[PLUG-TALK] Car Talk, Subaru, Bus reader

[John Jason Jordan]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:48:48 -0800
wes <plug at the-wes.com> dijo:

>On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 9:34 PM, Larry Brigman
><larry.brigman at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 8:46 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
>> >> I wonder if there are better quality diagnostic tools than the
>> >> hand held thing they use at the auto parts stores.

>> > there certainly are. the price goes up exponentially. the $500
>> > ones will tell you what the code means, if it's been programmed to
>> > know that. The $5000 ones will tell you what part to replace, give
>> > you instructions on how to do it, and comes with yearly updates 
>> > for new cars.

>> Sounds like a perfect open source hardware/software project.

>you should definitely get started on that.

In fact, the stores (two AutoZones, plus Radkes) were able to give me
all that. The handheld device only gave the fellow the code. But then
we walked into the store and he plugged the thing into an ordinary
looking computer on the counter. The computer then spit out two or
three pages of text and diagrams indicating what component was wrong
and how to replace it. There were usually a couple other things to try
before replacing the component, e.g., reseating wire connections. And
another sheet came out of the printer listing the price and
availability of the part at the store.

The problem isn't getting information about the code. To use Aaron's
term, it's a running pigs problem. And there are fifty or a hundred
pigs. And in the meantime, it starts and runs like the day I drove it
off the dealer's lot nearly 15 years ago.