Re: Automotive myths
 

black pepper in a radiator really does work !! sprung a leak in my 72 at a car show 12 years ago. i went to the food stand and grabbed 3 packets of pepper and a couple bottles of water. i sarted the truck and put pepper and water in and let it idle 15 mins. then i drove eighty miles home. it still smelled like pepper.

Re: Automotive myths
 

:lol:http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/Te...n_Concrete.htm

Re: Automotive myths
 

lol

Re: Automotive myths
 

I believe about the don't change trans fluid....had a '71 Chevelle in high school. Bought from original owner (70k miles), daily drove year or two, then decided might be a good idea to change trans fluid. My Daddy told me don't do it; I did anyway. 2 weeks later we were putting new trans in it. Had 2004 Chevy 1500 bought new, drove 3 yrs....changed trans fluid & 2 months later it started giving trouble.

Re: Automotive myths
 

I was gonna change the fluid in my girls Toyota and when I pulled the dipstick it said" Under normal conditions-Do Not Change fluid".

Re: Automotive myths
 

How about the old bondo vs lead?

Re: Automotive myths
 

I have done the black pepper and the egg white Both work on small leaks

Re: Automotive myths
 

What myth is involved here?

Re: Automotive myths
 

A few months ago a friend of mine was looking at a used car for a daily beater. He brought a 92 Pontiac Grand Am for me to look at. When he opened the hood, first thing I noticed was wooden clothes pins on the fuel line. The thought process behind that was it stops vapor lock and increases fuel mileage. I wonder how many people under 30 even know what vapor lock is?

Re: Automotive myths
 

The "Battery on the concrete" myth stems from the wood case battery days. I'm no scientist or engineer but it was explained to me that a wood case battery would discharge if sat on concrete. I'm skeptical of tranny fluid changes myself because a drain and fill wont get it all out. Drain one all day, pull it out, disassemble it and drain it and the converter and measure it. Just seems like a waste...tranny flush is different. If you only changed one fluid other than the oil I'd vote brake fluid all day. Probably wouldn't hurt to change the diff fluid every thirty years or so.:lol:

I hear about not jump starting new cars regularly and washing new engines too.

Re: Automotive myths
 

I have been told that the bondo from the 60's was no good and misused.Alot of body men say their is no use for lead anymore.

Re: Automotive myths
 

I was hoping the "it's better to leave the diesel running while you run into the Kwikee Mart than to shut it off" would get busted. :(

Re: Automotive myths
 

Putting magnets all along the fuel line will improve MPG...

Re: Automotive myths
 

Sure it will..... add a platinum-plated mesh grid under your carburetor and you're golden. Oh and don't forget a turbonator. Nothing like a little extra intake obstruction to boost your MPG!

Re: Automotive myths
 

I always wondered about the clothespin BS, wood is an insulator, it would not help radiate heat.

The thing about the under 30 crowd would probably have to do with fuel injection more than anything else. We are in a time when even the cheap beater cars are injected.
The 3rd pedal is becoming a thing of the past too.

Re: Automotive myths
 

I don't know about that? As far as I see, it is better in more structural areas like c-pillars (sail panel) as in replacing a quarter panel. I would rather use it for filling/shaping around areas that have sharp edges like door frames, trunk openings, conversion taillights, etc.
I would say that most are against it because they don't know any better. Using it is a completely different skill from plastic filler.

Re: Automotive myths
 

... the stories about Big Oil buying up patents and all info/how to's on multi mile Carburetors.. ... where a guy figures out how to get Really Good mileage and gas/oil company's buy it and stop the process so gas mileage stays poor. ....... has to be myth. ......... I only heard the stories a couple few times but still heard some thought on it.

Re: Automotive myths
 

My '72 had a myth till I changed the plug wires

Re: Automotive myths
 

Couple of guys just got busted trying to steal a car here.They couldn't get it to start.Neither could drive a standard tranny and they didn't know you had to push the clutch in.


Some peoples kids.Sheeesh.

Re: Automotive myths
 

nah, it's fine. Go ahead and do it. I'd be happy to replace your $300 alternator;) It's even better if you have a Ford Escape or a late 90's Caddy.

modern alternators are highly overworked just taking care of the car they're in, let alone another one. They are designed to KEEP a battery charged and operate the car's electrical loads.

go buy a charger or a jump pack instead, it's much cheaper.

Re: Automotive myths
 

You mean that those 2-300 mpg carburetor stories are all fake?!? :lol: I guess they've figured out how to run an engine leaner than 17:1 air/fuel ratio... suuurreee! :uhmk:

Re: Automotive myths
 

In Nam we kept a couple boxes of black pepper in each of our trucks. The pepper wouldn't plug a gaping hole, but it worked great on the stray bullet hole.

Re: Automotive myths
 

If you put moth balls in the gas tank it will turn regular gas into super high octane race gas. Wonder what happens to the fuel filter when those moth balls come apart?

Re: Automotive myths
 

Anybody got a towel , I just spit coffee all over my screen LOL

Re: Automotive myths
 

I"ve heard most of these myths before as well... never knew about the clothespin one though