[DanielDudley]

I think that having paid the Porsche tax over the years for repairs, I decided that I could afford to give home diagnostics a shot. It turned out that I had two distinct problems that were appeared to be a single problem. I thought that if a 20 dollar meter and some time could help me fix my car, I would be willing to give it a shot. This was after replacing what I thought was a faulty DME relay, after a soldering of the connections.

Over the years I have successfully gone through a number of electrical issues in cars. Most were done with a light bulb type circuit tester, and some with an old school analog VOM. I actually thought buying a new 20 dollar meter was splurging. I can't even say I would like a Fluke at this point in my life for the few times I'd use one. I certainly support anyone who wants one, but I'd feel like a poser myself.

I guess I figured that if swapping out the obvious part didn't work, I'd give a 20 dollar meter and some time a go. The problem with intermittent electrical issues is that your car might go to a shop and hang out in the side yard all Summer. It might cost you a few hundred, or it might cost you a thousand, or it might not get fixed. In the end, I went at the problem from multiple directions, tested a lot of simple components and eventually found the problem(s) out of dogged persistence. I learned a few things, and put the meter in the back of a drawer with my other meter. I use it once or twice a year.

I guess the reason I bought a 20 dollar meter was not because I wanted a meter, but because I wanted the utility of a meter, and the results of having one. I could have gotten a 12 dollar meter, but I thought that the 20 plus dollar meter might be more reliable and accurate. And if truth be told, it looked better and had a bigger display, reminiscent of a Fluke. I am never going to be the guy who seeks out electronics repairs. Ironically, most of the automotive electrical problems I have repaired over the years were in fact fixing wiring done by guys who thought they were electrical geniuses. I know I am not.

With proper training, I'd probably make a half decent electrical monkey. But I figure that the average mechanic isn't a whole lot better than I am at electrical diagnostics, so I get out there and put in the time. That probably isn't true, but that's what I tell myself. Willingness and 20 dollars will buy you a cheap multimeter. For me, the willingness is equal to 90% of the result. However, without this forum, and the help of a few guys in the technical section, my car would probably still be dead in the water. I have even been able to pass it on a couple of times, and that's a nice thing.