My uncle told me to always check the simple stuff first, even on a tough job

I was working on a 2015 Silverado with a rough idle, and I spent about three hours checking sensors and fuel pressure. My uncle, a retired mechanic, called and just said, 'Did you pull the plugs yet?' I hadn't, thinking it was more complex. I finally did, and cylinder three's plug was completely fouled. Swapped it, and the truck ran smooth. I guess experience really does teach you to start with the basics. Anyone else have a story where a simple check saved a ton of time?

2 comments

2 Comments

christopher_singh921mo ago

Sometimes you gotta skip the basics to find the real problem, or you'll waste time on stuff that looks easy but isn't the cause.

charles_green1mo ago

Used to skip the basics looking for a big fix. Had a car with a weird electrical drain. Spent a whole weekend chasing wires. Turned out to be a dome light switch stuck on. Felt pretty dumb. Your uncle is right.