1962 Mercury Monterey Project

 I am fairly sure that ZEP engine degreaser is a gallon of soapy water. The ingredients say it has some chelating agent that binds metals to it and drags them into solution (I think other forms of EDTAs are using as anti-coagulants in medicine). Whatever it is - it works. And smells nice. Of all the degreasers I found at home depot - it was the cheapest. Step 1 - drop a piston is a small plastic tub that used to hold diswasher tabs with enough ZEP to cover the rings Step 2 - come back tomorrow Step 3 - wrap connecting rod in some carboard and cinch it up in a bench vise Step 4 - break off any piston ring pieces that are easy to grab with your fingers (do this so that the snapping action is pointed away from your face) Step 5 - tappity tap tap with a screw driver + hammer on the grimey stuck ring parts that are left until they fly out (see note on pointing the action away from your face). 2 minutes of set up and 5 minutes of tapping and the job is done. Should take me 7 more days to...

Believe it or not, I made that. I know it looks store bought. You can probably make one too. If you send me $18 and a SASE and I will send you a complete set of plans for the [Pistonator]. For every person you meet, there are at least 2 ideas about the best way to unstuck an engine. They all have some secret recipe for some magic liquid that makes everything move. ATF, brake cleaner, diesel fuel, goats milk yogurt, the liquid esssence from an adolescent squid. Then, their neighbor's uncle's friend would come over and perform a ritual and viola' - the engine would just start to run. Even before you got the heads back on. For me - I have taken the path of: a) give it all the penetrating oil I can b) wait a bit then c) beat it mercilessly with a stick. The trick is to beat it alternating left to right and front to back (1 > 5 > 2 > 6 > 3 > 7 > 4 > 8). I went around twice giving each bore 2 solid whacks and got several very satisfying *grunchangs*. I rested...

It stated with the question - then some guys yelled my head off - then I took my own heads off. The question started when my friend Dave dropped off a pair of fan-shaped LED lamps that screw into my garage bulb sockets. It was an act of generosity - and it makes the work space so much better. But as I was talking to him, we talked about how I could use some more height under the car for rust remediation. I dedcided to ask the internet foum what they thought of using concrete blocks as booster chairs for the jack stands. In my mind I was thinking about dobie-block or deck blocks like you would use for house foundation - not cement bricks (i.e. cinderblocks). I would use something to then cement the stand to the block so I didn't slip off. I think I use both terms interchangeably, and I didn't explain my design nor couch my question with an apology for being born. So that was my fault. I did #doesnotwanttobecrushedbyhishubris -- but this is not a place of mirth. A mob of angry pe...