Living in the past?

[Dan48382]

I think that maybe time has passed me by. I’ve been a backyard mechanic since you set the dwell through the window on the distributor cap (GM Vehicles).

I’ve stuck with the simple repairs, being a backyard mechanic. I’ve replaced a head gasket, helped switch out an engine on my 1984 S-10 and YES you do have to separate the body from the frame to get to the top bolts on the bell housing.

From the early years, I’ve had a bench grinder with a wire wheel that I use to clean ALL of the bolts that I’ve removed. When I put things back together I put on some anti-seize and that’s that.

Thanks to the GREAT INFO IN THIS FORUM this last weekend I was working on my ‘95 SC-2 (turned 190,000 miles this last week) a neighbor stopped by to take a look. When I got to the point of cleaning the bolts, I was told that the bolts that the manufactures have used for some time are coated and that I’m causing more problems that I’m preventing.

Is this right??? Do I need to step into the 2000’s?

[mkuz13]

As a technician,I have worked for a few car makes (Toyota,Ford,Hyundai) since 1992 and the only "special coating" that I have seen is loc-tite on the threads.

[spencerb]

Maybe he's thinking they are galvanized?

[davidsky]

Replacing the bolts would actually be a better idea. Bolts stretch over time and mileage and new ones would restore the force available from each bolt.

[Sky King]

Originally Posted by Dan48382

helped switch out an engine on my 1984 S-10 and YES you do have to separate the body from the frame to get to the top bolts on the bell housing.
?

Yup, been there, done that, more than just a couple of times. I actually contemplated, if I ever had to do it again, taking a hole saw and cutting a 1 inch hole in the hump in the floor pan where those bolts are. I would then get some plastic or rubber plugs to insert after the job was done.

[BIGDAVE54]

I was born in 1954. My first vehicle when I was a 2 stripper in the USAF was a 1954 Ford pickup truck. I had just turned 18...The truck had too.I had a leaking freeze plug on the back side of the engine...I took a chisel went through the firewall/floorboard area,pulled the rotten freeze plug,and tapped a new one back in.A tin can and some pop rivets and I was good to go. I kinda wish I still had that ole truck. I became a man in that truck in Texas. I had a few bucks left so I went across the border to Mexico and became a man again...Wife says say good night ...that is too much info..Good Night.

[hudypete1]

and i am a young guy, only 48.

but i am glad that i have a saturn because it allows me to ease into this whole mechanic thing and learn as-i-go.

2nd cylinder head gasket job this weekend going on now (different cars, first was blown valve, this one coolent leaking into the cylinders)

[S4turn]

We all have learned a thing or two and even more from it. thanks to Saturn