Haynes Manual Garbage
 

I purchased a 65-89 911 Haynes manual from Pelican and am thinking about using it as toilet paper. That is about how useful it is for my 83SC.
I would say 90% of the book is geared toward the longhoods with a little bit of info on the mid year cars and like zero info on SCs or Carerras so why is says 65-89 I have no idea. Plus the randomness of it let you believe a blind man laid it out. It has pictures and a caption of how to remove a interior light bulb from your headliner in the suspension section and numerous other random out of place crap like that.
Plus I wasn't sure on the validity of the info from the start. One of the first chapters covers jacking up your car. It has a big warning that says NEVER JACK AGAINST YOUR ENGINE??????? As I was reading it my car was in the garage with the back end up in the air on jack stands and to get it there you better believe I jacked against the center of my engine over the drain plug!?!?!?
Except for like one page that lists a few torque setting I have no flippen idea what the use of this book is to me.
I thought I had seen in posts on here that is was mandatory that I have one of these books. Wayne's book yhea that is mandatory this POS although???

Go for the Bentley manual on SC's. It isn't perfect, but it is a million times better than the haynes, and the second best book behind the workshop manuals. Pelican sells it, here is the part number: PEL-P983

I don't know anyone who would recommend the Haynes. It isn't even thick enough to use as a wheel chock. The only thing I've used it for is the diagram of the 915 shafts - I like the layout (of the gears/shaft) better than my factory manuals.
-Chris

What do you expect for $20.-??????
My library:
Bentley SC Repair Manual,
Bruce Anderson's Performance Handbook,
Wayne's Engine Rebuild,
Wayne's 101 Projects,
Haynes
They all have something helpful in them.
The warning about NOT to jack up on the engine is real, issued from the Porsche factory.

Then why does everyone I know jack on the engine it has always worked for me?

If you search and read the archives here, you will find that using the engine case as a jacking point can result in a cracked case. We all do it; I use a custom made block of wood to distribute the load. AFAIK, the factory doesn't recommend using the underside of the motor and Haynes would be remiss if they told you to do it that way instead of other methods.

I have gotten infor out of Haynes that I thought was good and the way it was written sometimes makes more sense than others, especially the factory workshop manuals. What I'm saying is that when you read 3 different versions of the same job, you're bound to understand what to do better. The trans is a good example. AFA the manual being slanted towards longhoods, a lot of the procedures did not change with the model years. Like front wheel bearings, you only have to print it once and it covers '65 to '89, just like the book says. Or CV joints, only the size and number of bolts changed. Other little nuances are noted in the sections. AFA the interior lights, well you got me on that one.

I have a Haynes for every vehicle I own, and in most cases, a back up. I don't agree with the thread. Why don't you just return it and not rant so much?

Excuse me milt but the whole damn purpose of this BBS is to post your opinion on things related to the 911. A) This topic is def. related to the 911 B) it is my opinion so don’t tell me not to post it C) proof read before you post partner. Your post is abuot as clear as my Haynes manual. (I have gotten infor out of Haynes )

PS...If you read the posts you will also notice that others have found the Haynes to be a POS also.

Haynes books can be useful, but they do have limitations. I've done a lot of car work over the years for family and friends and I usually buy a Haynes book for each type of car I've worked on. My collection right now has 63 manuals in it. They are a bargain at less than $20 in my opinion. I think the older (British) editions were better than the newer ones. Most of them even cover rebuilding manual gearboxes, while all the newer ones omit that info.
Nothing can beat a factory book for complete info, I have factory books for every car I've owned, but for the price and knowing the limitations, I do like Haynes books.

You got what you paid for...

kwm,

Where else are you going to get factory paper-copy schematics for your specific car, as on pp. 310 - 315??? For that alone ... you got your moneys worth, many times over!!!

<b>Your ranting, and this thread, is pointless, and a TOTAL WASTE OF BANDWIDTH!</b>

the whole damn purpose of this BBS is to post [information or questions] on [technical] things related to the 911

That said, everyone will agree that the Haynes is not the greatest, tho it does have its points. In general, the Bentley is much better - esp for your car. It's $70.

The factory manuals are several hundred dollars...

So the ranting is ill advised. Rant about the unfused wires that can burn your car to a crisp...

Just when I was starting to relax... LOL now I remember what I was going to do last weekend.

:eek:A little testy this morning, are we?

Geez, If you start busting guys around here for a minor mispelling you'll never do anything else. I cringe over the guys that use "then" and "than" interchangeably - no Superman, your car is NOT faster "then" a speeding bullet. Guys that don't know their cars do not stop with "breaks" etc!

Milt has been around here a hell of a long time and usually has an on-the-mark opinion to offer. I think he's right that the Haynes - though not as detailed as other manuals - does have a different perspective to offer.

Remember that you're the one that made this thread a rant by proposing to use it as toilet paper. You could have just posted that you don't find it useful or that you prefer other references. Let the flame war begin.

The Haynes manual does have one or two tidbits, worth the $20 or so that it costs, as a backup or secondary reference.

As for jacking up the car from the bottom of the engine? Theoretically, it's probably not the best thing to do. However, having done this many times, I have never had any damage, nor have I ever heard of anyone's case every cracking or becoming damaged as a result. I do know that if you jack from side to side, and don't support your car properly, it can slip off the jack and cause damage to you and/or the car. This has happened to me with other cars, unfortunately, that didn't have good jacking support points.

-Wayne

Show me any manual from anyone that says 'use a BFH' to get something off, and then show me ONE technician anywhere that has not used one.

I disagree that the Haynes is garbage. I've used them for 20+ different cars over the years and find them every bit worth the money I paid. Yes, there are some glitches here or there but toilet paper? I think not.

Oh, BTW, my bet would be milt (a.k.a. somebody who knows his stuff) has forgotten more about Porsches than many of us on this BBS will ever know. How 'bout we play nice? ;)

one was stuffed under the seat when I purchased my car, and I use it quite often for electrical info. The schematics are pretty good. With that said I still use this BBS as my primary source.

Haynes is really bad.

the only part useful has been the color spark plug photos that help you diagnose your engine.

definitely get the bentley and also waynes book (he has many cool tips that can really save you trouble which bentley never mentions)

i should add, that for the price, its ok to have it as long as its not your main manual

milt knows very little -- he only has 341 posts!!

The Haynes manual has never helped me in any way. I wish they made a Bentley manual for the mid year 911's.