wrenching tips

I will share my experience of 30 years wrenching as a car mechanic. I try to mix old and new school tricks.
I use a lot of Mercedes sealer, because i'm working for the company since many years, i have a lot of experience with them and they are easy to reach. Most of them are equivalent with Loctite products.

To use the black silicone MB part N° 003 989 98 20 10, you have to clean the gasket surface with an anti silicone product.
I put a 0.02" silicon rope on the surface, don't touch it with your greasy fingers! and put the parts together. It seals scratches like an O ring. But study carefully the surface and the directions you put it on!!!
Excessive use of sealer can cause plugged oil holes.

I seal threads,plumbings and oil plugs (engine, tranny) etc. with MB n° 002 989 47 20 10,
it seals the oily threads perfect, no more drips on the oil pan drain plug! Cleaning the threads is not so critical.

For the low pressure fuel system and intake gaskets around the ports,i use the Hylomar blue,
a fuel resistant sealer.

I often use Loctite blue and green (strong) for locking screws on brake and suspension. Many of you are afraid and think they can not loosen the nuts and bolts. But you're wrong, it seals also against rust, no water and air has access to the threads. Contact corrosion is also solved. if you have trouble to loosen it, heat it up.

I prefer narrower hose clamps instead of really wide clamps, because they have more clamping force on a smaller area! Install the clamps as close as possible to the hump! I like the design of the original spring hose clamps, they are narrow and self adjusting, so they don't leak if the rubber hose shrinks.