Motronic

[Land Shark]

At 09:53 AM 1/13/97 -0800, you wrote:

>Also, I had reached 
>what I felt was the point of diminishing returns from the software side of
>things:  without a scope and logic analyzer I was stuck in a mire.  ("So 
>what sensor is REALLY located at D8F0?")

 Ahh.. here's where (I believe) the cagers (cars/etc) have it over the
 bikes.. mandated OBD-I (not OBD-II) flashcodes... 

 It's a public document as to what flashcode (from the MIL) is for the
 (example) air flow meter.. now in the code you can find that flashcode
 and reference it back to an internal BMW fault code... 

 If you find the routine where that fault code is SET/CHECKED you will
 find the variable it checks.. voila <grin>

>So let me ask....Do the gurus approach the task from a software and hardware
>perspective simultaneously, disassembling the code as well as using test
>equipment to figure out what, when, where, and how?

 Yes, and add the best resource.. the MANUFACTURERS (the car, not BOSCH!) 
 troubleshooting data.. at least for the Bimmers.. some of the older ETM's 
 listed not only the faultcodes, but the EXACT criteria used to determine
 the fault condition... like sensor voltage above X and below Y...

 VERY USEFUL indeed!

 Jim Conforti

 PS: This is another hint for those of you working on Motronic <grin>