The subject of this long rant falls under the
heading of: MORE REASONS TO BUY AND
DRIVE OLDER (MV) VEHICLES!
I work on cars and trucks every day. Can I
forsee the future? Well,...
Starting with 1994 or '95 year vehicles sold
in the USA, the United States Government MANDATED that these new
vehicles and from
then on would have to have "OBD-II" powertrain
management system. OBD stands for On-Board-Diagnostics.
A VERY short description of OBD-II is to call it
a 24/7 rolling emission test.
I could take that personally, I'm a smog technician! Who needs a smog
tech when the
cars are constantly testing themselves?
Have I given YOU the ability to see the future?
One component of this new OBD-II stuff (the
fuel evap system is a good example) has more sensors, switches, wires,
hoses, crap than
the entire fuel injection management system did
in '93!
Will all this plastic. insanely complicated and ludicrously expensve
crap stand the test of time? No f***ing way!
Call me crazy until you find that your $1500.00
honeyboat needs a $800.00 "module".
I'm currently working on a '99 Ford Windstar
minivan. I printed out the part of the wiring
diagram the software programmers thought I would need to diagnose
electrical problems.
A complete wiring diagram would look like
a street map of the poor section of a third-world
city. Lots of "no-name" roads...
Anyway, do you realize that there isn't a single
"manually" operated electric circuit in a '99 Windstar? You press "the
button" and one of
a dozen or so "multiplexed" computers DECIDES whether or not to energize
the headlights, turn signals, door locks, WHATEVER!
Try restoring that one in forty years!
I'm not picking on Ford, they're all that way!
Imagine a Lexus, Cadillac or Lincoln!
California is currently testing and talking about "OBD-III". One
version has an on-board transmitter that will send a "computer needs
help" message to the Bureau Of Automobile
Repair (BAR) who will automatically send you a
letter to get your car fixed or you can't re-register it. Oh boy.
They will also know WHERE you were when
the Check Engine light came on, right?
Buy old stuff (MVs)! Drive old stuff (MVs)!
and CHEAPLY fix old stuff (MVs)!
Don Kenyon
ASE Certified Master Techncian, L-1, CA
Enhanced Smog License with flame retardant
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Sep 02 2001 - 11:15:40 PDT