tips & tricks
- Thread starter buckhorn76
- Start date
have a winter project that requires aluminum welding ? marine prop repair shops are in their slow season and many are glad of work to keep staff on. the quality of skills and work that is done on props and lower units can easily transfer to other projects. 
Is the car hard to start when it's hot? Sometimes, the starter just clicks, when you know there is enough power in the battery?
If you can reach the starter, give it a couple of hard taps with a small hammer. Often, it'll start you up and get you home where you can repair the starter. It probably needs some new bushings.
If you can reach the starter, give it a couple of hard taps with a small hammer. Often, it'll start you up and get you home where you can repair the starter. It probably needs some new bushings.
if it is a persistent problem, the addition of a ford style solenoid can help. this is obviously for us jurassic vette guys !!!
good lube.
engine fogging oil is probably the best lube there is for moving part mechanisms [ not wd40 !!! ]. we have used it for years to free up moving parts that have seized on lawn tractors, snowblowers, atv's, sleds etc. when i first bought my car it had woes in several areas because it had sat in storage for 17 years. hood latches, head light doors, door hinges, seat tracks and adjusters, seat belt recoil springs, and more. every thing works as it should now. it also contains a rust inhibitor. marinas and small engine shops retail it. the brand i use is "revive" engine fogging oil, it penetrates and is safe around paint. wd40 is a water disperser and thats it !!! :seeya:
engine fogging oil is probably the best lube there is for moving part mechanisms [ not wd40 !!! ]. we have used it for years to free up moving parts that have seized on lawn tractors, snowblowers, atv's, sleds etc. when i first bought my car it had woes in several areas because it had sat in storage for 17 years. hood latches, head light doors, door hinges, seat tracks and adjusters, seat belt recoil springs, and more. every thing works as it should now. it also contains a rust inhibitor. marinas and small engine shops retail it. the brand i use is "revive" engine fogging oil, it penetrates and is safe around paint. wd40 is a water disperser and thats it !!! :seeya:
A friend had a '70 SS Chevelle, buckets and console. It was giving him the slow roll grief. He is an electrician by trade. He checked everything out including the starter to no avail. Finally, he replaced all the wire in the ignition switch circuit with 12 gauge wire and no more problem. When you figure how much wire is in the circuit, it is surprising. The circuit also goes down to the neutral safety switch in the console for the automatic cars as well. He never had a problem after that. All of our cars were bench seat four speed with the neutral safety switch on the column which eliminates some of the wire. We never had a problem. Just a thought. This guy built his own flow bench, his own engine, a 468, and a '68 Camaro. He's gone 10.0s @ 133 with the car. He knows his stuff.
for sure keith, the wiring is really not heavy enough. some big block cars with headers have some very cozy engine bays and heat build up is a problem. the hi-torque mini starters really help the issue as well. 
Really really great thread. All my fiction book reading has gone to hell since I joined this forum. Am on here much much too often. Had a few tips of my own when I first started reading here but by the time I got to the last page my "Al's Heimers" kicked in and I am now blank. It's too bad everyone lives so far from each other cause these sharing of ideas and stories and the friendships that are started would be lovely or even more enjoyable, rewarding plus many more adjectives in person. At least the internet has made everything and everyone closer and accesable. Thanks for all the enjoyable reading. Am just expanding what someone else already referred to.
Al...
Al...
i am not a big fan of jack stands. i like them fine when working outside the car but not when i am working aggressively under the car. back when i was involved in marine repair and storage we would off load boats from a trailer to the ground. to support the boat we would use high density styrofoam blocks, the type used for dock floatation. these are ideal to sit a car on. some of the boats were 3-4 tons. the blocks are lightweight and stackable-easy to store.
When drilling and tapping aluminum use ordinary rubbing alcohol as a lubricant. Works perfectly. Don't do it while smoking. It can ruin a nice beard
When drilling and tapping aluminum use ordinary rubbing alcohol as a lubricant. Works perfectly. Don't do it while smoking. It can ruin a nice beard
i must try that. does it act as a coolant keith ? [ lost my share of eyebrows too ]
Need to filter gasoline, coolant or other liquids? You probably have some drip coffee filters, right? Drop one into a funnel.
Just don't try to sneak them back into the kitchen when you're done.
Just don't try to sneak them back into the kitchen when you're done.
When you're working on an engine and need to run it after disconnecting vacuum lines, plug the lines with golf tees.
Need to filter gasoline, coolant or other liquids? You probably have some drip coffee filters, right? Drop one into a funnel.
Just don't try to sneak them back into the kitchen when you're done.
kinda like using a chamois for putting mexican gas in the cessna ?
The alcohol acts as a lubricant and the aluminum doesn't weld itself to the drill bit. Try it. You'll like it.
al's heimers
me? i'm fighting a constant battle with some-teimers. this whole forum is great, so much more intimate and friendly than some of the others out there [ must be our canadian niceness showing through eh ]. for me it creates a whole atmosphere of a bunch of buddies hanging around the shop, bench racing and shooting the breeze. you always feel more comfortable around like-minded folks. this little thread really did take off huh? neat. :seeya: doug.
carb cleaning
ultra sonic is the way to go ; by far, the best way to clean a carburetor is in an ultra-sonic unit. does a beautiful job and is much more gentle than the caustic chemicals. many non automotive businesses that do restoration work from flood and fire damage have ultra-sonic cleaners. just google ultra-sonic cleaners to find out more about them. -my car is on a low carb diet because a hi rise won't fit under the hood-
ultra sonic is the way to go ; by far, the best way to clean a carburetor is in an ultra-sonic unit. does a beautiful job and is much more gentle than the caustic chemicals. many non automotive businesses that do restoration work from flood and fire damage have ultra-sonic cleaners. just google ultra-sonic cleaners to find out more about them. -my car is on a low carb diet because a hi rise won't fit under the hood-
is the q-jet on your c3 beyond hope and needs to be replaced ? see if you can find a marine carb. the marine carbs tend to be in better shape than used automotive units. the only difference between the two is in the airhorn [the bowl vent tube is different]. if the airhorn on your carb is in good shape it can be swapped over.
is the q-jet on your c3 beyond hope and needs to be replaced ? see if you can find a marine carb. the marine carbs tend to be in better shape than used automotive units. the only difference between the two is in the airhorn [the bowl vent tube is different]. if the airhorn on your carb is in good shape it can be swapped over.
Some interesting quadrajet insights in this video...
Quadrajet air leak fix and warped air horn repair tutorial. - YouTube