Short day, layin’ low

I could be down at Da’s workin’ on Bloo,,, Fact is, I don’t want to get started on that until I absolutely have several days to do my thing.

And my new ‘toy’ came in today. I say toy because right now I am playing with it: gotta learn how to use this new-fangled flabbernastywhutchamacallitz,,,

Its not top of the line, and the price tag shows that, but after MUCH research, its closer to the things I would need it for. And I am Using Buffalo as my test subject/learning agent. I know most of whats wrong with her (that a scan tool could figure out that is,,, theres more wrong with her than those things; like faling drivers door hinges,,, but a scan tool isn’t for that sort of stuff.)

And what has Dio figured out? This scan tool is levels over a ‘code reader’. It found the reasons my SRS light stays lit (unless its REALLY hot out,,, That trips me up some.) “system shorted to battery”

It showed me a code that a code reader CAN’T read,,, a 1038 code saying ‘Cranksensor/rough road/drivibility’,,, So either my crank sensor is failing, or, its that damned sensitive that a rough road could trip the computer,,,,

I’m gonna go with option B Sam,,,,

Ain’t none of you seen the road to my house,,,,

You’d figure that the designers might put an inline capacitor to ‘smooth out’ signals that are that far out of line. But hey, a $0.10 capacitor on 2 million cars and trucks,,, thats talking REAL money, ain’t it? Nah!, just program the computer to ignore things for a minute, but store the code, just in case,,,,

Interestingly, this unit DOES have the option of an o-scope add-on. The damned module costs just as much as the ‘tablet’ (cuz thats what this unit really is) but has 4 channels (Hi-Z for those that are in the know) and REMOTE operation via Bluetooth (as in, hook it up under the hood, and drive/have someone drive while you record the data/observe the incoming data.

Seriously, this was the sole reason I chose this over others. No others had that option I could find. That its lifetime updates/no charge helped some too.

I haven’t bought the module yet,,,, gotta make things start paying more before I dive into further investments. And an O-scope is one thing that might be a once a year tool (or could be a once a day thing if things really take off. I recall my old Scopemeter by Fluke was an “at least once a week” thing, back when I was rolling daily. Would’a been more, but there were three Drivibility guys under our roof of 7 techs. I had to ‘share the wealth’.)

NO, I won’t be that ‘scan tool first’ sorta tech. Yes, its good for looking at the codes and sorting out a direction when all you have is vague ‘it doesn’t work right’ descriptions from the owner. BUT, its not the know-all/be-all solution.

But after having used just a code reader trying to diag Son of Bossmans Dodge pickem’ups,,, (all newer than 2015),,, unuh,,, those code-readers don’t help much at all. I’m no dummy, but I can’t ‘read the mind’ of a computer that has code written in ancient Gealic (or so it seems)

Sadly, there is one more purchase I need to make, and its so that I CAN access those post 2015 Dodge/Chrysler products. its a $50/year subscription and you have to ‘get approval’ to access 95% of the programming in those products. Right to Repair? HA! They are steadily making it so that everyday Joe can’t work on jack shit!!! He can’t even replace the alternator without throwing a drivability issue into the works: because the computer refuses to see the new one so won’t send voltage to it to charge the damned battery!!! You need a scan tool that is “AUTHORIZED” by a third party source, to access the SGW type vehicles; which all Dodge/Chrysler/Ram products are. (SGW= Secure GateWay,,, And there is a list of vehicles in the scan tool that require that subscription to do more than turn off the MIL on the dash.)

THIS is why I will NEVER own a newer vehicle,,, I will make my own parts if I must, to keep my two alive!!! And won’t lie,,, If/when I go to replace the Block in BLOO, I am more than tempted to do away with all the computer bullshit, get a different intake and put a four barrel on old Gurl. Do away with all the O2 crap (already doesn’t have Cats,,,) eliminate a lot of the wiring under the hood that does nothing but create issues as connectors die in ‘aged plastic’ failure.

Just a thought for now,,, Likely too many states where modifying a vehicle like that is ‘Illegal’ (Kalifruitopia, coff, coff) or would bring on HUGE EXPENDITURES in fines permits and who only knows what else.

Regular Joe doesn’t understand who the REAL enemy is,,,, (STATE!!! GOVERNMENT!!! )

Gotta get off my rant here,,,, LOL

Full day tomorrow, or at least more hours than we had today (2 1/2 EEK!) and,,,,

More laters,,, more playin’ to do. Learnin curves y’know,,,

L,L,L,L,L!

(, ‘)

(updated to correct ‘impedence’ issues,,, OOpsss)