rocketraider Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 July 22 Hemmings Classic Car came today. Quick browsing found a fullpage ad page from Moss Motors (the Britcar suppliers) that included "Top Ten Tech Tips in 20 Words or Less". This one made me throw my head back and hee-haw. Any of us who have had to deal with Previous Owner's Stamp will appreciate it. "If you are having a problem, never assume a system has not been modified by a previous owner or mechanic" Another added "no matter what anyone says about British car reliability, we look better fixing ours than they do driving theirs" Thanks Wade Karhan, Jeff Hartman and Moss Motors!😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Yes, that's not only entertaining but it's true! Remember Joe Lucas, Prince of darkness. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 Always start all the bolts before tightening any of them. If there is a 50-50 chance it will be wrong 70% of the time...............Bob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 37 minutes ago, Bhigdog said: Always start all the bolts before tightening any of them. If there is a 50-50 chance it will be wrong 70% of the time...............Bob Related: Tighten every fastener as if it's the last time you'll touch it. There have been a handful of times where I've only tightened a fastener finger-tight thinking I'd come back and get it torqued later only to get distracted and not remember until something goes wrong. No more. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 25 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said: Related: Tighten every fastener as if it's the last time you'll touch it. There have been a handful of times where I've only tightened a fastener finger-tight thinking I'd come back and get it torqued later only to get distracted and not remember until something goes wrong. No more. Had a friend do that with cylinder head nuts. He found out pretty quick. Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 "Don't think for a minute you'll remember how everything goes back together." That is a lesson I learned the very hard way.I don't care how easy or simple something seems,take pictures,more pictures,then some more pictures before you tear into the thing. 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 WOW, how did we live before digital cameras? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cudaman Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 "Never total the bills!" 2 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 "Read the factory service manual" 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 If all else fails read the directions..................Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 It's never the ECM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTR Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) 15 hours ago, Andy J said: "Don't think for a minute you'll remember how everything goes back together." That is a lesson I learned the very hard way.I don't care how easy or simple something seems,take pictures,more pictures,then some more pictures before you tear into the thing. +100% After countless of cars (many of them same/similar to each other) I’ve restored or worked during past 40+ years, I still photo document all of it on daily bases with numerous before, during & after shots, yet I still periodically come across something that wasn’t adequately captured. Photo documentation of my last “complete” restoration accumulated +/-15000 images. Just a properly documented engine rebuild can easily produce hundreds of photos. I’m currently doing 3 along with 2 automatic and 1 manual transmission from 1950’s, a complete 1956 (American luxury car) chassis rebuild/restoration (decisions on body & interior still to be determined), metal and paint repairs + some suspension corrections on a 50 year old V12 Ferrari (3 more identical cars on the waiting list for various smaller repairs and services) and all are and/or will be thoroughly photo documented. As for the “wisdom”(?), although it applies to just about everything in life, my first signature line is something I realized decades ago when initially cutting my teeth in vintage car repairs & restoration and it has been my mantra ever since. Another ways to look at it could or should be like this: ”Do you know exactly what, why and how it does whatever it’s intended to do ? If not, might be best you don’t attempt to fix it” (Sorry about more than 20 words). … or … as “Inspector H. Callahan” so aptly observed ”Man’s got to know his limitations”. Edited June 11, 2022 by TTR (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Long after you forget what you paid for it. You will know whether or not you like it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Save the left over nuts, bolts and washers from this repair for your next repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) They are not left over parts they are EXTRA parts I found when I took it apart. dave s Edited June 11, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Bloo said: It's never the ECM. Yup, but by disconnecting and reconnecting the harness, as necessary to change the ECU, that typically cleans the corrosion on the terminals that was causing the problem, so it frequently APPEARS to have been the ECU. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 2 hours ago, joe_padavano said: "Read the factory service manual" 1 hour ago, Bhigdog said: If all else fails read the directions..................Bob I dunno, some of those Britcar "workshop manuals" leave a bit to be desired. I've also found they sometimes assume you know a great deal more about the car than you actually do...☺️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 4 minutes ago, rocketraider said: I dunno, some of those Britcar "workshop manuals" leave a bit to be desired. I've also found they sometimes assume you know a great deal more about the car than you actually do...☺️ Sorry, Glenn, you lost me at "Britcar"... 😁 Full disclosure, I once owned an XJ6, but only with the intent of doing a V8 swap. Unfortunately (fortunately?) the car went away in the first divorce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hook Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 17 hours ago, Andy J said: "Don't think for a minute you'll remember how everything goes back together." That is a lesson I learned the very hard way.I don't care how easy or simple something seems,take pictures,more pictures,then some more pictures before you tear into the thing. Either take pictures or buy a parts car so you can see how it goes together and where all them there extra parts you have goes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 The parts car approach is the only way to get those one-off fasteners that are always the ones that break. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 "It'll buff out!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 33 minutes ago, Bleach said: "It'll buff out!" It's supposed to be words of wisdom, not lies my mother told me. 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Play stupid games, you’ll win stupid prizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisted Shifter Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Where's a good place to look when you need that can of nuts and bolts that the previous owner removed to "fix" your project car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 9 hours ago, avgwarhawk said: Save the left over nuts, bolts and washers from this repair for your next repair. We always refer to those pars as the optional parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Always drop the oil pan and clean everything out before you start it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erichill Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 When diagnosing a problem, make only one change at a time. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 1 hour ago, erichill said: When diagnosing a problem, make only one change at a time. Shout this from the rooftops. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 (edited) This from a 1957 Mercury service manual: Followed closely by K.I.S.S. - I am constantly telling my kids not to overthink things. Edited June 14, 2022 by 3macboys (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 On 6/11/2022 at 9:13 AM, Bloo said: It's never the ECM. Spoken by the service advisor to the customer. Oh, and the ECM is not part of the fuel injection system and therefore not covered by warranty. Yeah sure😝 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 I'm less informed about the warranty end of things... but If I had a dollar for every car that landed in my service bay with a new ECM already installed and the original problem still present..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 If "a" AND "b" then "c".🤔 If "a" OR "b" then "d".🥴 If "a" AND "b" but NOT "e"...🤪 Logic gates should apply, but they don't always.🤯 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Never believe a customer when he says "the check's in the mail". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S. Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Needs too much work. Junk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Develop a sequence of basic troubleshooting steps that you are comfortable with. Use it every time. Never deviate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTR Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, 60FlatTop said: Develop a sequence of basic troubleshooting steps that you are comfortable with. Use it every time. Never deviate. Which for most in today's world appears to mean running to a computer and posting on (presumably) relevant forum something like “I suspect there’s something wrong with my car/engine/whatever. What do you guys think the problem is and how do I fix it ?” Edited June 15, 2022 by TTR (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Never,ever tell anyone"take your time.I'm not in a hurry." 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 I may not do very good work, But I sure am slow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterc9 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 The problem is often blamed on the least understood part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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