Tom's Quality Post

["John Hofstetter" <hofs@domain.elided>]

Tom,
This post is extremely well done. I congratulate you sir on a logical,
linear, approach to problem solving. This followed by a philosophical
summary is damn well done.
John H. 
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Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 14:14:04 -0800
From: "Tom Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>
Subject: Re: Scout went dead

Mike:

Your problem would be half solved if you could determine if it's fuel or
ignition when it dies. Best bet is to keep running it until it dies again,
but be ready. Then, check that fuel is pumping to carb and that fuel is
squrting from accelerator pump jets in carb and feeding as it should. If
not, you have fuel problem and freeze, pump, filters are all in question
and you can test individually.

If fuel is O.K. then test ignition. Start by pulling plug wire and seeing
if you are getting hot spark to ground. Work backwards through secondary to
primary system as necessary to figure out what isn't working. Gold box,
bulkhead, maybe just bad points, or old rotor or cap. All possible
problems.

Hey, I know the pain beleive me, but if you can't identify the problem,
you'll waste a lot of money fixing things that don't need it. And, I know
how doubting freinds and SOs can make it worse because they have little
faith in our vehicles. But, resolve yourself to beleive in it and apply the
scientific process to it and ignore the nay sayers and you will do fine.
That's what this digest is for. :-)

Tom H.