FAQ's are normally found in places like business websites where products are purchased and your looking for a solution to a "frequently asked question". As you all know, this is a forum, which is just that. A forum for members to come in and chat and ask questions, looking for solutions to problems. The entire forum is a FAQ. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked what a RAVE valve was, I'd be rich!........
The biggest problem I see in the forum, is members and none members alike, come in looking for an answer and posting a question, without doing a search. And I know why, I do the same thing when I go to other web sites. Everyone is in to much of a hurry to find an answer to their question and they do not want to scroll through the thousands of FAQ's looking for that answer.
This forum does have a search engine designed to help you find an answer to your question based on key words. But how many people do you think actually use it? I know for a fact, that everyday I come in, there is a question that I'm going to respond to that I've responded to over and over again. I don't complain, I just do it because I know from experience, that when I go in to another site, I want that same kind of service.
As to mechanical advice and problem solving. It's kinda hard to give accurate advice on a problem, without being there to diagnose it by visually looking for it and moving things around with your hand. A lot of the time, we are driving blind folded. Some members come in with complete descriptions that are so vivid, I (or other members) see just what the member is describing. Then, we get these other questions that, make you want to scratch your head in confusion because you have no idea what in the hell they are even talking about.
The forum is already broken into several sections and it works for me. I have had several topics posted on several issues that seem to be recurring ones. But funny as it was, there were several post a question when the post and other answers submitted by members was right in front of them.
The other thing I find funny is the "phantom" problems. I don't know how many permanent members have noticed, but there have been posts made where after several questions were made by members, to help this person with their problem, when I could see right through them, that they obviously were in the forum, just to have something to say or do. Obviously not even owning a Seadoo, much less any other PWC.
And as for the advice. Robin, you know as well as I that there is always a good debate started when members have different opinions (which we haven't had a good debate in a while. DAWG must be on vacation...:rofl
about oil, fuel, how to block off the oil injection pump and a host of many other issues. That's what makes it fun. No one in here, including me, has all the answers. That's why it takes all of us to help out and get our "friends" and co-dooers back on the water. I'm a mechanic, as is DAWG, Karl, All Things Custom and a few others I may work with often. And there are some that came here with little knowledge of the Rotax, now I read their advice and see they have learned alot!......
So while I understand your ideas, I don't think it would matter. You could have a FAQ dedicated solely to DI engines with trouble shoot and repair and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you would still see someone open a thread asking a question with an answer starring them in the face from the FAQ..............so, although in theory, your ideas are good ones, in reality, I think it would probably be a waste of time.
Good ideas, just not truly feasible..........................:cheers:
