Top Tips

[Steve Payne]

Engine Choices-
Instead of charging lots of extra cash for bigger engines which only cost you an extra $50 at the manufacturing stage for putting bigger holes in the engine block to match the bigger pistons, just make all the engines the same size and put different badges on the boot lid.

Saab used to do just this on some models and the only thing that was different was the chip in the ECU, some cars were just 130hp and other were as much as 200hp. I am sure they probably fitted better brakes to the high powered cars or maybe the low powered cars just ended up with the better brakes.

I have a friend with a BMW 316 but the engine capacity is 1.8. They also at the time this one was made produced a 318.

I know somebody who used to work for Ford in the 80's, apparently they would often run out of Pinto engines in various capacity's due to strikes at the engine plant. Rather than hold the production line up they would just fit what ever size they had in stock and badge it the size it was supposed to have. How many people drove around in there new car thinking it was faster/slower than they thought it should be?

Steve

[Edgar]

There is no relation between badge and engine size anymore for most makes.

And engines are rebadged and swapped between manufacturers very often nowadays. But wasn't this common practice in the past as well? I don't think much has changed. However, we're now returning to smaller sized engines. 800cc with triple turbos etc.

[Chris_R]

After working on one side of a V8 engine, remember to put all the plug leads back on the plugs. Although it will start on 5 cylinders.

[thomaslk]

After working on one side of a V8 engine, remember to put all the plug leads back on the plugs. Although it will start on 5 cylinders.

hmm - interesting. That sounds like a real proven advise
rgds
Thomas

[VFK44]

Keep an old couch at hand when working on your engine, so you have something to collapse onto when you start it up and think you've broken it...

[Grant]

Make a point of often drinking lots of beer in your garage then fall back into the couch you should have there and think EEMMMHH thats a Nice couch and a good beer feeling!!! Oh look to my right.... Owwwhh thats a nice shape car there and stare at it admiring the lines of it, thats the best part of the day

[AH1951]

Minimize the work your wife needs to do in washing and ironing your clothes by wearing exactly the same clothes every day for a month.
Then change into your spare set.
This gives her plenty of time to do your laundry.
And you can throw out all those clothes that you really don't need.
(Leaving more closet space for your wife's 200 outfits.)

[Lee Grover]

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Even old broken tools still have their uses. A cheap breaker bar that let go in a spectacular,surprising way. I prop it between the brake pedal and the seat bottom. Allows me to check and troubleshoot the brake lights.

Lee

[VFK44]

In a manual car, it could be used to push the clutch pedal and prevent the clutch sticking when the car is unused for a long period. Actually helpful, your top tip.

[Lee Grover]

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This came in real "handy" on the last project

Lee

[Grant]

P1010180.JPG

This came in real "handy" on the last project

Lee

Brilliant never seen one before ... I want one now Lee .. send me yours!!

[BAR 1]

There on eBay Grant, really handy

[Grant]

There on eBay Grant, really handy

I want one Al so that I can steal coins from the Grandbaby's piggy bank coin box!!... trying to re-coup my losses from the little Darlin!!

[AH1951]

These telescopic magnetic probes are very useful for retrieving small steel parts that have absconded into a nearby cave.

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[BAR 1]

Grant I heard you only put coppers in there so you won't need one