Any good reason to continue to post an opinion?

[Neil Harvey]

I post here to give advice, another opinion and the professional approach to problems and issues. My professional opinion and way, NOT the only way.

I base my opinions and ways on how I was taught from some of the best in the business. From my years in F1, CART, IMSA and 30+ years in business myself, building race and high performance engines.

You learn a little something working for yourself, but mainly do things the way you were taught. The basics stay the same.

Its my way, my opinion and if it helps anyone, then great. I do not do this to enter into war of words with someone I have no clue of who it is, what their working experience is and what they do or do not know.

When this happens, either my opinion is discounted, which is perfectly OK, but it has to be backed up with an idea that is creditable, or my message of help and opinion is lost.

For those I may have helped, your welcome. I suggest if you add an opinion and feel so strongly about it, maybe give some background on YOUR experience and knowledge. Maybe many including myself would not be turned off so much.

Experience and past history working in the industry goes along way with adding credibility.

I have decided to have a week long "finding true TDC" course at my place of business for those that are interested. I may throw some other "hands on" features, like rebuilding these engines and include some of the typical machining processes.

[dannobee]

Some of us value your opinion, Neil. Please keep posting.

I too get frustrated and have learned to just brush it off.

Me? 30+ years working at dealerships of various makes. Started out racing autocross and drag racing, then 25+ years racing nascar, many of that as a crew chief. Helped out a friend with his street stock and before I could stop, moved up the ranks to Late Models, Super Late Models, Southwest Tour, Winston West, all asphalt tracks. Won a few races, had some good times, lost a few friends. Quit after I no longer considered it fun. And I sure like having weekends off now.

[Neil Harvey]

My very first race in the US after leaving FI was the Indianapolis 500. I had never been to or seen an oval race. After spending many years watching cars turning left and right, to see them just turn left and at speed was an eye opener. I gained huge respect for those driving and working on cars for oval racing. There are huge amounts of unique requirements both for engines and chassis set ups.

The first time I saw the cars at Indy, the front wheels had me totally confused. Then the requirements for the engine was another matter all together.

Glad to meet you sir and to speak to another race guy with time under his belt. We are a small band of brothers who were lucky enough to do this for a living.

[Helix8]

I too value your insight Neil and learn something from each of your posts. I would not like losing your posting in this forum. My suggestion to your recent distractor is for him to apply the research he so proudly expounds and puts on display (right or wrong) and compare Neil’s experience in motor sports with his own. Having the last word on all topics does not make this distractor the expert he thinks he is.

[winders]

Now you are playing the martyr card and threaten that you will only continue to post advice and opinions if no one offers up resistance to what you say.

All I did was say that the positive stop method should be at least as accurate as the dial indicator method you prefer. No where did I knock your idea or your experience.

You take any comment that does not agree with you 100% as some kind of personal attack and attack the person disagreeing with you with sarcastic comments or challenges to their experience and knowledge.

I think it is great that people like you and Henry share you knowledge and opinions. What isn't great is how you both handle ideas, opinions, or experience that don't 100% line up up with your own.

Let's look at my crazy and somehow stupid opinions that have cause controversy on this forum:

Inductive ignition systems can work incredibly well for high output race engines.

While it works, it's not a great idea to use 2 ignition coils with a single MSD ignition. It's better to use a single coil with a single MSD ignition as they were designed to be used.

993 Twin Turbo head studs work and work well.

Using the positive stop method to measure TDC works and is accurate.

Oh my God....the heresy! None of those opinions need a degree in engineering or a zillion years of experience to form and be valid.

[Neil Harvey]

Originally Posted by Helix8

I too value your insight Neil and learn something from each of your posts. I would not like losing your posting in this forum. My suggestion to your recent distractor is for him to apply the research he so proudly expounds and puts on display (right or wrong) and compare Neil’s experience in motor sports with his own. Having the last word on all topics does not make this distractor the expert he thinks he is.

Thank you. That makes me feel I contribute some value.

As I have said, its another opinion and experience. Its never the only way. I try to back everything up with experience, and knowledge. I won't just say something without having tried it or failed at it.

To say some thing is accurate is so subjective. One man's accuracy is another man's misfortune in the engine world. At what tolerance is accurate. DIY work could be as accurate as the most professional engine companies work too, or it could shade tree stuff. Some shops are not so accurate either.

I offer an opinion based on what we do and try give an idea of our level of accuracy. We work to four and sometimes 5 decimal places, 1/10th's of degrees of angle all of the time. You have to walk the walk.

Some may not have had the fortune to be around high end engine builds. I hope those people, can gain something from my posts.

I don't take offence if you don't agree. I give it and its free. I lose nothing. If you have another opinion, I look where it comes from, and base the creditability of the response on that.

I have 12 followers on here. Don't knock it, you know who else had 12 followers?

[stanglife]

Do the class, I'm up for some learning!

[MikeDL]

I really appreciate you, Henry, and other actual experts who offer advice here. Please continue. I doubt anyone has trouble figuring out who is all hat, no cattle

[Inkblot]

Hi Neil,

I’ve really benefited from your advice on my own project, and enjoyed your other posts as well. I think this forum is a better place with you in it.

Best regards,

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Henry Schmidt]

Almost 20 years ago, Wayne Dempsey created this forum as a way to help DIY engine builders navigate the pitfalls of the 911 engine process exposed in his engine rebuild book. Wayne wrote the book based on research not experience, so his advice lacked the gravitas that comes with real world trial and error.
Shortly after starting the forum, Wayne stepped back and let professional engine builders form the foundation only experience could provide.
Newbies with "all the answers" come and go but the true value of this forum remains in the advice of the professionals who have dedicated their lives to making 911 engines work properly.

On a side note: It's interesting to watch how often the "want a be" makes personality the issue as apposed to fundamental knowledge.

[detroit]

The advice and information gleaned from the pros on this forum is the pretty much the only reason I'm here. And frankly, I don't know whether I'd have taken on my rebuild project if forums like this didn't exist.
Please, guys, don't leave!
Otherwise it's just a bunch of guys talking about cars... I can do that at work.

[AVI_8]

Neil you would have 13 followers if I could figure out how to follow!

As mentioned previously it’s guys like you and Henry who have a lifetime of practical experience and who come on here at your own time expense to share your knowledge, if people like you leave because you’re sick and tired of know it all scrotums constantly trying to belittle your comments then everyone loses out.

Unfortunately it’s just a matter of fact that Internet forums seem to attract people who wish to reinvent the wheel, they try something which may have worked for them, perhaps more through luck than good practice, then they tell others that that’s the way to go. Forums are a great place for argumentative people I’ve found over the years, it’s a perfect platform for that kind of bad behaviour.

[Glenfield]

I'll swim against this particular stream and also tip my hat to Winders. There's a place for the patrons as well as the providers. They provide yet another perspective and, in the case of Winders, one that's seemingly well founded in research (that he puts his hard earned behind). Not p&ssing in his pocket as I very often don't love the tone, but he's not alone in that (and I think it's all overdone anyway and heated discussion is healthy).

The engine builders that help here are a tremendous resource. It's also a 15-20 year interview for would be purchasers of their services. Now most don't need additional business at this point, and so I'm grateful for their philanthropy and contributions as a newbie. Once upon a time though, there probably was a nice symbiotic relationship between the Pelican and the Engine Builder, and these here boards.

[dtxscott]

Originally Posted by Neil Harvey

I have decided to have a week long "finding true TDC" course at my place of business for those that are interested. I may throw some other "hands on" features, like rebuilding these engines and include some of the typical machining processes.

I'm up for this. I find that everybody has their own tricks of the trade. Providing them for the collective helps others avoid expensive mistakes.

"Learning is in the doing"

[Alfasrule]

This is why I enjoy this site. I enjoy all the POST's. You guys are a riot and you all make my day. I'm an ALFA guy and the alfabb site is not as entertaining as this one.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Alfasrule

This is why I enjoy this site. I enjoy all the POST's. You guys are a riot and you all make my day. I'm an ALFA guy and the alfabb site is not as entertaining as this one.

I love Alphas! Especially the GTA race car!

[bickyd]

I am not much for words. (or my message of help and opinion is lost.) not a chance bub.

[Jeff Alton]

Ok, before another thread gets closed.....

Can we all just be comfortable with the opinions we post??? Some come from experience, some come from what we read, some come from interacting with other professionals and some come from who knows where....

If you are confident in your opinion because it comes from experience or from learning from other's experience, whey do you a ?u(K what others think of it??? Is it worth starting a thread to quietly say you are smarter than everyone else? If you are, and you have some sort of self confidence, you will know the reader will recognize and respect your point of view. If they don't, who cares???

I will be up front and say that sometimes, "winders" annoys me with his delivery, but not his content. But, I may question him from time to time, but it is all good. I don't think he gets offended, but accepts the challenge of being questioned and responds appropriately. At the end of the day, I would love to sit down with all of the people in this forum who are at odds, have a beer, and share ideas.... It would be amazing.

Although I don't always agree, I appreciate the view points brought to the discussions.

So lets not get but hurt by people that have a differing opinion. Could we all improve our delivery?? YES! If we are secure in our thoughts, we have no need to post these sort of thoughts...

Lets not ruin this amazing engine building forum.

Cheers

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

Ok, before another thread gets closed.....

Can we all just be comfortable with the opinions we post??? Some come from experience, some come from what we read, some come from interacting with other professionals and some come from who knows where....

If you are confident in your opinion because it comes from experience or from learning from other's experience, whey do you a ?u(K what others think of it??? Is it worth starting a thread to quietly say you are smarter than everyone else? If you are, and you have some sort of self confidence, you will know the reader will recognize and respect your point of view. If they don't, who cares???

I will be up front and say that sometimes, ”winders" annoys me with his delivery, but not his content. But, I may question him from time to time, but it is all good. I don't think he gets offended, but accepts the challenge of being questioned and responds appropriately. At the end of the day, I would love to sit down with all of the people in this forum who are at odds, have a beer, and share ideas.... It would be amazing.

Although I don't always agree, I appreciate the view points brought to the discussions.

So lets not get but hurt by people that have a differing opinion. Could we all improve our delivery?? YES! If we are secure in our thoughts, we have no need to post these sort of thoughts...

Lets not ruin this amazing engine building forum.

Cheers

Jeff,

You are a diplomat. I wanted to respond earlier but was worried to offend someone’s ego. Self controlled has never been not my strong suit. Thanks.

Tony

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

Neil, I appreciate your contributions here. Your post typically seem well thought out, insightful, and backed up by your hands-on/real world experience. Pelican would be worse off if you stopped posting.

I am an artist and sometimes I am invited to guest lecture by universities, museums, and professional organizations. What always shocks me are people who sign up and pay to hear me speak yet refuse to actually listen and hear my words because they have already decided they know everything about the topic and refuse to be open to the ideas and experiences of others.

You have to ignore those people whose minds you will never change and focus your attention on all those people you are reaching who do want to hear yours words and are positively impacted by your experiences and insights.

I may never have the courage to rebuild a 911 engine on my own but I am interested in how they work and how to make them perform better. I always come away from reading your post with some new nugget of information that gives me a greater appreciation for all that goes into these rebuilds and for your knowledge and contributions to this forum.