Back to computing topic ... Re: OT: timing belts

[Gordon JC Pearce]

Computer Collector Newsletter wrote:
> Ummm, I started the off-topicness here, so I'll try to end it by putting
> forward these questions:
> - What is the most odd computer you've encountered in a car's drivetrain?
> - What is the largest computer you've fit into a car?
> - What is the computer that gave Jay a flat tire en route to VCF East this
> year?

Most odd computer must be the little microprocessor controller thingy 
that lives under the seat in an old-shape Nissan Micra.  All it does is 
detect if you've turned on the lights, heater fan, heated rear window, 
or if the engine cooling fan has turned on.  If one of these things is 
on, it turns on a little solenoid valve on the side of the carb to 
increase the idle speed a little.  For this they use (IIRC) an 8042 
microcontroller.

The most microprocessor-y car I've ever had was probably the two Citroen 
XMs.  An ECU for the fuel injection (although technically mine were both 
analogue - LE2-Jetronic, the turbo used Motronic which *does* have a 
microprocessor), an ECU for the suspension (as well as miles of 
plumbing), an ABS ECU, no less than *two* ECUs for the heater (one for 
the air con, one for the actual heater controls), a little diagnostics 
display (which tended to complain in French or Spanish if it had been 
raining heavily) and the trip computer.  And I don't think I got them 
all, either - there seems to be some intelligence associated with the 
automatic gearbox.

Largest computer I've ever fitted into a car?  Well, I fitted a rack 
with a PDP11/34, a rack with two PDP11/84s, a couple of "washing 
machine" disk drives, and a chain printer the size of the packing crate 
a large motorcycle would come in, as well as cables, disk packs, dumb 
terminals and documentation, into the back of a short wheelbase Transit 
van.  Does that count?

And finally, no idea, but it sounds like a story worth the telling ;-)

Gordon.