General auto troubleshooting tips
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 385
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Great topic
Thanks for the baby powder idea.
Two tips, get one of those LED headlights for working in tight places. Use stainless steel nuts and bolts on all exhaust system repairs. I have a bronco II that goes through mufflers every two years, this has saved me hours in cutting time.
Two tips, get one of those LED headlights for working in tight places. Use stainless steel nuts and bolts on all exhaust system repairs. I have a bronco II that goes through mufflers every two years, this has saved me hours in cutting time.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,371
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From: just outside of Phila.
Well, the solid mechanics won't need this, but as a weekend warrior, a polaroid or a digital camera will work wonders for putting the springs back on drum brakes the right way. It'll sure save you a lot of trips to the other side of the car.
It's been said, but can never be said enough...use jackstands.
It's been said, but can never be said enough...use jackstands.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
Likes: 18
From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Originally Posted by jdmorg
Well, the solid mechanics won't need this, but as a weekend warrior, a polaroid or a digital camera will work wonders for putting the springs back on drum brakes the right way. It'll sure save you a lot of trips to the other side of the car.
It's been said, but can never be said enough...use jackstands.
It's been said, but can never be said enough...use jackstands.
Hey, I'm a forty year solid mechanic and I think the digital camera is a great idea. Even when you've done a job over and over again, there can be some variation between vehicles. Especially in all the various wires and hoses. You can figure it all out given enough time, but time is money. (I've never actually done it, but it just makes sense.)
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,371
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From: just outside of Phila.
This isn't so much general trouble-shooting as much as it is a helper for general trouble-shooting...make sense?
I keep a maintenance record for all of my vehicles along with every receipt. On the record I log the mileage, the date, what happened and what fixed it. If it's something new and strange to me, I take the time to explain it--noises, feelings, smells, etc. It takes about 3 minutes to type it up but it becomes priceless when I try to remember what I did when, and why. I document every single oil change, the mileage and date of that, and every bit of maintenance, routine or not. It helps save my sanity, keep in check what I'm doing and spending, what's new and what's ready to go (preventative maintenance) and in the end, it all works out to be a bonus to a future buyer.
Have you tried the camera yet Bdox?
I keep a maintenance record for all of my vehicles along with every receipt. On the record I log the mileage, the date, what happened and what fixed it. If it's something new and strange to me, I take the time to explain it--noises, feelings, smells, etc. It takes about 3 minutes to type it up but it becomes priceless when I try to remember what I did when, and why. I document every single oil change, the mileage and date of that, and every bit of maintenance, routine or not. It helps save my sanity, keep in check what I'm doing and spending, what's new and what's ready to go (preventative maintenance) and in the end, it all works out to be a bonus to a future buyer.
Have you tried the camera yet Bdox?
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,102
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From: Back where I started...
Got water leaking into your vehicle around a window seal somewhere and can't find it? Shut the windows up tight, and turn the blower motor on high (NOT on recirculate) and then spray a soapy water mixture around the suspect seals. The blower will pressurize the cabin slightly, and bubbles will appear at the leak.
New User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4
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An inexpensive anti-sieze, use Milk-of-Magnesia. The chalk residue is the trick.
If a screw or bolt doesn't seem to want to budge try tapping it in the "tightning" direction. That breaks loose the fastener more times than not.
On older engines that have a deep knocking sound..don't start tearing into it. Get a tall glass of water, with the engine running, dribble the water down the throat of the carb. while adjusting the rpm so the engine doesn't die. You will see lots of carbon smoke from the exhaust. Your burning off the carbon build-up on the pistons. I did this to my 74 F150 that I thought was about to throw a rod. No more knocking! Can't hurt trying.
Also on older engines, if you think you have a burnt valve or a miss but can't determine which cylinder it is?? Remove the dist. cap, with someone turning over the engine, listen for that change in sound as the engine is rotating. As the sound changes, usually a higher pitch, see what cylinder the rotor is pointing to. That will be the "bad" cylinder.
Hope this helps some of you.
If a screw or bolt doesn't seem to want to budge try tapping it in the "tightning" direction. That breaks loose the fastener more times than not.
On older engines that have a deep knocking sound..don't start tearing into it. Get a tall glass of water, with the engine running, dribble the water down the throat of the carb. while adjusting the rpm so the engine doesn't die. You will see lots of carbon smoke from the exhaust. Your burning off the carbon build-up on the pistons. I did this to my 74 F150 that I thought was about to throw a rod. No more knocking! Can't hurt trying.
Also on older engines, if you think you have a burnt valve or a miss but can't determine which cylinder it is?? Remove the dist. cap, with someone turning over the engine, listen for that change in sound as the engine is rotating. As the sound changes, usually a higher pitch, see what cylinder the rotor is pointing to. That will be the "bad" cylinder.
Hope this helps some of you.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
From: North Alabama
Originally Posted by sandrat
Got water leaking into your vehicle around a window seal somewhere and can't find it? Shut the windows up tight, and turn the blower motor on high (NOT on recirculate) and then spray a soapy water mixture around the suspect seals. The blower will pressurize the cabin slightly, and bubbles will appear at the leak.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: north central Indiana
Anytime you replace a seal of any kind, especially if you're having problems with leaks from that area, carefully inspect the surface that the seal rides on. If there's a groove worn into it you never will get it to seal properly. This inspection should always be done with each and every seal you deal with, whether it was leaking previously or not. (don't ask me how I know....)
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 415
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From: Burlington Vermont area
Another tip for mad traction on your screwdriver. Ever notice that screwdriver handles are hexagonal? Try your large sockets, one of them fits well enough. Add a ratchet or woah breaker bar. Just remember, power corrupts.
Throw your (metal only) tools in the oven for a bit before working with them on the extra cold days.
Never patch an extension cord, but when you do, make sure connections are offset, not side by side.
When drilling upward make a 4 -6 inch square 'tray' from cardboard with a center hole for the bit to keep all the crumbs out of the drill motor - this is especially useful for drywall which, I know, is not normally automotive. This is not a substitlute for eye protection.
Keep a black and a white crayon around, when markings on tools become hard to see just rub a crayon over the markings to get some contrast. For a rusty metal ruler try some 200 grit sandpaper.
Throw your (metal only) tools in the oven for a bit before working with them on the extra cold days.
Never patch an extension cord, but when you do, make sure connections are offset, not side by side.
When drilling upward make a 4 -6 inch square 'tray' from cardboard with a center hole for the bit to keep all the crumbs out of the drill motor - this is especially useful for drywall which, I know, is not normally automotive. This is not a substitlute for eye protection.
Keep a black and a white crayon around, when markings on tools become hard to see just rub a crayon over the markings to get some contrast. For a rusty metal ruler try some 200 grit sandpaper.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: wichita kansas
To remove a screw or bolt that has broken off take a vibrator pencil and after you take a hammer and punch to break it loose use the pencil to back the screw back out of the hole. Saw a maintenance guy at work do this and it worked real slick.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Likes: 22
From: Murphysboro, IL
Originally Posted by BikerWithTruck
Another tip for mad traction on your screwdriver. Ever notice that screwdriver handles are hexagonal? Try your large sockets, one of them fits well enough. Add a ratchet or woah breaker bar. Just remember, power corrupts.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 224
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From: texas,earth
Originally Posted by Schmids4.9l
"A can of carb cleaner can cure a lot of idle problems, even with FI cars."
Another cheap way to cure some idle problems on older FI motors is a spray bottle of throttle body cleaner and a tooth brush! Carbon builds up in the TB over time. It was cheap fix for my idle problem.
Another cheap way to cure some idle problems on older FI motors is a spray bottle of throttle body cleaner and a tooth brush! Carbon builds up in the TB over time. It was cheap fix for my idle problem.
carb cleaner & a brush will remove the protective coating on many throttle bodys. 3M makes a throttle plate cleaner for just this application 08666
Last edited by Beast12; Feb 24, 2006 at 10:37 AM. Reason: fixed quote
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 554
Likes: 1
From: Boise, ID
I had some battery connectors that were caked with corrosion and all sorts of gunk. A can of Coca-Cola does wonders in this sort of situation. I took the positive and negative connectors and put them in indvidual bowls and soaked them in the Coke for about 45 minutes. Pulled them out and voila! Nice and shiny!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
Likes: 18
From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
A good tip for straight blade screwdrivers is to hollow grind them. This way the very end is just slightly wider than the side of the blade so it grips in the bottom of the slot and it won't cam out of the screw head. Use a small diameter wheel, (even a Dremel wheel,) and be careful not to overheat the tip.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 602
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A buddy of mine had a old oil burning 350. Every time we went wheelin' it would foul a plug. He would start the motor and spray some water on the headers to locate the dead hole. The header pipe that didn't evaporate the water would show him where the fouled plug was.
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