A Humorous Word of Wisdom

[matthewmcp777]

I know many of you have been viewing and following my posts - and some contributing their many words of wisdom - which I cant tell you how much I appreciate.

I've spent several hours on the on phone with Ken from Moyer Marine and multiple messages have been exchanged with the users of this forum and everyone kept telling me to double check my work -- well haha -- how right they were

So here it is -- we're all familiar with it at some point in our lives - DONT ASSUME!!

My engine wasn't starting and running because I ASSUMED I put my spark plug wires back on the distributor correctly -OOPPS! I just went and double checked against the service manual and NO - I had not. After 2 minutes of rearranging things (climbing back to my distributor is not easy ok!) she fired right up, and while short lived I now know my engine works. Oh Ndutton how right you were about things firing at the right time! lol I know he isn't the only one that mentioned that - anyway - Im sure you're all smiling a little having maybe, just perhaps, having been here once

did I mention Im giggling like a lil school girl since she started up?! Im gonna regret saying that but oh well lol

[Marian Claire]

Glad you found the problem and you are not the first to mix up the wires. One caution to those that read this. You can also not assume that your distributor is in the "standard" position and that the "standard" plug wire set up will work. The position of the rotor at TDC #1 should be used to start the plug wire order.
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[hanleyclifford]

No matter how many times I work on an A4 occassionally I also fall into the Assumption Trap. Keep thinking "DOTO" (don't overlook the obvious).

[robshepherd]

Sometimes we learn the hard way

Nice! And this is the kind of small mistake that you will likely never make again.

I also learned the hard way, though I was about 18 years old. I had a 65 Impala and was getting ready to do my very first tune up ever. I pulled all eight plug wires and tossed them aside, opened the box of new wires, and then had an "uh oh...." moment. A friendly shade tree mechanic neighbor gave me a lesson on TDC and firing order, which he knew from memory. Imagine that... no internet to consult in the mid 80s.

Glad you're up and running! -Rob

[Whippet]

Sharpie

I consider Sharpie an important part of my tool box. What did i recently do with this valuable tool? Wrote the cylinder number on each spark plug wire hood. I was bound to get them crossed at some point otherwise.

[joe_db]

The Russians just lost a very expensive rocket because someone put the rate gyros in *upside down* They had arrows, but no text stating the arrow meant up or down

[edwardc]

I consider Sharpie an important part of my tool box. What did i recently do with this valuable tool? Wrote the cylinder number on each spark plug wire hood. I was bound to get them crossed at some point otherwise.

Will Sibley (one of the A4 "good guys") did the original A4 inspection for us back when I knew almost nothing about them. One of the first things he did was to label the plug wires with a sharpie. I learned that trick from him, and it has served me well since.

[Clucas]

The Russians just lost a very expensive rocket because someone put the rate gyros in *upside down* They had arrows, but no text stating the arrow meant up or down

Are you certain that wasn't our own congress? Geez...

[ILikeRust]

See, if you really want to drive yourself nuts, what you do is get the wires all perfectly in the right order, but have the rotor of the distributor aligned with TDC of cylinder #1 - on the exhaust stroke.

DAMHIKT.