Have nearly always just used my name since before the Internet was the Internet. First computer game in 1957, bouncing messages off a satellite a decade later, and designing digital controls for large afterburning gas turbine engines and flight controls for aircraft in the '70s. Been into cars for as long (as a teen could not afford a TR3B, could afford a Jag XK. Then found out why. Still have whitworth tools. Took the cure but a fan of DOHC-6s just now with VVT and redline 7,000 (Jag would go 7,000. Once.).
Been a fan of instrumentation ever since well ever. Have a Prince On-Board Computer from the '70s (had a smaller version in my '78 Sunbird with SBC). First reprogramming was an '84 Fiero with "Computer Command Control" and 2Kx8 PROM. Mostly reprogram cars to run cooler, 180-190F. Find that everything under the hood lasts longer when I do.
Got very deep into reprogramming the '88 Reatta 3800. Bought in '01 & still have. As my wont, collected nearly all the 5B computer .bins and played with a few. Found that after about 20 years the 27C256 PROM would not reliably erase so now mostly Am here now.use a bag on the side from Moates.
Teens were kind of a blur had a '93 GTP with Twin Dual Overhead Cam V-6 and a Getrag that I played with the tuning a bit and would give Porches fits. Sounded great while doing it. Is nothing like a healthy 6.
Fast forward to 2020 and in central Florida the bottom drops out of the car market thanks to Florida being closed for the foo. Sold my last Reatta convertible a few years earlier & replaced with a SLK320 Merc. Was in a retractable phase but soon found that with the top down there is not even room for groceries. Is common for retracables. So nice to drive around & easy to park (157" long). Still had an open slot in the garage so began looking. First thought about an XLR but same trunk issues and peculiar way of retracting, the tonneau would hit the overhead door track in the garage.
Then discovered something I had looked at several times but rejected because was too expensive and I really did not like the steering wheel (didn't like on an '84 Thunderbird either, no place to hang thumbs). After careful study fixated on the 89 Allante.(first year of 4.5 engine (4100 is too sloooooow), last year before decontenting began (still had standard removable hardtop).
Fact is that when I look I usually find. After looking at several (Northstar in '93 is good but needed wind wings to prevent drafts (I sit reclined and about as far back as possible. Screwey position saved life when flew a split window) and telescopic steering was also gone. Found a very nice 64k '89 with everything working including A/C and clear Florida title ($300 value & no hassle) down in Port St Lucie for pocket change. FWD is nice for a tow dolly. And soon was occupying the garage.
Problem is they tend to attract others. About a month later a neighbor inherited a not-so-nice '89 with hardtop, cold air, & also 64k miles. Had a Texas title and did not really want despite everything working so lowballed but said would pay $300 more with a clear Florida title.
Skipping to end, he did, and I did and now have two running driving 89 Allantes wedged into garage for a total cost of about 1/4 an XLR & nice sized trunk even with convertible (both have two tops, cloth and hardtop) Pocket change.
So cats being unable to help and an empty nest turns out it takes two people to remove the hardtop. Or a hoist & tree-saver 3" strap. Next I replace the U-gly steering wheel with a three spoke Reatta wheel.
Then the real problem emerges: the electronics that seem to have been designed by a Japanese (lotsa little white wires - no color coding) High School class from magazine articles. I have never seen coolant fans controlled by pulse width modulation before. And that is just the start. Turns out the ecm, a 1227750, has no documentation. Anywhere. No TunerCat defintions. Nuttin (probably the PWM).
Have dumps of most of the 27C256 PROMs and disassembilies but not commented. OTOH in 90 the PWM was replaced by more conventional relays and the same engine (LQ6) is used through the '92 model year so tables probably the same. ECM is now 16132240 and definitions exist but now has a 512k Flash.
Which brings up the just discovered by me Gearhead. Have a lot of .bins, mostly 3800 and now Allante (HT4100 & 4.5 V8) but very little on the 1227750. Ludis has nothing. TC has nothing. Does anyone here have any locations particularly for switch parameters ?
Please help,
Padgett
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