No brake lights!

Change your brake switch....I *just* had the same thing happen, save the involvement of the constabulary. The interesting part about it is that I had been experiencing an issue for about a month, so had bought a code reader, which had given me a code of 39, saying something about the torque converter and lockup. I was still under warranty from the last transmission repair (barely). Replacing the break switch made the code go away. The transmission shop says it was because of the break switch, I don't know, but I'll take it.

The PCM watches the brake light circuit to determine several things... one being to unlock the torque converter clutch. Without BPP input, it has to determine if the TCC needs to be unlock from a combination of other inputs. This can lead to ride harshness and/or unneccesary wear.

HTH.

Yes, he said something about that, and that it may have contributed to the destruction of the last tranny. The other codes cleared up, leaving only a MAF sensor left to deal with. Replaced it with one from salvage for $10 and the codes are all cleaned up. So all of my troubles were a MAF sensor and a break switch? How odd. Would you have guessed this, Jim?

It would have been a fair long shot guess..... but then, nothing beats having the car in front of you and an identifiable concern that can be recreated. Intermittents can go a long way to reducing ones follicle count...

Being an electronics tech and computer geek doesn't make it any easier. When a light doesn't go on when I flip a switch, we tend to diagnose the whole circuit rather than just replacing the bulb.

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Here's where it gets hard (of course you can come back with "nifty" stuff in your bailywick)..... When I push the "t" on my keyboard, I expect to see a "t"on the screen. The BOO or BPP sensor on your car sends signals to the ABS system, the stop lights, the PCM, possibly the RCM (restraints control module), cruise control, maybe the TCM (transmission control module) and sundry other places.

There are days that being at work makes chasing a wireless network problem at home look like childs play.... The modern automobile is closer to being a robotic arm than it is computer.... Fifteen years ago, I prayed my boy wouldn't choose this trade...... now I wish he would. I can foresee the day when good techs are treated more like sports figures than grease-monkeys.

Actually, wireless networking *is* a breeze. :-)

When I went to college for electronics ( yes, I have a degree ), I was studying heavily in robotics and artificial intelligence. What happened is that there are that many available jobs here for those position, and I ended up migrating to computers and technical repairs. Not much you can tell me would surprise me.

I am fortunate to have a client that has a salvage yard and I get parts pretty reasonable or free.. What I am noticing ( I'm gonna catch Hell for this ) is that salvage yards have way more GM, Chrysler, and Japanese parts than Fords. I really like my ford trucks...I just wish they had designed the Explorer to be more of a truck than it is. It's not much more than a 4X4 station wagon in it's present state, but that's okay.

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It is *if* everything goes right!

Whatcha mean *if*? It's what I do. It can't be any other way or I'm not doing my job. One of the biggest causes of failure is the tendency for people to want to choose their equipment, based on their wallet. Just like your car, you what you pay for. Quality equipment costs a bit more, but the end performance is worth it's weight in gold. Low end equipment may work well for a while, but it will eventually break your heart.

You're right. If you can pick your clients such that they always buy what you recommend, you're very lucky indeed!

If only they bought just what I recommend, but sometimes I get lucky.

Tomorrow...another TV station...ugh!

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| | -- | Bill Funk | Change "g" to "a"

Here ya go, John.... at home, I keep losing my wireless connection randomly. I already know why but I'd like you to ask the questions necessary to perform a logical diagnosis.

D-Link wireless router.... two Toshiba laptops wth Air Plus Xtreme G PCM CIA cards and a Toshiba laptop with a built in wireless card. Everything is

802.11g (memory thing happening)...

I would ask if you had trouble connecting, but since you are connecting and dropping off, I would have to assume it could be any one of a several things or a combination. So, why, if you already know why it's dropping out, ask how to approach it?, Unless you are just double checking your own work? I don't give it much thought when I do it, I just set it up and go. D-Link is okay. Personally, I prefer Linksys ( Cisco stuff ). I'm skeptical about "built-in" anything, to be honest

What's the computer's distance from the connecting point (router )? The further you are from the router, the weaker the signal. You should try to stay close enough that your signal strength doesn't drop off more than 50 feet. Walls and doors, or any physical barrier in between will further degrade the signal, so try to keep it as close to line of site as possible. I'm also running 802.11g, and have mine set to 802.11b ...much more forgiving. G would be nice if you are able to use it ( as in ideal conditions ), but if it keeps dropping out, set it to receive as B. Another trick is to give your computer a static IP address. It will make it easier to connect, and it also makes it harder to hack, and I recommend using a password or encryption for security, and a firewall. Much past 60 feet and it will likely fall off. Signal strength at 60 feet with 2 walls will probably drop you back to about 35% signal strength, best probable speed will be 1 MB.

Now....tell me why it's dropping out...or how you arrived at that conclusion.

I have one for *you*, that driving me crazy.....stupid truck is nuts. After going through all of the crap to get the CEL to quit lighting up, now I don't have cruise control....fuses are good, I can't find any reason it now working...but it's not...unless you have a secret you're not telling me, but it was working fine last week, now, nothing. This truck is driving me crazy. One bloody thing after another.

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It's those CIA cards, Jim. The CIA is in turmoil right now, and they just don't have time to properly monitor your wireless traffic, so they just shut them down. Sorry about that. I know it's our (the US) fault, and we'll have it right as rain shortly.

And you have just been introduced to something similar to my world...... My laptop usually resides within three feet (a little under a meter for the Canucks) of the router. In my particular case, it is one of our (many) cordless phones....... remember to put that question in your arsenal and it probably wouldn't hurt to add some of the RF wireless remotes to it, too.

I can't recall the year of your car BUT I recently had a Job1 Ex (2000ish to early 2002) with CC troubles. Installed a new module only to find Fords PPT (pin point test) has a bad step in it. Problem turned out to be a bad brake pressure sensor. The CC module monitors two volt inputs.... anything over

0.20 VDC difference between the two will make cruise control a no show. Remind me as to your year and maybe I can help....

After a day of electro-mechanical woes.... a PC problem becomes rather easy to figure out.

What did I hear on the news???? 15 intelligence agencies are going to be consolidated???? FIFTEEN!?!?!? Of course, everyone already knows that "government intelligence" lies somewhere between an oxymoron and a conumdrum...

Ah, yes...the RFI from the cordless phone operating at the same freq. That would do it, although I rarely ever see that as an issue. Ironically, mine doesn't seem to affect it, and they are next to each other, but it does happen, as you know. My Exploder is a '92 EB, if that helps.

I've been trying to find a schematic that shows the wiring, but I sadly don't have on my Chilton's or my Haynes manuals.

| > What's the computer's distance from the connecting point (router )? The | > further you are from the router, the weaker the signal. You should try to | > stay close enough that your signal strength doesn't drop off more than

50 | > feet. Walls and doors, or any physical barrier in between will further | > degrade the signal, so try to keep it as close to line of site as | > possible. | > I'm also running 802.11g, and have mine set to 802.11b ...much more | > forgiving. G would be nice if you are able to use it ( as in ideal | > conditions ), but if it keeps dropping out, set it to receive as B. | > Another | > trick is to give your computer a static IP address. It will make it easier | > to connect, and it also makes it harder to hack, and I recommend using a | > password or encryption for security, and a firewall. | > Much past 60 feet and it will likely fall off. Signal strength at 60 | > feet with 2 walls will probably drop you back to about 35% signal | > strength, | > best probable speed will be 1 MB. | >

| > Now....tell me why it's dropping out...or how you arrived at that | > conclusion. | >

| > I have one for *you*, that driving me crazy.....stupid truck is nuts. | > After going through all of the crap to get the CEL to quit lighting up, | > now | > I don't have cruise control....fuses are good, I can't find any reason it | > now working...but it's not...unless you have a secret you're not telling | > me, | > but it was working fine last week, now, nothing. This truck is driving me | > crazy. One bloody thing after another. | >

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Well, as I understand it, they won't be 'consolidated', but put under one office that will ensure communication and common direction among all concerned. But I could be wrong.