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

[Tony Duell]

> > > apparently have electronics in the newer ones...
> >
> > Alas yes. My father has just got a new car with electronics everywhere
> >
> > :-(. 
> 
> We have four vehicles here,  all with problems of one sort or another that are 
> currently sitting idle waiting for the funds to fix them.  One car was on the 
> road until yesterday when it was shut off and refused to restart,  and when I 
> looked it over (some miles away from here unfortunately) it appeared to be 
> getting fuel but no spark.  And thanks to the electronics that's as far as I 
> could go with it.

Ouch!. Is it fuel-injected? 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).

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.


> 
> > There's a control unit for the (automatic) gearbox. According to the
> > workshop manual, there are 6 solenoid valves inside the gearbox, and also
> > a manual slide valve coupled to the selector lever. Alas it doesn't
> > explain what the latter does (if it fails you change the whole valve
> > block), 
> 
> Here I've heard that portion referred to as "valve body".

Yep, different manufacturers used different terms.

> 
> > it doesn't explain what each of the solenoids does (it does give
> > the dC resistances and the pins on the conector that each solenoid is
> > linked to so you can find a defective solenoid)
> >
> > Oh well. I don't suppose I'll ever have to get amongst this, but it would
> > be interesting to know what's going on.
> 
> 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.

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. 

-tony