The Repair/Mechanic tidbits and tricks of the trade

[yotarob]

1. Carefully use a wooden screw (very coarse thread) to screw into and literally pull out oil seals...ie rear main/ front main.

Along the same line, for cam and crank seals I like to drill a small 3/32" hole in the metal ring of the oil seal and by hand screw in a short sheet metal screw just 1 or 2 turns. Then you can use a flat head screw driver and pry under the head of the screw to remove the seal.

 

[TacoXpo]

Gasoline= No eye brows, long story. I picked up some carb cleaner from Autozone and it didn't do anything but the blue generic bottle from walmart rocks! Once around the rim did the trick.

Yeah, I should prob get some into my recovery box. ...or a spray bottle for gasoline - I've always got gas!

 

[jdmcq]

Grease in freezer? Never heard of that one. Why?

 

[TacoXpo]

Grease in freezer? Never heard of that one. Why?

Some greases become soup like after a while!

 

[drew02a]

Some greases become soup like after a while!

Or get rancid

 

[jdmcq]

Some greases become soup like after a while!

Or get rancid

Never kept it around that long.

I have learned much today. Thank you both.

 

[Taco Loco]

Grease in freezer? Never heard of that one. Why?

You should never question what Grandpa preaching, he knows...

99% of the automotive greases will not freeze, easy to store without destroying your grease into a form of soup/liquid.

 

[Taco Loco]

Yeah, I should prob get some into my recovery box. ...or a spray bottle for gasoline - I've always got gas!

I saw grandpa use the old leaded gas on the farm D tractor tire to re set and seal it on the rim,
his quote "You'd better stand back, son" "your mama will never let me hear the end of this story!"

 

[Taco Loco]

The use of magnetic trays are a must, when removing several bolts/parts.

"make sure important parts don't go AWOL in the middle of a repair project--any ferrous-metal object placed in the tray STAYS in the tray."

 

[Silverback]

The use of magnetic trays are a must, when removing several bolts/parts.

"make sure important parts don't go AWOL in the middle of a repair project--any ferrous-metal object placed in the tray STAYS in the tray."

x2! I have a few of these and they are great! My only problem is that mine are all covered with grinder shavings.

 

[Taco Loco]

x2! I have a few of these and they are great! My only problem is that mine are all covered with grinder shavings.

Pressure wash them

 

[Silverback]

great idea!

 

[Taco Loco]

Use old panty hose from yo ol lady as a precleaner around the filters on shop vacs

 

[Yesmar]

Whenever you change the oil take a rag and lightly dip in in the old oil and wipe down all the engine bay plastics, and rubber. It's free and it doesn't dry them out and your engine bay will always look new! Not a lot, just a little bit.
This car had 125,000 miles

Im a mechanic at a used car lot. I'll try to think of some other stuff.

 

[Anathollo]

Nice! Keep em coming.

 

[drew02a]

I just spray the whole bay with WD40

 

[TacoXpo]

Many of the guys that I wheel with that are professional race drivers/stunt drivers just WD nearly EVERYTHING instead of trying to keep up with paint. Especially the surfaces that get sandblasted by the desert sand.

 

[tx_shooter]

Wait.... we are supposed to clean under the hood?

 

[Taco Loco]

Splinter or metal shaving into finger or skin??


A couple drops of Elmers glue and 15min later peel glue off and out comes the splinter.

 

[Taco Loco]

All lawn equip, weedeaters, mowers, blowers, chainsaws, power washers etc....

Always use premium gas and a treatment like STA-BIL Ethanol Fuel Treatment & Stabilizer to all your small engine fuel.

Ethanol attracts water. When the two get together, they create the perfect environment to grow a type of bacteria called acetobacter. After getting drunk on their EPA-sponsored kegger in your gas tank, the acetobacter excrete acetic acid. And acetic acid is very corrosive.