Mechanics' know-how

[DSdriver]

If draining oil into one of those containers with a tray on the side get a spare sump plug before you start. That way when it falls inside the container you don't have the problem of trying to rescue the plug from inside the can. Use the new plug and then when you drain the container at the waste oil dump the old sump plug will drop out onto the mesh and can be retrieved in a placcy bag so you can reuse it when the same thing happens next time.

 

Copper washers on sump plugs and fuel lines can be re-used if you anneal them first. Simply heat them until they are cherry red and plunge them into cold water.

[Station]

Well it depends on how easy it is to get to the damaged studs etc. If there is plenty of room all round and the job can be done without head removal it's gona cost the hourly rate plus materials at an engine rebuilders, or a good machine shop.

Remember, just removing the broken stud is the main objective, not helicoiling a usable threaded hole.

If the head has to come off then things are gona get more expensive, but it is easier to work on stuff when it's on the bench. 

As a side job for a workshop guy, with the manifold etc. removed, your looking at a couple of hours work and 50 quid, approx.

If however 1 of your studs has snapped at 45 degree angle below the machined surface then the head will have to come off regardless and the hole drilled out with a slot mill cutter......on a miller.

Take it to a machine shop and get an opinion.

Helicoil is only a last resort if the threads are stripped or the threads are stuck.

 

I will be taking the head off, so it'll just be working on the head.

[OwdChina]

I will be taking the head off, so it'll just be working on the head.

Five broken studs out is not going to take very long. These places have all sorts of specialist tooling for doing this type of work..............left hand drills...slot cutters...taps...cap screws etc. etc........and that's only if things become difficult, like threadlocked or seized studs. I'd be surprised if it came to 3 figures.........even on the books.

[rainagain]

You need to give it a good sharp tap with as big a punch as will fit, 20 thou clearance........to stop any chance of the insert last thread jumping its locating thread. Also check your drill size for the helicoil tap is not slightly oversize, depending on the material your helicoiling, you need a fully formed thread for the insert.

Thanks will give this a try next time

[Dead_E23]

If draining oil into one of those containers with a tray on the side ... when you drain the container at the waste oil dump

 

Which reminds me of another one.  I drain my waste oil into a big (65 litre, iirc) translucent plastic jerry can from a camping shop.   That way, I only need to take it to the tip after about 7 or 8 oil changes when it starts to get heavy and unwieldy.

[robinmasters]

If you're going anywhere near the suspension, a big effing crowbar. I found mine, and its possible been the single most useful tool I have.

[Bone]

Dial gauge and mag stand.

 

Tappets can create a dimple in the opposing surface from the adjuster, making feelers near but not accurate. The clearance gap can be measured from the top of the adjuster using a dial to keep the gap within tolerance. 

[Shep Shepherd]

Copper washers on sump plugs and fuel lines can be re-used if you anneal them first. Simply heat them until they are cherry red and plunge them into cold water.

 

I've successfully re-used them many times in the past by simply wiping them clean with a cloth

[sierraman]

I don't know why you would fuck about heating them up and what not, they are pence to replace...

[Timewaster]

I don't know why you would fuck about heating them up and what not, they are pence to replace...

Yeah but is hard to get the holes dead centre when you drill out the 2 pence.

[OwdChina]

Yeah but is hard to get the holes dead centre when you drill out the 2 pence.

Not on a lathe it aint

[twosmoke300]

The dti method of adjusting valve clearances is spot on and I think is basically what the old gunsons clikajust used to do .

Another ( really nerdy ) way is to remove one adjuster and measure the thread pitch . Once you know this you can work out how much the adjuster needs to be turned off nipped up to get the clearance . For example if you have a 1mm thread pitch and need a 0.25mm gap then it's 1/4 turn from nipped up .

[scaryoldcortina]

Anyone else remember the viva/chevette 1256 method of valve clearance adjustment?

 

Set all to 20 thou or thereabouts.

Start engine with rocker cover off.

Tighten adjusters until sewing machine noise stops*.

If a cylinder cuts out, back the adjuster out a bit.

You are done when it's quiet and smooth (for a chevette) or all the oil is on the floor.

[twosmoke300]

You were supposed to set them with feeler gauges with engine running

[scaryoldcortina]

^I know that's what the haynes said, but have you ever tried getting a feeler gauge under a moving tappet?

[jonny69]

One you’ll need to make up – a pair of very long (like 4 metres long) thick wires with crocodile clips at one end, and spade connectors at the other end. Put a switch in there, I got a switch that lights up when it’s on because I’m such a showoff. This means that when tracing electrical faults, you can put the croc clips on the battery and take 12V straight to the thing you’re testing, without taking it out. This is such a useful thing I should patent it and sell the idea to people for a hundred quid, and they’d still thank me. If you’re likely to be clumsy, put a fuseholder in there in case you short something out.

 

I've currently got a hilariously* difficult to diagnose intermittent misfire in my car at the moment and it's let me down a few times. This is an excellent idea and I'm going to try it

[CreepingJesus]

Seconded for the nitrile gloves vs latex. Ma pinches them from work, and at least the NHS spec ones are way tougher than latex.

Completely forgot about this thread, until somebody liked something I'd posted!

Can't agree more about the nitrile gloves, and Cobblers' comment too. When my other half was in isolation last year, I left the Vic with handfuls of nice NHS spec gloves as per L13s suggestion. Bloody brilliant gloves, especially teamed with latex or nitrile faced knitted ones. Not the thick yellow ones with the green coating though - too thick and the fabric slacks off too easily. I usually use thick leather ones for work, but being skint I blagged blue nitrile ones, which were indestructible up til the point they fell apart! But they'd taken a power of abuse by then, and saved my hands from damage loads of times.

 

Stillson wrench for getting filters off. One of the fitters swears by this, and can get all the service filters off a Daf XF in under ten mins by this method. You maybe don't need a 36" one for car use, but the principle's the same.

[OwdChina]

Howdy Ya'll.......... another tale of woe from the "That Piece Of Crap Dodge" department. 

 

Rear wheel bearings are screwed, time for new ones.

First off remove calipers, discs, diff cover blah blah blah and get to the nitty gritty.

 

Remove holding peg bolt and withdraw shaft from planet gears.

 

 

Push half shafts inward and remove C washers from shafts.

 

 

 

 

Insert internal bearing puller and attach slide hammer. Three or four good sharp yanks and the bearing and seal are out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A quick phone call to Autozone and yes they have replacements in stock.

 

 

However these are damage replacement bearings, all one piece seal and bearing unit which is a reverse unit, thus the seal end sits in the original bearing housing and the bearing sits in the seal housing. Not what I want because I've no damage. Back at autozone they produce what I originally wanted, a roller bearing and separate seal. Fortunately I'd taken measuring equipment with me and discovered they were slightly wrong, .005" down on the outside dia.........Bollocks.......the original bearings are a bastard size and only available from the Dodge Dealership........Bollocks again.......Best get my pants down and lube up.

 

 

That's right........$227.66 for two bearings, two seals and a bottle of LSD lube.........Fucks sake.

Anyway, Gently tap in new bearings with an appropriate socket and the seals with a flat piece of wood, then rebuild is reversal of strip down........don't forget oil.

 

 

 

 

Oh, the shoes are the parking brake.

[twosmoke300]

Same set up as some rwd transits - a right ball ache

[Asimo]

So is that C washer the only thing that axially locates the half shaft / hub / wheel?

(I guess it can't break completely free because of the brake disc)

[OwdChina]

So is that C washer the only thing that axially locates the half shaft / hub / wheel?

(I guess it can't break completely free because of the brake disc)

Pretty much yes, apart from the brake disc as you've figured, and the shaft between the planets stops any inward float. It all looks a crap idea that could fail fairly rapidly at first glance, but this axle is just shy of 200,000 miles and shows no sign of not being able to do another 200,000 without issue...................having said that, the bearing noise has reduced a lot since the outsides were replaced, but there is still a rumble, so it looks like the taper bearings in the diff will be the next subject of attention fairly soon............time to lube up and bend over again.

[twosmoke300]

On the transits with drums that clip is the only thing holding it all together ! They have about 5mm of end float sometimes too .

Iirc there was a product update that involved fitting a funny clip that looked like a pair of ear phones over the centre shaft to keep the half shafts pushed out to prevent endfloat / the c clip coming out . Gash design imo

[OwdChina]

On the transits with drums that clip is the only thing holding it all together ! They have about 5mm of end float sometimes too .

Iirc there was a product update that involved fitting a funny clip that looked like a pair of ear phones over the centre shaft to keep the half shafts pushed out to prevent endfloat / the c clip coming out . Gash design imo

Agreed. If for any reason one of the rear wheels got a good clobbering from the INSIDE, spinning and hitting a lump in the road or even a pot hole for instance in snow, at slow speed, that clip stands a good chance of shearing. If you then managed to carry on your journey and the drum worked itself off the shoes you'd have no brakes too.