Thread: Am I stupid?

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I have been following the 51 Mordoor thread and ground wiring came up. That prompted me to start this thread.

We took the wife's car to a nationally known transmission repair firm to have the trans replaced about 1 1/2 years ago. The new trans worked fine and still does, however right after the trans work the starter began to act up, cranked slow but ended up starting. After many months of this and it taking longer to start I was afraid of getting stranded so I bought a new starter and installed it. The new starter worked better but not like it really should. Eventually it got to the point that I was afraid again of being stranded, it got to the point where the starter would smoke trying to start the car and I would have to let the car set for awhile before trying to start again. Bought another starter and installed it, but before trying to start the car it occurred to me to check and see if there was a ground from the frame to the engine so I started at the battery ground post to see where that cable went, followed it to the drivers side top A frame where it seemed to disappear, it was dark under there, so I pulled on it. Lo and behold out comes the cable, bare end and all, attached to nothing. looking to see where the cable might have been attached at one time it seemed to fall perfectly to the bolt that attaches the trans to the block and also attaches the starter. Apparently the trans people tucked the cable back to the A frame to keep it out of the way and forgot all about it. The bare end must have rested on some bare metal just enough to make the electrical work but not good enough for the starter work properly. All works fine now and I am glad that bad ground didn't ruin anything else. I thought about going back to the trans people but decided against it as their denial of any fault would just make my blood boil and at my age I don't need that. So, am I stupid or just a little slow?

Sorry for the long post but thought others might get a laugh out of this.

Jack.

We've all done it! Or something similar!
I console myself with the thought that the man that never made a mistake never made anything.

There's always times that someone will look at what we've done and say: "Why did you do that?"
"Well I don't know now; but it seemed a good idea at the time!"

There was only ever one perfect man . . . and the Romans nailed him to a tree a couple of thousand years ago.

well if it took many months---maybe a little slow--------


Back a long time ago when I was working as a ground equipment mechanic for United Airlines we had a 24/7 type shop and did scheduled maintanence/repair work shift after shift---when I got a job that had some sort of difficult to diagnose problem, I would go check the most recent maintenance records and usually found the area to start the work------------

Jack,
We always assume that work done at a high labor rate is going to be right, especially for something like hooking things back like they were found. I'd say you did good to investigate that ground cable and find it unhooked, and also that it would be useless to go back to the transmission shop and listen to their denials. So many problems can be traced back to grounding errors.

Stupid?? Only if you don't get back to work on that 34!!! ROFLMAO...

Thanks guys for the replies.

34_40, my 34 has been feeling really neglected for some time now and will continue to be I'm afraid till the move to Idaho where there will be a new home and new and bigger shop. Hope to sell the existing home this spring and start on the new home soon there after.

Jack.

Just so you know, if it would help you out to start with a new house, new bigger shop, AND a new project to occupy your time the '34 can come to live in Kansas at a moment's notice. Just to help, and no hidden agenda....

There is no such thing as too many grounds on a vehicle.

.

My '95 K1500 had developed a major exhaust leak at the manifold where it met the y pipe ( blew the connection apart ). Had to drive it like that for a while and it started to run funny. thought it was the exhaust doing it. So I opted for some headers and had a local shop I trust do the work. New shorty headers, new Y pipe, new O2 sensor and new plug wires. After that it ran better but still wasn't 'right' and was drinking gas.. Someone mentioned a ground, and I found the engine ground had been burned in half, so I got a new ground strap and ran it from the frame where the old was to the A/C bracket ( best I could do without getting too far under the hood ).. Evidently that is all it needed as it was fine since then and I was driving that truck until November.

Roger, thanks for the offer, tempting but no. Neglected as it is, after 48 years I think it would really miss me.


Jack.

So I guess if I offer to store the Mill and the coupe for awhile..... oh well.
After 48 years, I guess a couple more is like the water under the bridge right?!?!

34_40, thanks for understanding.

Jack.

Originally Posted by Jack F

34_40, thanks for understanding. Jack.

Well, I guess I'll get over the loss............... someday I'll grow out of it...................... sniff, sniff...................

but, I'll understand...............

(but seriously, I hope you can find a place that suits you and the family easily and the move is an easy one!)

34_40,

We actually bought a building lot 2 1/2 years ago in Caldwell Id. right at the bottom of the building slump, got it for 1/4 the original asking price. In the meantime we have been looking for an existing home that would fill our needs, it is still cheeper to buy existing than to build. Our search so far has been a bust, house isn't right, no shop, or no room for a shop, so we have decided to build.We have been working with a builder to design our home and shop and are getting close to something suitable.

I didn't notice your offer to include the mill for storage, do you think we could fit the 34 and the mill in a USPS flat rate box?

Jack.

Originally Posted by Jack F

34_40, I didn't notice your offer to include the mill for storage, do you think we could fit the 34 and the mill in a USPS flat rate box? Jack.

Well.. maybe with enough grease and a couple of big prybars???

The company I work for runs the W.water treatment plant there in Caldwell and I have a niece who teaches there.. Sounds like a real nice place to be!