Repair/mechanic tricks and or tips?

[ctpres]

When working on things with small parts. Spread white towel on bench as work surface. Keeps parts from rolling around and makes them easier to see when putting things back together. Towel also works for folks with lots of pills, keeps pills from rolling off.

 

[OKnewguy]

Along the lines of woodchuckie's hose to the ear trick. You can use a large screwdriver of file or whatever to diagnose noises. You carefully hold the tool against your ear with a extra firm grip, and then put the tip against the different defices in your engine compartment. This work great to find out which defices has a bearing going out.
Dave

P.S. keep it away from moving parts!

 

[Jarrett]

Along the lines of woodchuckie's hose to the ear trick. You can use a large screwdriver of file or whatever to diagnose noises. You carefully hold the tool against your ear with a extra firm grip, and then put the tip against the different defices in your engine compartment. This work great to find out which defices has a bearing going out.
Dave

P.S. keep it away from moving parts!

A wooden dowel rod will work too.

 

[bamatoolmaker]

Has anyone mentioned the importance of safety glasses?I had to have a steel shaving drilled out of my eye a few years back and I dont want to go through that ever again.

 

[AMP762]

How many of you have ever put pennys on the bat.to keep acid of the posts?

 

[KennethBrown]

Along the lines of woodchuckie's hose to the ear trick. You can use a large screwdriver of file or whatever to diagnose noises. You carefully hold the tool against your ear with a extra firm grip, and then put the tip against the different defices in your engine compartment. This work great to find out which defices has a bearing going out.
Dave

P.S. keep it away from moving parts!

Along these same lines is another tip. Pulling a plug wire (or loosening the injector line) will quiet some of the knock on the bad bearing if its a rod bearing. Pull the wires one at a time till the noise quiets down.

 

[dbdartman]

So many tips I can't even begin to remember them all, but most are old Mopar specific (like fittiing the flex plate to torque converter BEFORE bolting anything together & spary painting one flex plate ear so when you bolt everythign up under the car you're not bolting, turning, unbolting, turning, & bolting again due to the single off-set converter lug).

The 4" adjustable wrench on my key chain has come in handy more times than I can ever begin to count over the last 30 years!

 

[Soundguy]

Speaking of keychain tools.. my leatherman, and leatherman micra have fixed almost as many things in the last few years as my full set of tools... usually on the side of the road at midnight, under your truck or hood, flashlight in mouth, and something hot dripping on you while you struggle to repair whatever it is that let go...

Soundguy

 

[Bird]

I've been fortunate in not having to use them very often, but I keep a leatherman and flashlight in each of our vehicles.

 

[LAD1DER]

Use BP Blaster (available at NAPA) to loosen rusted bolts and nuts. It does what the others claim to do. Best tip I ever found.

I agree, the PB Blaster outworks WildDog40, Liquid Wrench, etc. When I know I'm going to tackle a problem I try to spray the bolts and nuts with it the day before I'm going to start. This pre-treating has really helped when removing exhaust manifolds and other parts that have been subjected to heat.

I usually coat any bolt or stud with plain wheel bearing grease before I tighten it. Makes it easier to break free in the future. (the grease will burn out of hot applications though). Works well on lug nuts too.

When in unfamiliar territory, the digital camera does a great job of reminding me how it all came apart.

Even if you're not doing work on an electrical component, it may be a good idea to disconnect the battery. Your tool may slip and short out something, causing a spark (see below) or worse. A friend was under a truck load of hay when his wrench slipped and crossed the starter solenoid. The truck rolled onto his leg, breaking his femur.

Don't forget that gasoline vapors are heavier than air, and if you are heating your work space with anything that may be ignition source, be extrememly careful with your fuel. I've seen several garage fires due to fuel mishandling with electric or kerosene heaters. ( the most vivid memory was the 8" tall flame lazily burning out of the fuel fill opening on the rear deck of a Corvette under restoration after we put the fire in the garage out )

Wheel Chocks are a good idea, always. Take the key out of the ignition too, makes you think before starting it up (did I refill the crankcase before the phone call?)

If you are going to pull a wire through a long run of conduit, tie a string of adequate lentgh to a plastic grocery bag. Put the string on a dowel or the like to assure it will pay out freely. Stuff the bag in one end of the conduit, and place your shop vac on the other end of the conduit. You will pull the bag through the conduit, bringing the string with it to pull the wire or heavier cord to pull with. It doesn't hurt anything to pull an extra string through and leave it for future pulls.

You can rub in some good grease cutting dishwashing liquid like hand lotion before beginning a nasty job. Hands will clean easier later.

Old shower curtains are good to carry if you have to get under something on wet ground.