Things I've learned from wrenching

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Lots of good advice here. One thing that I recall early in auto school regarding engine problems-was to verify mechanical condition first-then electrical and fuel last. Usually a good approach. I will break head bolts loose and then crank over the engine using compression to break the head free. I don't care for gloves in much of the 'small' work and will prefill my hand's skin pores with a light film of motor oil to make later clean up easier. I don't want a 'visitor' with a lot of chatter when doing important work as I want to concentrate on the job at hand=(I think one of the big problems with 'poor' shop work are the distractions). Finally, I pretty much know my limitations/capabilies after 45+ years of part time wrenching.
 
Originally Posted By: punisher
...Gasoline in your armpit burns...seriously....

Old gear oil (and probably any auto fluid) tastes bad, very bad.

Wear safety glasses. The membranes of your eyes are very, very thin. Especially wear them if working under a rust bucket.
 
Originally Posted By: chestand

* If you're frustrated or tired - STOP. Take a break, get lunch or quit for the day. Rest and a fresh perspective can do wonders for problem solving.


That's the most important rule right there. I've broken more stuff by not following that rule than I can count.
 
Don't work on or near starter motors, alternators or batteries whilst wearing rings or a watch with a metal band.

And Punisher, your list is spot on! It's almost 15 years since I was on the tools in a dealership, however it would appear nothing has changed...
 
Originally Posted By: chestand
Anything else you'd care to add?


Assume NOTHING!
I just had a set of heads rebuilt for my kid's car. The engine is a Ford V6 with aluminum heads. I got the heads torqued down (somewhat of a pain considering the torque-to-yield head bolts) and when I started to put on the rocker arms, the bolts would not tighten. Every single one of the female threads was at least half full of metal shavings. I know I SHOULD have checked it all out before I put them on, but the local machine shop has the best reputation around (and charges premium prices, too!) and I just assumed that he had chased the threads. When I casually told him about the problem that I had, he had all kinds of excuses, including "all aluminum heads collect metal shavings when being cleaned". But he never did admit that he did not chase the threads. And of course, I should have checked the threads out before I bolted the heads down. Anyway, threads have now been chased, rocker arms are now on and the final assembly of the engine continues.
 
Research the new part and Bring the part you're replacing to the parts store to physically match it up, don't rely on their computers.

I always bring my digital calipers to the parts store to check dimensions right at the counter before i accept the part.

Don't be afraid to inform them why you're doing these seemingly strange techniques beforehand.

Clean reassembly will assure a long lasting repair.
 
Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
Research the new part and Bring the part you're replacing to the parts store to physically match it up, don't rely on their computers.


I had a jeep liberty 2.4 where a TSB was issued indicating a serpentine belt idler was surplus, and removing it would cure some sort of squeak. Well, dangit, mine had this idler removed and it needed a much shorter belt. As I had bought its replacement online through Advance, much hilarity ensued.

I sent them an email advising they needed an asterisk in their catalog, never heard back.
 
Know when to cut your losses. Instead of nursing an assembly out or continuing to be gentle with a part that is obviously screwed- snip, cut, grind or yank it out/apart. It's junk and no longer your friend. Taking all the time to get it apart the right way will in no way benefit you (provided you don't cause collateral damage).

Upon assembly- CLEAN!!! Assembly always takes me forever because I make sure all moving parts are properly cleaned and lubed where needed and gasket surfaces are clean enough to eat off of. It's exceedingly rare that I have leaks.
 
Originally Posted By: hpb

And Punisher, your list is spot on! It's almost 15 years since I was on the tools in a dealership, however it would appear nothing has changed...


I quit in 2001 after 17 years of being a tech. The last 10 years of that were mainly electrical/engine performance, and that is about the only thing that kept me sane. Walking away from the shop was the best decision I ever made.

A lot of my comrades left about the same time I did to try another career.
 
If your stuck with a problem or can't figure out what's going on, the internet is your friend....research, research and then research some more. Pretty good chance that your problem has already been diagnosed by someone else.
 
If it's a job I haven't done before I plan the steps and check that I have the tools to reach all the fasteners.

I keep a bucket of hot soapy water near by to wash my hands in during the job. Having clean hands keep me relaxed and focused.
 
* Listen to the customer, but don't ever trust them. They know things they will not tell you, and tell you things they don't know.

* Obtain as much vehicle history as you possibly can. Example: If the car was a bank repo, I know I may be looking for sabotage, as opposed to a problem/failure.

* Create realistic customer expectations. Get it out of the way right from the beginning that you are a technician, and not a magician, and the cost/time or repair will be dictated strictly according to the vehicle condition, and not by your knowledge of "tricks". There's no magic wand in the Snap-On catalogue.

* Never, ever, under any circumstances perform a bull**** repair, or service a part of any system in poor shape. No matter how much you save the customer, or how many ways you explain that they have opted to take an incorrect or inadvisable course to "fixing" their problem, when the **** hits the fan later down the road, you will not be thanked for giving their vehicle an extension on life that it didn't deserve. You will be blamed for all problems in their life, including their divorce, thinning hair line, and their cat having diarrhea. Give them back their keys and tell them they can do it right, or go take it somewhere else. The cheap customers always become the biggest problems.

* Always use service manuals and guides as just that; GUIDES. Like your girlfriend, they can omit very important details, and create some seriously high expectations as compared to reality.

* Keep a bottle of contact lens "multi-purpose solution" handy, whether you use contact or not. This is the perfect and doctor recommended solution for flushing out your eyes if you get anything in them. obviously, if you get a major blast of fluids in your eyes, yes, use the eye wash station, but for dust, particles, etc., the solution is much better for your eyes than water.
 
Get mating surfaces and gasket surfaces absolutely clean. Same goes for threads, locating pins and clean out blind holes. Almost clean is not good enough, ever.
 
When you think you're done, before you lower it, start it, drive it, etc., review your work and make mental notes on what you did. Is everything capped, plugged, cleaned, connected, assembled, tightened, etc? Are any parts left over? All fluids replaced?

Shade tree mechanics have more time to do this and don't face the time constraints of a shop. Just one reason I like to do as much of my own work that I can.
 
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^ Excellent tips.

I always keep a spare functional car at the ready whenever the urge to play in the garage strikes...for parts runs.
 
Before I do an oil change, I always put the fill cap in front of the hood latch. That way I can never shut the hood without doing everything I was supposed to do. I never started a car without oil, but I did leave an oil cap behind once.
 
I know a lot of people who have not learned that lesson. I briefly worked for a shop where I had to constantly advise the tech not to come anywhere near a car I was working on while he was drinking, and had to constantly remind him not to smoke while fuel related repairs were being performed.
 
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