Please share some of your mechanical tips and tricks

[zippy_gg]

Originally Posted by pjd131

I have a bad neck. I found the best thing for neck support while working on my car was a bag of kitty litter. My creeper often leaves little room to work so lying on the garage floor with my neck supported with the kitty litter bag worked great (just in case you ever have to replace the slave cylinder on the G50). Bag cleans off easy too.

Funny you should mention kitty litter. I was in a situation where neck support was needed and I used the first thing next to me in the garage: a 40lbs bag of dog food!
Worked like a charm and could somewhat easily be reshaped to fit.

[snbush67]

A handy tool for for adjusting/checking valve lash using the backside method is a Popsicle stick with the the go gauge on one side and the no/go gauge on the other, the stick keeps the gauge stiff and allows for an easy reach.

To make it even better attach a small led light to the stick with a finger momentary on press button.

[snbush67]

Guitar strings are strong and have specific diameters. The smaller gauge strings work well to poke into carburetor jets etc to check for, or clear blockage.

[Neel]

Originally Posted by Tippy

I have one, opposite of what was posted earlier in this thread, use caution when using others advice from the Internet.

I can't tell you how many times I read something on the Internet by those far less mechanically inclined or experienced than I, that simply led me down a rabbit hole - going against what I'd learned from the past.

Why? The Internet creates a lemming situation. One person does something, others follow, then the practice becomes accepted and the "expert" method.

I've seen it here on the board many times too, not just other forums.

Caveat emptor!!!!

Probably one of the best pieces of advise so far... Also I loved Reddog's tip about not buying a lift..
One of my tips: If you plan on doing your own A/C work, buy a vacuum pump that will "suck the chrome off a trailer hitch" and buy a set of Digital Gauges...

[sugarwood]

These came in very handy today. Made the whole job more pleasant.
Mostly the jacking step, where you're kneeling to check and adjust jack stands.

[reddogmotrsprts]

Despite the previous disclaimers, this one requires another. If you lose a limb attempting this, remember this warning: This technique is demonstrated for entertainment purposes only!

Seriously, do not do this thing unless there is no one around to watch you. You really don't want laughter to be the last thing you hear.

This particular demonstration is somewhat contrived -- I had to wait until a scenario presented itself -- but consider the following problem involving a steering rack outside the car and with no vise in sight.

We want to remove the tie rod "heads" from the ends of the rack:



...but our one-armed mechanic doesn't have enough leverage to squeeze the two wrenches together:



(sidenote -- crescent wrenches are the province of hillbilly mechanics; we are located in Pennsyltucky, after all)

So we take a rope (I like to use a tow strap, but to make this easier to see, we demonstrate with some 99 cent camo rope that likely came from HF) and create a loop around the wrenches, secured by some design features of those tools:



Next we stick a long object into the loop in order to twist it about and shrink the loop. This is not a good place to put your finger, unless your finger is made of hardened tool steel.

Don't do it exactly as it's being done here; you want the twist to be between the wrenches, not behind one or the other. Keep twisting the hardened steel finger until the loop shrinks enough to squeeze the wrenches and break the nut loose.



I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've used this technique; usually when loosening, say, an oil line between oil tubes, or something where if it suddenly gives way, I could end up damaging a part. But this is almost never the right way, which you'll figure out once you try it.

And that said, this is kinda like a form of inception. Now that you know about the method, you will find occasion to use it when you shouldn't. Save yourselves! Resist the temptation!

[manbridge 74]

Porsche have lots of hardware foof. By this I mean you don't just have a nut and bolt but sometimes bolt, nut, washer, lock washer, Schorr washer, anti-vibration washer and on an on.

Sometimes you have to put all this on studs in limited access areas. Put everything on a screwdriver and touching the tip to stud let everything slide down the shaft. Start nut with fingers and remove driver. Works good on deep steering wheels and buried intake pipe studs, etc.

[Ronnie's.930]

^^^

Jeff, are you trying to give me a run for my money in the innuendo/double entendre department?!?!

Looks like you've thrown down the gauntlet right thar - well done!!!

[manbridge 74]

Ronnie, are you a replicant?

Tell me about your mother...

[Ronnie's.930]

Jeff, for all questions about my mother, I must refer you to Bob K, as he has on several occasions claimed to have specific, and troubling, knowledge in that area.

[mreid]

Use a pencil soldering iron to make holes for screws and bolts when installing a carpet kit or other interior panels. It melts right through the carpet sealing it as it goes. Works really well for trim screws through seat belt bolts.

[rusnak]

Icepick works for that. Or a sharp awl. I have a bunch of pics from a similar thread that I posted on years ago.

[manbridge 74]

Love the pencil iron tip.

Nothing irks me like fabric threads wrapping around the screw you're trying to drive home.

[Ronnie's.930]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

Nothing irks me like fabric threads wrapping around the screw you're trying to drive home.

Hmmmm, a fan of laser grooming, eh?!?!

[pampadori]

Not sure if this was mentioned yet or not but i use this often when a bolt is a little difficult.

[mreid]

I see you have it configured in tighten mode. I have several lengths and diameters of pipes that fit over ratchet handles and wrenches to get extra leverage. I made most of my special porsche tools out of strapping (rod end and chain positioners, flywheel immobilizer) and various pipe fittings from HD (seal drivers, bearing press tools).

[McLaren-TAG]

Originally Posted by mreid

Use a pencil soldering iron to make holes for screws and bolts when installing a carpet kit or other interior panels. It melts right through the carpet sealing it as it goes. Works really well for trim screws through seat belt bolts.

Also very useful for making new RS door pulls. If you don't want to ruin gunk up the tip of the soldering iron, heating up an old screwdriver with a torch will do it as well.

[dfhtrhjn]

The removable tube handle of a hydraulic floor jack will slide over a lot of wrench-like tools providing you a big-ass breaker bar.

Also buy a lift, dollar for dollar the best money I've ever spent.

[Bob Kontak]

Not a mechanical trick but a spiffy trick. Wheel painting and you hate to mask?

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by dfhtrhjn

Also buy a lift, dollar for dollar the best money I've ever spent.

+1 It is a game changer even if you are a noob car fixer with the intent of expanding your skill set.

Also, you add a parking space.