Technique

[Bob Thompson]

I was inspired to post this tip by my neighbor who thought it was the coolest thing electric badgers. I didn't think it was all that clever, just an expediant.
I was rebuilding a carb for my 65 WM300 and before I started I laid out a short length of double sided tape on the bench. Each screw or spring or other little fiddly bit gets placed on the tape. This helps avoid migration through means of inopportune sneezes, barn cats offering their assistance and other methods of scattering small parts. I always put a small pan over the parts because of packrats and squirrels and the afore mentioned barncats who, if they were earning their keep would have dispensed with the first two threats to my hardware hegemony.
My personal preference is for the 3M product as it seems to have more adhesive value and a longer shelf life.

[Gordon Maney]

Great idea.

[Bob Thompson]

Gordon, I'd bet all the guys here have a similar tip that they think of as nothing special. I remember being blown over when I learned about grease holding needle bearings so they can be installed. I was nine but it still seemed like the knowledge of Sages to me.
Let's get these guys to share their procedures.

[Gordon Maney]

Yes, I really liked the grease on needle bearings idea, too.

Snaking out the broken stub of an axle shaft with length of iron wire formed into a loop that binds when pulled on was really exciting to watch. I had broken an axle shaft on my 1953 Olds and did not know how to get it out until my old neighbor wandered over and told me.

[712edf]

dipstick = straightedge

When installing the rocker shafts on a B/RB cylinder head, I lay the dipstick across the 5 bosses (towards intake manifiold) that the shaft bolts to. Then when I put in the 8 pushrods the dipstick holds them all in alignment with where they need to be in relation to the rocker arms. When that head/shaft is done I use the dipstick on the other head.

No big deal but beats fiddling with keeping 8 pushrods in place simultaneously while tightening rocker shafts.

Bucky

[Bob Thompson]

That's a good one as well Gordon. A lot of these little expediants qualify as thinking outside the box, if you will excuse what has become an over used metaphor. Although there are those who believe that the box was built for a reason. They have grown quite comfortable there and, although a change of wallpaper would be nice they are quite content to remain. Yet again there are still others who have dismantled the box and built a swingset or a tree fort with the lumber.
I don't really have a point with this other than demonstrating the difference between linear, lateral and oblique thinking. The latter two being the source of some of these little tricks of the trade we were discussing. Or perhaps challenging Norm's drivel champion status.

[Bob Thompson]

When installing the rocker shafts on a B/RB cylinder head, I lay the dipstick across the 5 bosses (towards intake manifiold) that the shaft bolts to. Then when I put in the 8 pushrods the dipstick holds them all in alignment with where they need to be in relation to the rocker arms. When that head/shaft is done I use the dipstick on the other head.

No big deal but beats fiddling with keeping 8 pushrods in place simultaneously while tightening rocker shafts.

Bucky

I used an extra-long 3/8"extension but the dipstick would probably have stayed put a bit better.
Yours is an excellent example of the subject at hand.

[mozark]

Another use for grease

Use grease to hold a nut (or bolt) in a socket. Particularly when you are snaking it down into the depths of the engine compartment on three extensions with the wrong hand.

MM

[Matthew Ziegler]

oven cleaner

Ez off oven cleaner in the yellow can, best grease, oil, paint and gasket remover I've used. Spray some on, works best in warm weather, allow to sit 15 or 20 minutes and remove using a garden hose or power washer. Works great on transmissions, rears etc. Take some saftey precautions, goggles gloves etc. may harm plastic or aluminum parts.

[JStinson]

Ez off oven cleaner in the yellow can, best grease, oil, paint and gasket remover I've used. Spray some on, works best in warm weather, allow to sit 15 or 20 minutes and remove using a garden hose or power washer. Works great on transmissions, rears etc. Take some saftey precautions, goggles gloves etc. may harm plastic or aluminum parts.

Dang, that's a good idea.

[greg rider]

There is a local tow truck dealer who uses oven cleaner to remove the painted on lettering on truck doors. It doesn't harm the factory paint but will clean the sign paint off nicely.