I'm relaxing at home when I got a call from a number I didn't recognize. Since the caller left a voicemail, I played it. He told me he got my number from a friend. He has a 78 that he drove to the gas station, and it wouldn't "catch". He said another friend worked on the car, but that friend wasn't available.

I called him back and found out that the engine would turn but wouldn't fire. Knowing that the friend who worked on the car is a very good Z wrench, I knew I had to run through possible esoteric solutions. 

"Beat on the ECU."

"What?"

"Hit the ECU with the side of your fist. Just bang on it a couple of times. Then try to start your car."

"Where is it?"

"When you're sitting in the car, it's by your left leg on the kick panel."

"I see a piece of plastic there."

"Yep. Hit it."

"Oh my God. It worked."

I told him he might need to replace the ECU. It looks like MSA is out of them for right now.

When I told the story to another friend, he responded, "Percussive maintenance." What can I say? He's right.

 

 

Edited October 15, 20222 yr by SteveJ
I received a correction from my friend.

Reminds me of the last page in a Cleaver Brooks (they made pressure vessels and other fabricate steel stuff) catalog. It had a number of tongue in cheek "standards".

One was, "Cut to suit, beat to fit, paint to match."

Also reminds me of an electronic engine controls class I was in during my apprenticeship. The instructor had a "road shock simulator", a two foot long piece of 1" wood dowel. Start the car, open the hood, and give various electronic devices a sharp whack. When you whack one, and the engine stumbles, dies or otherwise acts up, you've found the problem.

Edited October 16, 20222 yr by Racer X

I used to work in a development lab for telecomm equipment.  We were the go-to folks whenever anyone had trouble with their monitors, test equipment, etc.  One guy in particular was quite good at getting failed equipment back up and running quickly.  His technique?  Smack it hard as you can with an open palm.  It worked way more often than not.

Thanks for a good laugh early in the morning.

Never force it; just use a bigger hammer.