Why do we always assume the worst case scenario?

[Andy D]

Could be something around the house or the cars. It starts acting up, and the worst case pops into your mind, and becomes your operating theme. All I can say, is to fight this. Instead start small, check the simple easy ,cheep stuff first.

F'rinstance, truck doesnt start. Just a click when you turn to start. Dash lights dim then , come back on when when the key is released. Where do you begin? Do you start with the switch? No. Why, because it is a PITA. Where is the easy starter stuff to work on? The battery! And dont even think about it being bad. Cheep ! Check the cables at the battery. Wiggle them. You shouldn't be able to. If they arent bright and shiny. That is where to start. Start with the negative post. Fuzz is a bad sign. Anyway, remove the ground. Clean up the terminal and make sure the bolt works easily. Check for broken or green strands where the cable is attached. Keep looking. Follow the cables. The ground connections should be good . Make sure the ground from the frame to the engine is good. Generally this is around the motor mount. Repeat the process on the positive cable to the solenoid on the fender. Just look at the solenoid connection for now. The posts shear easily. So, far , all you have done is look . If you have a meter, you could have checked voltage.

OK, many times I have fixed a loose or dirty cable , and fixed the trouble . Easy to check , easy to clean. No parts were thrown at the trouble . Cheap . Fixing stuff with this mindset will greatly enhance your old beat ass truck ownership experience.

 

[Mark_88]

I've said this before so I'm just repeating myself...again...it's almost always something simple...lost count of how many times this has been the case, but I'd say it is probably something like 99.99999% of the time...

I think the reason we assume the worst case is probably to do with Murphy's Law...but more likely to do with Cole's Law...a bit of cabbage or lettuce, some vinegar...oh, wrong thread...

It's been proven in my situation over the years that the minute you think you have enough money to get you through till payday or a lottery win, something like a dumb move (leaving headlights on and draining battery, resulting in charging the battery that normally would go fine but suddenly the battery is toast) at a dumb time that results in an expense that you (I) really don't need at the time...

The main thing is to have a positive outlook and take things in stride...sometimes we get premonitions or omens...or thoughts...like the other day, I was thinking about how old my fuel pump is and that it is probably about due for a replacement...I even went out and had a look at the block where the mechanical fuel pump should go and was contemplating taking a shot at cleaning out the space so I could add a mechanical fuel pump as a backup...just so happens that I've had a spare mechanical pump sitting in a tool box that was bought new and never used...probably the diaphram is toast by now but it looks good...

Wouldn't you know it...two days later my fuel pump takes a dive and I'm miles from the nearest parts store to get a replacement...

Sometimes things are flukes...sometimes I think thoughts of that nature actually cause them to happen...we are masters of our own destiny...so when you think out the worst case scenario ahead of time and plan to evade the forces of planned obsolescence you can come out ahead...as long as you're not running too close to that margin of error that most people find their financial situation is in...

I can actually make this longer with more ramblings...lol

 

[racsan]

i think its just human nature to expect the worst. and if its not the worst, its not as bad. on occasion, it is indeed a $200 starter intead of a bad connection or cable though...

 

[doorgunner]

LOL Mark: A friend of mine had a dream that hismother's car had a big coolant leak/overheated. A week later her car sparang a leak in the upper rad. hose--his sister said "Are you happy now--you jinxed Mom's car!"

He replied "No--that's not a huge leak (sarcastically)!

A few weeks later the water pump on Mom's car gave out big-time. His sister said "I guess your proud of yourself now for getting the premonition right and causing Mom all these problems!"

He said "I'm not proud, but I'm glad to have had a profound dream that came true despite the problem that it caused. At least we knew to keep Mom from going on any long trips that could have made the problem much worse!"

His sister stomped off MAD (hate the message/Kill the messenger)

 

[RonD]

Mark needs to dream about ME winning the lottery......please suggest that to him



I subscribe to the theory you can only fear the known not the unknown, if it's unknown how can you fear it??? you don't know about it.

Applied to cars and trucks a symptom like a "click" but no crank when you turn the key causes your knowledge about how cars and trucks work to kick in and you run through all the possible reasons for this.
My wife would simply say, "car is broken", her knowledge of how cars work is limited to the phone number of BCAA(local auto club).

Since I have been a wrencher for many years, I would run through MY known list of things that could cause this.
My worst case would be a new starter, but I have never had a spun main bearing or seized engine, which would be the ultimate worst case with that symptom, so even though I know that could be possible I wouldn't think of it right at first.

Now if the symptom was: "last night when driving my truck home it started to overheat, I only needed to go a little further so I kept driving and it started to knock really loud and when I finally got home steam and blue smoke was coming from under the hood."
"This morning when I try to start the truck I just hear a "click", engine is not cranking, lights seem to work OK so not battery"
Worst case??
I think sensor problem.........lol, remove temp sensor, replace engine, re-install temp sensor

I think forums like this really help in that symptoms can be posted and simple to difficult "fixes" can be put forward from a large data base of people who have known "fixes" from their experiences.

 

[Andy D]

Yah but , it isn't a good feeling to read posts where guys take a truck to a mechanic, and pay big bucks to have parts thrown at it. And it turns out to something simple. I just used the starter as an example. . Ive known guys who replaced fuel pumps to have the trouble being a loose fuse. In a car , after 5 yrs or so, anything is bound to fail. The more of this you can fix, the better off you'll be.

 

[adsm08]

It's spelled "cheap".

 

[shane96ranger]

Who is "we" and what do "they" want with "us"?

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

 

[Mark_88]

Mark needs to dream about ME winning the lottery......please suggest that to him

Believe it or not...I can tell by my dreams if I've won money...seriously...I can't tell you how they work because it only works for me...

But send me your picture and a piece of clothing (no undies, please, that tends to get a bit personal) and I will do what I can to toss my famous "Have a Gretzky" your way...lol

It's spelled "cheap".

LOL...I noticed that but also that he got it right in a few places so I didn't say anything...cheep is for the birds...

Who is "we" and what do "they" want with "us"?

A group hug...a wee grrrrrrroup hug...

 

[adsm08]

I didn't read the whole thing, I've just been seeing that spelling a lot lately.

 

[Andy D]

I stand corrected. sir

 

[doorgunner]

It took 3 years of being on TRS to learn stuff, but I don't make spelling mistakes any moar.



EDIT: time flies.................4 years!

 

[machine090767]

I've always looked for the "easy fix" first, then moved on if that doesn't solve the problem.
been doing that for the past 29 years.

 

[RonD]

I go for the third easiest fix first.
Easiest fix is the "For Sale - As Is" sign
Second easiest is the local "you break 'em, we fix 'em" shop.

But I am "cheep" so don't want to lose money selling it "as is" or pay someone else to screw it up more when I can do that myself for free.

So 3rd easiest fix for me every time

When I get to the 20th easiest fix, that "For Sale - As Is" sign is looking better, lol.

 

[richlands55]

It took 3 years of being on TRS to learn stuff, but I don't make spelling mistakes any moar.



EDIT: time flies.................4 years!

moar....more. You did that on purpose to see if we were paying attention.