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A Mechanics Tips and Tricks


Precise1
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My simple yet effective tip is when removing the oil drain plug and you don't have any gloves handy so you don't get oil on your hands, undo the plug with your ratchet till it's loose, them remove the ratchet and unscrew the plug the rest of the way while holding onto the metal bar with socket still on. As you remove the plug pull the socket down and hopefully the plug will remain in the socket for you to drop into a clean paper towel and your hand and arm should be oil free. Some may not agree with this procedure but it works for me.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Start a job only to find out the bolts are stuck and you dont have a breaker bar?

 

Play hockey occasionally or regularly?

 

Take your old broken one piece composite hockey stick or shaft and cut down to required length for a quick, very strong, custom breaker bar.

Most ratchet handles will fit, some very snug except for the largest 3/4" or 1" drives. Helped me out of a jam more than once, and I have still not actually needed to go out and get a proper breaker bar. I know i should but my old Easton S19 hasnt failed me yet, plus the handle already had a comfortable taped section for my hand :)

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When buying sockets, if you can't afford or just don't want to invest in good stuff (Snap-on, Mac, Matco) then buy 6 point impact cheap-o sockets. Here is why 6 points grip entire head of bolt, instead of just the points the way 12 point does, meaning no rounded off bolts. Impact sockets are much more durable they won't break like cheap chrome ones do.

 

Rachets, I second the prior post recommending biting the bullet and buying high quality rachet. There are several reasons first no one likes punching iron when gears in rachet break, second things become much more tedious when you no longer have a rachet, third (and most important to me) the action in a quality rachet is much lighter than in cheap o. Which means that bolt you can't quite get fingers on that is loose enough it just turns back and forth instead of working rachet gear, doesn't do that, or in some cases too tight for fingertips too loose for rachet. Top end rachet has much smoother action.

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  • 3 weeks later...

When you have bashed the hell out of your oil filter and finally removed it, grab your new filter and using a waterproof marker, put a big arrow on it so it reminds you which way the thing unscrews for next time! I did this after accidentally tightening the bejeezus out of mine. Eventually got the thing off with a pair of heavy leather gloves to get grip on it.

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Got tired of oil filters dumping all over the place when changing the oil and fighting with a damned filter wrench or cap... so... just drive a screwdriver through the damned thing from the bottom and withdrawl. Once drained, reinsert and use the leverage to unscrew. Not like you're gonna save the thing so why be gentle?

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Recycled? Here the only way to dispose of oil or filters is on "Hazardous Waste Day" at the dump. You have to save them up for a once a year disposal.

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Recycled? Here the only way to dispose of oil or filters is on "Hazardous Waste Day" at the dump. You have to save them up for a once a year disposal.

You mean I'm not supposed to put them back in the box, and throw it in the trash wrapped in a few grocery bags??

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You mean I'm not supposed to put them back in the box, and throw it in the trash wrapped in a few grocery bags??

Lol that's what I do too. They are also cool to open up with a can opener, see what crud is inside. Also make cool ashtrays for the smokers out there.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Recycled? Here the only way to dispose of oil or filters is on "Hazardous Waste Day" at the dump. You have to save them up for a once a year disposal.

I can drop them off at dealerships, some auto parts stores or bag them up well and leave them curbside for the local trash/recycling agency to pick up weekly. The benefits of society... :D

 

You mean I'm not supposed to put them back in the box, and throw it in the trash wrapped in a few grocery bags??

Actually, the best thing is to dig them a shallow grave in the yard, the closer to the well, the better.

 

B

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Our local recycling centers have special bins for used oil filters and bottles. I always toss mine in the correct place. Then, I go home and kill mother earth with harsh chemicals to keep the weeds growing around my well pump. :lol:

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I found if I put one on a stick beside my lawn chair and light it on fire it keeps the mosquitoes away for a while.

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  • 3 months later...

When it comes time for the pesky timing belt replacement and you have to take the pulley off the end of the crank shaft, its possible to use a breaker bar and cheater pipe wedged between the ground and the frame (unibody). Then just bump the starter a couple of times and its loose. Be cautious though, as I would think this could be a little dangerous. Worked well for me. :D

 

 

 

Redneck, GEARHEAD, fabricator, are just a few of my "specialties"....

Bubba says it all!!

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  • 7 months later...

hello my name is cai i am from the bahamas and i need some help from the experts in this forum. my 94 XE has been running like a dream until recently. it began with replacing the starter now i have been going through a series of difficulties. the engine starts perfectly but when i am driving and get high in a gear it begins to miss. when it is cool the truck runs perfectly but when it warms up this missing begins. at one point it cut out on me while i was driving my niece and nephew home. i have done full service and have checked the gas tank for rusting. my mechanic and i have taken out the fuel pump but i will have to import this. before i go that route i was wondering if anyone has had similar problems and could give me something to check before i import this unnecessarily.

 

Thank you

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Best to make a new thread for this, it won't get a lot of views here and isn't relevant to the original topic.

 

(Doesn't sound like a fuel pump to me, maybe filter, but I would lean more towards something like the temperature sensor. Make a new thread and you'll get more views/better advice. Also specify which engine you're working with, given that it's an overseas model it might have a different plant than we're familiar with.)

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  • 6 months later...

This happened recently to a mate of mine, he got a wheel stud nut stuck inside the wheel brace and couldn't get it out because it was wedged in there. So how to remove it? Spin the wheel brace with the wedged nut back onto the wheel's thread a few turns, then pull the wheel brace hard backwards or tap with a hammer. The nut should come out of the wheel brace then you just unscrew it from the wheel stud by hand.

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  • 8 months later...

My step dad and I swapped 3motors one Saturday in three different vehicles. We ran out of oil dry. He took a shovel. Went and dug some dry dirt. Swept it around our new garage and applied it to a gravel road. No more oil in the garage.

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Whenever I see big sheets of cardboard laying around I grab them. Very handy for protecting the garage floor during oil changes. I currently have a big plastic container which is the length of the distance between the front wheels.

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So my 5 yr olds scooter wore out on him. I was changing my front and rear struts and needed a breaker bar. I chopped off the handle bars with my dremel and unscrewed the bottom of the scooter. Instant breaker bar. It's not super durable but it gets the job done. On the plus side all three of my kids have them and the wear out after about a year so got plenty of backups lol

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