Boy do I sure feel stupid. Here I've been for the last month or so tearing everything apart in my 280 to find out why it won't run. I've tested computer components and wiring, dropped the gas tank cleaned it, put in new injectors, I've done it all. Even with all of that the car wouldn't run. So I'm sitting in my basement with the FI bible and my FSM scanning through everything I can and then it hits me all of a sudden; Maybe it's out of gas? I didn't think of that first because well nothing on this car has been remotely that easy and I had chucked a few gallons into it before pulling the engine for a rebuild. So as it turns out I just needed 5 gallons of gas. I put that in and she fires right up. No hesitation or anything so boy do I feel like an idiot. Any of you have similar stories?

I know of one member...

Will

Bet there's alot - but no one's talking.

well I can't feel too bad since this is the first car I've tried to rebuild. Learning experience, lots of them.

:tapemouth:tapemouth:tapemouth:tapemouth:tapemouth

At least its got all them new shiny parts.....

So far no major blunders but if I have a brain-fart I'll freely admit it since you were brave enough to admit yours. Look at the bright side, you probably won't have to do any of that stuff again for as long as you own the car!

How about hopping into the Z after a complete tune up, turning the key, motor turns over beautifully but no spark, no start, NOTHING!!.

I hop out and check the cap and rotor. Nothing.

I check the MSD and Coil, nothing.

I hop back in the car for the fourth time and try starting it again. Turns over great, almost too great. I pound on the steering wheel and look to my right, Where the work bench is. There, laying side by side are 6 brand new spark plugs, gapped and ready to be installed.

I never thought to check the plugs in the car cause "I just gapped them earlier, so they must have been fine" They were fine, just not IN the CAR!!!

That was one of the easier stupid stories I have.

Dave.

I won't even get into the story of trying to start the van, 1 week after loaning the battery out to a friend. Took 1/2 an hour to figure that one out.

And I'M THE ELECTRICAL GUY!!!!!

I know of one member...

Who on his first Z reached through the window to start his car after replacing his rusty bumper with a NOS one only to have the car speed across the garage and into the door opening completely destroying the new bumper(no other damage to the car) but the ego was wiped out totally, and still shows the dents to those that were present when he is around them.

Will

Been there done that...

i did a top end rebuild on my grand prix (cam swap, ported heads, etc etc) and i had it all buttoned back up and ready to fire it over... i had my wife watching the engine bay ready to signal fire's or anything exciting for me to kill it... of course the anticipation of this moment i was excited, heart racing, key in ignition, turn it to fire it up... nothing, no click, no fuelp pump nothing. my heart sank... walked to the front, my wife was standing there with a grin on her face and pointing to the battery that had the negative still not attached. what a dumbass i was... put it on, and it fired right up and scared the $^!# out of my wife, open headers in a single garage..hehehe

good times

i bolted the head on with the cam timed wrong. bent 4 valves and left little smilies in 1 & 6

I've poured 5 quarts of nice clean oil onto the driveway. Right after finishing off the last quart, I saw the plug sitting on the driveway next to the wrench.