Welcome to the group.
I don't think gained knowledge has anything to do with gender and everything to do with will. I don't care what it is about.
Funny you mention cookbooks. I use them much like I do service manuals. Reference and a general idea about procedure. The books give me an idea about how it goes together and works. I figure out what to do with it. I rarely follow recipes anymore. Just put things together on the fly with what's on hand. Recipes are just idea generators, now. The exception is baking. Those formulas/ratios have to be adhered to.
So, there is no need to fear the machine. Expect to make some mistakes (and redo work) while learning and don't let it discourage you. It's part of the learning process, and you make less blunders as your knowledge base expands.
It is true though, that the more research you do, the less chance of making costly errors. Everything can be fixed. Just a matter of time and money.
You picked a more difficult entry into machine repair, one that has already been bodged by someone else. Its can be difficult to separate kludges and improper repair from good reliable repair practices when your only example is from someone else's failed attempt.
The manual can help teach you what ought to be. But, it is not all inclusive.
The Honda Common service manual has pretty good info...
http://www.mediafire.com/?9o4y2jfv3r9http://www.mediafire.com/?6xnfimecei2Kind of a mechanics bedside reader...
Cheers,
