Truth (was: Hi, I'm new...

[Tony Duell]

> > If so, often the same sensors (and control unit, at least in part) are used
> > to trigger both the injectors and the ignition coils (most modern engines
> > don't have an HT distributor, they either have a coil per spark plug, or a
> > coil for every pair of plugs with a wasted spark on a plug in a cylinder
> > that's at the top of the exhaust stroke, if you see what I mean).
> 
> That one has a distributor,  and a coil,  which was part of what I checked.

It apperas UK and US vehicles are very different, then.

Some UK cars still have the distributor cap and rotor arm, often mounted 
on one end of the camshaft (OHC engine). And a mormal ignition coil. 
Others have a coil-per-plug or whatevr and no distributor.

There's normally a timing sensor on the crankshaft. Often a toothed ring 
on the crankshaft (or round the flywheel, or...) which causes the sensor 
to otuput a pulse for every 10 degrees of rotation. The teeth at TDC for 
each cylinder (that's 2 teeth, 180 degrees apart on a 4 cylinder engine, 
which most are in the UK) are missing to give a timing reference. The 
electronic block detects the pulses, interpolates to get the right 
ignition point, and sends a pulse to the coil

I am not sure what the first UK car to do it this way was. Certainly the 
Austin Montego we had some 20 years ago was like that. 

> > Do you have any docs at all? The workshop manual shold at least give
> > pinouts of the control modules, from which you can deduce the signals, etc.
> 
> I have a really awful Chilton's book for it which covers way too many years to 

Can you not get the factory manual (be warned, it'll be expensive, but 
IMHO worth it). I've never had any use for the 3rd party manuals.

> > > I have a van sitting out back which has a real problem in that regard, 
> > > you put it in gear and nothing whatsoever happens as far as any motion is
> > > concerned.  And it's new enough to have one of those electronic
> > > transmissions which I believe got seriously overheated at some point. 
> > > I'm sure that the fluid that I checked is not supposed to be as black as
> > > motor oil turns out to be at times.  And either getting that one fixed or
> > > even getting one from a
> >
> > Ouch!. My guess is that you have a major mechancial problem with the
> > transmission (burnt clutch plates?), and that the electronics might well
> > be fine.
> 
> I'm still quoted $1100 to fix it,  so it's been sitting since December or so.

If it were mine, I'd find some way to get the transmission out (which is 
a pain if it's rear wheel drive, agreed), and strip it down myself. It's 
not _that_ complicated after all...

> 
> > At least the manual for our car does document taking the mechancial side
> > of the transmission apart, right down to clutch plates and thrust
> > washers, etc. I don't fancy doing it, but I would if necessary.
> 
> I've changed one out so far,  in a car that I had,  and swore at that point 

I've removed sevaeral (manual) gearboxes to replace the clutch, etc. Not 
an easy job, but not hard either. So far I've never had to strip one 
down, but you know me. I don't replace entire modules in classic 
computers if they can be repaired, and the same applies to a car. If the 
transmission ever fails, you can bet I'll be taking it to bits.

-tony