Obsolte/Forgotten Procedures
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
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Obsolte/Forgotten Procedures
Does anyone know of any procedures that were commonplace on early autos that we no longer perform any more. I'm thinking of things like:
1. Breaking in engine oil before driving any distance
2. Polarizing a voltage regulator on a generator equipped electrical system.
3. Setting a choke on a carburated engine before starting.
Any others with details? Anyone care to explain the ones I listed?
1. Breaking in engine oil before driving any distance
2. Polarizing a voltage regulator on a generator equipped electrical system.
3. Setting a choke on a carburated engine before starting.
Any others with details? Anyone care to explain the ones I listed?
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 920
Likes: 2
From: Colville
You should add cranking over the engine by hand with an actual crank.
repairing a wooden spoke wheel with stick found in a tree.
advancing the timing on a model T by hand.
Puting mother in law in the rumble seat so you couln't hear her bla bla bla. ,
repairing a wooden spoke wheel with stick found in a tree.
advancing the timing on a model T by hand.
Puting mother in law in the rumble seat so you couln't hear her bla bla bla. ,
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,983
Likes: 2
How about the bearing adjustments when leather banding was used on main bearings? When I was a child and gaining an interest in vehicles and older gentelman was telling me about removing spacers and the leather bearing began to compress. Is this true?
Your number 2 may refer to energizing the 'field' before a generator would begin to produce current. Without the magnetic field the moving stator would not generate a current.
Your number 3. My 1971 Datsun had a manual choke.
Your number 2 may refer to energizing the 'field' before a generator would begin to produce current. Without the magnetic field the moving stator would not generate a current.
Your number 3. My 1971 Datsun had a manual choke.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
Originally Posted by mistercmk
Warming up a car with a carb for 10 minutes in the winter before driving off
My dad was telling me some stories about grandpa pulling the motor out of a model T, by hand, shimming the bearings, and putting it back in. In one day. Get it started on gas, then run it on kerosene.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Turning the windshield wipers by hand
Turning the windshield wipers by hand when vacuum was low.
Oiling the wiper motor leathers.
Tubes in tires.
Oil bath air cleaners.
Oil filter cartridges.
Toilet paper oil filters (these gimmicks still come back every few years)
Bypass oil filters
Water injection
Swamp coolers for car windows.
Splash lubrication.
Enclosed driveshafts
Enclosed leaf springs for lubrication.
Finding the gas tank filler behind a light or trim piece.
"Service" stations, and service station attendants.
Checking/filling battery water.
Honing brake cylinders and rebuilding them (they were cast iron).
Aligning and setting points.
Turning the windshield wipers by hand when vacuum was low.
Oiling the wiper motor leathers.
Tubes in tires.
Oil bath air cleaners.
Oil filter cartridges.
Toilet paper oil filters (these gimmicks still come back every few years)
Bypass oil filters
Water injection
Swamp coolers for car windows.
Splash lubrication.
Enclosed driveshafts
Enclosed leaf springs for lubrication.
Finding the gas tank filler behind a light or trim piece.
"Service" stations, and service station attendants.
Checking/filling battery water.
Honing brake cylinders and rebuilding them (they were cast iron).
Aligning and setting points.
Gone but not forgotten.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,521
Likes: 2
Adjusting tappets, mechanical brakes that required a strong leg, steering *****, fender skirts, windshields that cranked out, starting a tight engine with acytylene, running a speedometer backwards, removing door handles and using starter solinoids to open doors, split exhaust manifolds on inline engines, Columbia overdrives, Fordallacs, bypass oil filters, "Granny" gears, gasoline that was regular or Ethyl, Royal Triton - the purple oil, grease jobs, and my all time favorite - picking up your date, buying gas, seeing two features at a drive-in movie, cokes after the show (brought by a carhop), parking in the woods - total cost $2.50.
Dono
Dono
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Posting Guru
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Posts: 1,921
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From: central TX
I was taught by my Grandfather to do the oil break-in. After changing the oil:
Start and make sure you have pressure, chech for leaks...
Drive it until fully warmed and then for another 5 minutes, drive back.
check for leaks/level...
Allow to fully cool before driving again.
A full heat cycle suposedly changes the oil a little, for the better. I've never heard of this anywhere else, so I'm not claiming this as fact. I would probably do this anyway just to check for leaks. Anybody? He also taught me to throw in a qt. of diesel oil w/ every change, and always use it to top-off in between. (perfect since I have a diesel that takes just over a gallon)
Most "maintenace free" batteries you can still add water to.
Start and make sure you have pressure, chech for leaks...
Drive it until fully warmed and then for another 5 minutes, drive back.
check for leaks/level...
Allow to fully cool before driving again.
A full heat cycle suposedly changes the oil a little, for the better. I've never heard of this anywhere else, so I'm not claiming this as fact. I would probably do this anyway just to check for leaks. Anybody? He also taught me to throw in a qt. of diesel oil w/ every change, and always use it to top-off in between. (perfect since I have a diesel that takes just over a gallon)
Most "maintenace free" batteries you can still add water to.
Last edited by tdister; May 20, 2004 at 02:55 AM.
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 626
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From: N Ga. Mountains
Originally Posted by 76supercab2
Does anyone know of any procedures that were commonplace on early autos that we no longer perform any more. I'm thinking of things like:
1. Breaking in engine oil before driving any distance
2. Polarizing a voltage regulator on a generator equipped electrical system.
3. Setting a choke on a carburated engine before starting.
Any others with details? Anyone care to explain the ones I listed?
1. Breaking in engine oil before driving any distance
2. Polarizing a voltage regulator on a generator equipped electrical system.
3. Setting a choke on a carburated engine before starting.
Any others with details? Anyone care to explain the ones I listed?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 0
From: East Flat Rock NC
Rebuilding our own starters ,Allmost a two man job . Rebuilding master cylinder
and honing them, installing a 3 speed an using 3/4 inch extension with tape rapped around it to aline clutch and pressure plate.
P.S. My dad always told me that people that drove A and T models carried
cylinder sleeves so if they needed to rebuild the engine on the side of the
road they could hammer old ones out and hammer new one in.
and honing them, installing a 3 speed an using 3/4 inch extension with tape rapped around it to aline clutch and pressure plate.
P.S. My dad always told me that people that drove A and T models carried
cylinder sleeves so if they needed to rebuild the engine on the side of the
road they could hammer old ones out and hammer new one in.
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 4
These are all great.
Anyone remember repairing innertubes? Find the hole, spread some goop on it, SET IT ON FIRE, blow out the flames, apply the patch. I think the heat activated the glue/caused the tube to vulcanize to the patch.
The voltage regulator couldn't be poarized at the factory because there is no electrical field in it while it is sitting in a box on the shelf. I'm sure if you removed one from the system and reinstalled it again you would have to re-polarize it.
Someone told me a story of driving a model T without breaking in the oil and the rod bearings went.
How about re-facing brake shoes for drum brakes.
Re-curving a distributor? I know it's still done but it's getting difficult to find people who can do it.
Anyone remember repairing innertubes? Find the hole, spread some goop on it, SET IT ON FIRE, blow out the flames, apply the patch. I think the heat activated the glue/caused the tube to vulcanize to the patch.
The voltage regulator couldn't be poarized at the factory because there is no electrical field in it while it is sitting in a box on the shelf. I'm sure if you removed one from the system and reinstalled it again you would have to re-polarize it.
Someone told me a story of driving a model T without breaking in the oil and the rod bearings went.
How about re-facing brake shoes for drum brakes.
Re-curving a distributor? I know it's still done but it's getting difficult to find people who can do it.
