Automotive myths

[Old Money]

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.

[Sillyoldman]

Originally Posted by cdowns

ground/// loads of people dont understand that concept

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

[jhwkns]

Originally Posted by sillyoldman

http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/te...n_concrete.htm

Originally Posted by from article

if you drop a battery on concrete, it will be damaged.

lol

[fun in dirt]

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.

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by fun in dirt

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.

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".

[richards72chevy]

How about the old bondo vs lead?

[hyatt]

Originally Posted by richards72chevy

Black pepper!I thought your suppose to crack an egg in it.

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

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by richards72chevy

How about the old bondo vs lead?

What myth is involved here?

[zeldman]

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?

[BMERDOC]

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.

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

[richards72chevy]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

What myth is involved here?

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.

[Highlander72]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

11 Diesel myths busted:
http://www.dieselpowermag.com/featur..._myths_busted/

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.

[vectorit]

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

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by vectorit

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

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!

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by zeldman

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?

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.

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by richards72chevy

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.

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.

[prairewolf]

... 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.

[special-K]

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

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

The 3rd pedal is becoming a thing of the past too.

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.

[68C15]

Originally Posted by richards72chevy

How about people not wanting to use a newer vehicle to jump start a battery?They claim it will mess up their computer or electrical system.

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.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by prairewolf

... 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.

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

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by AntiGov

hows about the ol black pepper in the radiator trick to stop a leak ??

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.

[zeldman]

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?

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Originally Posted by special-K

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

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

[rambler]

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