[ale] Time for this Grey Beard to stir up some stuff

[Jim Kinney]

My biggest concern with computers in cars is if I will EVER get license to fix/replace/upgrade as I choose. Having secrets that must be handled by a specially trained flunky (plug in the box, turn on ignition, type in the code that proves the owner will pay $X00) is beyond irritating. A replacement key was $180, $80 for the key and $100 for programming the computer to accept it. The valet key, with no chip, locks the car to under 35mph (ok. That's nice.)

I had an '81 Porche 924 Turbo that had a computer. And a vacuum leak at the fitting into the sensor on the computer. They are everywhere. And they all need to be 'open for business'.

On July 23, 2021 7:21:50 PM EDT, Solomon Peachy via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:
>On Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 04:45:16PM -0400, Steve Litt via Ale wrote:
>> Most of the cars I drove were made before 1990, most had carburetors,
>> and at least three had no semiconductors of any kind. The
>considerable
>> probing diagnostics you said were required required were mostly
>> preventive maintenance:
>>
>> * Replace the plugs if over 2 years old (gap the new ones)
>> 	- Keep the old plugs for later diagnostics
>> * Replace the points if over 2 years old
>> * Replace the spark plug wires if over 2 years old
>
>Cars made in the last decade or so routinely hit 100K before _any_
>preventative maintainence (other than oil/filter changes) is
>recommended.
>
>(Indeed, it's pretty easy to find 100K warranties today, but 40 years
>ago
> even 24K was unusual!)
>
>> * Change your oil every 3000 miles
>
>Routinely 5-10K with modern cars, though that's more due to use of 
>high-grade synthetic oils. It's also routine to have no fixed interval,
>
>instead having the vehicle tell the operator when the oil needs
>changing 
>(based on mileage, time, and/or severity of service)
>
>> * Change your transmission fluid every 48K miles if automatic
>>   transmission
>
>Routinely closer to 100K, though it does of course depend on how badly 
>one abuses it.
>
>> * Look at your temperature gauge (not idiot light) every few minutes
>> 	- Necessary on modern cars too
>
>It's good practice to sweep the instrument cluster every so often, but 
>realisticly, the temperature gauge isn't soemething you're going to 
>specifically monitor unless you already know the vehicle has issues or 
>you are giving it a serious thrashing.
>
>(And it's also pretty easy to miss, which is why vehicles have
>routinely 
>had warning lights/chines for over-temperature situations.  At least as
>
> far back as the late 60s)
>
>> The preceding were usually between dead bang easy and pretty easy on
>> those simple cars. And the plugs and points were cheap as hell, the
>> wires were about 2-3 hours pay for a programmer. The preceding being
>> finished:
>
>You enumerate all of these things as if they are things that everyone 
>should be expected to know as a matter of course, and have handy all of
>
>the tools needed to undertake these tasks.  Whereas, in reality, the 
>overwhelming majority of folks, even when those cars were new-ish, did 
>not have the knowledge/expertise or tools to handle this stuff 
>themselves.  They'd take their car to a mechanic or work something out 
>with someone they know who "knows how to fix cars,"
>
>> As far as modern "excruciatingly detailed diagnostics", look up all
>the
>> root causes possible for an PO420 OBD2 message. Careful you don't
>> replace a fabulously expensive catalytic converter bank when the root
>> cause is an upsteam O2 sensor, a downstream o2 sensor, an exhaust
>leak,
>> an intake leak, a faulty ECU computer, or faulty wiring.
>
>In other words, at worst one has to follow the same diagnostic process 
>as was necessary with any pre-OBD car that failed emissions tests or
>was 
>exhibiting some sort of driveline problems -- which for most folks is 
>"take it to someone who knows how to fix cars" ....and hope they're 
>honest.
>
> - Solomon
>-- 
>Solomon Peachy			      pizza at shaftnet dot org (email&xmpp)
>                                     @pizza:shaftnet dot org   (matrix)
>High Springs, FL                      speachy (libra.chat)

-- 
Computers amplify human error
Super computers are really cool
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