Helpful hints

[Bonnewagon]

I thought I would start a topic about those little time and effort saving things that make a job go easier or faster. Lets share them and maybe if we get enough it will become a stickie so anyone can browse it quickly. Here's a few I like: When you take an alternator apart and try to put it back together you never can find a suitable pin to hold the brushes out of the way. The thin red plastic straw like you get with a can of carb cleaner or WD40 works perfectly. When removing a parking brake cable from a drum brake backing plate, the retainer won't release. Wrapping the retaining clip with a tiny hose clamp will compress the retainer and out she comes. On a QuadraJet or Dualjet carburetor that has an Ajustable Part Throttle, the APT screw should never be unscrewed without first bottoming it out while counting the turns that the factory set it at. Then it can go back to the factory setting. The screw is a double "D", the same as late Q-jet/D-jet idle adjustment screws. That type socket can be hard to find, but a Q-jet secondary rod hanger with the fat end ground off fits perfectly and the hanger end gives good leverage to turn the screw. Removing the aluminum plug right above the APT screw in the air horn and replacing it with a threaded plug lets you make adjustments without opening the carb. That's a start so feel free to add your own so we can all benefit.

 

[pontiacgp]

When removing the transmission, after removing the torque converter bolts if it's an automatic, remove the transmission crossmember and let the tail of the transmission drop. That will give you easy access to the top bolts on the bell housing with a long extension. You will need to remove the distributor cap and rotor so when the engine tilts you won't damage the cap on the firewall. If you have a stock cooling fan with the shroud you will need to remove the top half of the shroud or fan so when the engine tilts the fan won't hit the shroud.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Another great transmission tip is to scrounge a yoke from an old drive shaft. Insert the yoke into the transmission tail housing and secure with some baling wire. Now you can avoid a transmission oil shampoo when you tilt it. Those plastic end caps you get with a rebuilt cannot be trusted on a transmission full of oil. YUK!

 

[Bonnewagon]

When changing spark plugs sometimes you cannot even see the hole let alone get your hands in there. Get about a foot of 3/8" fuel hose and stick the spark plug in one end, then fish it down to the hole. You can even turn it at a 90º angle while you hand tighten the plugs. Also when dealing with a situation where the plugs foul fast, instead of replacing with new ones each time, just blast the fouling off with a can of carburetor cleaner, let dry, and clean them on a bench grinder w/wire brush. Recheck the gap and install. A small dab of anti-seize on the threads will keep the plugs from freezing in place. This is mandatory on aluminum heads.

 

[Bonnewagon]

If your rear end leaks oil from the pinion seal, don't just remove/replace without first marking the position of the pinion shaft nut. Count the exposed threads on the pinion shaft and write it down Then take a chisel and score the end of the nut and the end of the pinion shaft to mark their position. Now you can change the seal and replace everything exactly as it was without disturbing the pre-load on the pinion gear. Failure to do this can result in major damage to the gear set.

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

when you are trying to get a bolt or screw into a hole where you cant hold it get some sticky tack and it will hold it in place while you move it to the hole

 

[Bonnewagon]

That's the spirit, keep em' coming. Us manual transmission guys can add a bottle of GM posi rear additive to our gearboxes. It is a synthetic version of whale oil, which is banned ( thankfully), and it has the property of clinging to hot metal (gears) instead of being repelled.

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

also a wrench can fit over some screw drivers

 

[Bonnewagon]

When doing a tune up and you have an expensive cap/rotor set with good quality brass contacts, don't chuck them just because they are crusty. Take a Dremel type tool and dress the contacts back to bright brass. They can last a long time if cleaned up on a regular basis.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Ever go to pull a motor and you find that the leg extensions of the hoist hit the lower control arms? Before you start, place some 2x8 planks on the ground and roll the front wheels up on them. Now you got clearance.