Just because it is new doesn't make it right...Check it!

Have you ever?...I have, not a proud moment but a few years ago I bought a shifter cover and a brand name (not china) trans-brake switch made by b&? for about 45 bucks, after installing the switch checking all the wiring twice on a late night thrash before the next days trial at the track(yeah I know) neighbours were too close to fire and jack stand it at that time of the night I could check the operation in the morning. Morning came, started it backed it out ...the brake was working! Everything seemed fine got there unloaded, tech'd a little late, quick run down on the checklist, into the staging lanes...new trans so I decided I would foot brake it and check the shifter...stalled perfectly shifted good. A little rain no second TT so I entered 1st round and went with the foot brake again...win light... hook was good I really wanted to try the brake now 2-passes was worth the dial issues I may have so I dialed down a little and decided to try it...staged brake button on lights come down release the button ...but the transmission doesn't release and in an poor moment of judgement I let let anger get to me when I yelled *%^$ and hit the nitrous button (Frank M probably hates me now) it went, luckily didn't explode but pretty much blew away/ melted /burned all the trans internals although I did get the win light how IDNK. After realizing that my pushing the time envelope, lack of judgement (anger) cost me 2x the rebuild of the transmission and I still hadn't got to use the brake in that car. With my DNF in the next round it was time to load my junk and go home and acces the situation and my behaviour. As it turned out the $45 brand name switch that I had purchased from a reputable company had inadvertently mis-marked the switch as NO/NC when in fact when I put meter on the switch it was NC/NO the cover of the switch was wrong, the moral of the story is that do not take anything for granted even with a new reputable part, and anger only creates more negatives.

I had a shop teacher in high school who's greeting every morning was, "Good morning, NEW does not mean GOOD".
He did get his point across to us.

rmcomprandy wrote:I had a shop teacher in high school who's greeting every morning was, "Good morning, NEW does not mean GOOD".
He did get his point across to us.

Hmmm, apparently you remember more of high school than me Lol, but the point has meaning, when you spend money on parts from reputable manufactures there is a certain expectation of the performance of the parts, however the electronic, plumbing, have a failure rate which leaves alot on the table and complaciency will cost. Machine work is the same...skip a step save money, pay double or more in the end.

I agree.Another moral is "just because it costs more,doesn't mean that it's better." I have a good friend that has deep pockets and he doesn't agree w/my theory.

Somewhere in every automotive manual ever printed it says at the end of almost every testing sequence to test with a previously used 'known good part".

this reminds me of earlier in the year when I was ready to try the nos.i had tested everything before I went to the line and no go on the juice.i had 2 micro switches side by beside that worked before the run im now testing and nothing from either of them.i was thinking God what did I do in a previous life to deserve this?i could touch the negative and positive together the noids worked,so now I only have one that can fail.

Measure twice and cut once comes to mind but I guess it should be replaced by check everything three times.

Dark Horse of Apocalypse wrote:Measure twice and cut once comes to mind but I guess it should be replaced by check everything three times.

X2

Here's the classic....and I know you've all heard it a thousand times:

A friend says, "My car won't crank.  It only clicks, but won't turn over. What do you think is the problem?"

Naturally, I ask, "Does the battery have a good charge in it?"

The response always comes back...."It's a brand new battery."

So then I ask, "How old is the battery?"

He says, "I just told you...it's brand new."

I say, "OK... When I asked if it was fully charged, you told me how old it was.  I figured if I asked you how old it was, you might tell me if it was charged."



You're absolutely right....."New" does not mean "Right"/

I had a great experience last week..... Brand new flex shaft grinder...... DOA... Wouldn't have been an issue to return...... But I purchased it 2 years ago and just put it in my tool box assuming it was fine.... Just for the record it was not a pro comp part...