Troubleshooting made easy? Test devices from the past ...
11/27/2017
As we strolled through Retro Classics Cologne, we noticed the historic Bosch engine tester on a stand. Wait, we had recently seen one of these in a photo in our archive, we thought. And lo and behold, in September 1981, Automobil Revue wrote about "Rational troubleshooting". It depicted a Bosch Compac test device, albeit one of considerable dimensions.
These test devices - the one from Retro Classics was probably a few years older - helped the specialist to identify the source of a problem. However, they were not exactly cheap, with a price of 8,000 to 17,000 francs quoted in 1981, the equivalent of a small to mid-range car at the time. The master craftsman or journeyman had to be able to rectify faults much more efficiently if this investment was to be worthwhile.
The description in the AR at the time reads nostalgically: "When developing these compact engine testers, it was taken into account that the technology in the vehicle changes rapidly and not every car mechanic or electrician is familiar with every vehicle model. The programs can be entered into the tester with the help of slide-in cassettes (program memories)."
In most cases, the devices have probably long since become obsolete, but the cars that were examined with them live on as classic cars and are probably analyzed with much more modern tools if they draw attention to themselves with problems.
Incidentally, we have already published a picture story about Retro Classics Cologne, and an extensive visit to the trade fair will follow shortly.
