OK, this probably should be in the lounge, but there is just enough tech in it to trigger the dreaded "tech in the lounge" cry, so I'm posting it here.
Most of you probably already know this trick, but it might help someone.
I'm an engineer among many other things, and I get lots of calls at all hours from friends with problems with electronics, computers, house wiring, boat problems, plumbing, you name it.
I guess I have a knack. I am in the high 70 low 80 per cent with over the phone fixes.
But I have this one friend, that I just cannot miss with.
A few years ago, he called and said that his tv picture was drawing in around the edges, but when his wife put something on the stove to cook, it went back to normal until she turned the electric burner off.
I had him feel the breaker box, and when it was not hot, I sent him out to make sure one of the wires on the weatherhead was smoking.
Sure enough, it was, and the power company soon had him some new connectors on.
Since then, I have gotten several calls from him.
Yesterday, he called and said he and some friends had gone fishing. He parked his suv in the shade.
It was running fine.
When he got back, it would only spin, not fire.
Since I didn't want to risk him getting a face full of gas, I did not tell him about the schrader valve on the fuel rail.
Instead, I had him take the gas cap off, put his ear to the hole and listen while a friend turned the key to "on".
When he did not hear anything, I told him to take a chunk of wood or something like that, and Whang ( official engineering term) on the gas tank while a friend tried to crank it.
If it cranked, do not shut it off until you are at a shop.
He declined and today had a wrecker come to get it.
The guy showed up with a roll back, but the vehicle was in a really bad place and would have to be winched around.
When he told the wrecker driver what was wrong with it, the wrecker driver got a rubber mallet, and walloped ( official recovery specialist term, not to be confused with Whanged) on the gas tank while my friend cranked it up.
He then drove it up to, and on, the rollback.
At the shop, it again refused to crank until a new in-tank fuel pump was installed.
My friend, who keeps track of such things, called to tell me I was right, and that this officially made me 15 for 15.
I have no idea if he is right, but he assured me that I have fixed or correctly diagnosed his problems each time he has called.
And that it was 15 times.
Of course, I will never get one right for him again now.
Anyway, long story, not worth the trip, but I did want to pass along the tip about the in-tank pump.
Often they get a little grain of sand, or a worn bearing, and are unable to start.
But will keep running if you can get them started.
If you get out somewhere, and the fuel rail has no pressure, and you cannot hear the pump run briefly when you first turn the key on, try giving the tank a whack ( amateur term ) while trying to start the car.
From what I hear, its got about a 50% success rate.
J.
Most of you probably already know this trick, but it might help someone.
I'm an engineer among many other things, and I get lots of calls at all hours from friends with problems with electronics, computers, house wiring, boat problems, plumbing, you name it.
I guess I have a knack. I am in the high 70 low 80 per cent with over the phone fixes.
But I have this one friend, that I just cannot miss with.
A few years ago, he called and said that his tv picture was drawing in around the edges, but when his wife put something on the stove to cook, it went back to normal until she turned the electric burner off.
I had him feel the breaker box, and when it was not hot, I sent him out to make sure one of the wires on the weatherhead was smoking.
Sure enough, it was, and the power company soon had him some new connectors on.
Since then, I have gotten several calls from him.
Yesterday, he called and said he and some friends had gone fishing. He parked his suv in the shade.
It was running fine.
When he got back, it would only spin, not fire.
Since I didn't want to risk him getting a face full of gas, I did not tell him about the schrader valve on the fuel rail.
Instead, I had him take the gas cap off, put his ear to the hole and listen while a friend turned the key to "on".
When he did not hear anything, I told him to take a chunk of wood or something like that, and Whang ( official engineering term) on the gas tank while a friend tried to crank it.
If it cranked, do not shut it off until you are at a shop.
He declined and today had a wrecker come to get it.
The guy showed up with a roll back, but the vehicle was in a really bad place and would have to be winched around.
When he told the wrecker driver what was wrong with it, the wrecker driver got a rubber mallet, and walloped ( official recovery specialist term, not to be confused with Whanged) on the gas tank while my friend cranked it up.
He then drove it up to, and on, the rollback.
At the shop, it again refused to crank until a new in-tank fuel pump was installed.
My friend, who keeps track of such things, called to tell me I was right, and that this officially made me 15 for 15.
I have no idea if he is right, but he assured me that I have fixed or correctly diagnosed his problems each time he has called.
And that it was 15 times.
Of course, I will never get one right for him again now.
Anyway, long story, not worth the trip, but I did want to pass along the tip about the in-tank pump.
Often they get a little grain of sand, or a worn bearing, and are unable to start.
But will keep running if you can get them started.
If you get out somewhere, and the fuel rail has no pressure, and you cannot hear the pump run briefly when you first turn the key on, try giving the tank a whack ( amateur term ) while trying to start the car.
From what I hear, its got about a 50% success rate.
J.
