> Can anyone give me a clue as to why my PT Cruiser has a ground strap to the > muffler at the back of the car? Well, according to the PT Cruiser folks around the internet, the factory manual says it's for RF interference reduction. There's also a ground strap for the HOOD! Apparently the PT Cruiser has like NINE computer modules on a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus scattered throughout the vehicle, and they wanted to make double-super-extra sure there wouldn't be any RF gremlins messing with it. CAN bus brings me to another rambling thought. I never understood folks who found fuel injection engines "too complicated" to work on. Being fairly competent with electronics theory, I actually found the Bosch l-Jettronic on my 280Z (and the amusingly nearly identical Digifant on the Vanagon) to be refreshingly easy to diagnose after the nightmare of the dual-carb 260Z. Now, with all these danged computers jabbering at each other from who knows where in the vehicle, about who knows what, I'm starting to feel like an old carburetor guy looking at an air flow meter. At least the new cars have OBD-II, which (in theory) tells you where to look for the problem. -- John Bange '90 Vanagon - "Lastwagen" '90 Vanagon GL - "Wiesel" |
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