Are you having problems in your life? Think like a mechanic.

Philosophy and mechanics
Motorcycle mechanics are like life itself. When everything is going well, we simply enjoy it without worry, and when a problem arises, our natural tendency is to fix it as quickly as possible, to get back to working and enjoying condition as soon as possible. But this quick fix isn't always the best solution, and that's what I'm going to talk about in this article.

A practical example, the fable of the pushrods
Once upon a time, at a motorcycle dealership in the USA, a happy customer was taking advantage of his new motorcycle. The service team had prepared it for delivery, inspecting it, adjusting it, and riding it for about 8 km. Meanwhile, the sales team had thoroughly cleaned it and explained to the customer the basic operation of his new model.
Just two hours after leaving, the customer returns to the shop, frustrated and with the side of the motorcycle covered in oil.

While the sales department tries to calm the customer by telling him that these things can happen on a new motorcycle, the workshop begins to figure out what happened.
Indeed, the right side of the engine is covered in oil droplets, and after careful inspection, it is verified that the leak is coming from the pushrod tube; it is forced and the fluid is coming out from there.
After disassembling it, they find the push rod bent, forcing the tube that covers it and creating a point where the oil leaks out.

They inform the customer that this is due to a manufacturing defect. To quickly resolve the issue, they install a new hydraulic and adjustable rod kit (just in case). After checking that everything is working properly, they return the motorcycle to the customer.

The next day, the bike reappears at the shop, this time on a tow truck, with the same problem. The pressure is on the mechanics, who find the new dipstick bent again. They decide to open the engine, and after thoroughly analyzing all the components, they find a valve stuck in its housing, which had caused the dipstick to bend.

Now they're sure they've found the cause of the problem, and since the bike is under warranty, they're ordering a new cylinder head from the factory to avoid further problems.
Satisfied with the repair, they handed back the motorcycle a week later, with some relief.
But no one said life was easy: the tow truck returns the next day, the bike leaking oil and the customer very angry, demanding a solution. After removing the new cylinder head, they again find a bent dipstick and a seized valve... on the new cylinder head???
To cut a long story short, after many tests and disassembly, it was found that the engine had a factory defect: the oil outlet hole in one of the rocker arms had not been drilled, which prevented oil from passing through to lubricate the valve stem;

This would seize slightly, causing the push rod to bend, forcing the tube that serves as its cover and causing oil to leak out of the engine.

The faulty rocker arm ( the real cause ) was replaced, along with a new valve guide, valve, rod, gaskets... and the engine lived happily ever after.

The problem
In order to solve a problem it is important to understand its definition:
"A problem is a situation that has deviated from normal due to a specific cause. If we find this cause, we must correct it with a solution, and the situation will return to normal."

In the previous example, the mechanics were acting with solutions focused on correcting the problem (or rather, the symptoms it caused), but they did not act on the cause, so the problem repeated itself.

The diagnosis
The defining function of a good mechanic, doctor, politician, multinational company manager, soldier, gardener, or even a gardener in the performance of their work is the ability to provide solutions that correct the root cause of the problems or challenges they face. The most important thing when finding this solution is being able to correctly diagnose the root cause that turns a situation into something that deviates from what is expected.

Diagnosis requires knowledge, symptom analysis, measurements, tests, and the development of different solutions until the most appropriate one is found, based on experience.

The moral
Human beings possess an innate ability to solve problems, as well as to create them. Accumulated experience and our analytical skills determine whether we act on the root cause or simply try to correct the symptoms.
So you know, the next time you have a problem in your life... think like a mechanic and look for the real cause of it.

Frank Burguera

#harleymechanics