Comments on: The Forgotten Series http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/ AutoSpeed's Blog. Opinion and Auto News Comment Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steve Antonio http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-96288 Steve Antonio Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:17:03 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-96288 Julian, I've read both the above books and they are my car bibles. Sure not all the electronic kits that I have made have worked first time but after a few failures here and there they have all been great. The last thing I want is for your wonderful knowledge not to be passed on to us motor enthusiasts. Please keep up your good work. Remember that todays new cars are hasbeens tomorrow! Steve A. Julian, I’ve read both the above books and they are my car bibles. Sure not all the electronic kits that I have made have worked first time but after a few failures here and there they have all been great. The last thing I want is for your wonderful knowledge not to be passed on to us motor enthusiasts. Please keep up your good work. Remember that todays new cars are hasbeens tomorrow!
Steve A.

]]> By: Julian Edgar http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30617 Julian Edgar Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:24:16 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30617 Most of the applications I am writing about for the new eLabtronics modules can be done on all cars, old or new. Re mechanical mods being easier, two things: (1) Very few mechanical mods of currentish cars aren't associated in some way with electronic modification requirements, especially if best results are to be obtained. (2) Electronic mods often have a cost/benefit ratio 10 or more times better than achieving the same sort of thing mechanically. The (unmentioned) point of the cited series is that if you want to keep modifying cars, and do it cheaply by DIY means, you really have to get your head around some electronic concepts. The electronic mods I have done in the last few months on the Honda Insight (increased ignition timing, increased EGR, smoothing of throttle inputs) have cost under $10 total. Many of the mods I did on my Lexus LS400 (disabling traction control while still leaving stability control enabled, and increasing power steering weight) were also done electronically at nearly no cost. No mechanical mods could have come close to that! The Pug 307 diesel, which is my next project, I would expect to be done in a largely similar electronic way. Most of the applications I am writing about for the new eLabtronics modules can be done on all cars, old or new.

Re mechanical mods being easier, two things:

(1) Very few mechanical mods of currentish cars aren’t associated in some way with electronic modification requirements, especially if best results are to be obtained.

(2) Electronic mods often have a cost/benefit ratio 10 or more times better than achieving the same sort of thing mechanically.

The (unmentioned) point of the cited series is that if you want to keep modifying cars, and do it cheaply by DIY means, you really have to get your head around some electronic concepts.

The electronic mods I have done in the last few months on the Honda Insight (increased ignition timing, increased EGR, smoothing of throttle inputs) have cost under $10 total. Many of the mods I did on my Lexus LS400 (disabling traction control while still leaving stability control enabled, and increasing power steering weight) were also done electronically at nearly no cost. No mechanical mods could have come close to that!

The Pug 307 diesel, which is my next project, I would expect to be done in a largely similar electronic way.

]]> By: Ben http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30603 Ben Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:29 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30603 Perhaps the fact that modern cars contain and are heavily dependent on so many inter-related computer systems puts people off messing with them for fear of triggering unintended consequences. Personally, I find mechanical systems easier to understand and diagnose faults in than electronics. Perhaps the fact that modern cars contain and are heavily dependent on so many inter-related computer systems puts people off messing with them for fear of triggering unintended consequences. Personally, I find mechanical systems easier to understand and diagnose faults in than electronics.

]]> By: Martin http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30602 Martin Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:34:17 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30602 i've thought about this recently and i think its party due to the fact that many of the newer cars you buy today come with all the gadgets and automatic-whatsies you could need. I enjoy reading the articles, used to work at Jaycar and installed a number of kits including the DIY Nokia 5110 SMS system to be alerted when my car was opened/started/moved etc etc... i've put together some of the kits you worked with silicon chip in.. all of these kits went into cars that were at least 10 or so years old. A workmate got a new Golf GTi and if it were mine i wouldn't even think about any of those kind of kits or mods, so I think its a pretty small market. That said, keep it up, i doubt i'll buy the new elabtronics devices as it takes the fun out of actually building the unit itself (and the savings made there when in related industries) but i'm still very keen to give the DFA and other kits a go. i’ve thought about this recently and i think its party due to the fact that many of the newer cars you buy today come with all the gadgets and automatic-whatsies you could need. I enjoy reading the articles, used to work at Jaycar and installed a number of kits including the DIY Nokia 5110 SMS system to be alerted when my car was opened/started/moved etc etc… i’ve put together some of the kits you worked with silicon chip in.. all of these kits went into cars that were at least 10 or so years old. A workmate got a new Golf GTi and if it were mine i wouldn’t even think about any of those kind of kits or mods, so I think its a pretty small market. That said, keep it up, i doubt i’ll buy the new elabtronics devices as it takes the fun out of actually building the unit itself (and the savings made there when in related industries) but i’m still very keen to give the DFA and other kits a go.

]]> By: Julian Edgar http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30590 Julian Edgar Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:17:35 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30590 Grant, I certainly won't be doing more work of any sort for either of those publishers - whatever they wanted to pay. More generally, I doubt if I'll do any more books of that kind again. Grant, I certainly won’t be doing more work of any sort for either of those publishers – whatever they wanted to pay.

More generally, I doubt if I’ll do any more books of that kind again.

]]> By: Grant McAuliffe http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30584 Grant McAuliffe Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:34:28 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30584 Plenty of us enjoyed the articles, built some projects, and bought the book. I think its time for another "21st Century Performance" and possibly another "Performance Electronics for Cars" Julian. I'm not sure if the effort/return ratio is good enough, but if it is, can you please include diesels this time. Plenty of us enjoyed the articles, built some projects, and bought the book.

I think its time for another “21st Century Performance” and possibly another “Performance Electronics for Cars” Julian. I’m not sure if the effort/return ratio is good enough, but if it is, can you please include diesels this time.

]]> By: Colin C. Jones http://blog.autospeed.com/2008/07/03/the-forgotten-series/comment-page-1/#comment-30580 Colin C. Jones Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:23:07 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/?p=5156#comment-30580 Hi Julian, I believe that many people would like to try electronic modifications to their vehicles, but are scared off by the lack of knowledge of electronics in general. The following is to illustrate what I mean. I recently attempted to modify a printed circuit board within my instrument cluster. The modification was to allow a warning light (already factory fitted and wired, but not activated) to illuminate when my driving lights were switched on. I had printed instructions and all that was required was to add a 35 cent resistor. That resistor would/should activate the light. After I had fitted the required resistor, no way would the modification work as promised. I removed the first resistor and replaced it (with polarity checked and correct). It still failed to work. This happened a total of four times, and each time the instrument cluster had to be replaced in the vehicle to check whether the modification was working. I finally took the circuit board to an electronics store. They checked & rechecked and agreed there was a problem, but were not able to figure out what it was. Eventually I figured another way to make this light work, but was unable to utilise the factory wiring, which was my sole intention in the first place. Over the years I have worked on many minor projects that involve electronics, and I am yet to have any real success. Speaking with friends, several have had similar experiences to myself. Most say they leave electronics to the experts. I believe there is an element of "Black Magic" in all electronics. Love your work Regards Colin C. Jones Hi Julian,

I believe that many people would like to try electronic modifications to their vehicles, but are scared off by the lack of knowledge of electronics in general. The following is to illustrate what I mean.

I recently attempted to modify a printed circuit board within my instrument cluster. The modification was to allow a warning light (already factory fitted and wired, but not activated) to illuminate when my driving lights were switched on. I had printed instructions and all that was required was to add a 35 cent resistor. That resistor would/should activate the light.

After I had fitted the required resistor, no way would the modification work as promised. I removed the first resistor and replaced it (with polarity checked and correct). It still failed to work. This happened a total of four times, and each time the instrument cluster had to be replaced in the vehicle to check whether the modification was working.

I finally took the circuit board to an electronics store. They checked & rechecked and agreed there was a problem, but were not able to figure out what it was.

Eventually I figured another way to make this light work, but was unable to utilise the factory wiring, which was my sole intention in the first place.

Over the years I have worked on many minor projects that involve electronics, and I am yet to have any real success. Speaking with friends, several have had similar experiences to myself. Most say they leave electronics to the experts.

I believe there is an element of “Black Magic” in all electronics.

Love your work
Regards
Colin C. Jones

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