Practical Tips

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  • David Green
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2009
    • 382

    #46
    Originally posted by greasybob
    Some times a bigger hammer isn't always best. 2013 RAM 4500 Dually, the rear wheels won't budge. First I used a chisel and a wedge to get the outside wheels off. A few swings with the big hammer and I thought there's got to be a better way to get the inside wheels off. Port-A-power to the rescue After you got one wheel loose remove the rust, lube it and put the lugnuts on to push the other side.
    Not wanting to upset you but those axle stands your using may not be as safe as you think?

    I have those and apparently the teeth wear and the stand can collapse. I purchased new ones and the latest designs look the same but they have locking pins that locate through the stands when raised. I can't see any locking pins on yours. You may be able to modify yours to fit pins for safety purposes if they are not fitted.

    Comment

    • greasybob
      Senior Member
      • May 2008
      • 1590

      #47
      Thanks for your concern. The equipment in use is mine and not the shops so I can keep it in working order. I should get extra credit though for having the stands doubled up on the side I was removing the wheel from. It's not always things falling off of the jacks that kills people, often it's a slowly leaking floor jack that can trap you under the vehicle and cause suffocation. I'll look into the lock pin jacks.

      Comment

      • Witsend
        Banned
        • Nov 2012
        • 2942

        #48
        Don't throw out that old key cylinder

        Take it all apart and gut out all the old tumblers , then reassemble it without any tumblers , Any key blank cut, or uncut will be able to turn that cylinder, therefore you can see if any uncut key blank will take programming correctly so you will know beforehand if key is incorrect or a key chip won't take programming before you pay to have it cut , so you be able to return it uncut for a refund that you would likely not be able to get if it were already cut.
        Attached Files
        Last edited by Witsend; 05-20-2017, 02:17 PM.

        Comment

        • Witsend
          Banned
          • Nov 2012
          • 2942

          #49
          So you don't want to buy another valve spring compressor

          Found a way to compress the recessed valve springs and remove the valves on a 2.2 Eco tech head and make my old conventional C-clamp style valve spring compressor work for now without buying another special valve spring compressor to get into the tight recesses. Grabbed a 22 mm HF O2/ oil pressure / diesel injector socket or whatchmacallit from a port cargo kit, and made it work. Foreseeing some reassembly challenges, and Not wishing to grind down the O2 socket, to better access keeper installation I'm having the machine shop, do the valves and finish the assembly. I was thinking of ordering a OTC 4572 but was wondering if the smaller size valve spring adapter fits squarely into the recess of this Eco-Tech 2.2 head?
          Attached Files
          Last edited by Witsend; 06-01-2017, 07:32 AM.

          Comment

          • Witsend
            Banned
            • Nov 2012
            • 2942

            #50
            Eco-tech waterpump holding tools

            Beware , All the knock off tools are not created equal! If you order one, make sure that the 3 water pump sprocket holding bolts are of a stepped design with positive stops so you can positively feel the bolts are seated against sprocket and feel snug and everything a go with all ducks straight in a row. Avoid the ones with regular full length threaded bolts. I'm not sure if I might have compromised the tension er and or chain , so I am now replacing both so I'm not sorry later. Maybe this cheapo will work just fine if you only snug the 3 bolts initially and leave them the f@ck alone, not tightening these 3 sprocket holding bolts any further after you break loose and remove the 3 sprocket bolts, but if you insist on keeping them snug the whole time , like I did until the very end of removing the 3 sprocket bolts , the sprocket will be drawn about 1/4"outboard and seat against the holding tool, putting additional strain on the chain and tensioner before the bolts feel seated snug.Maybe valuable information to save headache or an expensive comeback

            Attached Files
            Last edited by Witsend; 06-03-2017, 12:47 PM.

            Comment

            • Witsend
              Banned
              • Nov 2012
              • 2942

              #51
              Here is a good rear view image of view of the water pump sprocket being held in place with the generic supplied bolts that really should be special stepped bolts so they don't tread in so deep ,which ultimately pulls the sprocket up against tool face before bolts finally seem snug. The sprocket pulled outboard causes some misalignment and adding unwanted tension to the chain and tension er It worried me that I might have compromised or weakened something so I pulled the Timing cover and replaced the balance shaft chain and the tensioner.
              Attached Files
              Last edited by Witsend; 06-07-2017, 08:24 AM.

              Comment

              • Witsend
                Banned
                • Nov 2012
                • 2942

                #52
                Make a seized bolt into a Stud?

                If unscrewing a bolt in aluminum that is in a bad spot that fights you the entire way and it only comes out so far before it feels like it won't budge anymore and you risk snapping it off, analyze the situation. Maybe if enough bolt thread is exposed if you only cut the bolt head off,it could still make due as a stud for a nut. Beats breaking the bolt off pushing your luck and trying to drill it out. Worked for me .
                Last edited by Witsend; 06-16-2017, 06:35 AM.

                Comment

                • stioc
                  Junior Member
                  • May 2017
                  • 10

                  #53
                  Don't have $800 to spend on a Leak Tamer?

                  This less than $40 fogger https://www.amazon.com/CHAUVET-DJ-Hu...dp/B0002D0JX8/ plus a couple of step down adapters work surprisingly well.

                  Comment

                  • Witsend
                    Banned
                    • Nov 2012
                    • 2942

                    #54
                    Don't have $800 to spend on a Leak Tamer?
                    This less than $40 fogger https://www.amazon.com/CHAUVET-DJ-Hu...dp/B0002D0JX8/ plus a couple of step down adapters work surprisingly well.
                    Reply With Quote
                    Been there and tried a similar Halloween Fogger I bought used for $20 off Craigslist. It does works ok for a larger vacuum leak on a intake manifold in close proximity to the smoke machine, but the OSHA approved type of smoke vapor it generates from the fog fluid seems to condense back to a fluid too soon to cover the distance and still be easily seen at the rear of the vehicle unless a hose is literally off. A bright light helps in some instances. Could hook a AC vacuum pump to a Hookah and put some 420 into the bowl.
                    Last edited by Witsend; 06-16-2017, 06:34 AM.

                    Comment

                    • stioc
                      Junior Member
                      • May 2017
                      • 10

                      #55
                      Originally posted by Witsend
                      Could hook a AC vacuum pump to a Hookah and put some 420 into the bowl.
                      Now I know why the techs have a stupid grin on their faces after they're done checking for vacuum leaks

                      Comment

                      • Witsend
                        Banned
                        • Nov 2012
                        • 2942

                        #56
                        Honda Timing Belt

                        Changed a water pump and Timing belt on a 3.5L 2010 Honda Pilot and went by the book of taking one of the battery hold down j bolts, tapering the tip of it and using it to remove the belt tension of T belt pulley in order to release tension and remove the belt . The confines of where I had to work at rear of compartment proved to be a PITA , and Since I was just replacing the belt (not reusing it) I think I might have wasted a good chunk of time doing this procedure instead of just cutting the old T belt near the tensioner (after statically timed of course). I might be wrong and have had a camshaft snap out of position and kiss a valve, but I figure if T belt is sliced on the tensioner side, the very slow gradual extension of the hydraulic gas charged belt tensioner, nothing is likely to suddenly explosively snap rotate or jump and I could save myself going through 15 minutes of additional Mickey Mouse BS when I'm not reusing the old T-belt, However if someone doesn't cut the T belt on the tensioner pulley side and accidentally slices the T-belt between the 2 cams or between the front cam pulley or crankshaft sprocket, the tensioner extension is likely going to rotate something out of position and you might kiss a valve to a piston or piston to a valve depending on what moves.
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by Witsend; 06-19-2017, 07:51 AM.

                        Comment

                        • Tech_A
                          Senior Member
                          • Jul 2014
                          • 115

                          #57
                          Originally posted by Witsend
                          Changed a water pump and Timing belt on a 3.5L 2010 Honda Pilot and went by the book of taking one of the battery hold down j bolts, tapering the tip of it and using it to remove the belt tension of T belt pulley in order to release tension and remove the belt . The confines of where I had to work at rear of compartment proved to be a PITA , and Since I was just replacing the belt (not reusing it) I think I might have wasted a good chunk of time doing this procedure instead of just cutting the old T belt near the tensioner (after statically timed of course). I might be wrong and have had a camshaft snap out of position and kiss a valve, but I figure if T belt is sliced on the tensioner side, the very slow gradual extension of the hydraulic gas charged belt tensioner, nothing is likely to suddenly explosively snap rotate or jump and I could save myself going through 15 minutes of additional Mickey Mouse BS when I'm not reusing the old T-belt, However if someone doesn't cut the T belt on the tensioner pulley side and accidentally slices the T-belt between the 2 cams or between the front cam pulley or crankshaft sprocket, the tensioner extension is likely going to rotate something out of position and you might kiss a valve to a piston or piston to a valve depending on what moves.
                          Always a PITA the first time...we had a designated bolt for this procedure

                          Comment

                          • greasybob
                            Senior Member
                            • May 2008
                            • 1590

                            #58
                            When tightening torque to yield bolts that require multiple passes, use a paint marker to mark each bolt after each pass. This reduces confusion and doubt if questioning if you turned them all the correct number of times. Works well if you've ever been interrupted during the process.
                            Attached Files

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                            • greasybob
                              Senior Member
                              • May 2008
                              • 1590

                              #59
                              Had a 2012 Chevy 3500 cube van that needed a fuel pump. Of course the tank was full and I can't get the truck on a lift. To ensure that the tank didn't flip of the floor jacks I was using to lower it I secured a couple of ratchet straps under to tank to help lower it.
                              Attached Files

                              Comment

                              • greasybob
                                Senior Member
                                • May 2008
                                • 1590

                                #60
                                More ratchet strap tips. Ephratah mentioned the pods he had installed under his hoist to hold suspension arms in place while working. If you have a drive on hoist this works too with a ratchet strap to hold down the control arm to keep it out of your way. Don't want to stab a new half shaft boot.
                                Attached Files

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