New and Learning Slowly

I'm Tom. I'm 62 and I've been working on engines for 50 years if you count the go cart I had when I was 12! But seriously, I've just finished a 35 year stint as a software developer/business owner and dissatisfied customer of the local dealerships. I like Subarus. I have an old WRX for each of my sons and a 2018 for me. I bought my younger son a WRX project that basically had a blown engine. All I knew at the time was that it didn't run and the guy's shop had bailed on it. Once the heads were off we found shattered pistons, 2 broken connecting rods, and all the damage that goes with such a failure. I had him split the case so I was certain he understood how the internal parts work, then bought him a short block and we assembled the engine from there. Not without some drama, mind you. It's a whole lot easier to assemble an engine, even after a long break, than it is to teach someone to do it. Anyway, it's been a daily driver for over a year now. I still have plenty to learn.

While chasing a lean code I stumbled onto Paul's videos. I love them. I bought his book but don't have it in hand yet. Right now I'm using a cheap bluetooth unit plugged into the OBDII port and some Android software to log data. It's a bit like drinking from a firehose but I am slowly learning. I also have a decent real-time scanner but I'm overwhelmed by it. My goal is to learn to walk, then run.

Welcome Tom! The nice thing about what I offer on my site is the ability to learn at your own pace!

I'm a parts changer who's determined to reform!

Great to have you here Tom I think the most important thing is that we learn and are willing to change. Fast or slow doesn't really matter.

Welcome Yes something satisfying about building an engine up, something you never forget how to do and it teaches how to work in logical steps double checking every step. I still remember the first MG XPAG engine I built up back in the early 1970's.
With a scantool just OBD II live data just looking at how sensor readings change as the engine warms up and responds to different throttle openings and loads is a useful exercise will teach you not to be overwhelmed by all the different PIDs.