The search function is driving me up the wall

[JPaganel]

I don't know if there is something wrong with it, with me, or with the universe at large.

I put in "fuel line" as a search term, just as you see it, in quotes. There are 34 pages of results. This is the first thread returned: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=9719.0

It is marked as being 99.9% relevant, which is a complete lie. Neither "fuel" nor "line" are in it, and most certainly there is no "fuel line" anywhere in that thread. Only five of the threads on the first page have these words in them.

I search forums before posting questions. I get this kind of thing on this board every time - pages and pages of completely irrelevant results. Doesn't matter whether I use quotes.

What am I missing?

[ken65]

same here, im glad its not just me

[fj11.5]

I typed in, fuel line size, got lots of post,  is this what your after http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2658.msg21120#msg21120

[WhiteBeard]

I usually get more exact results by searching using three or more search terms.

Otherwise, I tend to use Googles search function nowadays.
Go to www.google.com and type in:
"Searchterm 1"+Searchterm 2"@www.fjowners.com

The search results will show pages from the FJOwners site at the top.

If I search for something with less than two words using the sites search function,  I rarely get real results.

[JPaganel]

I typed in, fuel line size, got lots of post, 

That's the problem. You get lots of results that have nothing to do with the query.

[JPaganel]

I usually get more exact results by searching using three or more search terms.

That's great when you have three words to search for.

Otherwise, I tend to use Googles search function nowadays.
Go to www.google.com and type in:
"Searchterm 1"+Searchterm 2"@www.fjowners.com

I know of this workaround. I use the site: fjowners.com syntax.



I did a little googling on the subject. There are numerous results that say "SMF search sucks", but I am not sure if it's version-specific.

[WhiteBeard]

That's great when you have three words to search for.

Silly idea maybe, but if you have a search term of only two words, you could try adding a word like "and", just to reach the magic "three word" limit.

Like searching for fuel hose and, or something to that effect.

FWIW...

[JPaganel]

Silly idea maybe, but if you have a search term of only two words, you could try adding a word like "and", just to reach the magic "three word" limit.

Most forum search engines either ignore "and" and "the", or use "and" as an operator instead of a search term.

This one, apparently, does not. However, when you do that, it finds Randy in every thread he is mentioned.

[JPaganel]

Apparently, the three word trick isn't working either. Searching for "rear wheel bearing" only two results on the first page have the phrase. Everything else has absolutely nothing related to bearings of any kind.

[Harvy]

As listed a while ago........ use google search:

http://www.google.com.au/webhp?source=search_app

and then enter your search term:

rear wheel bearing site:www.fjowners.com

the "site:www.fjowners.com" part restricts google search to just this site.

You can make the search term as complex as is needed to narrow down the results you are looking for.

Harvy

[JPaganel]

I've been using the Google search with some success. I don't mind it, I visit a few other sites with barely functional search engines.


I would however, suggest that the search box at the top of the page was changed to be the Google search. Newbies are constantly directed to "use the search", and that would be very helpful.