Just a little tip for you

[Ricko1966]

Do you have any of these silicon based rubber wrist bands, that are usually given away as promo's for advertising. They are durable and make great bands to go around the small tool cases, such as a socket set. Saves the cases spilling open and loosing pieces.

Well I've never had one of those silicone bands so I put out the search and found one.Turns out they are also perfect size for putting around a carburetor cleaner can to hold the little red straw , when not in use, works better thanv2 rubber bands.Ans yes I've had the parts store bought gadget that goes on the can and holds the straw so you don't lose it.I lost it, the can, and the straw. Silicone band works great, thanks for the tip

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Well I've never had one of those silicone bands so I put out the search and found one.Turns out they are also perfect size for putting around a carburetor cleaner can to hold the little red straw , when not in use, works better thanv2 rubber bands.Ans yes I've had the parts store bought gadget that goes on the can and holds the straw so you don't lose it.I lost it, the can, and the straw. Silicone band works great, thanks for the tip

 

[Ricko1966]

heres a little tip, 1 manufacturers part number system breaks down like this 9 digits first 3 identify model, middle 3 identify category last 3 identify specific part. First and last 3 are irrelevant to what I'm going to say. 100-199 are engine even if it's a Dowell.200- 299 is fuel and exhaust even just a special nut so on and so on. Keep reading this means nothing if you don't read all the way to the bottom.
100's engine
200. fuel and exhaust
300. transmission
400 front suspension
500. rear suspension
600 wheel and brake
700. cables
800 body and mirrors
900 electrical
ZZZ. misc.
My shop along one wall has shelves but everything is laid out like a library in numerical sequence.If I need a carb trunion or an exhaust valve I know they're going to be at the far left.If I'm looking for an ignition switch, far right.Master Cylinder in the middle. Roll of 14 gauge wire farthest right with misc. it just saves so much time when I need something months after I bought it or took it off.

 

[Salty Crusty]

Just the tip, ma'am...

 

[Paladin]

Make sure she comes first. This is probably the most important tip if you want to keep working on your old trucks in peace...

Amen!

 

[Ricko1966]

Just read another thread, someone wasn't sure if their distributor was in right or 180 off after a manifold swap.So anyways,when I take the distributor out of anything, first thing I do is rotate the engine so the rotor is pointing at the firewall. As long as that engine has not been turned over I can walk right back up to it in 10 years and drop the distributor in first try if you match mark the manifold and distributor base before disassembly, it will even be just as in time as it was when you took it apart. If switching manifolds mark distributor body straight forward.I've just always used the firewall as my reference. But you will see immediately if it's not right. 1 mark forward rotor aimed at the firewall it's good.

 

[Dave M]

Got another tip for you. Do you find with socket sets that have the thin brittle inserts, the inserts end up splitting and breaking. Especially if they are carried around in the vehicle all the time. Before they get beyond repair, flip the over and fill them with silicon.Helps to maintain the integrity of them.

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[Ricko1966]

Take 2 LED's twist them positive to negative , negative to positive. LED's only light with correct polarity so 2 twisted end to end 1 will always be correct polarity. Solder6 ft of speaker wire to the ends and solder 2 straight pins on the other end.Now you have the coolest test light ever. You can back probe wires at the injectors, transmission, etc.etc. put the less under the wiper arm and you can see it from the driver seat. Check injector pulse,power to the starter solenoid, a kinds of things you thought required 2 people.

 

[Ricko1966]

Everybody take a look at your big round trash can lid.Most have a hole TDC turn it upside down on a regular drain pan or bucket and now you have a transmission drain pan.

 

[Ricko1966]

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Had to r&r a tie rod end today, not on a square, but the technique is the same.Take the retaining nut off, you are not going to hit the tie rod end or ball joint.You are going to hit the tapered socket they go into.I put a piece of tape where you smack with it a hammer, the tie rod end is vertical so I hit it horizontal, a 90 degree intersection in the middle of where the taper goes through the spindle.99 out of 100 times hitting them like that will pop a tie rod end or ball joint out, without tearing the boot, and without any special tools.It does help to put a little pressure with a pry bar prying the 2 apart, but that's not even necessary most of the time.If it didn't pop hit it again harder.Its not going to pop if your afraid to hit it.