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Vic Smith

On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:01:39 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:51:56 -0500, "Billgran"
wrote:

My sentiments exactly. They also don't take into consideration the cost of
tools, test equipment, and specialty items needed to work on today's motors
that a mechanic has to buy.

That is one frustrating thing about all of these computer controlled
engines. (cars and boats) If the manufacturers had used some kind of
standard interface for the diagnostic port there would be a lot less
you would need to look at the logs and error codes.
I guess that is how they make you go back to the dealer.
Even back in the olden days with the original GM computers they had a
"one wire" serial port for the data stream but they used a strange
protocol that you couldn't see on a PC async port. There were some IBM
guys who had cracked the code but they still couldn't use a regular
serial card to read it.

They're just fault codes, and all you need is the code descriptions.
I *never* had an issue reading GM OBDI codes using a paper clip, or
ODBII codes with a cheap code reader. And there are chain auto shops
that will read codes for no charge. Helps them sell parts.
Chevy, Pontiac, and Olds are the ones I've worked on.
Not saying the codes tell the whole story, but they are easy enough to
retrieve on the cars above. OB's are another story. There was a
thread a while back on getting codes from I think a Merc. I looked
for the readers on the net. Expensive. But if you want to do your
own work, you need the right gear. With something expensive you might
partner up with others who can use the same reader.

--Vic

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