Quantcast
Jump to content


Stepping Back into the Future - - - A brief look at the changes in computer systems from the early days to now


Gonzo

Recommended Posts

Stepping Back into the Future

 

 

 

I had a 1984 Buick come into the shop that wouldn't start. I haven't seen one of these in years. It was a clean old car; not even a dent in it. The owner had a repair manual he purchased at a parts store, and being the kind of guy who was careful to do the correct thing to his vehicle he conveniently left it on the front seat for me to find.

 

I turned the key to start, and let things happen as they may. The car would purr like a kitten for about a second or so, and then two very distinctive flames would shoot out of the throttle body. After the flames came flying out the engine would cough, spit, backfire, and for the most part never sound like that purring kitten that it did when it first turned the key. It did this without fail almost every time I tried to start it.

 

Needless to say, understanding the fundamentals would have to come into play on this one. Why this engine was barking out a flame higher than the hood was an interesting problem and probably a problem I'll never see again. Being involved with the auto repair business for several decades I've seen a lot of the evolutions of the electronic brain boxes on cars. Repairing a misfire is one of those diagnostic challenges that has developed an entirely different approach than in years past. Prior to the advent of the computer a misfire could be easily identified by means of understanding the valve train or the spark control systems.

 

Codes were no help at all, and quite frankly I wasn't expecting a whole lot of help out of service codes on that old of a car. Service codes of that era were limited and didn't cover the variety of problems associated with the emission output. The customer informed me that he had changed a lot of the basic parts: ignition module, cap, rotor, wires, plugs, coolant sensor, throttle position sensor, and the computer.

 

Wait-wait… "You changed the computer?" I asked.

 

"The guy at the salvage yard promised me it was a good one," the owner told me.

 

"Let me check something, and I'll call you back," I told him.

 

I nearly forgot to hang up the phone as I rushed out to the shop and dived into the car. There were no marks from a socket or wrench on the two bolts that hold the little cover onto the computer where the prom (EPROM) was located. Now the real question was… is this the correct one for this car? This was going to take a call to the dealer parts department and hope they still had a cross reference on the prom numbers.

 

Marty answered the phone. I was super grateful I got Marty; he's been in the parts business as long as I've been in the business. I was sure he would remember these old proms. I gave him the numbers and waited for his response. I could hear the keyboard clicking away as he processed the information. Every time I thought he was close to answer he would say, "No, wait a second… it changed again… hang on… OK, here it is… hold on… another change." This went on for quite some time but eventually he came back with an answer.

 

"That prom fits a 1984 Buick with a V6 engine," Marty proudly told me.

 

"That should explain the two huge backfires… I've got a 4 cylinder engine in this car. OK, now we better check and see if the ECM is correct."

 

"It is, as a matter of fact the ECM was the same for both engines back then," Marty exclaims.

 

"I'll bet you don't have the prom anymore do you," I asked.

 

"Nope…. Discontinued."

 

After hanging up the phone I called the customer. He didn't throw out the old computer and it was in the trunk. (Lucky). After pulling the old prom out of the original computer, and installing it in the computer from the salvage yard the car started up and purred like a new again. Pretty weird diagnostics, but pretty cool at the same time. Obviously, the first four cylinders fired in a somewhat correct arrangement but the fifth and sixth cylinder wasn't and that's what caused the blazing fire to shoot out of the throttle body.

 

I would have to say these types of problems are for the history books these days. Be it a short era in the history of automotive repair based on how long things like the distributor were used in a car. It reminds me of growing up in the 60's and 70's. Working on cars was a weekend past time for guys and gals. Tweaking an engine to get some more horsepower out of it was a great "Do-it-Yourself" or a dad and son event in almost every driveway. Those weekends under the hood were the start of my long career in the auto business, but these days there's not a lot a weekend mechanic can do under the hood, and going to the salvage yard to pick up a computer for the car is just not possible for most makes and models.

 

It's amazing to me how the systems have changed so drastically in such a short amount of time. Having this 25+ year old car in the shop made me realize how much they have actually changed. But there are still some people who think you can still go to the salvage yard and pick up an electronic component for today's cars. That isn't so for most makes and models anymore. Most components are programmed for one car and one car only and without certain types of scanning equipment you can't use them ever again… and some components are not reprogrammable at all.

 

After all these years of automotive repair to be able to experience the methods of the old computer based electronic ignition systems after working on today's vehicles made me realize how far we have come in such a short span of time. Ok, I've had my fun, I've got more work to do… time to step back to the future.

 

 

 

 

As always, I love to hear your comments and suggestions. I'm open to anything. I'll keep writing you keep reading... thanx


View full article

Link to comment
Share on other sites



Makes my day to read your comments. I've got a feeling this story will get picked up for one of my columns pretty quickly. Thanx for you input. Glad ya enjoyed the article.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you noticed I used the term "EPROM" this car actually only had a PROM and not an EPROM. Slight difference between the two. Just a little more of that "Old School" stuff you know. LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now that made me laugh Frank. LOL. Here's a quick lesson on them. First there was the PROM (Programmed Read Only Memory) then later the EPROM basically the same thing although now the prom had some features that could be reflashed (a term we didn't even use back then)

In the final version of the article I'm taking out the EPROM and just use the PROM in the story. Makes more sense for the time period of the car.

 

 

 

Gonzo, I have never turneds wrenchs so I didn't know the difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         4 comments
      A recent study, done by Harvard Business School, concluded that the real problem with attracting and retaining employees has more to do with the workplace environment, not pay or benefits. While the study did find that an adequate pay plan and offering an attractive benefits package did help with recruiting and retention, it’s not enough to satisfy the needs of employees, especially those of front-line workers.
      The study also stated that in 2021, many companies were convinced that giving raises, sign-on bonuses, and other perks would solve the worker shortage problem and prevent people from quitting. However, this strategy did not work. So, what does work regarding attracting quality people and keeping them employed?
      Essentially, it all comes down to the culture of your company.  Management: do all it can to consider the individual needs of your employees. Your employees want to feel that they have a voice, that their opinion counts, and that their role in your company is both respected and recognized. Yes, pay and a great benefits package will go a long way toward making your employees feel secure, but that’s only financial security. People want more than money.
      To attract and keep top talent requires creating a company that people feel proud to work for. You need to reach the hearts and minds of your employees. Become a leader that people are enthusiastic about working for. You want your employees bragging to their friends and family that your shop is a great place to work!
      Step one to attracting and retaining quality employees: Create an amazing workplace environment for your employees!  Trust me, happy employees make happy shop owners too!
  • Similar Topics

    • By cooterdavenport1
      Looking to get off of pen and paper for ROs and estimates but unsure what tools to take a look at. Can some people tell me what they use, what they like about it, and what they don't like?
    • By carmcapriotto
      This episode is sponsored by AutoLeap. AutoLeap is a cloud-based all-in-one automotive invoice software that helps you supercharge your mechanic shop. Their customers have experienced:
      30% increase in revenue by improving transparency and trust
      50% reduction in time spent researching and ordering parts
      10% increase in profit margins through robust reporting
      Click here to learn more about AutoLeap and schedule a demo:
       
      AutoLeap Link: http://bit.ly/3GRgO88
       
      Don't forget to rate and review us!
      Coach Chris Cotton from Autofix Auto Shop Coaching provides tips and advice on how to write effective procedures for auto repair shops. He emphasizes the significance of having clear and concise processes and procedures in place for auto repair shop owners to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and improve customer satisfaction. Coach Chris suggests that procedures should be written in a way that communicates what readers need to know, not just what they want to know. He also provides a step-by-step guide on how to create them and highlights the importance of writing at an appropriate reading level, avoiding jargon and slang, and explaining assumptions.
      Creating Processes and Procedures [00:00:59] Coach Chris Cotton discusses the importance of creating processes and procedures for auto repair shop owners, and offers to teach a class on the topic.
      Importance of Clear and Concise Processes and Procedures [00:01:55] Coach Chris Cotton explains how clear and concise processes and procedures can increase efficiency, reduce errors, and improve customer satisfaction in auto repair shops.
      Effective Procedure Writing Skills [00:04:42] Coach Chris Cotton provides tips and advice on how to write effective procedures for auto repair shops, including the importance of being accurate, brief, and readable.
      Step by Step [00:08:26] Tips on how to gather information and write procedures for auto repair shops.
      Assessing Design Elements [00:12:08] The importance of using flow charts, scripts, question and answer formats, and matrix tables to accompany written procedures.
      Final Draft Approval [00:14:50] The process of reviewing and approving the final draft of a procedure by stakeholders and department managers.
       
      Connect with Chris:
      [email protected]
      940.400.1008
      www.autoshopcoaching.com
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching
      Youtube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae
       
      #autofixautoshopcoaching #autofixbeautofixing #autoshopprofits #autoshopprofit #autoshopprofitsfirst #autoshopleadership #autoshopmanagement #autorepairshopcoaching #autorepairshopconsulting #autorepairshoptraining #autorepairshop #autorepair
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By ASOG Podcast
      Watch Cecil Bullard Coach This Auto Repair Shop Owner Live!
    • By carmcapriotto
      More and more privately owned businesses have been the victims of ADA Title III compliance lawsuits than ever before, and a growing number of these lawsuits are due to lack of compliance on the business’ website.
      It’s more important than ever that your auto repair shop’s website is compliant.
      Join Brian in this episode to talk about what it means for shop’s website to be ADA compliant.
      Talking Points
      I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice Just like your office door needs a ramp and bathroom needs handrails, your website needs to be able to be viewed by those with vision and hearing impairments This is not just total blindness and deafness but any impairments including colorblindness, poor vision, and hard of hearing. There are 2 main reasons you need your website to be ADA compliant The number of lawsuits happening It’s the right thing to do What makes a website ADA compliant? Over 100 factors Most important factors are: Skip nav Image alt text Proper heading structure Labels on form fields Contrasting colors Clear, easy to read fonts Descriptive link text Subtitles on videos We use a free plugin with some nice features I won’t guarantee a website ADA compliant Do the basics and you’re probably good to go. Remember, I am not an attorney. Where to start - wave.webaim.org   
      How To Get In Touch with Cinch CRM
       
      Website - https://cinch.io/ 
      LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cinchplatform/ 
      Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CinchPlatform/ 
      YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CinchPlatform 
      How To Get In Touch with Shop Marketing Pros
      Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
      Website - shopmarketingpros.com 
      Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros 
      Thanks to our partner, RepairPal. Visit the Web HERE
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • By Transmission Repair

      Premium Member Content 

      This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.



  • Our Sponsors



×
×
  • Create New...