The Tips and Tricks thread

[TERRA Operative]

Don't know if it's been mentioned.

Hose clamps make really good cutting guides when cutting pipe.

[lunar_c]

I thought I'd add this one quickly since I changed my fuel filter yesterday. We all know how banjo bolts on fuel filters like to magically tighten themselves to 300Nm, right?

Well .. this is kind of specific to model/application but should work pretty well on most FWD GE rolla's (AE82 and AE92 all I can verify) .. but so the filter stops spinning around in it's mount - wire the banjo fitting on the outlet hose to the strut brace!

Now when you get your ratchet/spanner on to the banjo bolt and turn, the wire will oppose the twisting force and let you crack the bolt before the filter spins around!

Hope this helps someone!
Cheers,
Ben

[celicapain]

two hints.
1-if youv'e decided to do anything major(suspension, brakes, engine conversion) the before you wheel the car into your shed CLEAN IT LIKE YOUVE NEVER CLEANED BEFORE. its really hard to wash a car after youve taken all the paint off, and its no fun cleaning a whole floor pan with a toothbrush.

2. If you ever find your self behind a toyota camry, just overtake it.
Even if its not slowing you down now, it will slow you down at some point int the short term future so de-stress your life, pass it now.

[amon]

Hey fellas heres one i picked up whilst cutting exhaust gasket up for my 1G(i dont know if you have tried to cut this shit especially good circles) i used the imperial sockets of a crappy socket set i have and put a sharpened edge on the right size socket,insert short extension bar and use like round chisel!
This worked like a dream considering how much a set of those chisel/punchs are worth.

Cheers Guy

[deeps]

Cut and polish is the only thing i can find to remove permanent marker from knob jockeys grafitti on your car.
CRC/RP7 and Degreaser fade it somewhat but dont remove what has "soaked" in

Go over it with whiteboard marker and wipe off with a cloth

[o_man_ra23]

Go over it with whiteboard marker and wipe off with a cloth

Only good if you get to it quick... and it doesnt remove all of it. Nice try though, but automotive painted surfaces and whiteboard surfaces have different properties.

[Zerko]

Haven't read the entire thread, so hope it's not repeated.

TIP: To remove polish from plastic door handles (and other plastic parts) use a rubber eraser.

[thechuckster]

I use a tarp myself, it's amazing the comfort difference that a couple of extra layers between yourself and the concrete make.

also office carpet - find a mate who does office renovations and get them to score you a roll.

Office stuff is well compressed so you can (just) move things like engine cranes and trolleys on it.

also good for oil spills (to a degree).

[infotechplus]

also office carpet - find a mate who does office renovations and get them to score you a roll.

Office stuff is well compressed so you can (just) move things like engine cranes and trolleys on it.

Also good for oil spills (to a degree).

My garage floor is fully lined with carpet tiles. I got a swag of them after a local commercial renovation. Nice dark grey fleck.

They were just being thrown in the skip so I asked for enough to do my garage.

Great in winter, and keeps the painted floor clean.

They are also easy to trim and lay.

Cheers,

Peter

["Z" UTE]

Just a tip, on garage floor carpet. Not too thick with the carpet, because that makes it harder for a trolley jack to move. Pretty important that the jack rolls as you raise and lower the car, if the other end is on jack stands.

cheers Chuck.

[BLACK77]

ok now many ppl won't believe me about this 'till they try it but....


steel wool & prepsol (wax and grease remover) is awsome for cleaning windows and removing stickers and the like.

It is also wik for cleaning that milky corrosiony lookin stuff off of REAL, QUALITY chrome. beware trying it on older or cheaper quality jobs


~mark

[celicapain]

Dont leave car batteries sitting on concrete for long periods of time, they crack the shits and die.
If you've gotta sit em on the floor put a bit of wood under them and then its fine.
Dont ask me for a chemical explanation for the phenomenon, but ive seen it happen a few times.

[allencr]

Dont leave car batteries sitting on concrete for long periods of time, they crack the shits and die.
If you've gotta sit em on the floor put a bit of wood under them and then its fine.
Dont ask me for a chemical explanation for the phenomenon, but ive seen it happen a few times.

While we certainly believe that you've seen a dead/drained battery, it WAS NOT because of concrete or lack of wood according to the myth, it was just coincidence - nothing more.

[Mr DOHC]

at my old work we were flat out not allowed to sit them on the ground

ins addition to BLACK77's note, only use the "0000" steel wool {superfine}, u can get it from bennings, its like cotton, so soft and u can tear pieces of with no effort, DO NOT use it on tint, it'll fuck it in a heart beat.
you can just use glass cleaner if u dont have prepsol, but all the steel wool will do it loosen the shit, then u need to wipe it off, then give it another spray with cleaner and a quick final wipe.

[Negative Boost]

Always, always, always use an impact socket to take diff/gearbox drain/filler plugs out with. Saves rounding the plug and alot of unesscary effort. Best $15 i've spent.