Top Tips & trade secrets.

Loz

Torque King
Points
252
Location
Wolverhampton, U.K.
Car
MX-5
Got any top tips or canny trade secrets you'd like to share? You know things that make life that little bit easier. I'll go first, I've mentioned this one before but It's the only one I can think of at the mo! :embarrest::lol:

1) At the local jet wash, wash the brush with the jet lance before using it on your car. This avoids scratching your paint with someone else's mud or brake dust.
 
Hmmm I might have a few that I probably don't even realise are tips or secrets! I'll have a think..........
 
This has been learnt the hard way. When trying to undo a tight nut in an awkward place. look to see where your hand will hit when the spanner slips off the nut or it comes loose suddenly - BEFORE you start! This has saved me a lot of pain and blood over the years.
 
'Ere we go. Top tips and handy hints. I hate these kind of things. Right then:

If your car is pulling to the left then avoid the expense of a proper wheel alignment and instead let half the air out of the driver's side front tre.
 
Seafoam the intake every 10k mile or every third oil change. Don't follow directions to a tee. When it says to let it set for 5min let it set for 15-30min for best results.
 
Buy Craftsman Tools... fairly inexpensive and guaranteed for life. If you do a lot of wrenching ( this is a no brainer ) if the bolt has six points the socket should have six points. If the socket has twelve points then the socket looses half its grip. Six points mean not having to wear thick gloves.:p
 
Well this is probably obvious but when you're replacing spark-plugs always start them by hand if you can to prevent cross-threading the plugs and having to find out what a Heli-coil is!! :cheesy: haha
 
If you have an allen key bolt that's starting to round, dip the end of your allen key/socket bit in some oil and then some sand. This will help fill the gaps between the key and bolt and help it grip. Saved me a lot of hassle on several occasions I tell thee.
 
Well this is probably obvious but when you're replacing spark-plugs always start them by hand if you can to prevent cross-threading the plugs and having to find out what a Heli-coil is!! :cheesy: haha

This can be hard with centrally mounted plugs in multivalve engines at times so you have to use an extension at least.

Try starting by turning them anti-clockwise until you feel the thread click before screwing them into their seats.

Don't overtighten taper-seat plugs in alloy heads especially as they can bind. WHen the plug is removed it can crack the ceramic insulator nose, thus dropping bits of insulator into the cylinders.

When using screwdrivers with very small screws (such as ICE, or even laoptop computers) then use a tiny bit of blu-tak on the head to stop the screws dropping into the component you're working on when the screw is freed from the threaded hole.
 
If you have an allen key bolt that's starting to round, dip the end of your allen key/socket bit in some oil and then some sand. This will help fill the gaps between the key and bolt and help it grip. Saved me a lot of hassle on several occasions I tell thee.
will have to remember this, save me using the molegrips
 
If you are one of the older members on here and still use those steel ramps, wrap a length of old carpet around the bottom rung, about 12" long. When you line your car up to go up, both front tyres are on the carpet and stop the ramps from skiding up the drive! How many times has this happened in the past? :blink1:

Deep cylinder heads-trying to pop the sparkplugs back in (typical HS Chevette or Lotus 907 IIRC) use a magnetc sparkplug socket, it no only protects the plug but also holds it in position.
 
copperslip -
make sure you use it when fitting brakes as it stops squealing
Dont get this on the friction pad or the discs themselves, its a high temp (sutibile form up to around 1100 degrees celcuis) so will act like a grease enven on the discs / pads until it wears off
on back of wheels to make then easier to take off,
infact its good for a lot of things
 
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