A battery failed to provide enough power to drive a motor (gate to be exact) on successive operation (open and close in repetition). I replaced it with a new one. The old battery shows full charge voltage. As far as I see, the old battery is just reduced in capacity and can be connected to the...
I have a gas pressure washer and a gas string trimmer. Some recommend gas stabilizer (Sta-Bil for example) and some say it is a snake oil. Would petroleum engineers educate me, please? Thank you.
Is there a high risk associated removing the sway bar (torsion bar)? Sharp cornering may become problematic but to the point of risking life? I have been a member of an online Ford pickup forum. Someone posted how ride became better without the sway bar. I just wonder if this is a high risk...
I need an expert's advice on my home driveway situation. My sewer drain pipe runs under the concrete driveway. After failing to remove the blockage in the sewer pipe, he is going to cut a hole in the driveway and do the necessary repair. He recommends a new driveway afterward. This is why. My...
I have an old corded drill, one speed no reverse. It is a low rpm (500) drill that comes handy occasionally. I wish it had a reverse switch. Internet search seems to point at reversing brush wires. Is it really this simple? Thank you.
EDIT: The wires to the brushes are too short to tap. There...
I just moved to Dallas. My realtor said watering the house perimeter is necessary. According to him (and internet search) the clay soil in Dallas (north Texas) dries out in the summer (no rain, high heat) and contacts, putting a stress to the concrete slab foundation. Is this an urban myth?
If I drill and tap an aluminum casting (gearbox) from outside, some chips will inevitably enter the gearbox. How detrimental would they be to the gears (hardened steel)? Background: An automotive gearbox has a fill plug near the top but no drain hole at the bottom. The gear oil is supposed to be...
I have another tow dolly question. As you know, the front wheels go up on a dolly and get tied to the dolly with wheel nets. Most dollies have a pivoting wheel pan. When cornering, the pan pivots while the wheels of the towed vehicle stay straight. Another kind has a fixed wheel pan. When...
Copper crush washer (3/8" or 10 mm ID) could not seal the brake line-to-caliper joint at the specified torque. Upon close examination, I found a pit on the caliper sealing surface. Of 6 or 7 concentric ridges, 3 outer ridges were compromised by corrosion. I raised the torque from 25 to 35 ft-lb...
I have a USB-based data acquisition card. I am using its digital output to turn on a solenoid. But there is a mismatch in power. Digital out can sink/source 15 mA. Solenoid needs 24 VDC 8W. I would like to build a MOSFET switch.
1. I will use a logic level N-type enhancement FET (RFP30N06LE)...
I have a 2-fan radiator cooler. At idle it draws 22A, or 11A each fan. Each fan is on its own relay. But the relays are turned on-off simultaneously. Should I turn the fans staggered to reduce transient? I have no idea how much is excessive motor current. Thank you.
I get useful repair information for my 20 year old Ford pickup from an F150 forum. New Ford pickups (Chevy pickups as well) drop clutch fan and come with electrical radiator fan, and some forum members adopt the setup in their older vehicle. According to the tribal knowledge there, the dual fan...
I have a squirrel cage fan used in a car about 6" (15 cm) diameter. It is a part of the climate control seat blowing air to the seat bottom and back. The control board is built in the fan assembly. 4 wires are soldered to it, M+, M-, Control and Tach. My goal is just to make it run even at one...
I would like to use a bimetal switch for cooling fan control. https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-KSD9700-Bimetal-Thermostat-Temperature/dp/B005FULR7A. It comes with different open/close temperatures at 5 degree C interval. The tip is about 1/4" in thickness. I am concerned about the mechanical...
My company has both regular gas vehicles and E-85 vehicles. Someone mistakenly pumped E85 fuel into a regular gas tank. Company emptied the fuel tank and replaced all fuel lines, costing $1,000+. It can happen again, and I bet it will happen again. Please advise the right thing to do. Thank you.
I am looking for articles about this subject. I am aware of stray current corrosion of underground structures, but have little information in automobiles. I searched engineering index but got nothing. Thank you.
I am running incoming inspection of stainless steel bolts, to be specific, A286. I am using hand-held XRF, so it is surface sensitive. All elements meet the requirement except titanium. Instead of 2% Ti, I am getting 1.5% consistently. I wonder if passivation/pickling process is known to...
I would like to use 2 pressure relief valves. Source is 2000 psig. First relief valve will have 25 psi set pressure. Second relief valve will be downstream of the first one and set at 3 psig. Usage pressure will be about 0.5 psig. Are there issues with multiple relief valves? Thank you.
I have a pickup (Ford F150) that is retired from farming and used only for city driving. Front is shock/coil spring and rear is shock/leaf spring. The pickup has new shocks. Still it rides rough compared to sedans. I know a pickup is a pickup, but is there a room for ride improvement by careful...
When a replacement part is manufactured, I bet it is not redesigned. Rather copied. Isn't this some form of infringement? Do aftermarket part manufacturers pay royalty to OEM?
