Check your work before you ask?

[dvogtvpe]

recently I had a CH25 apart for a bent valve. finally put it in the tractor and tried to get it running. only wanted to run on 1 cyl. the left. had the right side apart. took the plug out. its wet. put another plug in. still wouldn't run. check spark on that side. its good. then it would only run with the throttle at idle. funny thing was when I pulled the choke out it throttled up. oops. after flipping the choke and throttle cables to the correct locations it ran great,
I guess the point here is we all make mistakes, when you panic and come straight to the forum instead of verifying your work we get really long posts and most times it turns out to be a check your work problem. sometimes its because you didn't read the directions as good as you should have or skipped a step. you never hear about mistakes that say Jon or I make because we go into troubleshooting mode rather than panic mode. there's always a reason why things turn out running or not running the way they did.
so this was my recent rookie mistake laugh away.

[Sam Mac]

Good advice. We all make screw-ups as long as you learn from them is what matters.

The other day I noticed gas running all over under the 2182 I'm working on, yep forgot to close the drain in the bottom of the carb.

[J-Mech]

Just to be fair.... I'll post a rookie mistake.

Last winter when I had the thread going on the 125, I had spent most of an hour tuning and getting it running. I don't know if I'm just slow, or meticulous, but it takes me roughly an hour to get any engine I just had apart running (in my mind) perfectly. I had the tractor running good and took it out and made a few laps. Came back into the shop and it started kinda sputtering again. So, pulled the screwdriver out and went back to the carb and started tuning again. Then it just up and died. I though, "Well crap, now what!". I think I even made a post to the effect that it had died.... well... if you go back and read that thread I never did offer up the fix. I..... put gas in it. But not before checking spark, double checked timing, then moved to fuel. What do you know, it fired right up!!

Don's right. We all goof. But when you stop, go back and start at the basics, for me anyway, 9 out of 10 times find my err.

[R Bedell]

Being a 40+ yr veteran to the HVAC/R trade, been there - done that. What I see here, as with myself, is "tunnel vision" or not thinking outside the box. One gets so focused on a trouble area, that one overlooks obvious or simply things. It always seems to occur, when you are in a hurry.

[darryljs]

After rebuilding my K301 and double checking everything to make sure it was right, I put it on my test bench, hit the starter switch and it fired up. I then tuned it to perfection and it ran great. I put it in the 125, hooked it all up, hit the starter and it turned over, but wouldn't start . Checked everything (so I thought ). After a few choice words , some frustration , some stomping around and changing some parts (about 2 hours worth), I figured it out . (Here comes the embarrassing part ) I forgot to step on the brake to engage the neutral switch , it then fired up and runs great.

[bocephus1991]

I went to mow the garden off this evening with my 1200 I overhauled. Well it wouldn't start I thought for a min wth?? Then remembered I had the gas off! We all make mistakes, over look the obvious sometimes.

[OldSkull]

I use to do ride test for few motorcycle company in another life...I remember one crappy goof I did, trying to get out of the parking lot of Yamaha head office with a RZ1 I stall the engine 3 or 4 times, a few magazine reporter was there and they all came with their explanation and "expert" opinion, wen I found out my goof, I get the hell out of place burning rubber and ask them to catch me or I never tell them!

I just forgot to lift the tinny side stand and no one notice!

[dbuck]

When I am working on any engine, I pull the spark plug wire. I do not know how many times when working on a walk behind mower, I have forgotten to replace the plug wire. Therefore no start. With one of my Buddies sitting there laughing their azz off and finally saying, had not you better put that black wire back on. Used to embraress me, but I just laugh about it now. I also have been known not to turn the fuel on.

[ol'George]

I've never made a mistake.
My wife reminds me of that,saying,
"Ain't is a shame everybody ain't perfect like you"

[cubby102]

Plulled my 1200 out of storage the other day. Checked oil put fuel in put a fresh battery in. Screwed with it for20 minutes before I remembered had taken the points out to test a different engine