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Re: Working on modern cars (was daily driver)

To: "Brinkman, Gerardo V" <GB127167@exchange.DAYTONOH.NCR.com>,
Subject: Re: Working on modern cars (was daily driver)
From: "Dave Munroe" <dave@munroe.ca>
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 10:23:05 -0300
Gerry;

Allow me a moment to speak for the honourable opposition:

Your comment displays admirable attitude, but overlooks the complexity of
modern systems. My BMW heating/AC system, for example. The control
motherboard is connected to the vehicle via a 32 pin plug. (32 pin
plug!!!)The system malfunctioned, and the dlr. said "the board's gone, $1400
for a new board, $250 for labour."

Not likely.

Two complete weekends of chasing 32 pin connections to a host of relays,
temperature sensors, fuse blocks, a vacuum motor and related tentacles, and
bingo! dead circuit to a small PCB on which resided a simple on/off switch.
Found almost an exact replacement at the "Shack" for about $4. Still working
after 11 years. Finger to the dealer.

I like the concept of a cable to a hot water valve. Windows that wind with a
handle, seats that move with a lever and leg power that still (thankfully)
work. No PCB's, pushbuttons, power this or that,

Luddites unite!

Stone axes rule!

(But let me have my supercharger anyway....)

Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brinkman, Gerardo V" <GB127167@exchange.DAYTONOH.NCR.com>
To: "The MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 9:25 AM
Subject: Working on modern cars (was daily driver)


> >Lets say the MG is worth $6000, consider the replacement, if I buy a new
> car I'd have to spend
> >$20,000 plus.  AND I can't work on it!  What could be eaiser to fix than
an
> MG?
>
> I have heard this (I can't work on modern cars) argument on many
> occasions on this list.
>
> What confuses me, is what is so different on a modern car that makes it
> difficult to work on ?
>
> Brake work is still brake work, I don't care if it's the disc/drums of a
MGB
> or
> the discs/drums of a VW Golf. The principle and work routine are the same.
>
> Suspension has changed somewhat, yeh, we are used to cart springs and
> lever-arm shocks. Today we have to deal with MacPherson struts. Armed with
> a socket set, I can dis-assemble the front suspension in about 1-2 hours
on
> my
> Audi - about the same time it would take me to perform the same operation
> on my MGB.
>
> Engines : Yeh we have evolved from OHV to OHC, and we've gone from iron
> block to alloy block/heads, but an modern engine is essentially the same
> as that found under the hood of my MGB. It might be a bit harder to find,
> but believe
> me - under all that plastic, you'll find a reciprocation engine you will
> instantly
> recognise. Same applies to gear-boxes/axles/diffs, they are very similar
to
> the
> components on our beloved classic cars.
>
> I think the only place where there has been a drastic change is the engine
> managment area. But modern fuel injection is fairly easy to work on.
> Now-a-days
> we have on board diagnostics, which goes some way to tell us where we
should
> be looking
> for the problem.
>
> The older Bosch CIS FI is essentially a glorified carb. There is a flapper
> which
> rises/falls according to the air-flow the engine needs - this flapper is
> attached to a "needle"
> which meters the amount of fuel - Sounds like an SU Carb doesn't it ?
> The current generation of FI - is even easier to work on.
>
> I have cars which range from 1963-1999, I find working on each of them
> "different but the same".
>
>
> Sooooo - why is it so difficult to work on modern cars ?
>
> gerry

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