Today I Learned Something New

darkzero

darkzero

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As the title states, was actually a few days ago though. I started working on cars in my teens so I've seen these types of screws often. They're often used by OEMs but I've never seen em sold in stores locally & never noticed them online, probably cause I never looked to buy any. I never knew what they were called or even knew they had a name.

SEMS screws. Have captive washers that don't come off. I was curious what SEMS stands for but only found this:
SEMS screws (or SEM screws) are machine screws with lock washers pre-attached to save users assembly time. They combine two separate parts into one pre-asSEMbled, low cost fastner.
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Mcmaster even has a page on them which I never noticed. On my truck, every couple of years or so I need to clean out my IAC or it has trouble starting during winter and my remote start won't always successfully start the truck unless the engine is warm. That time came again last week. The IAC uses phillips SEMS screws, well JIS cross screws to be exact. I wanted to replace them with SHCSs so they're easier to remove. Came across the SEMS screw name by accident. I needed metric which Mcmaster doesn't carry. Ordered 10 SS from China for $3 shipped. I just hope I don't loose them before the next time I need to take the IAC off. :D

Any day I learn something new is a good day but when I learn something surprisingly new like this one it makes me feel good.

So what did you learn new today/recently that you thought was interesting & worthwhile? Please share! :)

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I hear ya, I'm not a fan of those split "lock" washers either. I do use them sometimes if they are already there but I don't believe that they actually work well as intended and pretty much never buy them new. AvE made a few videos about them a while back, "junk". :D
 
I had a discussion with a friend about two weeks ago about this very subject which is why I went looking for evidence to back my claims. Always nice when people who have forgotten more than you will ever know about a subject give you the hard facts.
The link above is to a site with lots of useful information and as you have said " learn something new every day"
 
NortonDommi said:
The link above is to a site with lots of useful information and as you have said " learn something new every day"
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I have run into that site a number of times looking for stuff but I never spent much time looking at that site. I'll definitely save that one, thanks.
 
TIL that remote starters are needed in LA, California.


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I was just thinking the same thing, LA, SoCal, 'winter', remote start, say what? :grin big:
Will, are you up in the San Bernardino mountains? :grin:
I spent a month at a cabin in Big Bear during the winter of '82/'83, I would have used 'remote start' on my ol' F150.
Heck, I could've used some heat in the cabin also come to think of it.
Then at Christmas a few years later living in the Valley, I had the A/C going...
<end thread hijack..>
vtcnc said:
TIL that remote starters are needed in LA, California.


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