions but wanted to let you know this post felt so full of love. Keep it up Mama. I teach middle and high school kids and it’s a rough time. If he’s into building cars, why not get him a book related to that? Something on mechanical engineering? How Cars Work by Tom Newton looks good. how cars work

I don't own it, but have heard a lot of people suggest the Bosch book. https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Automotive-Handbook-Robert-GmbH/dp/0837617324/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494418270&sr=1-1&keywords=bosch+automotive

Best thing you can do is something, I spent years whining about how I need to meet a mentor, or figure out how to start out. I then pulled myself out of my pity pile, stopped wasting my time on stupid shit and got down to business. The bottom two are good places to start.

1. Managing 12volts, a good book I am reading which helps highlight electrical systems pretty well.
   
   
2. Handybobsolar very good blog with a lot of knowledge of solar. Read it a few times and you'll start to understand it. Don't expect yourself to understand it on the first walk through.
   
   
   
   

i personally wouldn't tune for knock, the power should be a bell curve so as you hone in on the best settings power should rise then fall after maximum power is reached, then start to drop off before it knocks.

so that is what i'd tune for. at worst knock tuning would be a disaster on some engines, and on others you're likely loosing power . at the dyno i've often seen people say tune to knock then back off a whatever a good number/% they've heard is.

you have to know a lot of about the math of specific engine you're tuning for to do proper calcs to get you base maps that are close, so since not all that is available, VE being the most useful, it often does become iterative and you just get a feel for it.

dynos aren't that complex, they just measure torque. the manual for them usually has the operation procedure in them, or the rep shows you. but basically you just do a pull on it while it measures rpm/tq and AFR then it plots an HP/TQ graph usually with some compensation for loss, or which conversion factor to use, SAE etc (where a lot of the online battles take place on dyno figures)

i prefer dynapak's myself, mostly since theyre a lot safer and i don't walk over the roller when concentrating on the laptop, and i've felt they're more controllable/repeatable but YMMV

https://www.dynomitedynamometer.com/dyno-dynamometer-article.htm has a good overview of the different styles.

these are some of the books i have

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0837603005

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470057572

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0837611083 (general motronic overview)

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Automotive-Handbook-Robert-GmbH/dp/0837617324

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0837615410

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932494421 good starter book

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760315825

https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Math-Handbook-HP1554-Calculations (updated ver)

First off look up how to turn the engine by hand. If it turns, you probably won't need to tear the engine apart.


Start out with basic troubleshooting. First check all fuses (They will visually look burnt) and make sure there's good gas in the tank. Replace your fuel filter (Takes like 2 seconds on most older cars). See if your battery is good and has charge, probably needs to be replaced if it sat for 15 years. Then see if you can turn the key and the starter will work. If the starter works and the engine doesn't fire; check the spark plugs, distributor, and associated wires, etc. If the car still doesn't run install a fuel pressure gauge (Easy to do, plenty of youtube guides) and see if you have fuel pressure. If you don't, that usually means you need a fuel pump (Also easy fix). Just read about each component and take it one step at a time and it should go pretty easily starting out with electrical (Fuses, Spark, battery, and starter), moving onto fuel delivery (The gas it's self, fuel filter, carburetor, fuel pump, fuel lines, etc).

https://www.amazon.com/Popular-Mechanics-Complete-Care-Manual/dp/1588167232

That book is massively helpful on doing/understanding any essential repair, troubleshooting, or maintenance on older vehicles

Another great resource are the Bentley's service manuals. I picked one up for my E82 (a lot of shared parts with the E90) and it has a ton of great information and step-by-step instructions on some major services.

The trickery in those systems is not in their electrical wiring, but in that they're increasingly computerized. ABS and EFI in particular. With increasing model-specific complexity also comes increasing variety, so you're going to need a model-specific service manual.

If you're unfamiliar with 12V electrical systems in general, I'd probably start by reading the generic automotive electrical books. Haynes would probably suffice to get you up to speed, so that terminology used in the service manual makes more sense.

The main differences you'll find will be in charging systems and accessory wiring (both covered in a model-specific service manual), but pretty much everything else follows a similar (+)->Distribution/Fuse->Device->Ground circuit.

Where it gets complex is the ECU. I know a few bikes use a variation of OBD-II (Triumph comes to mind), but the rest are completely proprietary, requiring their own set of scantools and protocols. Pretty much all EFI and ABS diagnostic procedures will be done with one of these scantools (or at least pricey cable and software) if you want live or freeze frame data where supported.

The same trend continues in the automotive world as well. ABS and electronically-controlled transmissions were a big deal when they first hit the market (pre OBD-II), and now they're adding drive-by-wire and hybrid technologies to the mix. The only thing standard between manufacturers and even model years is engine management data (emissions). Airbags, ABS, SRS, and body electrical control data still require dealer scantools to access. They don't make their PIDs public knowledge, so these scantools are often priced out of reach of all but the big shops.

Finally, not that you're gonna botch anything, but electrical is only worth doing if it's done right, so take pride in your work! No half-ass duct tape and twist splice crap. I've had tons of vehicles come to me in sorry shape after being "fixed" with electrical tape and prayers, many of which have required a new harness ($$$, time, patience, sanity). Doing it right takes skill and patience, but it's worth the reward when your car/house/bike doesn't burn down in the course of normal operation :)

Sorry, that was long.

TL;DR: It's not much different from cars; computers are weird

I don't know about the Pontiac, but your Jeep is easy to work on. Longitudinal inline engine and rear wheel drive, plenty of activity on forums, and good used/aftermarket part availability.

Get the Haynes or Chilton manual and join a forum. This text is a good general reference to have: http://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Technology-Approach-Jack-Erjavec/dp/1401848311 .

Do you have a garage you can work in and store tools in?

If your actuator needs replacement, do it yourself. That was literally the first job I ever did on my 2008 328i. You can do it.

It is a PITA, and can be time consuming (especially depending on how good the adhesive holding your moisture barrier is), but there's really nothing you can honestly screw up or make worse unless you drop the window glass...which isn't an expensive replacement anyway =)

As long as you have the right tools, get the correct part, and have a bunch of door fasteners handy (because every other one is going to break, they are a PITA too), it's a super inexpensive job that doesn't even require too much in the way of tools.

Edit: I dug back through my archives and pulled the relevant resources I used. Should be similar for a 2006 I imagine.

• The front actuator set I bought. Don't know if the 2006 uses the same part number, but decent reference at least.
  
  
• The door panel fasteners that I keep handy for work involving the doors. Again, at least a reference.
  
  Helpful DIYs and videos:
  
  http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477507&page=3
  
  http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6713414&postcount=40
  
  https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/BMW-3-Series-E90/BODY-Door_Panel_Replacement/BODY-Door_Panel_Replacement.htm
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em9TdvaB0_8
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaEunU4T7Qk
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMPTAypu4R4
  
  
  And of course, your relevant Bentley manual is always a good thing to have.

actually he wants this one: http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/tech_main_e90.htm

the 335d is an e90 not an F30

also this. that book is your new god now. I've had ones for my e30, e36, and e46, it gives you a good description on how to do damn near anything and every bolt's torque value. It is worth far more than the $100 they charge for it.

oh, and OP, Beamer is the motorcycle, Bimmer is the car.

If you have access to a shop with a lift and vaguely-competent help, then there's no reason you should stress over the potential big-ticket replacement stuff. The much-maligned HPFP can be accessed after maybe an hour's worth of disassembly. The water pump would probably be more work (no firsthand experience), but a lift would make it much more pleasant. Any job you might need to do, there's probably a DIY available online.

The scanner issue is easily solved; you can do basic troubleshooting with Carly and a bluetooth OBDII dongle. Alternatively, if you want to go the JB4 route, you can add the JB4 bluetooth adapter and read codes to your phone with the JB4 app (my preferred method).

If you intend to do your own work, you should also invest in a Bentley repair manual. Alternatively, you could probably find a free download online for the thing, but to be frank, if you think $100 is a steep investment, then maintaining a 335 may not be for you. I prefer to have a physical book I can lay out beside me while I work.

All in all, I've had my 335 for about nine months now. Here's a rundown of compulsory work I've done to it:

• Replaced all vacuum lines to fix underboost condition ($30 for 15' of silicone hose)
  
• Replaced both vacuum canisters when new lines didn't fix underboost condition ($71 for two canisters)
  
• Replaced low-pressure fuel pressure sensor ($76)
  
• Replaced exhaust VANOS solenoid ($121) (only ever threw a code at the track, kind of a preventative replacement)
  
  I've also invested about $2k into performance stuff and associated costs; most of that was from a set of KW coilovers and the required alignment afterwards. Then there was the JB4 and a few other items.
  
  Overall, I love the car. The turbo system has been finicky, but I think mostly I've been cleaning up negligence by the prior owner there. With the JB4, the car is pretty damn quick, and it's plenty of fun on the track as well.
  
  My name is /u/N546RV, and I own an N54 335i out of warranty.

https://smile.amazon.com/Bosch-Automotive-Handbook-Robert-GmbH/dp/0837617324?sa-no-redirect=1

The efficiency of a typical alternator is on the order of 50%. If you take energy from the engine using an alternator and then feed it back into the drivetrain with a motor, you'll have less power and less efficiency.

Hybrids don't magically get higher efficiency just by randomly sloshing energy back and forth between mechanical and electrical. They do it by using the combination for very specific goals, and by paying attention to the efficiency of every component.

Two excellent books on this:

https://www.amazon.com/Hybrid-Vehicles-Components-Frans-Badin/dp/271080994X/

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Powertrain-Systems-Electronics-Vehicles/dp/1119063647/

Do you have any motorized toys? Like a minibike? That's a good place to start learning. I'd recommend picking up a decent textbook as well. I dunno how well your English is but I tend to recommend Automotive Technology by Jack Erjavec

At that mileage you may want to have a look at your engine seals. In particular the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket.

If you're a DIY kind of guy, pick up a Bentley manual. It's basically the bible for your car.

Like someone else said, e90post.com. Great section of DIYs there. There's also a good section where you can get the BMW software for diagnostics and programming. A little finicky to get set up, but once you do, it can be a life saver. My e90 went into Transport Mode randomly and without the software, I would have had a trip to the dealer.

/r/bmwtech is a good place too.

Weems & Plath The 12 Volt Doctor's Practical Handbook 5th Edition


https://www.amazon.com/Weems-Plath-Doctors-Practical-Handbook/dp/1878797131


Managing 12 Volts: How to Upgrade, Operate, and Troubleshoot 12 Volt Electrical Systems 2 Updated Edition

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0964738627?ref%5F=sr%5F1%5F1&qid=1482876085&sr=8-1&keywords=Managing%2012%20Volts%3A%20How%20to%20Upgrade%2C%20Operate%2C%20and%20Troubleshoot%2012%20Volt%20Electrical%20Systems&pldnSite=1

You don't need to know anything! That's what the service manual is for.

+BMW tire valve caps

+BMW keys

+Emblems

And my personal favorite, which I find to be a must-have: Bentley Manual

This is my go-to suggestion. It'll teach you all the proper basics about how to repair and maintain a car alongside of how all those different components work and what they do.

I wouldn't suggest you repair a salvaged car as your first project, that can be an inordinately huge money sink resulting in a car that'll be extremely difficult to sell later on. I'd suggest just buying some cheap 90s car in good running shape and just fix random things as they break.

Further reading/research: (Not all of which I've gotten to read yet. Some of which may be quite tangentially relevant to the discussion at hand along with the books and sites I mentioned above. Consider this more a list of books pertaining to the history of technology, machining, metrology, some general science and good engineering texts.)

Dan Gelbart's Youtube Channel

Engineerguy's Youtube Channel

Nick Mueller's Youtube Channel

mrpete222/tubalcain's youtube channel

Tom Lipton (oxtools) Youtube Channel

Suburban Tool's Youtube Channel

NYCNC's Youtube Channel

Computer History Museum's Youtube Channel

History of Machine Tools, 1700-1910 by Steeds

Studies in the History of Machine Tools by Woodbury

A History of Machine Tools by Bradley

Tools for the Job: A History of Machine Tools to 1950 by The Science Museum

A History of Engineering Metrology by Hume

Tools and Machines by Barnard

The Testing of Machine Tools by Burley

Modern machine shop tools, their construction, operation and manipulation, including both hand and machine tools: a book of practical instruction by Humphrey & Dervoort

Machine-Shop Tools and Methods by Leonard

A Measure of All Things: The Story of Man and Measurement by Whitelaw

Handbook of Optical Metrology: Principles and Applications by Yoshizawa

Angle of Attack: Harrison Storms and the Race to the Moon by Gray

Machine Shop Training Course Vol 1 & 2 by Jones

A Century of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, 1882-1982

Numerical Control: Making a New Technology by Reintjes

History of Strength of Materials by Timoshenko

Rust: The Longest War by Waldman

The Companion Reference Book on Dial and Test Indicators: Based on our popular website www.longislandindicator.com by Meyer

Optical Shop Testing by Malacara

Lost Moon: The Preilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Lovell and Kruger

Kelly: More Than My Share of It All by Johnson & Smith

Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Rich & Janos

Unwritten Laws of Engineering by King

Advanced Machine Work by Smith

Accurate Tool Work by Goodrich

Optical Tooling, for Precise Manufacture and Alignment by Kissam

The Martian: A Novel by Weir

Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain by Young Budynas & Sadegh

Materials Selection in Mechanical Design by Ashby

Slide Rule: The Autobiography of an Engineer by Shute

Cosmos by Sagan

Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook by Smith Carol Smith wrote a number of other great books such as Engineer to Win.

Tool & Cutter Sharpening by Hall

Handbook of Machine Tool Analysis by Marinescu, Ispas & Boboc

The Intel Trinity by Malone

Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals by Thompson

A Handbook on Tool Room Grinding

Tolerance Design: A Handbook for Developing Optimal Specifications by Creveling

Inspection and Gaging by Kennedy

Precision Engineering by Evans

Procedures in Experimental Physics by Strong

Dick's Encyclopedia of Practical Receipts and Processes or How They Did it in the 1870's by Dick

Flextures: Elements of Elastic Mechanisms by Smith

Precision Engineering by Venkatesh & Izman

Metal Cutting Theory and Practice by Stephenson & Agapiou

American Lathe Builders, 1810-1910 by Cope As mentioned in the above post, Kennth Cope did a series of books on early machine tool builders. This is one of them.

Shop Theory by Henry Ford Trade Shop

Learning the lost Art of Hand Scraping: From Eight Classic Machine Shop Textbooks A small collection of articles combined in one small book. Lindsay Publications was a smallish company that would collect, reprint or combine public domain source material related to machining and sell them at reasonable prices. They retired a few years ago and sold what rights and materials they had to another company.

How Round Is Your Circle?: Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet by Bryant & Sangwin

Machining & CNC Technology by Fitzpatrick

CNC Programming Handbook by Smid

Machine Shop Practice Vol 1 & 2 by Moltrecht

The Elements of Computing Systems: Building a Modern Computer from First Principles A fantastic book with tons of free online material, labs, and courses built around it. This book could take a 6th grader interested in learning, and teach them the fundamentals from scratch to design a basic computer processor and programming a simple OS etc.

Bosch Automotive Handbook by Bosch

Trajectory Planning for Automatic Machines and Robots by Biagiotti & Melchiorri

The Finite Element Method: Its Basis and Fundamentals by Zhu, Zienkiewicz and Taylor

Practical Treatise on Milling and Milling Machines by Brown & Sharpe

Grinding Technology by Krar & Oswold

Principles of Precision Engineering by Nakazawa & Takeguchi

Foundations of Ultra-Precision Mechanism Design by Smith

I.C.S. Reference Library, Volume 50: Working Chilled Iron, Planer Work, Shaper and Slotter Work, Drilling and Boring, Milling-Machine Work, Gear Calculations, Gear Cutting

I. C. S. Reference Library, Volume 51: Grinding, Bench, Vise, and Floor Work, Erecting, Shop Hints, Toolmaking, Gauges and Gauge Making, Dies and Die Making, Jigs and Jig Making
and many more ICS books on various engineering, technical and non-technical topics.

American Machinists' Handbook and Dictionary of Shop Terms: A Reference Book of Machine-Shop and Drawing-Room Data, Methods and Definitions, Seventh Edition by Colvin & Stanley

Modern Metal Cutting: A Practical Handbook by Sandvik

Mechanical Behavior of Materials by Dowling

Engineering Design by Dieter and Schmidt

[Creative Design of Products and Systems by Saeed]()

English and American Tool Builders by Roe

Machine Design by Norton

Control Systems by Nise

That doesn't include some random books I've found when traveling and visiting used book stores. :)

Breathe

You can do this ❤

Yes it's bad but it could be even worse

Have you looked into meditating? A book about meditation that I like is called "Radical Acceptance" by Tara Brach. It starts off slow but it really helped me out when I was living my parents.

One great way to spend your free time stuck inside is to educate yourself on personal finance. This way you can get your mind off of the situation that your in and, at the same time, work towards freeing yourself from it. I don't want to dismiss how you are feeling, but immersing yourself in something productive when your feeling sad or angry can help you work it off. This is something you can do to actively improve your situation. /r/personalfinance is great resource. In my opinion you should start off with:

1. Securing some avenue of income. If you can't get a job outside the home, then you could find a part-time work-from-home job (not sure if they will hire minors though). There's also vlogging or having your own youtube channel. I'm not really familiar with how it would work exactly, but I've heard that if you get enough views on your videos you can make some money: a couple thousand views might make ~$100.
   
   You might also want to look into whether you can open an bank account without a co-owner (such as a parent) at bank near you or at an online bank, so you have a secure place to deposit your income.
   
   
2. Build savings. You will need these savings to escape if things get really bad (where I am, the security deposit can be 1.5 times the rent), or for use in any other emergency (car breaks down, flat tire, etc.)
   
   
3. Learn how to build credit
   
   
4. Not sure about what the case is where you are, but in North America cars are a necessary expense. Learn as much as you can about their care and maintenance. This book might be a good place to start.

If you really want to learn about cars and how they work here is probably the best single book you can get, although it is used in technical school and community colleges it is very detailed. Also the book is very expensive but if your serious about working on cars this information is important.

Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service (5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0133994619/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MuAEyb881KPHW

There are TONS of good books on bike repair. My favorites are Zinn's Art of the Road Bike and Art of the Mountain Bike they're both huge, cheap and cover a ton of different topics. There's no knowledge like seeing it first hand though, so find a shop that does repair classes or buddy up with your local wrench.

Get something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-001871041-Intermittent-Washer-Control/dp/B000VU8RDG

Follow a video like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSBVABpEkU4

If you get stuck, buy and read something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Honda-Civic-del-Sol-models/dp/1563921189/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526341005&sr=8-2&keywords=civic+service

tldr - you need a special part with a delay circuit built in to it. Then you need to wire it in to the existing motor circuit

I purchased this book and it was an amazing resource. I had 0 knowledge/experience in anything more complex than switching a lightbulb and it helped me safely and confidently design and build out the electrical for my van

Sorry for posting late, but definitely buy this http://www.amazon.com/How-Cars-Work-Tom-Newton/dp/0966862309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346804838&sr=8-1&keywords=how+cars+work

I read this while taking Auto Tech through high school and it helped a ton.

There is also this website, although it uses some larger words and is a bit harder to understand right off the bat. http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/tech_index.html

Try, to concentrate on one system at a time afterwords (brakes, suspension, electronics, etc.) since it makes it more focused.

Good luck :)

There is a 3500 page repair manual you should look into buying.

http://www.1000repairmanuals.com/expand-Mini-Cooper-2002-2003-2004-2005-service-repair-manual-423.html

http://www.amazon.com/MINI-Cooper-Service-Manual-Convertible/dp/0837616395

I've been making my way through this recently, I think it's exactly what you're looking for. Although my next step is to find one that goes more in depth!

Amazon has a ton of great car books.

I suggest a 1996-2006 vehicle, perhaps a Honda or Toyota, with 200k+ miles on it and existing electrical and engine performance problems. Nothing severe enough that it doesn't run, but so that you have plenty of work to do. Learn the basics (fluid/filter maintenance etc) first. Then learn all the electrical you can. You're gonna need that for everything else.

As for knowledge, I don't remember the name of the book but I remember one of the authors was named Haldermann. (edit: http://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Technology-Principles-Diagnosis-Service/dp/0133994619) It's a text book, probably titled something like Principles of Automotive Technology Version (whatever). It should cost you around $150 and will tell you practically everything you need to know. Actual work and actual technicians can tell you a lot more but that's a very good start. I have this and reference it often.

If you want to take a class, take an Automotive Technology Electrical class and get a quarter's worth of studying electrical and hopefully troubleshooting electrical. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

My impression of you seems to be that you don't have very much mechanical experience. I would for the sake of preperation, with the assumption you'd want to repair it yourself,buy a a bentley manual or visit this website. I would also encourage you to purchase a code scanner. At the minimum, this would put you in a leveraged position. As you wouldn't rely on your stealership or a joeSCHMOE as much as you normally would to tell you what's wrong with your car. I find people who buy bimmers either have the money to have them repaired and not dent their wallet or have the know how to repair it themselves. There's nothing wrong with the first type, but I wouldn't be caught dead waiting for someone to change my tire. I encourage you to learn more about your engine, to take things apart. Whatever you may hear may be hear-say. Your car is definitely different than the others.


Good luck!

I don't have references for this, but most farm animals require about 30% of your cropland for their own food. However they provide manure so it makes nutrient cycling a lot easier.

For example see: John Seymour's Book Where he goes on about how awesome cows are just for the manure they provide.

I was reading in David Blume's Alcohol can be a gas That you can use only 10% of your land to produce the Ethanol needed to farm it. However i don't know if this has been studied in practice.

Both methods are more labour intensive, since animals need care and making your own moonshine almost requires learning a new career. This will require raising farm wages to entice people out of the cities (or desperate people) and will not favour megafarms as they are far more dependent on capital-intensive methods.

Check out these books. They are really cheap (especially if you buy it used), and are a really good resource for learning about various parts/systems on your car. It might be a bit overkill if all you want to do is learn how to change the oil, but I've found having one incredibly useful for random things like looking up maintenance info (in more detail than the owner's manual), or helping to troubleshoot when something breaks. Also, changing your own oil is really easy, and a lot cheaper than paying someone to do it for you. Good luck!

I have an 86 325e, I've had it for 8 years now, they're awesome cars and will definitely take care of you if you take care of it.


Firstly:
Maintenance. Timing belt every 5yrs or 40k miles. Valve adjustment every 15k miles. Spark plugs, distributor cap, and rotor every 25k miles. Oil changes every 3k. Get some "Hilton's Hyper-Lube" to go in with your oil changes, its great for high mileage M20 motors. You can do most of the work yourself if you pick up a Bentley manual from Amazon.. Get some basic craftsman tools and you'll be set.


Secondly:
Fun! Get a chip. GET A CHIP. The 325e motor comes to life with a chip, its so worth it, huge gains in horsepower and torque. Huge! Short shift kit, UUC makes a decent one for E30s, although I'm not a big fan of their other stuff. When you put on the short shift kit, upgrade ALL shifter bushings, and that includes (most importantly) the joint/knuckle that goes in between the transmission and the selector rod. I have a modest suspension on my E30. If you can get ahold of E30 M3 factory original springs, they're a great upgrade, that and some bilstein shocks, with new shock mounts, and you'll be in great shape. Its not too low and its a huge upgrade in handling. This can all come later though, maintenance first. Oh. and for a differential, just get a 2.93 limited slip, don't get anything more than about a 3.23 differential, you'll run out of gearing pretty quickly higher than that. Definitely not a 3.73 from the 325is.


Thirdly:
Brakes and tires. When it comes time for tires, get some 15s or 16s, you can't find any decent tires in 14" anymore. I like Kumho Ecsta ASX for all seasons, you can get something grippier if you want, but they're a good all around tire (and cheap to boot). For brakes, Axxis Ultimates are great pads, get some brembo blank rotors, and flush the brake fluid. Brakes will be great at that point.


Then you're done, enjoy the car, I love mine.

Book wise, Factory service manuals will be your bet to what you are looking for as far as details. The down side is that it requires you to already understand some basic automotive systems/fundamentals/tests procedures and theory. For some basic automotive knowledge, you can order the A Series Motorage ASE study guides

https://www.passthease.com/about?cid=95900&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvZXc8N204wIVl9dkCh1bVA-8EAAYASACEgLDCvD_BwE

Or the Delmar study guide:

Automotive Technician Certification Test Preparation Manual https://www.amazon.com/dp/1428321012/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pU0kDb4KB0M73

book

Video: lots on youtube, i recommend 'chrisfix'

It's not a cheap book but it takes you through the majority of aspects in automotive mechanics. It's college level and geared towards formal education and studying, but I find that even for personal interest it gives the reader/enthusiast a great starting foundation. If you can afford it and have the motivation to read it in its entirety, you will be in a much better position to make proper mechanical decisions if you start a project car in the near future.

I should also add that I own this book and am currently reading through it myself. It's tough at some points due to the nature of the content, but it's superior to the general knowledge and information you'll be presented with in most forums and shop talks.

You can find a used copy of an earlier edition of this book for cheap on amazon. Great introductory material: Automotive Technology: Principles, Diagnosis, and Service (5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0133994619/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4-0aAb64GYAWN

Apart from hand on experience, I found this book to be very informative.

I don't know of any instruction sets online, but I found this video with a quick search:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9uprCZkVM


You're best bet would be to buy the Bentley Manual which has step by step instructions and some pics.

http://www.amazon.com/MINI-Cooper-Service-Manual-Convertible/dp/0837616395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394746015&sr=8-1&keywords=mini+cooper+bentley

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872946&sr=8-1&keywords=1560911999

http://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Fundamentals-Internal-Combustion-Engine/dp/0131405705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872963&sr=8-1&keywords=0131405705

These are the two books I could find that professors at Embry-Riddle, for the high performance vehicle design option of mechanical engineering, use. Im sure there are others, but i dont know where to find them as im not a mechanical engineering student. I'd say go to:
http://www.neebo.com/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-daytona/textbooks

And search around for courses that relate to your interest and find the books they require

A guy who I race sailboats with wrote this book:

How Cars Work

Books.
This one's not super updated but it's a good starting point for a newbie: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0966862309/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493244025&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=automotive+basics&dpPl=1&dpID=51RPsM2vLML&ref=plSrch

I bought http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1428321012/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, and the practice tests from ASE. The study guides from ASE are free. http://www.freeasestudyguides.com is good too.

I was actually looking at it a couple days ago on amazon and i saw some guys on forum that were compairing it with: https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Technology-Systems-Approach-5th/dp/1428311491/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1484368197&sr=8-4&keywords=Automotive+Technology%3A+A+Systems+Approach
which also looks like a good overall car book. My next will probably be one of these 2.

I did one last fall in my NA without a lift, but I don't think I would have been able to do it without a trans jack. I borrowed this guy from a co-worker and it worked great. You will also need a 2 foot breaker bar, 6 point (don't use 12 points) 1/2" sockets, about 1.5 feet-2 feet of 1/2" extensions, and at least one u-joint. A flywheel holder will make your life easier when removing/re-torquing the flywheel bolts and a seal puller will help removing the front/rear trans seals and the engine's rear main seal.

Here are the steps off the top of my head:

• buy a copy of the Enthusiast's manual or a hanes manual if you want one that's NB specific. It's always nice having torque specs on hand
  
• remove center console, shift knob, and upper shift boot
  
• put car on jackstands
  
• disconnect driveshaft by unbolting the rear yolk, leave in car for now
  
• drain transmission (it will leak if you don't keep it level when you're dropping it)
  
• break free all of the bell housing, starter, and PPF bolts. I was able to do this completely from under the car on a creeper
  
• swing PPF out of the way (I was able to leave mine in the car, hanging from the rearmost diff bolt)
  
• remove drive shaft (I was able to leave my exhaust in place)
  
• unbolt/tie up the slave cylinder
  
• preload trans jack to support trans
  
• remaining remove trans bolts
  
• drop trans. This involves some wiggling while pulling it away from the engine
  
• do maintenance items (trans seals/gaskets, rear main seal, etc)
  
• resurface your existing flywheel or install a fancy new aftermarket one. Don't forget to install a new pilot and throw out bearing
  
• install new clutch on new/resurfaced flywheel using clutch alignment tool. Bolt flywheel to motor
  
• install in the reverse order

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966862309/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Related:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0979043778?pc_redir=1413519727&robot_redir=1

In addition to his excellent list, familiarize yourself with where everything is on that particular model. Where is the spare tire? Is it a full sized spare? Where is the battery and the jumper posts? (they are sometimes at a different place than the battery itself) Where do you put the jack when changing tires in all 4 locations? How do you change a tire safely? Where do you add oil and change the oil? You can find all of this by getting a copy of the owners manual for that car (online?) and reading it backwards and forwards. I recommend that you actually change the tire once when you get the car.

And instead of getting frustrated by all the info on the Internet about cars, buy a basic book instead...more focused and better organized info. I recommend this one :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0966862309

Good luck.

http://www.autoupkeep.com/

http://education-portal.com/car_maintenance_course.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1554073332

Best I could do right now. It 12:30 am and Google is bright. I think the first link is your best bet for simple knowledge.

[This book] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/0966862309?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0) has good reviews on Amazon, although I haven't personally read it.

1. Take photos of the undercarriage. Pay close attention to the rear most back bumper area, brake lines, floor pans, and exhaust. Note any oil leaks and transmission leaks. It’s a dodge so it’s safe to say there is oil leaking ;)
   
   
2. Pull one of the wheels off the back and front to see the brakes. Back is drum, front should be rotor and pads. Take a photo. Edit#1- Drums all four corners.
   
   
3. Pop the hood and inspect the shock towers. Take photos.
   
   
4. Around the wheel wells (using a cloth) run a magnet to see if it falls off and doesn’t stick. This is an indication of bondo.
   
   
5. Spray water on the front windscreen look on the inside of the car for water leaks. Also check the cowl for rust and send photos.
   
   
6. Jack the front end of the car up and wiggle the front wheels 9 and 3 is for tie rod ends, idler arm. 6 and 12 is ball joints. Inspect and take photos.
   
   
7. Pop the trunk, check for rust. Also check the gas tank straps and gas tank itself.
   
   
8. Go back under the hood and take a video of the engine running.
   
   
9. Dry rotted tires. Take a photo.
   
   
10. Take a photo of the master cylinder. If it is a single master cylinder, you just found your first and foremost upgrade. Trust me. You want dual master cylinder.
    
    
11. Do a vin check and make sure there is a title. Older cars sometimes find their way into Liens or missing titles.
    
    Honestly, it’s a $2,600 Car. I wouldn’t go all out beating the guy up on everything, but I would argue that paying more than $2,000 for that Car might be too much. You’re going to have probably $1,500 Worth of cost to make that Car road worthy and safe-ish.
    
    If you can do those things and report back all the photos and a video, then we as a collective group can help you out better. It’s just too tough to say with just one photo. Above all else you’re in control of this purchase, do not feel rushed.
    
    Also, if this is your first project Car, I highly recommend this book for gaining some knowledge about tune ups. It’s one of my favorite books!
    
    Edit #1: I believe this Car has drums on all four corners. My bad on the brakes.

Here's a good primer.

When you start getting much more complex than that, it starts getting manufacturer specific... So unless you have a specific manufacturer picked out, I'd just learn all you can about electricity in general. You'd be surprised how many problems can be fixed with five minutes and a soldering torch that would take most mechanics a hundred dollars in new parts.

OP, the Popular Mechanics Complete Car Car Manual would be a great place to start.

Best money I've spent so far was ordering this book

http://www.amazon.com/Mazda-MX-5-Miata-1-8-Enthuasiast/dp/1845840909

Very handy and lots and lots of exploded diagrams.

This is the book they taught out of when I was at WyoTech.

This might sound trivial and silly, but really the best place to start when it comes to familiarizing yourself with all the systems that go into specifically an electric FSAE car is the rule book. Recruit a bunch of students with an EE/Mechatronics/Software/Computer Science background into your team, study the EV section of the rules, and brainstorm. As with the rest of the car, you as a team are completely free to choose how to implement your electronics so long as you are rule compliant. Other than that, this book, this book and/or this book might help (haven't read them myself).

I got this one: http://www.amazon.com/Mazda-MX-5-Miata-1-8-Enthuasiast/dp/1845840909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330887789&sr=8-1 by rod grainger but there is also a 1.6 version.

I took a course on Internal Combustion Engines.

I dont know what part of automotive you'll be working on. But if you want to learn about engines, we used This Book and it was a good resource.

This is a good book:

http://www.amazon.com/Managing-12-Volts-Troubleshoot-Electrical/dp/0964738627

Oh, they are an awesome local shop and are totally fair about their prices. I actually took it in specifically for the fork and just had them go at the other things while they had it.

Also, I don't have as much time as I used to for maintenance so I'm happy to pay someone else to do it.

I used to do most of my own stuff and still will on some of the smaller thing. I actually learned a crap load from this book and my buddy who was a bike tech: http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance-Third/dp/1884737994

I used to always buy the Bentley manual for my VWs. I have been looking at the Mini manual for a few years and am just now coming up on some repairs that might require some torque specs and other useful info from a manual. Is it worth buying this? The Amazon reviews only give it 4 stars, saying they aren't as good as they used to be. non affiliate link

A fantastic book I highly recommend is How Cars Work. It covers everything from pushrod and dohc engines to the AC system. It's written in a non technical way and really a quick read.

It would be pointless (and inaccurate) to not include the pump work from the additional turbo when finding the thermal efficiency of a turbocharged engine.

https://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Fundamentals-Internal-Combustion-Engine/dp/0131405705

My source.

Managing 12 Volts: How to Upgrade, Operate, and Troubleshoot 12 Volt Electrical Systems Updated Edition

Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is a brilliant book.

http://www.amazon.com/Popular-Mechanics-Complete-Care-Manual/dp/158816439X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256761998&sr=8-2 found it in the bargain bin at B&N for $7. Made good bathroom reading for a couple of weeks.

I don't know how you're this uninformed. Read both these books and tell me which one is harder.

• Computers
  
  
• Cars