CAT 3208 monitoring

[nedb]

Hey 'Dude--

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  So how will you know if its actually a problem arising , or a sensor malfunction or wiring issue? With a mechanical engine, there's very little to go wrong.

*cough*

I've seen more than a few threads about Facit pumps failing on the road. I'd bet I could catch it before it failed away from home. Fuel pressure monitor and maybe monitor resistance of the pump wiring.

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  While I understand the frustration of a light and what is it exactly trying to tell you, but it's ONLY capable of telling you a couple of things so why over think it? Aren't those things easy to check? A quick look at your jacks, coolant level, oil pressure, maybe a fuel sample (if its capable of water in fuel detection). All good? Then keep going. Why, if you're running down the road and the engine light comes on, what's the coolant temp?, what's the oil pressure?, engine running smooth with good power?, any unusual vibrations/noises? If no, then why fuss over it?

I've got to hand it to David here, when he admitted that it is a geek thing. And you're right too--the manufacturers gave me gauges as well as an idiot light. So technically it isn't an idiot light. I guess.

Anyway, picture me, a noobie in my first diesel electro pneumo mechanical vehicles. I'm well into the first thousand miles of ownership, breezing down the expressway when I get the warning. Check the gauges, everything is OK. Pull off, shut down, realize I don't know what all is capable of triggering the alarm! I've read one thread about coolant level sensors failing, mimic'ing a loss of coolant. But in this case, the engine temp is, as I said, OK. So long story short, it turned out to be the coolant level sensor after all--broke a fanbelt, and the fanbelt whipped around and parted the sensor wire. I've had only this one CEL incident, and the system gauges couldn't lead me in the right direction. As a noob with foreknowledge that a new installed engine runs $20K+, I'm just bound to get anxious and want better information on where the problem is. Keep on going with the CEL on? Not on a dare! Can I get along without the elaborated monitors? Well, ... well yeah sure. But then I don't get a merit badge for proactive management of my vehicle

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  I've got all the sensors and my cel will light on occassion. Yep, some stupid sensor is failing. All other gauges are normal. Eventually, I'll spend the $3 large and buy the diagnostic computer to trace the issue down. I'll end up replacing a $10 sensor or repairing some chaffed wiring. What have I gained that a non-ecm engine didn't have? If I could take all my ecm stuff off, I'd gladly do so on EVERY vehicle I've got.

Absolute agreement with you on this, for all the reasons given by you and David. I currently or recently have had two big block chevy 454 gassers in and a small block Ford 351. Two are carburetted with Holly 800 cfm 4bbl. The other has a Quadrajet. The boat with the 351 is the extreme example--if I have a problem on the water, I want the fuel/spark/air mantra to guide me so I can power outta there. Northwest waters, with vessel traffic and some wild weather, are something to avoid after dark in a dead boat! Spare coil, distributor cap, spark plugs, and multimeter, that's my carb'd engine kit. Right on.

But the WL and diagnostic computers, whoa. This one vehicle is many many times more complicated than any of my gassers. When you consider the long learning curve for where everything is, how it works, and how to work on it, I think that looking at it as a monitoring problem is a high-yield proposition. If I took your advice and didn't worry about it 'cos I've got gauges, I would likely never need to know what sensors can trigger it. But devising monitors, I get the hands-on familiarity with it, in nice manageable one-system-at-a-time chunks. Give me a couple of years and I will build a diagnostic computer out of Arduinos

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  My last non-ecm vehicle had a 351 2 bbl in it, weighed 3500#, had the aerodynamics of a brick, yet got 22mpg on the highway, could run a high 13sec quarter and lift the front wheels when it was feeling good. Lets see, I can't even buy a big 2 door anymore, especially one that can handle 4 people. I'm lucky to even find a mid sized V8 and it sure won't break the 20mpg mark. Ok the Vette can, has a true V8, but it won't seat 4.

Corvette did something radical a few years ago to give really great mileage. Or else I'm a big sucker for whopper lies. Talking to a vette driver in a gas stop, he said he was getting 30-something MPG. Well OK, he was driving like he had a bowl of goldfish on the seat instead of a sports model gal. But 30 mpg in a hot V8? What did they do to accomplish that? Compression releases on 4 cylinders when cruising?

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  Yes, we've gained vehicles that can tune in 300 radio stations, warm or cool our butts and now even heat our hands. But we can't fix them anymore, because you need a $10k computer to talk to the $3500 computer to see if it can tell the bigger computer what's wrong.

Sensors, schmensors!! You can keep them!!

Luddite! Go geek, they don't leak.

(02-27-2013 10:17)Arcticdude Wrote:  Ok, it still would be nice to see what the cel is trying to tell you!

That's the stuff!

And thanks for the comments, I'll try to keep it real.

--Ned

Ned Bedinger
'91 SP36