Adios the 4Runner

Please keep us up to date on how it works out for you. I'm looking forward to seeing a glory shot with it one wheel posed on a bolder.

boldly on a boulder. LOL

I might post a shot with one wheel on an armadillo ...

We could have paid cash for a newer car , I just didn't like the local offerings . Newer stuff has way too much electronics for my taste

- especially stuff like onstar and other tracking stuff .

We could have paid cash for a newer car , I just didn't like the local offerings . Newer stuff has way too much electronics for my taste

- especially stuff like onstar and other tracking stuff . Snag

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Lead-free solder and removing the preservatives from electrolytics, etc, degraded the high reliability electronics previously enjoyed. When electronics were added to control emissions and improve MPG in the mid 70's I worked for a company that built custom industrial test stations and won a significant part of the automotive market, for the HEI ignition, antilock brakes, fuel injection, knock sensing octane compensation and more accurate voltage regulators. At the time a device was considered likely to fail quickly if subjected to the artificial ageing stresses of temperature cycling, or last forever as long as the individual components passed their factory parametric testing, in which I was involved later. tests were quite demanding, similar to starting a snowplow in Alaska and immediately working it hard.

Now that ROHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) has banned the long-proven optimal chemistry of materials, failures can occur at any time in the product's life. Significantly the restrictions have been waived where the higher chance of failure risks human life.

Testing showed me that electronic components from Radio Shack and now Amazon often don't meet all their claimed specifications, such as resistance value or high voltage breakdown. A batch of gas discharge surge suppressors had a hole at the stated voltage value +/- the tolerance, they were all either too high or too low, though still useful for me. Bogus parts have been a headache in aviation, they haven't attracted as much publicity in electronics. common example is 18650 Lithium cells with a smaller and cheaper cell hidden inside, and ballast to conceal the weight difference.

Since I can proof test for strength and don't need to rush a job I've saved a lot by purchasing discounted chain for logging that was intended for but didn't meet transport chain test specs.

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I pulled the fuses for OnStar in my used 2013 Impala shortly after getting it. Has been a few articles that older vehicles like mine were losing it anyway due to 3G cellular shutting down. For instance:

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I pulled the fuses for OnStar in my used 2013 Impala shortly after getting it. Has been a few articles that older vehicles like mine were losing it anyway due to 3G cellular shutting down. For instance:

Fisk Grand Rapids MI

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4G LTE support allegedly will continue at least to 2030.

My Electric company was using 3G to read their meters too. The new meter with remote read was only in place for maybe 8 years. Just got the new to replace the old new ~two months ago. They've been scrambling since 3G went dark in January to replace or upgrade. Seems they couldn't source new meters due to parts shortages... 🙄

I do not know if they are still available, but there used to be an aftermarket replacement unit for the early Onstar radio modules that would integrate your in vehicle mic/speaker/radio management with your cell phone. I debated using one for the onstar in my 2007 Silverado, but even when I had Onstar service I never used it.

I do not know at what level the data is stored these days, but the onboard computer of newer modern vehicles has some black box like telemetry storage. I read some casual big brother articles on it and the NHTSA requirements some time back, but I never really got into it.

I do not know at what level the data is stored these days, but the onboard computer of newer modern vehicles has some black box like telemetry storage. I read some casual big brother articles on it and the NHTSA requirements some time back, but I never really got into it.

Bob La Londe

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At least 10 and perhaps 20 years ago a former mechanic told me a story about a warranty claim denial based on stored data. I didn't hear or don't clearly remember the make or year of the vehicle, it may have been a GM in the 90's.

The claim was for a broken transmission on a car the owner said was a lemon. The mechanic downloaded data proving the owner had shifted into reverse at over 120 MPH to intentionally destroy it.

The CAN Bus that enabled and standardized 2-wire communications between automotive electronic modules was introduced around 1990.

GM introduced their proprietary "Computer Command Control" data transmission and storage in 1981. OBD-II diagnostic code data collection has been mandatory since 1996.

Memory chips that can retain data with only a tiny keep-alive power drain have been available since the early 80's. I incorporated some into my homebrew computer around 1983 to allow it to save its operating state when power was off, like Sleep or Hibernation but faster since it wasn't on disk.

My father in law was a principal exec (and an engineer) at General Motors Hydramatic. One of the thing he did there was setup the M16A1 manufacturing line. Anyway, one day we argued about manual vs automatics, and he claimed that automatics were more reliable and lasted longer than manual transmissions, BUT shifting from forward to reverse or reverse to forward without coming to a full stop would kill them more quickly.

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The owner ahead of me had a JVC KW-V250BT Radio, Monitor with DVD Receiver installed, replacing the factory unit. Lost the controls on the steering wheel and clock but they gained Bluetooth hands-free integration with their cell phone. Seems they had an iPhone, it still shows one in the programming setup. Separate microphone mounted next to the sun visor.

I average receiving maybe one phone call a month. Haven't bothered to set it up with my phone...

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reminds me of NYC Electrical Code in the 1975ish Rules. They had a hefty book which expanded greatly on the more common NEC, with lots of tighter rules. FOr example, just about no use of what's generally called Romex but instead, metal conduits.

Anyway, I recall the table for different cable insulations such as rubber and the various plastics. There was an entry for Asbestos Sheathed, with the notation it was NOT to be used in any location except...

... except ... as a "traveling elevator" cable...

(super high risk environment...)