15 Highly Useful Tech Tips

Words and Photos By: Jeff Smith

If you want to learn some useful tips that will make the challenge of working on cars a little less stressful, you need to search out the people who attack this task on a daily basis. That’s what we did. For the last few years, every time we go to someone’s shop, we look, we listen, and we ask questions. The people out there doing the work are the ones turning the wrenches and rebuilding the engines and transmissions, and they are the ones who come up with these little gems — not us. We’re just smart enough to write the ideas down and pass them along. So, take a few minutes to read these short tips, and apply them the next time you open the drawer on your tool box, pull out that 9/16-inch or 15mm wrench, and go to town.

Level reasoning

Level reasoning When mixing and matching automatic transmission pans and dip stick tubes, the proper full oil level (with the engine running) is even with the oil pan flange. Many trans rebuilders claim that low fluid level is a common cause of transmission failure. This is often the result of an inaccurate dip stick. The best way to check this is with the pan removed, insert the dip stick into the tube and verify that the “Full” mark on the stick is even with the pan rail. If not, correct the mark on the stick. This can be done when the pan is removed for servicing. Also, use a locking dip stick when possible — these are safer. Thanks to Jimmy Galante at RaceTrans for help with this tip.

When mixing and matching automatic transmission pans and dip stick tubes, the proper full oil level (with the engine running) is even with the oil pan flange. Many trans rebuilders claim that low fluid level is a common cause of transmission failure. This is often the result of an inaccurate dip stick. The best way to check this is with the pan removed, insert the dip stick into the tube and verify that the “Full” mark on the stick is even with the pan rail. If not, correct the mark on the stick. This can be done when the pan is removed for servicing. Also, use a locking dip stick when possible — these are safer. Thanks to Jimmy Galante at RaceTrans for help with this tip.

Home brew

For a home-brewed rust penetrant, try mixing acetone and ATF. The mix ratio is 50/50, and friends who have tried this have reported excellent results. This idea might come in handy at midnight when facing a rusted bolt, only to discover your last can of penetrant is empty.

For a home-brewed rust penetrant, try mixing acetone and ATF. The mix ratio is 50/50, and friends who have tried this have reported excellent results. This idea might come in handy at midnight when facing a rusted bolt, only to discover your last can of penetrant is empty.

Talking torque

When installing new connecting rod bolts, studs, and nuts for cylinder heads, torque the fastener to the maximum load a minimum of three times. 

When installing new connecting rod bolts, studs, and nuts for cylinder heads, torque the fastener to the maximum load a minimum of three times.

The reason for this multiple effort is to burnish the surface of the new nuts to the washer, or to the face of the part like a connecting rod cap. This burnishing process drastically changes the friction applied between the nut and washer. This is also true for connecting rod cap screws and head bolts. As the under-head area is burnished, the friction required to turn the nut or bolt under load is greatly reduced. Less friction means more torque is applied to stretching the bolt instead of overcoming friction.

In the case of ARP rod bolts for example, ARP specifies a torque based on using ARP’s Ultra-Torque lubricant. This lube is very stable over several tightening applications. Did you know that regular engine oil loses its lubricity over successive torque applications?

We’ve actually performed a similar test to ARP’s testing that reinforced, for us, ARP’s findings that the stretch load changes significantly even after the second application of torque. This means that if you were to torque a rod nut three times using engine oil, the actual bolt stretch would decline after the second and third applications because the friction is increasing.

The reason ARP’s Ultra-Torque is so good is that its lubricity does not change. We’ve also found outside data suggesting that as much as 70 percent of applied torque is used to overcome friction and most of that friction occurs underneath either the bolt head or the nut — not in the threads. Think about that.

Header fabrication

Very few of us will ever attempt to fabricate and weld our own headers. But this might help modify your thinking a little. At the Street Machine Nationals in St Paul, Minnesota, we ran across GP Headers from Barnesville, Minnesota, that uses PVC pipe and angle fittings as a very creative 3D pattern of the header layout that can then be used to create the actual headers. Better yet, they will send you a header flange and PCV kit to create your own pipe layout complete with collectors. Then, you ship the PVC headers back to GP and they will make the headers exactly as you designed them. Their custom headers are not cheap, starting around $1,800 for mild steel headers, but the idea of designing them yourself might just make it worthwhile. You can contact them at GPheaders.com or call 800.242.9157.

Very few of us will ever attempt to fabricate and weld our own headers. But this might help modify your thinking a little. At the Street Machine Nationals in St Paul, Minnesota, we ran across GP Headers from Barnesville, Minnesota, that uses PVC pipe and angle fittings as a very creative 3D pattern of the header layout that can then be used to create the actual headers. Better yet, they will send you a header flange and PCV kit to create your own pipe layout complete with collectors. Then, you ship the PVC headers back to GP and they will make the headers exactly as you designed them. Their custom headers are not cheap, starting around $1,800 for mild steel headers, but the idea of designing them yourself might just make it worthwhile. You can contact them at GPheaders.com or call 800.242.9157.

Crank gear calls

tips-12

In the old days, we just used a hammer and a brass punch to install those pressed-on crankshaft gears on the end of a small- or big-block Chevy. But today, we like to think we’re a bit more sophisticated. So we found a 4-inch long length of 2 1/2-inch thick wall aluminum tubing at our local metal supply house in the scrap bin. We use it as a spacer with our harmonic balancer installer to press on the crank gear, and this doesn’t leave witness marks on the gear. Flare leak fix

Flare leak fix

So, despite your efforts to make a good 45-degree flare in a piece of tubing, it still leaks? Sometimes the application of a small amount of valve lapping compound on the sealing surface and tightening the connection several times to work in the compound will burnish the sealing surface and eliminate the leak path. You may even need to apply compound more than once to create a leak-free seal.

So, despite your efforts to make a good 45-degree flare in a piece of tubing, it still leaks? Sometimes the application of a small amount of valve lapping compound on the sealing surface and tightening the connection several times to work in the compound will burnish the sealing surface and eliminate the leak path. You may even need to apply compound more than once to create a leak-free seal.

Khoul Tools makes a nice tool (PN P45 for 3/16- and ¼-inch tubing flares, $59.97 Summit Racing) that essentially performs this same task. The tool uses a diamond dust-covered arbor that helps seat the fittings. But on the other hand, valve lapping compound is far less expensive. Permatex sells a small tube (PN 80037) for $5.00 — and it might just do the job. A long-time engine builder named Vinny gave us that little tip.

As a bonus tip, if you’re looking at a Phillips screw that is tight and the screwdriver is slipping, dip the end of the screwdriver in lapping compound. The abrasive will drastically improve the grip strength of the tip.

Homemade tool

Often, homemade tools are the best. My friend Bill Irwin made this tool probably 20 years ago — simply two pieces of heavy wall pipe welded together at a 45-degree angle to slip over an Allen wrench for more leverage. The pipe size will vary with larger tubing for larger tools. Generally, thick-wall pipe is more durable than tubing.

Often, homemade tools are the best. My friend Bill Irwin made this tool probably 20 years ago — simply two pieces of heavy wall pipe welded together at a 45-degree angle to slip over an Allen wrench for more leverage. The pipe size will vary with larger tubing for larger tools. Generally, thick-wall pipe is more durable than tubing.

How to ID a 12-bolt differential

tips-07Here’s the scenario, you’re at the swap meet and a seller is offering what he claims is a 3-series 12-bolt posi, but you’re not sure. It might be a 4-series. With GM 10- and 12-bolts, the position of the ring gear carrier flange changes between 2-series gears (2.56:1 or 2.78:1), 3-series (3.08 through 3.73:1), and 4-series (4.10:1 through 4.88:1). The chart below is the distance from the ring gear face flat flange to the inboard vertical machined wall of the carrier bearing flange. The 4-series will have the thickest flange, while the 2-series will offer the thinnest. This photo is measuring a 4-series posi. Of course, if the carrier only sports 10 flange bolts, you’ll know it’s only a 10-bolt!

Carrier Flange Distance

2-Series  0.590-inch

3-Series  1.020-inches

4-Series  1.325-inches

No jumping bungie

We shot this tip at Jimmy Galante’s RaceTrans shop. He secures his jack handle with a bungie cord to prevent the handle from falling and gashing the paint on his Super Gas race car. Brilliant!

We shot this tip at Jimmy Galante’s RaceTrans shop. He secures his jack handle with a bungie cord to prevent the handle from falling and gashing the paint on his Super Gas race car. Brilliant!

Torque converter pattern 

tips-09

We shot this tip at Jimmy Galante’s RaceTrans shop. He secures his jack handle with a bungie cord to prevent the handle from falling and gashing the paint on his Super Gas race car. Brilliant!

To determine the distance of your torque converter bolt pattern, measure from the crank centerline to the centerline of one attaching bolt hole, then multiply by two. So, if the measurement is 5.75 inches, multiplied by 2, the distance equals 11.5 inches. There are two different early GM converter bolt patterns (10.75- and 11.5-inch) for the PG, TH350, and TH400 transmissions. There is also a metric pattern for the 4L60E trans with 298mm converters that is 11.1 inches. A 10.75-inch flexplate can be modified to work with the metric converter pattern by slightly elongating the holes outward with a rat-tail file or a die grinder. Be aware that the external balance weights for 383 and/or 400c.i. small-block Chevys on some aftermarket flexplates may not clear the metric converter bolts for a metric converter. We do know that the TCI flexplate for this application (PN 399373) does clear the metric bolts.

4L60E full-face bellhousing issues

tips-10

One of the very popular swaps right now is upgrading an old three-speed automatic like a TH-350 or TH-400 to a late model electronically-controlled four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The late model electronic GM 4L60E is a great swap, but you will face a few hiccups. One is that these later transmissions use a full-face bellhousing, so the torque converter bolts can only be accessed through the starter motor. But in early Chevelles and perhaps other cars, there is insufficient room to squeeze an old-style starter motor because of the full-face bellhousing. This will require a more compact starter motor like the late model permanent magnet style starters.

One of the very popular swaps right now is upgrading an old three-speed automatic like a TH-350 or TH-400 to a late model electronically-controlled four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The late model electronic GM 4L60E is a great swap, but you will face a few hiccups. One is that these later transmissions use a full-face bellhousing, so the torque converter bolts can only be accessed through the starter motor. But in early Chevelles and perhaps other cars, there is insufficient room to squeeze an old-style starter motor because of the full-face bellhousing. This will require a more compact starter motor like the late model permanent magnet style starters.

Trans cooler fitting warning

All GM automatics are not created equal when it comes to the cooler line fittings. Early Powerglide tips-14and TH350 transmissions used a tapered pipe thread fitting in the case. The later TH400, TH200C, 700-R4, 4L60E, and early 4L80E transmissions including all the one-piece cases and some 4L60Es with the separate bellhousing use 1/4-pipe NPSM (National Pipe Straight Mechanical ) threads. The number of threads per inch is exactly the same, so the fittings will interchange. But NPSM threads are not tapered.

Why is this important? Most enthusiasts think NPT stands for National Pipe Taper — it does not. NPT is the acronym for National Pipe Thread. Most pipe threads are tapered. Straight mechanical threads means the female threads in the trans for the cooler lines are not tapered. Because the thread pitch is the same, it’s very easy to install a tapered 1/2-inch NPT pipe fitting into these female threads in the case. Pipe fittings will work, but tighten the tapered fitting very carefully, because over-tightening can easily crack the case, which will ruin your whole week!

In the photo, the far left fitting is a tapered pipe thread TH-350, the middle one is a NPTSM fitting from a metric 4L80E, and on the right is a typical tapered thread pipe fitting. If you are having trouble seeing the difference, then this is why this is an important thing to know. The straight thread fittings from these transmissions do not use a washer to help seal, but do thread all the way into the case, while tapered pipe threads generally leave a small portion of exposed thread.

Fragola, for example, offers an aluminum fitting that uses the correct 1/4-inch NPSM fitting with a -6 male adapter on the opposite end (PN 925137, $6.97, Summit Racing). Other companies carry similar fittings, including Summit and TCI, among others.

Another point with the later 4L80E transmissions – where one cooler line fitting is relocated to the rear of the transmission – is if you change the fitting to use AN line, make sure the rear fitting uses an internal extension. TCI sells this pair of fittings, including the extension (PN 831011, $30.97 for pr., Summit). You can expect major damage to the 4L80E if this extension is not used, because the lube is not directed properly. We’re here to help!

Torque angle 

tips-11Many late model engines like the GM LS series and Ford’s Mod motors require a torque angle spec for many of the critical fasteners such as main cap bolts. In order to perform this process, you will need a specific torque-angle tool (PN OTC-4554, $15.97 Summit Racing). This is the only way to do it. The process is simple as is the tool. Let’s use the torque spec for the inboard bolt on a 4-bolt main LS engine as an example. The first step is to torque the bolt to 15 ft-lbs. With that accomplished, the torque angle gauge fits between the socket and a standard breaker bar. The small right-angle stop pin is placed against something solid to prevent the gauge face from moving. Next, zero the indicator on the gauge and then tighten the main cap bolt until the gauge reads 80 degrees. That’s it — the fastener is torqued. This does take more time than merely torqueing the bolt, but the process is more accurate. An equally important note is that torque-angle is a method of tightening a fastener, so it is not limited to torque-to-yield bolts like an LS head bolt. Torque-angle can be applied to any fastener given the proper specs, as the bolt stretch is not nearly as affected by bolt friction.

Cranking call

tips-15

Carefully set the timing at 15 degrees BTDC, and take the time to pre-fill the carburetor with fuel. You can do this by using a small funnel to pour fuel through the primary vent tube. Pump the carburetor linkage until you have delivered two or three shots of fuel from the accelerator pump, then let the engine sit for about 10 seconds so the fuel can vaporize in the intake. Assuming you installed the distributor properly – it should start on the first crank.

This is ideal for breaking in flat tappet cams, and avoids excessive cranking of the starter motor while waiting on the fuel to make it to a dry carburetor. Pre-filling will also reveal any carburetor leaks that you can repair before attempting to start the engine.

Clutch release question

tips-13

If you suspect the clutch is not completely releasing when you put the clutch pedal to the floor, try this quick test. With the car at rest, start the engine and push the clutch pedal to the floor. Wait around five to seven seconds and shift directly into Reverse. Do not select a forward gear first. If the Reverse gear crunches, this is a clear indicator the clutch is not fully releasing and is still spinning the input shaft. (Of course, this won’t work on newer transmissions like the T-56 with synchros in Reverse!) There are probably a dozen variables that can cause this — you’ll just have to run them down. Here’s a hint: Try the easy fixes first. For example, is the clutch linkage properly adjusted with sufficient travel to release the clutch? We’re working on a story that will run through a complete blueprint procedure for proper clutch release performance. You wouldn’t believe how many variables there are to make sure the clutch fully releases to allow the trans the shift properly. We’ve already counted at least 20.

About the author

PPN Editor

Power & Performance News is the source for news, tech and products that help you get more performance from your vehicle. If powertrain performance projects and hardcore technical content are your interest, Power & Performance News is the publication designed for you. Our acclaimed editorial staff covers all aspects of engine and driveline upgrades with a mission of presenting information that is both interesting and achievable for the “average car guy”.
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