Use a piece of solder to check rod to cam clearance. It's soft enough that it won't mar the cam and if it's thick enough, you can cycle it thru and measure the clearance with a caliper.

to see if an alternator is working or not...stick a small screwdriver on the back of the alternator near the rear bearing ...magnetic field will cause the scrwdriver to be pulled against the alternator...will not tell you output..just that its working

A length of 2" pvc pipe can also be used to store a cam. Just cap one end and put a female thread adapter on the other end and plug it. A holder for 8 two liter pop bottles will hold rods and pistons. Careful- usually found at rear of grocery stores.

you can use toilet bowl cleaner to clean up aluminum.i use on intake manifolds and make them look new.

Alt's charge when turned in either direction. So if you dont have room to install in normal position, turn it backwards and let it spin in reverse and charges the same.

If you are in a major bind for a "checking" valvespring, the spring in your toilet paper holder will work just fine.

When entering a multi-day bracket race with possible inclement weather or low car count for any other reason, do not pay for the entire weekend up front.

There are promoters out there who will skip town with your money and offer only a credit towards entry at a race 400 miles away.

quote:

Originally posted by rracing:
When checking piston to valve clearance, use a tootsie roll, and leave it in the package. just saw that on horsepower tv.

The last few years, I have raided my son's trick-or-treat sack for tootsie rolls, and they are always so hard that if you used one to measure VTP clearance, they would probably bend a stainless-steel valve stem! Maybe they are like holiday fruitcakes? (No new ones have been made in the past decade, the same old ones keep getting passed off to someone else)?
Oh, and some 2" lengths of black rubber fuel line in the appropriate size, (7/16" or 3/8"), make excellent "bolt boots" for your con-rods, so you don't ding a crank journal or cylinder wall when installing the piston/rod assy's. They also help retain the upper bearing insert in the proper position until it seats on the journal...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FootbrakeJim,

The tootsie roll trick reminded me of another.

Tip 1:
If you need to replace a valve spring while the head is installed and do not have an air supply. (I don't know why you would have the valve spring tool!)

Use a piece of small diameter rope, pull the plug, rotate until TDC or close to top, insert rope into cylinder until full then rotate engine until it stops (do this by hand). Remove and replace spring reassemble and you are ready to go.

Oh, be sure to remove rope first

Tip 2:

Not for race car but, an old Army BDAR trick, If you loose your fan belt while on the road, the belt you use to hold your pants up with can be used as a fan belt, just keep it slow.

Of course the younger generation can't use this trick since they obviously don't use a belt to keep their pant up!!

Dave

Use your sweetie's panty hose for a fan belt!

One more use for the draino or acid.
When you stick a piston to the cylinder wall.
Turn the block upside down on a piece of rubber sheet. Fill with draino to remove the aluminum.
When it's done fizzing, remove, rinse and dry.

Do this so your machinist won't have to charge extra for the broken stones when he hits that aluminum while honing.

Dave Koehler
http://www.koehlerinjection.com

To hold the valve closed thread a piece of plug wire through the plug hole will work in place of the rope.

quote:

Originally posted by Smink:
Use your sweetie's panty hose for a fan belt!

LOL..Forgot about that one.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Don R:
To hold the valve closed thread a piece of plug wire through the plug hole will work in place of the rope.

Good one.

Dave

DO not shut off your water pump to save ONE HP!

Electric water pump, high flow style, fits big block Chevy, 55GPM, standard motor, black....
"Amperage draw: Under normal use the pump will draw 11-12 amps."

Electric water pump, fits big block Chevy, 35GPM, standard motor, black....
"Amperage draw: Under normal use the pump will draw 6-7 amps."

http://www.elec-toolbox.com/calculators/calculators.htm

quote:

Originally posted by Curleynomad:
Alt's charge when turned in either direction. So if you dont have room to install in normal position, turn it backwards and let it spin in reverse and charges the same.

Doing that now

Use a 3' piece of 1" foam pipe insulation on your jack handle so when it bumps your car it won't chip the paint...

quote:

Originally posted by David Covey:
Muretic acid makes aluminum intakes look like new..(don't leave on for extended time)
Dave

Put this to use the other day and it worked great!, Had a couple gas stains on a manifold that would not come off even in the hot-tank put some of that acid in a spray bottle and by the time i was done spraying it down it was already clean/washed it off right away & it looks new again,Carb cleaner,etc. wouldn't even touch the stains.
Great Tip.

For You alcohol guys with carburetors...
Starting your race car in cold weather...
With fuel bowls full, pump throttle 4 to five times wait 45 to 60 seconds then pump 1 more time, wait 15 seconds the turn motor over without ignition on but while still turning motor over turn ignition on. It should fire right up. if not its damn cold and repeat.
This will save your battery and starter

A NEW toilet bowl brush works well for washing cylinder walls.