Alright people; I'm anxious to what some of you have done in a pinch. I.E. I forgot X so I used Y and T to get the job done. Heres a few to get started: A couple weeks ago I used a paperclip as a fuse puller. Awhile back me and a buddy used a long eye-bolt and 2 pieces of s**** steel as a front spring compressor on a 66 Falcon(It worked but we were on edge the whole time.) I'm sure we've all had to fix f'd up shifter linkage with a pair of pliers. A little clip-on LED flashlight hanging from your visor works a little better than a lighter or matches. Sorry if this has come up before but I couldn't find anything in a search.
An air hose/fitting welded to a spark plug compression gauge fitting makes an emergency air pump for a roadside flat. Replace sparkplug with hose, start engine, air up tire.
I have got into the habit o cuting a screw slot on the end of the 516" clutch bolts on a Ford clutch job in case I break a bolt, youcan screw them right out. If you break off a top exhaust bolt on a Ford FE, put a 99 cent C-clamp on it until you can pull he head. Works like a charm.
I actually seen that one done......... Fuel pump went out on my 77 Vega. I bungeed a gas can to the hood and fished a fuel line to the carb. Make shift gravity feed to get her home.
That method will get you back on the road in an emergency, but you'd need to keep in mind that it will also inflate your tire with a compressed mixture of air and fuel. Maybe a bit spooky.
JC Whitney used to sell the spark plug tire inflator. We did the gas can trick once when I was riding with a friend and he hit a big*** rock that was laying in the middle of the road, and it knocked something off the fuel system. Got us home. I've never done a real Mcgyver, because his tricks usually violate several laws of physics
I had front seal go out on a waterpump, water was pouring out the weep holes. Pulled the pulley off and knocked a couple grease zircs in, pumped it full of grease and drove off.
I got a car given to me that had pennies with holes drilled in them for washers, probably cheaper than washers. My Dad said when he was in WWII they told them to use soap and water for crankcase oil in an emergency if they had no oil. It would ruin the engine but keep the enemy from getting the vehicle. plug the bullet holes with a stick and rag. but who had the time to do it if you were getting shot at. I also have seen twine wrapped around a waterpump shaft for a seal and tin cans wired around exhaust pipes.
I watched two crazy mo-fo's solder the strap back on the top of a '32 Ford radiator at a truck stop, using a package of battery terminals for the lead solder, at about 1 o'clock in the morning....
Dump some black pepper in the radiator to stop a small leak. It works kind of like "Bars Leak" Start it up, leak stops, move on. Gum wrapper, wrapped around a blown fuse. It'll get it going, but you gotta keep an eye that the wire in question isn't getting too hot. Nylons in place of a broken fan belt. Wrap 'em around the pulleys, tie 'em tight and limp home. Warning! Removing the nylons can cause a severe delay in getting home, HAA! More later,Don
My wife picked up a rock in the condensor. I jammed my gum in it. The gum froze into place and sealed the leak.
a can of WD40 will restart a diesel engine that has run out of fuel and the injectors are air locked.It has lubricant in it and will not hurt the engine ,like starting fluid will.If you have a diesel;keep a can in the glove box.spray it into the air intake until the injectors clear them selves and your on your way.
I've done this one... But for the next month every time the motor got warm it smelled like pepper really bad!!! hahaha maybe i used too much Mike
I had a clip come of my carb linkage while on the hiway. Found a saftey pin reconnected everything and went on. Left the safety pin there figuring it wasn't going anywhere like the OE clip did.
I've heard of guys dumping a couple raw eggs into a radiator to seal a leak. Suppose to solidfy around the hole, dont know if it'll clog anymore of the rad tho
Used a shoelace to replace the broken throttle linkage one night in high school. We went to the next town over to go cruising, when the throttle cable broke. Couldn't call home since we weren't supposed to be out of town. So I took my shoelace out, and tied it to the carburator and ran it thru a hole in the firewall. Wasn't smart enough to tie it to the gas pedal so I just held onto it all the way home. Made for some fun shifting.
The white of an egg not the yoke, bread also works, don't use the crust. Va***e wiper hose for a fuel line with gas tank in back seat when you rip the fuel tank out of a 51 Buick crossing the creek one too many times at speed. From an old farmer.
I've had to do the same thing with a coat hangar. Also, a coat hanger makes a great exhaust hanger(had mine for about 5 yrs). A coworker once used a ballpoint pen and a lighter to plug a tire-lasted for a couple days too.
Whilst driving in Mexico if you mysteriously puncture your fuel tank in the middle of nowhere, it can be fixed with surf wax and duct tape (items any surfer always has on hand). Repair will last ~ one week or until you return your rental car. Also in Mexico occasionally the rental car companies will want to charge you mileage on top of their daily fee. Never had them check for tampering on a speedo cable when you return the car with like 2 miles on it though.
had a smog pump seize on my blazer once, my first thought was to cut the belt, but that belt also went around the waterpump. so i took out the smog pump, took some random brackets from a washing machine(did appliance repair at the time)pounded them into shape with a hammer an the sidewalk, mounted the idler pulley to it, and mounted it to the engine to take up the slack in the belt. i think it was like that for almost two years, until i had to smog it again.
The 24 Volt Jump start. Caution, be prepared to replace many electrical system items if using this trick. Usually will give a starter that has kicked the bucket one last shot at starting. Take an extra battey and a set of jumper cables. Disconnect the (-) in the car, connect the (+) jumper cable to the (-) on the battery. Connect the (+) jumper to the (+) spare battery, connect the (-) cable in the car to the (-) on spare battery and watch out.
Give the speaker wire for the 6x9s in the rear deck a hell of a yank and you'll get enough wire to jumper from the battery to the distributor when the engine loom smokes. Busted power window switches on GMs from the 60s and 70s will often work if you jam a metal pocketknife in the appropriate end of the switch to complete the connection. And my personal favorite, a $4.99 pair of 24 hour grocery store flashlights will get ya home when the alt dies at 3am and you have enough power for ignition only. Hold one out each side window and pray the frostbite on your hand won't go too deep
Tossing the lap belts under and knotting the (cut out) back seat belts to them will hold up a fallen exhaust. Well,it did in the early eighties when men were invincible and who wore seat belts back then?
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