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That mechanic at the junkyard changed how I look at old gaskets
I was pulling a head off a 1994 Civic in Springfield last month and this old guy walks by, sees me fighting with a corroded gasket, and just says 'soak it in vinegar overnight, not brake cleaner.' I figured he was crazy but tried it on the intake manifold gasket at home and it came off in one piece, no scraping. Anyone else got a weird tip from a random person that actually worked better than the usual stuff?
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susanh463d agoMost Upvoted
Remembered an old farmer down in Missouri who told me to use plain old dish soap and warm water to clean my carburetor parts instead of that expensive spray stuff. Laughed at him at first, but tried it on a sticky float valve and it worked perfectly. No harsh fumes, no mess, and the parts came out clean as a whistle. Funny how the simple things people learned decades ago still beat all the fancy chemicals we buy now. Makes you wonder what other old school tricks we've forgotten about.
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price.alice3d ago
Follow up with that mechanic if you can. Did he mention why vinegar works better than brake cleaner on old gaskets? I'm wondering if it's the acidity breaking down the sealant without damaging the metal, or if the vinegar softens the gasket material itself. Seems like a trick worth remembering for any older engines, not just Hondas.
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