engineer2
New Member
Check your CV joints for torn boots every few months. Cheap eough to fix, but cleaning up all the lube that got flung out takes longer than replacing an axle.
Write the lug nut torque spec down where you need it. I have it memorized now (80 ft lb), but with owning a few different cars, it's easy to forget. Magic marker inside the hubcap, or paint marker somwhere on the rim or suspension.
If you have older headlights that leak water, pull the bulb out and throw a couple of those little dessicant bags inside the housing (the ones that come with electronics).
If you are junkyard hunting load up on plastic bumper and fender clips and light bulbs and crap like battery hold-down parts. Most yards won't even notice or care.
Check the air in the spare!
Make sure your throttle plates are opening all the way. As your car gets older, the cable stretches and it needs to be adjusted. It's free horsepower.
I'm finding a lot of crappy rebuilt parts from almost every parts store. Open the box and inspect the part before paying. For example, I've found a used fuel pump in a new box, and a caliper with an incorrectly installed seal. Bring in the old part for comparison if you can.
If you want cheap or free LEDs round up Happy Meal toys, or discarded kids' toys and electronics. In many cases a 470 ohm resistor in series will allow you to use an LED in place of a regular dash bulb.
Work your manual antenna up and down on a regular basis and lube it so it doesn't get frozen in place. (Ask me how I know this!)
Use your parking brake regularly so it doesn't get frozen up from lack of use.
An out-of-round or out-of-balance tire will eventually kill a shock absorber or strut. Get it taken care of.
Put plastic or aluminum mesh behind your grill openings to keep stones from puncturing the AC condenser. Tie it in with black zip ties. Half the people in the salvage yard the other day were getting AC condensers!
Write the lug nut torque spec down where you need it. I have it memorized now (80 ft lb), but with owning a few different cars, it's easy to forget. Magic marker inside the hubcap, or paint marker somwhere on the rim or suspension.
If you have older headlights that leak water, pull the bulb out and throw a couple of those little dessicant bags inside the housing (the ones that come with electronics).
If you are junkyard hunting load up on plastic bumper and fender clips and light bulbs and crap like battery hold-down parts. Most yards won't even notice or care.
Check the air in the spare!
Make sure your throttle plates are opening all the way. As your car gets older, the cable stretches and it needs to be adjusted. It's free horsepower.
I'm finding a lot of crappy rebuilt parts from almost every parts store. Open the box and inspect the part before paying. For example, I've found a used fuel pump in a new box, and a caliper with an incorrectly installed seal. Bring in the old part for comparison if you can.
If you want cheap or free LEDs round up Happy Meal toys, or discarded kids' toys and electronics. In many cases a 470 ohm resistor in series will allow you to use an LED in place of a regular dash bulb.
Work your manual antenna up and down on a regular basis and lube it so it doesn't get frozen in place. (Ask me how I know this!)
Use your parking brake regularly so it doesn't get frozen up from lack of use.
An out-of-round or out-of-balance tire will eventually kill a shock absorber or strut. Get it taken care of.
Put plastic or aluminum mesh behind your grill openings to keep stones from puncturing the AC condenser. Tie it in with black zip ties. Half the people in the salvage yard the other day were getting AC condensers!