4 Grand Master
O.T. Rant - Chilton manuals
Had to bitch about this as I know I'm not alone and perhaps will save someone from wasting their hard earned cash.
Has anyone ever gotten any useful information from a Chilton's repair manual??
I know better than to use these for anything automotive but needed snowmobile info and went to the public library in search of answers. All they had was a Chilton repair manual.
Most worthless bunch of crap I've seen in a while. Absolutely no diagnostic information of any merit to anyone who can tell a spark plug from a gas cap.
Page after worthless page of how to store shop rags or riding apparel choices. Really!
Hot tips like checking resistance in certain components but no specs given.
I don't know a ****ing thing about two stroke motors or snowmobiles, and still don't.
These books make a Haynes manual look like factory stuff.
So, unless you are a complete friggin' idiot, in which case leave the service to the pros, don't ever waste your time with one of these awful wastes of paper and ink.
Thank you, I'm better now.
"The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"
2 Grand Master
Glad you got that off your chest
First. Snowmachines are meant to be repaired without a manual, after a significant number of alcoholic beverages.
Second. I have the Bentley, the Haynes and the Chiltons for the e34. While few would disagree that Bentley is best, the Haynes does have nice pretty pictures and half-decent body/trim type 'stuff'. The only saving grace for the Chiltons is the information on bottom end repair (not hemorrhoids), which is an area that Bentley falls short.
Dave
10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
*RIP Oskar the DOG*
3 Grand Master
The comic books of repair
started more fires with these volumes of toilet paper.
Vee ave vays of dealing vid your kind...........
4 Grand Master
You have tipped your hand dear Dave. Sounds like you have carnal knowledge of said conveyances. Thunder Bay in your profile seals it!
Care to help? Old Kaw, no sparky.
Major Contributor
Yes! I learned that they are...Originally Posted by Ross
Exactly.
1997 535i V8
5spd, OBC, A/C, cruise, BMW phone, factory M-Tech wheel & suspension, 18" Alpinas
Green Beret Special Ops
I learned about the chiltons back in the late 70s, they were oil soak items back then too...they are so bad that they wont burn unless you presoak them in oil too.
95 E34 530I V2.37
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy
4 Grand Master
Hey, are you the astronaut the the astronaut chick in pampers is in trouble over?
Major Contributor
LOL...Houston, we have a problem...
Big Time Poster
The Clymer's manual for my 1989 Polaris is about 560 pages. When you are out in the middle of nowhere and it is 10 below it is nice to know that you fixed it right. I also have the Bentley and Haynes manuals for the e34. The Bentley is very good and the Haynes less good. Chilton's have always been kind of useless and lately they have gotten worse, IMHOGlad you got that off your chest
First. Snowmachines are meant to be repaired without a manual, after a significant number of alcoholic beverages.
Second. I have the Bentley, the Haynes and the Chiltons for the e34. While few would disagree that Bentley is best, the Haynes does have nice pretty pictures and half-decent body/trim type 'stuff'. The only saving grace for the Chiltons is the information on bottom end repair (not hemorrhoids), which is an area that Bentley falls short.
Dave
1992 BMW 525iT (sold)
1998 V70R
Super Moderator
Actually the chilton's professional
manuals are pretty good, they have info in them that i haven't found anywhere else.
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