msport Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Do you ever feel very stupid? I do today, I'll tell you why:- A couple of months ago I bought an inertia cut off switch for my TR6 off Ebay. Since I bought the car in August I had been meaning to get one as it was missing and the wires had just been bypassed together. Since then I had been trying to start the car occassionally and noticed that it was trying to turn over until the battery got slower and slower. Because I don't use the car in the winter, I eventually left it and thought that I obviously needed a new battery. Come Boxing day (yesterday) I thought the weather seemed ideal for a spin in the 6 so charged the battery up and left it overnight. Got in the car today and it still wouldn't start! I phoned Rimmer Brothers to make sure they had some batteries in stock and then drove approx 50 miles to them to collect it (there and back was approx 100 miles and about £12 in fuel + the price of a battery approx £82). Three hours later I was back home taking out the old battery and cleaning all the surrounding areas before putting in the new battery (God, it was bloody cold as well!). The grand moment arrived and I turned the ignition key only for the car to try turning over but not starting. I suddenly realised that I couldn't hear the fuel injection so disconnected the inertia cut off switch and put the bit of wire back in its place. Turned the keys again and the fuel injection was working! I then thought I would connect the intertia switch again but put the wires the other way around, whilst I was doing this I accidentally pushed the top of the switch down. I jumped in the car again and the car started.........(which was great! don't get me wrong). The morale of the story is that I didn't need a new battery which cost £82 and I didn't need to drive 100 miles which cost me £12. I didn't even need to waste most of my day off and certainly didn't need to spend an hour in the cold......cos there was nothing wrong with the car apart from the fact that I didn't know that the switch on top of the inertia cut off should be pressed down to make it work! Dickhead of the year? - thats definitely me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Do you ever feel very stupid?I do today, I'll tell you why:- A couple of months ago I bought an inertia cut off switch for my TR6 off Ebay. Since I bought the car in August I had been meaning to get one as it was missing and the wires had just been bypassed together. Since then I had been trying to start the car occassionally and noticed that it was trying to turn over until the battery got slower and slower. Because I don't use the car in the winter, I eventually left it and thought that I obviously needed a new battery. Come Boxing day (yesterday) I thought the weather seemed ideal for a spin in the 6 so charged the battery up and left it overnight. Got in the car today and it still wouldn't start! I phoned Rimmer Brothers to make sure they had some batteries in stock and then drove approx 50 miles to them to collect it (there and back was approx 100 miles and about £12 in fuel + the price of a battery approx £82). Three hours later I was back home taking out the old battery and cleaning all the surrounding areas before putting in the new battery (God, it was bloody cold as well!). The grand moment arrived and I turned the ignition key only for the car to try turning over but not starting. I suddenly realised that I couldn't hear the fuel injection so disconnected the inertia cut off switch and put the bit of wire back in its place. Turned the keys again and the fuel injection was working! I then thought I would connect the intertia switch again but put the wires the other way around, whilst I was doing this I accidentally pushed the top of the switch down. I jumped in the car again and the car started.........(which was great! don't get me wrong). The morale of the story is that I didn't need a new battery which cost £82 and I didn't need to drive 100 miles which cost me £12. I didn't even need to waste most of my day off and certainly didn't need to spend an hour in the cold......cos there was nothing wrong with the car apart from the fact that I didn't know that the switch on top of the inertia cut off should be pressed down to make it work! Dickhead of the year? - thats definitely me! Dont feel too bad, we have all done things far dumber than that. You will find that feature of the switch handy when you need the ignition on and dont want the fuel system running or as a poor mans anti-theft device. Stan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 (edited) Hi Stan, don't defend Msport - one volunteer is worth 10 pressed men and I don't want to be one of the pressed men. Acts of insane stupidity should not go unnoticed especially when the culprit openly declares such act. It is only this honest approach to be a complete and utter tw*t that keeps the rest of us safe. Well done Msport - can we rely on you for next year as well thus allowing the whole forum total freedom to do the odd unfortunate slip. Heppy New year Roger Edited December 28, 2008 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Good man msport, but that's not a big enough clanger to even begin to qualify for Prat of The Year . . . bigger bollocks have been dropped ! Jesting apart, £82 for a battery ? Are they gold plated or what ? In my book £40 is more than enough to pay for a decent brand battery at a local motor factors, without having to drive more than a few miles. And that's in rural Wiltshire, probably cheaper in an urban environment with more competition. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 28, 2008 Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 Alec, don't put Msport off, he is doing very well. If this is his starting point then cock-ups can only get bigger and better for him. He needs more encouragement to commit and declare these howlers. So far we will all be safe for next year. Happy new year Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tthomson Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Do you ever feel very stupid?I do today, I'll tell you why:- A couple of months ago I bought an inertia cut off switch for my TR6 off Ebay. Since I bought the car in August I had been meaning to get one as it was missing and the wires had just been bypassed together. Since then I had been trying to start the car occassionally and noticed that it was trying to turn over until the battery got slower and slower. Because I don't use the car in the winter, I eventually left it and thought that I obviously needed a new battery. Come Boxing day (yesterday) I thought the weather seemed ideal for a spin in the 6 so charged the battery up and left it overnight. Got in the car today and it still wouldn't start! I phoned Rimmer Brothers to make sure they had some batteries in stock and then drove approx 50 miles to them to collect it (there and back was approx 100 miles and about £12 in fuel + the price of a battery approx £82). Three hours later I was back home taking out the old battery and cleaning all the surrounding areas before putting in the new battery (God, it was bloody cold as well!). The grand moment arrived and I turned the ignition key only for the car to try turning over but not starting. I suddenly realised that I couldn't hear the fuel injection so disconnected the inertia cut off switch and put the bit of wire back in its place. Turned the keys again and the fuel injection was working! I then thought I would connect the intertia switch again but put the wires the other way around, whilst I was doing this I accidentally pushed the top of the switch down. I jumped in the car again and the car started.........(which was great! don't get me wrong). The morale of the story is that I didn't need a new battery which cost £82 and I didn't need to drive 100 miles which cost me £12. I didn't even need to waste most of my day off and certainly didn't need to spend an hour in the cold......cos there was nothing wrong with the car apart from the fact that I didn't know that the switch on top of the inertia cut off should be pressed down to make it work! Dickhead of the year? - thats definitely me! If it helps you feel better, I once flew from the UK to Pisa to fix a machine in the Pisa Hospital. I had spent 40 minutes on the phone checking all the various obvious problems with the customer. When I got there it was a blown fuse!. Fortunately for me it was the customer's error, but what a waste of time! TT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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