Save The Piston, Remove The Pins Before removing press-fit pistons that we plan on reusing, we immerse the piston in a coffee can of motor oil. You only need enough oil to submerge the piston. We use synthetic oil for the EP and high temperature qualities. We then...
RESIZING VALVE SEALS Every once in a while we get metal clad stem seals that just don’t fit snugly enough on the guide to suit us. Because of the volume of metal clad seals we use and my unwillingness to throw them away or send them back, we have a drawer full of new...
PLUG EXTRACTION 101 Many Toyotas and Hondas have spark plug tubes on their cylinder heads. When these heads get over heated, it can melt the spark plug boot in the tube. Some of these tubes do not come off. There is a way to get the boot out quickly and easily. With...
MEASURING TOOL MAINTENANCE I was once in a shop where the Sunnen dial bore gauge setting standards were so worn on their Sunnen CF1126 that it messed up every job in the boring department and no one noticed. The ends of the changeable standards had divots worn in them...
GOT A HANDLE I like to use my Serdi pilots as go-no-go gauges when I hone valve guides. I made this aluminum handle from a piece of 1-1/2” diameter rod. I turned the outside for a comfortable grip and bored the center to hold my pilots. I select the appropriate one...
FOR MORE THAN JUST ROTORS AND DRUMS Our brake lathe does not see as many rotors and drums as it once did but we are finding new uses for this great machine. With its large assortment of adapters and cones, it becomes a natural for mounting hard to hold parts for...