Mechanical repair recommendations, hints and tricks.

[Omega Man]

Well, it seems that things are getting harder to work on. I remember back in the day what a wonderful find an impact driver was when I was working on my Honda's. Those pesky Phillips (JIS) screws never wanted to come put with just a screwdriver.
There is a lot of mechanical talent and experience here on the forum, I was wondering if we could have a thread that could feature those tricks. From rewiring an HES to custom blends of penetrating fluid to the best way(s) to get the proper amount of lube back into a final drive- let's hear about it
It could be as simple as a post or a direction to a thread that saved the day for you.
No sense all this great information fading away.
Gary

 

[lmo1131]

I remember back in the day what a wonderful find an impact driver was when I was working on my Honda's.

ditto. I still have my "Vessel" somewhere in the shop.

 

[crucian]

PB Blaster remains the king of penetrating oils. The PB brand now has about five aerosol compounds out but for loosening a frozen part, PB Blaster original remains the best.

 

[yeehastephen]

What! And give away my secrets? Then everyone would quit hangin' out with me and bringing over free beer!

 

[dieselyoda]

Forty years as professional wrench. Usually a bad day when I don’t learn something new.

 

[52184]

The really useful tips often have no technical content. Some I’ve collected over the years from techs I’ve known...

1. Every mechanical task, regardless of how much it looks like the last identical task you did, will be different in some way. Sometimes a good way, sometimes not.

2. It is far easier, faster, and more enjoyable to read manuals, research the web, or query forums *before* undertaking a task than it is to read manuals, surf the web, or query forums in an effort to figure out how to recover from whatever was botched in a poorly-researched task.

3. The British axiom that “any tool can be a hammer, but a screwdriver makes the best chisel” should not be in play when working on fine German equipment.

4. Factory service manuals are incredibly cheap, regardless of the price.

5. Factory special-service tools are designed A)to make a service task go correctly and accurately and B)to make a service task go more quickly and profitably. When attempting to fabricate or jerry-rig a substitute make sure your focus is on A and not B. When in doubt, buy the factory tool or farm the job out.

6. Never be afraid to admit that a job is beyond your skills, knowledge, or resources and do the right thing—go for a nice ride on your other bike while your faithful service technician handles the job. Sometimes, donuts and coffee for the shop lead can be the best factory service tool available.

7. The bigger the botch you’ve done on the service task you attempted, the longer the coffee break you should take before returning to the garage.


Tongue firmly in cheek,
DG

 

[yeehastephen]

Forty years as professional wrench. Usually a bad day when I don’t learn something new.

"Usually a bad day when I don’t learn something new..."

One of my mother's favorite sayings.

SS

 

[manicmechanic]

After working on many types and brands of vehicles, it is very helpful to understand how something is supposed to work before trying to determine why it doesn't work.

When trying to repair electrical/electronic systems, start first where you have power, then find where it stops.

Work smarter, not harder.

When in doubt, stop, take a break, and think about it. Sometimes walking away from a problem for a while, even overnight, can make all the difference.

When you see a symptom, determine if that is really what you are seeing, and not the result of something else.

There are times when, while working on a machine, you must ask the owner what the real story is. Then you feel like a dentist, because it can be like pulling teeth to get the real answer.

The battery you bought new yesterday can fail just as easily as that 5-year-old one.

 

[MCMXCIVRS]

An ounce of preventative maintenance is worth a pound of repairs.

 

[t6pilot]

I’ve found with things i’am not familiar with working on, I head to the computer and first check YOU TUBE, amazing the info out there that people have taken the time to document

 

[fmdualexhaust]

PB Blaster remains the king of penetrating oils. The PB brand now has about five aerosol compounds out but for loosening a frozen part, PB Blaster original remains the best.

Kroil is very good also.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

Kroil is very good also.

So is a mix of acetone and ATF... My friend and I use it on lower units of outboard motors that need bearings/shafts replaced.
Just make sure nobody lights one up in the neighborhood of this concoction....

 

[dennisdarrow]

How many times on this forum have we given advice to a "new guy" on how to repair that unknown how to repair part who just had to violate the rule: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.............A good example: /5 centrifugal advance nut used to turn the engine over.......How did that nut twist off. " I was just trying to use that to get those points off"

Then of course, the "EXPERTS" chime in, "how else is he going to learn?"

 

[terham]

So is a mix of acetone and ATF... My friend and I use it on lower units of outboard motors that need bearings/shafts replaced.
Just make sure nobody lights one up in the neighborhood of this concoction....

In an article in Airmail, the publication of the Airheads Club, comparing penetrating oils, they found 1:1 ATF:acetone was the best followed by Kroil. I generally use one or the other.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert.

 

[Friedle]

Get a couple of good quality torque wrenches, in lbs AND ft lbs. Gutentight is not guten enough. The torque wrenches will be a LOT cheaper than repairing/replacing the broken fasteners or stripped threads. Then learn how to properly use them.

Friedle

PS: Another excellent tip. Don't keep "fixing" something until it breaks, especially if you don't know how it works in the first place.

 

[1074]

Vessel?

ditto. I still have my "Vessel" somewhere in the shop.

True, but the chalice from the palace holds the brew that is true!

 

[dieselyoda]

Without turning this into an oil or filter or best tool thread, a good wrench starts out with the no assumptions, pays attention to intuition and a good sidekick is recording every step of the process.

I will give you a great example of making assumptions, ignoring intuition and forgetting to pay attention to little details.

I am Dieselyoda. A nickname I think is well deserved except for the other day when nickname should have been Wtfdoofus.

I had a loader come in with a CAPS fuel system problem. I automatically assumed it was the pump. A $10k pump. Parts, my labour, out the door for $13k as it usually is the last 30 or 60 times with that particular complaint.

Nope, no run, no smoke out the pipe, change the charge pump, another $1.2K and nope, nothing, nada, fuel system is putting out as much as a girl on her first date.

Turns out, and this will make beg others to chime in, I forgot to check the fuses.

A good wrench with all the tricks and tools starts simple.

 

[pglaves]

Get decent tools. Crap is crud! Don't be the cheapest thing on a BMW.

 

[Omega Man]

I have what I like to call “The fresh eyes” theory. When working on something that seems incredibly simple, but not going well, have another set of eyes on it. I find it works wonders.
OM

 

[BC1100S]

Turns out, and this will make beg others to chime in, I forgot to check the fuses.

Don't feel badly. I took my sporty car to my dealer when the orange "You Have An Issue" light came on. An hour's labour later he tells me, "You need a new dual homogifier or you could 'blow your transmission'. It'll cost about $485 plus tax and labour." Alrighty then...

I take the car home and decide to pop open the fuse box. There, staring me in the face, was a blown fuse. Replaced it with the spare that was one of three thoughtfully provided by the manufacturer in the fusebox and, voila, no orange light of death. Went back to the dealer and spoke with the service manager. "Oh, really? I'll have a word with the technician and call you back." Still waiting for that call.

I've changed dealers.

Apologies for the thread derail.