Mechanics: Tips and tricks you've learned

[bwringer]

A light bulb is also great for putting a load on a circuit. This is a good way to track down almost-broken wires, or connections or wires too corroded to pass more than a trickle of current.

Sometimes (too often, really) you find something where the voltage reads just fine, but there's just one strand of wire still connected, or there's hidden corrosion. A meter or small test light will read good, but with a load on the circuit you can reproduce the problem and start finding it.

Whether you're a pro or an amateur, the more you learn about diagnosing and fixing electrical problems, the more you'll rise above the mere parts changers. Far too many mechanics are scared to death of wires.

 

[ArcReactorKC]

A light bulb is also great for putting a load on a circuit. This is a good way to track down almost-broken wires, or connections or wires too corroded to pass more than a trickle of current.

Sometimes (too often, really) you find something where the voltage reads just fine, but there's just one strand of wire still connected, or there's hidden corrosion. A meter or small test light will read good, but with a load on the circuit you can reproduce the problem and start finding it.

Whether you're a pro or an amateur, the more you learn about diagnosing and fixing electrical problems, the more you'll rise above the mere parts changers. Far too many mechanics are scared to death of wires.

I keep an old sealed beam around for this exact purpose. Living in northernish MO, there is lots of corrosion and rust. I find my fluke will tell me 12v all day long but with any load the voltage drops. Hook up the sealed beam and see it dim I know we have a corroded connection somewhere.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I keep an old sealed beam around for this exact purpose. Living in northernish MO, there is lots of corrosion and rust. I find my fluke will tell me 12v all day long but with any load the voltage drops. Hook up the sealed beam and see it dim I know we have a corroded connection somewhere.

My sealed beam I bought a wiring harness pigtail for and soldered on stacking banana jacks. Making getting it into a circuit very easy, between back probes, gators, terminals, etc.

For anything important, I like to just voltage drop the circuit with the 5amps hooked up. All of my test lights are made in the manor above now. Makes life very easy.

 

[jeepnatv4life]

I keep an old sealed beam around for this exact purpose. Living in northernish MO, there is lots of corrosion and rust. I find my fluke will tell me 12v all day long but with any load the voltage drops. Hook up the sealed beam and see it dim I know we have a corroded connection somewhere.

I have a 3057 socket and bulb with both Light Circuit soldered together with T-Pins on the hot and ground wires for checking voltages

 

[handmadeMI]

Best advice I got as a mechanic came from the more senior guy watching me whale away on a part with a hammer. “If you have to use that much force, you are probably doing it wrong. “. He was correct, when I turned the part around and stopped trying to install it upside down, it went in much easier. This advice can also apply to non shop related situations.

 

[JradM]

I've learned to mark things. This is supplemental to pulling out my phone for photos.

E.g. I have a few colors of paint pens in my tool box and add a quick dot to hoses, wires, clips, etc, and their associated installation locations. I also have a small AA battery-powered engraver that I can use on metal.

There are times when I've used that engraver to mark other information too - e.g. torque specs, firing orders, etc. I don't do that through paint or anywhere it will compromise the surface though.

I even have my lug nut torques written with permanent paint pen right on my winter wheels. My race bike's triple clamps have the torque values beside the upper and lower bolts, on the engine mounts, etc.

I might not go writing numbers all over a customer's car with a paint pen, but having that information right in front of me for tasks I do frequently on my own machines has saved so much time.

 

[bonneyman]

Use emory boards for cleaning/sanding/sharpening. I usually get the wife's used ones when she's about ready to toss them - still plenty of grit for shop use. Used one the other day to resharpen the cutting wheel on a fav can opener. Worked like a champ!

Actually found a NOS unopened package of USA-made emory boards at an estate sale. When I plopped it down at the cashier I asked the lady taking the money not to judge me because of my purchase!

 

[bubinga]

I'd like to learn as many things as I train to be a mechanic. To professional mechanics to those who work on their own cars, what are some tips you can pass along that you have been taught, stumbled across, learned the hard way, learned in hindsight, or learned as an eye opener? They don't have to be earth shattering, but we've all needed someone or something to teach us a lesson.

I've learned many myself and will throw a couple out there too.

*Nail polish/ paint pen/ colored sharpies for marking bolts of different locations when having to remove multiple parts
*Draw a rough shape of the water pump (or other part) on cardboard and poke then different sized bolts into it. This keeps them in the right spot and prevents them from becoming mixed up
*Several strips of painter's tape over openings (if you remove a valve cover, for instance) to prevent crud and stuff from falling into the newly exposed area
*If you have an older vehicle that has an ignition module, keep an extra one and the removal tool in your vehicle

Didn't read the whole thread yet but if you open a brake system put a brake pedal depressor on the brake pedal and that'll keep your fluid from draining out.
If you have a hung up brake caliper while it's hung up crack the bleeder valve if it instantly releases it's normally the brake hose acting as a one-way valve.

 

[bubinga]

I concur with using colored zip ties to match lines/hoses in crowded areas, I prefer zip ties as they can be put on filthy components without cleaning first, and removed easily. I buy the cheapo neon colored ones for such tasks.

On the same idea, use zip ties and bungies to hold wiring harnesses and similar objects out of your way. Unless removal is 100% required, make an access path, get in, change the part, get out. Touch as little as is possible. The more you touch, the more problems you invite.

Note fastener pitch and length upon removal. If they are different/random - Either mark what you are removing with a "TDC" mark, and remove all the fasteners clock-wise, or place the fasteners in the new part as they come out. This shows you where all the bolts are as well in blind areas. Remove the component, swap the fasteners into the old component top show location, and reinstall the new one.

Take the child-safety latches off all your lighters. Makes it easier to light the torch, and when used repeatedly it doesn't beat your thumb up as bad.

Quote high, and reduce cost if parts survive disassembly. Mainly a technique for shitboxes, but one needs to assume all bolts will be frozen in the bushings, expect to cut that control arm out with the torch, etc. Then attack the job as normal, and be the hero who dropped the bill, not the scammer who "upsold" them part-way through a job. All about perceptions, even if the bill is identical.

Pair part replacements to save you time, the customer money, and hassle overall. Replacing an inner on a high mileage car? Quote the inner and outer. That joint has 150k on it, and I'm not ******* around battling rotted threads to save a $50 outer. Cut the inner in half, hammer off the outer, and move on knowing that side of the steering has all fresh parts and won't need an outer and another alignment in 12 months.

Yes like if you are replacing a timing chain quote the water pump with it or at least give the customer the option stating that the labor would be the same but but 6 months from now if it needs a water pump replaced the labor will be additional.
As far as removing the safety catch from a cigarette lighter that's a good idea but if you're using a torch don't put the cigarette lighter in your front pocket in case a sport could get on there and catch on fire and blow the lighter up just something I was told I haven't personally seen it happen. I think a striker is safer I have seen guys say not to have butane lighters anywhere near welding or using a torch.

 

[bubinga]

I love these types of threads! Non-pro DIYer here, but I learned this last week and it was a head-smacking moment: put a small piece of paper in your socket before inserting your fastener, that'll help keep it secure in the socket until you can get it where it needs to be.

Mechanic taught me that a long time ago head mechanic at a place I worked at after that saw me do it and just kind of smiled as if he liked it. Guess I inadvertently taught him.
Oh I know what I else I did that he liked trying to start a nut in a tough spot?
slide the nut up onto a long skinny screwdriver then place the screwdriver tip on the Target and let it slide down to where you need to start the nut and then start the nut.

 

[bubinga]

On customer cars, always do a walk around especially with a new customer noting any damage on the car. Dents, missing mirrors things like that.
Always road test before and after repairs. You can check things like warning lights, pulls,
brake shimmy, noises.
After your repairs things like if a dash light is on that wasn't well you may have caused it.
These things can save a ton of time and worry.

Yes road test is always a good idea especially on a state inspection.
Another thing probably best to do it outside but maybe it takes a little too much time anytime you bring a car in the shop pop the hood and check the oil if something happens the first thing that customers going to do is blame you.
Secondly it gives a overall indication if the car is looked after.

 

[bubinga]

Best tip I can give you is one that I was told by a very good tech when I first started out.

Be thorough.

It's simple, and obvious, but those words have come back to me many times in my career, and always served me well. People may whine if the job takes longer, but they will be furious if they have to come back and wait for you to do the job properly.

Also, be patient. The best of the best have this trait, and they never stop perfecting it. Good luck!

Yeah and if your boss is giving you **** to hurry up ask him if he wants it to go out and stay out or if he wants to come back again especially if it was already a comeback I told my boss that and he walked away left me alone. (it was already a comeback not mine though)
He was always saying how fast Mike was Mike's fast Mike's fast yeah Mike was fast all right, until Mike wasn't working there no more and I had to redo all his work.......lol.....

 

[bubinga]

I've learned to mark things. This is supplemental to pulling out my phone for photos.

E.g. I have a few colors of paint pens in my tool box and add a quick dot to hoses, wires, clips, etc, and their associated installation locations. I also have a small AA battery-powered engraver that I can use on metal.

There are times when I've used that engraver to mark other information too - e.g. torque specs, firing orders, etc. I don't do that through paint or anywhere it will compromise the surface though.

I even have my lug nut torques written with permanent paint pen right on my winter wheels. My race bike's triple clamps have the torque values beside the upper and lower bolts, on the engine mounts, etc.

I might not go writing numbers all over a customer's car with a paint pen, but having that information right in front of me for tasks I do frequently on my own machines has saved so much time.

Right not so much on customers cars but on my own cars or fleet vehicles I'll write the air filter and oil filter numbers under the hood for reference next time for me.

 

[bubinga]

Don’t move anymore than you have to.
An older guy in a body shop taught me that.

Grab all the tools you’ll need before crawling under the car or climbing the ladder,
Don’t set things on the ground you’ll just have to bend down to pick them up.
Your body will thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right that's what tool carts are for I worked with a guy he was setting everything on the ground was making me mad and I was a bit heavy at the time too so it was harder to bend over LOL

 

[bubinga]

For motorcycle riders. Handlebar grips can be lubed with contact cleaner.

I've heard of hairspray too makes them stick good after it lubes it.

 

[bubinga]

Did he not know any better or just not care? He needed to get a job with a shovel somewhere. Would he accept that quality of work on his own stuff? With his food? From his doctor? These are the guys that need to be educated or eliminated from a profession requiring competence. In my opinion, he was no mechanic. My guess is that he had a lot of returns in his career, or cost the shop a lot of future business, if he carried that work ethic.

Yes I only changed a head gasket like that one time because the guy didn't want to pay nothing.
I at least torqued the head though. (Used car dealer)
Side job at home the car stayed out though.

 

[bubinga]

We did that on a friend's car. It never blew it again for the 4 or 5 more years he owned it.

Repeating myself here but I got away with it once.
If I recall correctly it was an external coolant leak.
It was a little 4-cylinder Chevy chevette or something like that.
Or maybe a little 4-cylinder Chrysler product.

 

[bubinga]

I understand the desire to repair what you can before jumping into replacing a part, but there is a reason this is more and more common.
First, the abundance of competition has driven the price down on many parts. Used to be just your local parts store, now the internet guys are keeping those stores more honest with their pricing.
Second, alot of the components on newer products are cheaply made, non serviceable, and are designed to fail in one way or another before the end of the useful life of the vehicle, engine, whatever said component may be attached to.
Third, labor is expensive. As a mechanic, I enjoy salvaging and rebuilding cylinder heads, water pumps, whatever manufacturers will sell me the parts for. But when you price in labor, it's usually close enough that my employer would rather sell a new or remanufactured component with a warranty, than try to save the customer a small percentage, then be on the hook for any future warranty work if needed. If the new part fails, it's not his problem.
About the only time I get to rebuild a component is if its obsolete, unavailable, or the lead time on getting a new part is longer than the customer is willing to wait.
Basically, its just a different world than it was 30 years ago. Shipping is fast, parts are cheap Chinese garbage, and the labor rate keeps going up. And customers are never patient.

EDIT: I only really read the first two sentences when I replied. I'm certainly all for diligent diagnosis. Seen many people replace starters for a no start problem, then find out they really needed to clean battery connections or replace a bad ignition switch.

Only reading the first bit of your reply made me think you were one of the old timers that complains that my shop doesn't rebuild water pumps anymore, we just slap on a reman and call it a day

As long as you know you can get good parts.
On my own car when I broke down on the road I had to get somebody to drive me there put an alternator on it jump it the car just made it home and wouldn't start I got disgusted took it off put bearings and brushes in my old alternator and took the junk, over $100 plus a core charge alternator back to advanced Auto.
Needed a starter for my current car I suspected the brushes but I never took it apart because I couldn't even fine brushes for it.
Took a chance on a new alternator from Amazon I'm sorry starter, for about $60 versus over $100 at advanced Auto, so far so good.
Anyone know if brushes are available for a starter for a 2001 Grand Prix?
Maybe it's not even worth bothering with?
I thought if it was just the brushes I could have it ready as a backup if needed you know how that goes if I have a backup I may not need it LOL.
Now I don't disagree you don't want to just throw a starter at it without checking a few things like if you have voltage at the Exciter wire when cranking?
In my case I pecked on the starter with a hammer and it started right up so I knew it was the starter.

 

[bubinga]

Use a piece of hose to start install on spark plugs in tight or blind areas

Or a long old spark plug boot. We used to do that all the time in the tune-up shop.
We used to take a length of fuel line and soak it overnight in the parts cleaner to soften it up made a nice spark plug install tool.

 

[bubinga]

Never heard of that one, but speaking of going backwards, for a stuck fastener, sometimes tightening before loosening helps get it moving. Just be sure it's not something with a critical torque requirement.

Mike

Absolutely! Old timer told me that a long time ago!
Actually he taught me a lot then another old-timer I work for he didn't like the first old timer and said he was a ******** but the first Old timer was my buddy too and actually taught me a lot they both did!

 

[bubinga]

Bread does work on transmission pilot bearings.

L0L never heard of bread I've heard of Grease. Good one.
Old timer number two taught me using grease to get the pilot bearing out then I showed Old timer number one he said that's a pretty good trick son I said yeah Roy Johnson didn't holler at me for a year and a half for nothing...............LOL

 

[bubinga]

How do you use bread on transmission pilot bearings?

Not automotive, but bread does work to absorb water so you can solder copper pipes. Put the bread down inside, clean, flux, solder. Water gets held back by the bread.

Belvedere said
"A similar thing took place many times in the 80s and 90s with the Chrysler 2.2/2.5 engines: leave everything connected to the head and raise it just enough to slip the old gasket out and the new one in. Though I don't think I could bring myself to do something like that, it's surprising how often it was successful."

Also chuck the TTY head bolts and sub in LA dodge head bolts.
If you're going to do a "Slip-n-Switch", go all the way.
The head gaskets were stiff enough you could do this, and the factory gaskets usually died a week after the warranty ended. If the old gasket was complete when you pulled it, and it wasn't overheated hard, repeatedly, it was usually effective.
Put almost 100k additional on a Shadow after doing this in my driveway.

Yes I have done the bread trick it works on water pipes
Probably just shove the bread in the pilot bearing and put a dowel in there,
And hit it with a hammer like you would with grease to force the pilot bearing out


What is a la head bolt?

 

[bubinga]

On many engines the spark plug recesses will gather dust and dirt. Never hurts to blow the area out with compressed air before removing spark plugs.

I use a long spark plug socket for OHC engines. I store the "plug starter" rubber hose inside the socket so it doesn't get lost.

Never hurts to put a dab of dielectric grease on the spark plug porcelain to keep the boot from seizing.

When you clean your windows, clean the area where the wiper blades park and clean the wiper blade edges. Makes them last longer.

A tread depth gauge is a worthwhile investment.

Don't forget to air up that spare tire a couple of times a year.

I see a lot of carburetted muscle cars that are tuned too rich with eye-burning exhaust. They likely used the "adjust idle mixture for highest vacuum method". This was fine on cars from the 20's to 50's with log-type intake manifolds, but you will be way too rich on more modern engines. We tried it once on a stock SBC with a Q-jet and got 7-8% CO readings and blackened spark plugs. We found the best way was to turn the idle mixture screws in just until the rpm drops a little. That got us around 2% CO and a better running engine.

Sounds good.
We used to just set them up with the exhaust analyzer back in the day.
( Circa Early '80s)
I remember Fords used to run good at around 3% CEO and around 300 parts per million HC speaking of Q Jets, remember the power valves used to hang up on them all the time you could check them down through the vent, the metering rods that is
Or power Jets may be the technical term?

 

[bubinga]

If you're changing the cap, change the rotor as well. I've seen cracked ones.

Remember general motors HEI units especially if you had a bad spark plug wire wood burn a hole through the rotor and the car wouldn't run no more.
The voltage would try to seek an easier path to ground through the rotor replace the rotor and the car would start up put it on the oscilloscope and find your bad plug wires.......

 

[bubinga]

They make a TDC whistle adapter, with a rubber cone on it for the same purpose. IPA tools. You can also just throw a leak down on it, when you meet resistance, youre coming up on tdc.

Yes or your hose from the compression gauge with the Schrader valve removed and feel it with your thumb.

 

[bubinga]

I used to do a lot of Ford Econoline engine work I used 2 antifreeze jugs with the sides cut open for nuts and bolts 1 for body hardware and 1 for powertrain hardware did so many that I could identify the hardware and were it went.

Yes, then of course you can make a little drain pan out of those antifreeze bottles also. Just cutting a window in it you know?

 

[bubinga]

I'm just a weekend mechanic now, even though I was ASE Certified many years ago. I've had to bail out more than a few friends who subscribed to the "all the hardware in a bucket" philosophy, that I won't do it for my own jobs. Sometimes it could be a week or two before you put it all back together and my memory ain't that good.
In addition to a bunch of the magnetic trays, I also keep a couple muffin tins under the bench. Six compartments each and big enough for things like intake and exhaust manifold bolts. You can label them with a Sharpie, either in the cup or on the flange.

Bill

Oh that reminded me the transmission shop used to use the muffin tins all the time when they were rebuilding trannies.

 

[bubinga]

Applies to anyone who makes anything beyond straight hourly. Commission, efficiency bonus, flat rate, anything. Also applies to hourly people with dignity.

Most importantly, it keeps the broke losers out of the shop. If they can't afford $20 to diagnose a cooling system leak, they can **** right off. A hose costs more than that, thus they cannot afford even the cheapest possible repairs, thus I do not care about them or their vehicle.



_________________________________________________________

Back to topic-ville from the tangent I created -

Bungee cords - use them to hold up intake manifolds while you work underneath them. No need to remove and deal with the associated BS and problems. Get them high enough to swap the o-rings and do whatever work needs done, and no higher. Blocks of wood can also prop them up to wiggle coil packs in and out.

Mark steering wheels and column splines with paint/sharpie when removing, if there is no master notch in the column.

Never rule out bad parts. Registering some key-fobs for a friend today, el-cheapo chinese ones obviously. First one went great, second one DOA, battery was fine. I can't even describe how many bad parts I've seen in just 10 years.

Scope all the things. If you're dead practice and test. Just picked up some chassis ear attachments, 6 of the clamp leads with 15' cables for $45. Waiting on the phono-jack to BNC adapters. Now the picoscope will decide where the noise is coming from.

Run multiple scan tools. Snap on failed me twice today, autel to the rescue.

I don't blame you too many people don't want to spend no money on their cars. I learned the hard way and wasting a lot of time on people that didn't want to spend their money.
And it was always the ones you helped out or gave a break to, that gave you the most Hell in The end.
My one boss used to call them piccolo players the ones that never wanted to spend no money lol

 

[bubinga]

I don't blame you too many people don't want to spend no money on their cars. I learned the hard way and wasting a lot of time on people that didn't want to spend their money.
And it was always the ones you helped out or gave a break to, that gave you the most Hell in The end.

For that matter $20 diagnostic is cheap.
Buddy of mine had a 6-cylinder I think it was a Mazda,.... coolant leak,
If I remember right he paid this shop something like $80 to pressure test it and was behind the timing cover probably the water pump, it was a V6, but then they told him I was going to be more money to take the timing cover off to see exactly where it was coming from well he paid it and took the car.
Big shot never wanted to pay me nothing, or expecting me to do everything for free though.
Guy was supposed to have been a mechanic in the service I hope he had a lot of supervisors I went up there one day his car wouldn't start battery terminal was loose I tightened the battery terminal up it started right up, he said you think that's all it was?
no Tim the car is running but that ain't what it was....... Jag-0ff.....
Yeah I'm from Pittsburgh second gear LOL

 

[bubinga]

cheap parts **** and management that wont listen, latest case...

turbo sonic with coolant leak on a saturday. Leaking from t-stat housing. Tell the service writer to get a dealer AC delco one. The dorman t-stats don't have enough resistance in the t-stat heater and throw high voltage codes. I know because I drive a turbo cruze and went through that issue.

Was told that we couldn't get the dealer t-stat and they ordered a motorad... well at least it's not a dorman. Plugged the t-stat heater in before I swapped it out and keyed the car on just to see if it would instantly throw a code... it didn't, installed the new t-stat, fill with coolant and start car. Instantly leaking at the radiator hose connection, not the original source of the leak.

Hop on the computer and order a t-stat from oriley's. Remove motorad t-stat and replace with oriley's unit, fill with coolant and start car.... same thing, leaking at rad hose connection, look at the box... same part number and made in italy sticker, the oriley's unit is a motorad.

Back to the computer, napa has one with different #. I call napa... "Is your t-stat made by motorad?" answer is yes, so F that. Finally get the ac delco unit on monday, installed, no leaks or codes.

Removed, replaced, and filled cooling system 3 times and got paid once because they wouldn't get the part I asked for originally and didn't want to tell the customer that the quality part was 2 days out and they had to wait... which they did in the end anyway

Well that ***** I'm a little bit out of the loop my friend
Is that thermostat built into the housing or were you just generically calling the housing a thermostat or are they all one unit?
forgive me I'm a bit out of the loop .
So if I understand correctly that also has an electronic heater built into it and not just a sensor?
I do know quite well what you mean about bosses not wanting to listen though.
And a lot of times they are pennywise and dollar foolish.
I work for this too bit outfit part time for a while instead of stalking a couple popular oil filters and a couple cases of oil every time he did an oil change he had to send one of us to the parts store for oil and a filter I told him flat out he was pennywise and dollar foolish.

 

[bubinga]

When I was much younger I was stupid and put the wheel on when the car was still on the jack. I couldn't torque the lung nuts down when the car was up and forgot when it was down. Well... after that I always leave one lug nut off until it's time to torque all of them to spec.

Sometimes I will compromise and leave the fastener in the hole but backed out to the point where it is visibly loose.

That's not a bad idea, lt acts as a reminder. I don't think even when I was young and dumb or got distracted I forgot to tighten the wheel but I can see where it could happen. I've seen it happen to guys especially when the boss kept busting the guy's *** to hurry up.
I seen a guy forget to put oil in a car because he was getting his *** busted to hurry up.

 

[bubinga]

#1 reason I make my own estimates. If there is an issue, I have no one to blame but myself. I hear the same thing.... a generic TXV is $3 cheaper, and available today. A motorcraft OE part, is available tomorrow. Everybody wants the junk.

Never time to do it right, ALWAYS time to do it over. The original ****** part made it 60k or whatever, and we think dorman trash is going to even make it out of the shop? Plastic will be the end of aftermarket cooling system parts. They simply seem incapable of making cooling system parts correctly.

Oh I see your point second gear but he may not be in a position to make his own estimate either you know?
That's just like tune-up parts, the module in the distributor of the welding truck when I was at the State Road circa 2012.
we put a motor in it but it was missing so bad prior to putting the motor in when I got the new motor in the truck and Road tested it I felt it had a bad converter which it did, so was able to get it replaced under warranty,. but it still had a miss under load well I felt it was the module, and the other mechanic said you put a module in that truck and you're going to need another one in 3 months, he said we put two of them in already.
I said where did you get the modules? He said, AutoZone I said no let's get one from Napa at least
Well we put a module in from Napa and it lasted
A few years until they sent the truck to the auction.
I seem to have had pretty good luck with n a p a tune-up parts.

 

[bubinga]

Don't disconnect the battery and be careful. Saves a lot of time on a modern car...

Yeah right LOL and while you're at it after you replace an alternator just leave it running and pull the battery cable off,
if it keeps running the system's charging........... not

 

[bubinga]

If you are diagnosing a complex problem and you are stuck and you think you have tried "everything". You probably haven't, you are simply short of ideas.

Try walking away and take your mind off it for an hour or two. Stop thinking about it. What usually happens is a new idea pops into your mind. Something you can check to bring you closer to the solution. Give your unconscious mind time and peace to form new ideas. It's all about ideas.

Absolutely!
Sometimes the solution will come to you a couple hours later.

 

[bubinga]

Use ball hones to clean caliper slide pin bores. You can remove all the rust within, in just a few minutes. An air hammer quickly removes the frozen pins, clean and hone, and replace.

Saves the customer money, and much easier and faster than sourcing a bracket. I buy them on amazon for 5 to 10 bucks a piece, and they usually last a year or more.

I remember when w bodies first came out early 90s? They sold the whole kit for the rear calibers.
It had the punch adapter for the air hammer, and the ball home maybe something else I can't remember I probably still have it somewhere probably never use it again.

 

[bubinga]

That's every vehicle nowadays.

Spark plugs, too -- figure out what the OEM used and ONLY EVER use the same. Same for oxygen sensors. They're all based on the exact same physical principle, but somehow your ECU will know and will soon betray you.

On Toyotas, for example, a lot of parts are made by Nippondenso, Aisin, NGK, and a few others, and sometimes Rockauto will even mark which one is the OEM part and manufacturer.


That said, you do have to pay attention. Sometimes you pay many American dollars for something like an OEM alternator or CV axle from a dealer, wait for the magical elves of the far-away homeland to chisel it out, and then... they hand you a ****** third-world reman with an OEM part number sticker slapped over the CarQuest sticker.

That is the damn trouble!
You think you're getting OEM and you're buying the same junk you could buy at AutoZone,

 

[bubinga]

I have an old pickup truck and every time that had to get an annual inspection there was an least one light that didn't work. Finally, I took the bulbs out, cleaned the receptacle and coated it and the base of the bulb with silicone dielectric. Since then, they always work. I do the same thing with the battery terminals.

I just read this tip about storing a partially full can of paint. Before putting on the lid, cover the top of the can with clear plastic, leaving a small opening. Using a can of Compressed Air Dusters, spray into the can and then close the opening with plastic and put on the lid. The propellant is some sort of hydrocarbon that supposedly keep the paint from going bad.

Yes they used to sell a product for that for varnish and polyurethane specifically the woodworking store sold it but I guess that's all you need is the air duster good to know!

 

[bubinga]

When doing ac work, immediately charge the system as soon as it is together. This way you can recheck for leaks with your detector before covering the connections up. Much easier to mess with when the bumper is still off.

Get a 3/4 diameter brass punch, for beating on seized axles. Helps push them out of the bearing without damage. And yes, sometimes the air hammer is the only way. Once it starts moving inwards, blast it with penetrating oil, then to tighten the nut to drag it back through the rust. Usually a couple cycles of this will knock free any axle.

If you're doing something like a waiter LOF, check what filters you have in stock, and what parts stores have them. Check and sell that filter first, them worry about draining the oil and doing the tire pressure.

Also, never watch oil draining. Total waste of time I see hourly people do. Pull the plug, and do something else. Be it paper work, the estimate, air pressure, etc.

That's what those guys used to do at the State Road all the time second gear they made me so mad although we were all hourly so it really wasn't no skin off my back but instead of ordering your parts first we're seeing if we had them in the back room no they would Jag-around draining the oil doing everything else,
One guy would sit on his *** when we were on midnights and say he couldn't do anything cuz the parts stores weren't open yet.
Hello! you can't drop your oil and drop your transmission pan and check your wheels and check your brakes?
nope got to wait for the parts store to open
But I was always the jag-off for some reason.
You want to talk about a Jag-off?

First of all it was none of his business he was just another mechanic but I did a modified x on a rotation he comes over running his mouth
"You never Criss-Cross radial tires"
I got tired of hearing his mouth I went in the car and got the owner's manual and went in the office when he was sitting on his *** in front of the foreman and said "here you want to read this"? ( the manual was showing a modified X)
He said "oh they must have changed it they told us at goodyear you never crisscross radial tires"
So I said when was this?
Old Uncle Jesse says oh.... 20 years ago I said that's old school damn it!



They used to give us a paper for the p.m.'s or once I got computer assessed I printed my own but that was the first thing I did was print that paper and order my parts.
Anyways you guys are probably tired of my mouth by tonight I'm somewhat long waiting tonight I didn't sleep last night I'm going to try to shut up now LOL
Just out of curiosity I used to live in Pittsburgh where do you work in the Pittsburgh area if you don't mind I'm just curious?

 

[bubinga]

Nice!

I'm a home gamer with all the time in the world... and I always find plenty of more productive things to do while the oil is draining.

Plus, I detest working on hot engines, so I do oil changes cold. I figure giving that last two ounces a little more time to escape might help the engine last .000000000000001% longer or something.

I know a lot of guys like to kill time I always try to be efficient but I always seem to be the Jag off at places I worked at. maybe I am a jag-off who knows LOL.

 

[bubinga]

Nice!


Plus, I detest working on hot engines, so I do oil changes cold. I figure giving that last two ounces a little more time to escape might help the engine last .000000000000001% longer or something.

Regarding hot oil I always thought it was best to drain it when it was hot cuz it flowed out better and more thoroughly though?