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Fun things you can do with computers these days; look at your cars ECU with a laptop!
Just got the cable, 20 euros, and hooked my alfa up to FiatECUScan on the laptop and its quite impressive. Apart from reading and clearing faults, and running all sorts of diagnostic tests, you can graph various parameters, about 60 of them, in real time.
For the first time in my life my hobby has met my job. 
--edit--
Oh, I forgot the point of it all, I replaced the RHS precat lambda a week or so ago, there are two of them, and it looks like I picked the right one, because that error is not coming up now.
Its gotta save a shot load of garage bills, Cars are so dependent on electronics these days. Engines and gearboxes last forever, but what causes cars to breakdown is the electronics. Having an easy way to diagnose these is a great!
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Yep - I have a dedicated unit (http://www.autel-tech.com/[^] handheld jobbie) which does the same. Saved me quite a bit of money already: engine light came on, hooked up, "Cam sensor" problem. Ebay, nextday, one bolt, clear error, all fine. Total cost about £40 and ten minutes time. So about £150 at garage rates! 
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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Yeah, its a no brainer isn't it. Anyone who can wield a spanner can change a sensor here and there. Coil pack on the plugs? They fail often, even simpler to change, an unplug-replug job.
I just got a quote to change the cam belt, 450 euros! F*** that! Special tool, 50 euros, belt kit, 100 euros, and a few hors on a Saturday morning.
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And you know it's been done properly, rather than the work experience lad "had a go"... 
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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OriginalGriff wrote: handheld jobbie
I had to read that 3 times...
Never moon a werewolf.
- Harvey
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Keep your dirty mind to yourself!
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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Quote: Engines and gearboxes last forever
You're just not pushing them hard enough! There's hardly a car I've owned that hasn't needed a new engine or gearbox or something else mechanical such as suspension - I have never had an electronics failure... to date.
Hey Nagy, can I have a go in your car some day?
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Gearboxes definitely don't last
Code quality is measured by the WTF/s a minute.
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true, its usually the fault of the external activator unit
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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That's what happens when the damn things are made out of tin foil and plastic in a 3rd world country.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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No, no I don't think so.
speramus in juniperus
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isnt it just a old sierra with a plastic coat?
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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1963 MG 1800cc twin cam with a fancy coat.
speramus in juniperus
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actually Ive seen your pics and to be honest I prefer the 63 MG especially if it was a MG MGB GT
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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I didn't do the conversion it was a previous owner, but the original car was a rusted hulk, the 30's based TA design is lovely and the car is a joy to drive.
speramus in juniperus
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Did I mention that I was an experienced Rally-Cross driver? I hardly ever wrecked a car in normal driving conditions! The engines that blew up were obviously weak or faulty and the suspension that broke was really wimpy and couldn't even stand just a minor bit of occasional "air time" (hump-back bridges are such fun). 
Seriously, you have a very nice little car there - I am impressed.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Jumping and hard driving? Even better reason to go Italian! Love to rev and ground clearance that can take a humpbacked bridge at 90!
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I had a french girl friend who hit a hump back bridge at around 65 only to find it had a chicane bend in the middle (invisible at 65) and totalled her Porsche 911 after riding the bridge rail and then rolling and flipping off the end of the bridge. She complained, "These German cars are sh*t! It just fell apart and there are pieces of it everywhere!" I then pointed out that she stepped out of the wreckage without a scratch or a even a bruise and that the Porsche had given its body to save hers. She was a lot more fond of them after that epiphany!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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My Uncle Willy [after whom I am named] was/is a mad rally type, he is actually the only person to see the car and know what it is, and he will NEVER be allowed to drive it either. 
speramus in juniperus
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Forogar wrote: There's hardly a car I've owned that hasn't needed a new engine or gearbox or
something else mechanical such as suspension - I have never had an electronics
failure
Ah, well, you don't drive Italian!
Seriously, you can not break the engines or gear boxes on them, they are unbelievably solid. The electrics suck though, as did the steel for the body in the old days, though both are better today.
Personally, in the last say 15 years, I have had two alarms fail, an ECU connector fail, two relays fail, and an oil sensor fail.
In that time I have had a driveshaft joint fail, and a cam chain snap (BMW, very old, piece of junk, running it till it died kind of thing), but never anything seriously mechanical.
Anyway, yo have incurred the wrath of the car god, so watch out!
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Erudite_Eric wrote: Fun things you can do with computers these days; look at your cars ECU with a laptop!
Just got the cable, 20 euros,
Or you buy a bluetoothadapter for the same money, plug it into the ODB2 socket, pick up your smartphone... 
Mine is always in the car, if I'm bored (or actually need it) it takes ~30 seconds from decision until everything works, the most time is spent waiting for everything getting connected.
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Chocolate Makes You Smart[^]
Hmmm, I am just off to get me some smart
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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It seems to be implying that the only way these bloggers know what's coming in W9 is because they have got pirate copies. Given that MS haven't officially started on Threshold then this is highly unlikely.
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Drugs is bad. Drugs is real bad.
speramus in juniperus
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