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The old days of computers

1K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  dannyboy950 
#1 ·
I am feeling nostalgic today. How many of you remember the old days when computers first came out.
They only read and few things at that. I think the first ford computers only read about 9 things.

Keep in mind they only read did not control anything. Bidirectional didn't come out until late in the obd II development. Matter of fact my current scanner had to be updated so I could even do bi directional functions.

Each model car had its own reader actually didn't even read [no screen] just a few lights. You counted the light flashes and then looked up the codes. Codes were 2 digits and there were only about 20.

Any one remember the SBDS machine. A real monster as big as a stove or washing machine. Had a dedicated phone line right to Ford engineering. You useually set it up somewhere where you could get a phone line and brought the vehicles to the machine.

This was a machine used during the transition from point ignition system to full computer control.
Part engine anaylizer part computer. The beginnings of OBD 1 were just being developed and distributerless ignition was just developed. You had to get a set of tools and adapters, wires, boxes to work with distributorlesss systems.

A lot has changed since then but the computer really is still dumb as a post. It really does not think, it will accept anything that is programmed in it. If it is programed that 2+2=9 it will try to make all calculations based on that info until it locks up and quits working. Simply because it doesn't even know that that premis is wrong.
 
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#4 ·
It is pretty amazing. You can even use your smartphone as a monitor and even as a tuner on vehicles. Hopefully someone will come out with bidirectional controls for a smartphone, small and compact.




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#5 ·
The PCM is more than likely faster than your home computer. Even though the auto PCM might run a processor of 40Mhz (vs. your home computer which is upwards of 500Mhz) the auto PCM has an extremely efficient/simple programming code vs. your home computer. Modern engine/transmission strategies use >2MB of memory where as a new computer probably has 2-3GB of programs installed (half of which you will probably never use, haha).

Until someone develops a computer with artificial intelligence, any computer will run (or try to run) a program that has been uploaded onto it. So if you install a program basing all arithmetic calculations off of 2+2=9 and it fails, its not really the computer's fault but the programer's error. It is simply a tool used by humans to process or carry out arithmetic or logical operations.

A computer (home, mobile, or auto) does not "think" any more than a hammer or a steering wheel or a Barrack Obama. If it did, we would see the era of technological singularity... the idea that artificial intelligence will be able to adapt and learn on its own and at a faster pace than biological intelligence.
 
#6 ·
This is more like it a discussion an excange of ideas. Pro; con doesn't matter.
The last post taught me some new info to think about.
The PCM has come further than I thought, they have actual memory now! A processor!

The last one I actually took apart had only 3 eproms,less than a 1/2 mb of memory if you want to call it that and certainly had no prosessor. Not even eeproms were developed yet.

So boy have we come even further than I thought.
Thanks for participateing.
 
#7 ·
Here in Mexico we still have a lot of OBD1 cars, we don't use the dedicated scanner for each one of the brands, we just make a jumper between connectors on the DLC, and we get the codes on the dash or with a testing lamp. But PCM's nowdays are very well programmed, and they can really point you towards a failure very easy.

Imagine, our powerstrokes would still be camshaft driven.

DOHC as ISX, being it hard to set the engine on time?
SOHC would be a very complicated design.
 
#9 ·
I am a little disappointed in the lack of response to this thread.
I would have thought a discussion of the history of the developement of the computer control system and it's profound effect on the automotive industry.

The introduction of the automotive computer was the single greatest change in our industry since Henry Ford created the assembly line and mass production.

I guess not though, but think on this without that PCM that 6.0 stays dead in your driveway. Just a real expensive lawn ornament.

Thanks to those that participated.
 
#10 ·
and if Chit hit the fan tomorrow I would jump in my 81 GMC Jimmy with my 93 XR 650l in tow and drive away computer free because this great leap of technology can be rendered useless in the blink of an electron

I would also bring Tuna fish I mean think about it fish in a can stored at room temperature that you can eat years later without getting the squirts = AMAZING
 
#12 ·
I remember some of the older stuff from nostalgic instructors at UTI in 98. Come to think of it all the "new" diagnostic tools were like the stuff u described. I am amazed, especially with the new superduty's they dont have a scanner mode built into the 4" led display on the instrument cluster. Talk about a selling point!
 
#15 ·
the fact that all the sensors stay in check is amazing to me. think of the difference between a points/condesor ignition and a unit coil pack ignition engine. how about the cars that have an O2 sensor for each cylinder to tune the fueling to each cylinder individually.

could you imagine having mechanical relays to do all the communication between sensors and valves/switches? I had a 4 cyl ranger from 85. computer controlled carburetor. what a disaster of vacuum lines and switches. I dont think most of them were even necessary except for emissions.--come to think, most of the crapola on our trucks isn't necessary either
 
#16 ·
Zmann had a valid point [partially]. OBDI did not come out untill 1996 computer control in cars came out in 1972 I think. OBD was a late comer on the scene LOL

But he was right on that the first computers you didn't even have a tool.
You jumperd some wires and connected certain pins in the connector and counted the flashes of the check engine light. I think those systems were EECIII and EECIV.
EECV and VI actually had a tool, EECVI was the Star tester I think.

Been a lot of years since then LOL
 
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