[Land-speed] (NON-lsr) New truck-->Old truck

[Ed Weldon]

21st century engine technology..HELP!!!!

Yes, I know that it got started sometime back in the 1980's when some brainiac
automotive engineer discovered computer chips.  Now I'm being dragged kicking
and screaming into that world.  I tried to postpone the inevitable when I
bought a new Toyota Tacoma pickup (with the yellow canoe on top) in 2000.  My
rationale was "Now I have a reliable new truck I don't have to mess with
except periodic changes of fluids and filters."  Ha!! The first sign was the
illumination of the "check engine" light a couple of months ago at 87K miles.
So I said "Self.Now is time to go get one of those code readers I've been
hearing about and figure out how to use it".

"P302"  #2 cylinder misfire"

OK, time for new spark plugs.  But first the challenge of finding the
sparkplugs on this modern 4 banger smog engine.  Where are the sparkplug
wires?  Etc, etc.  Fast forward to this morning when I paid someone to do a
compression test because I'd run out of obvious things to check.  BAD NEWS.
#1,2,3, 185 to 190;  #2 120.  A NEW TRUCK HAS JUST BECOME AN OLD TRUCK!

But I don't want to buy a new truck.  No one makes anything like my little Toy
anymore.  All the pickups available now have been fed steroids for the last 7
years and get worse mileage.  So I've got to learn how this thing works so I
can fix it from now on whenever some mechanic hands me a 4 figure estimate for
a day's work and a few parts.

Which brings me to my question..Any of you guys (or women) know of a good book
or online discussion of how modern engines work?  Specifically for old geezers
who already understand 1960's engine technology pretty well but have gone into
a state of de Nile like me.

Ed Weldon  (under the hood of my truck where the sun don't shine today)

And by the way, any of you guys that want to tell me what I've done wrong that
I just paid $165 (and that's just the beginning) to learn;  realize that I
have pictures of most of you taken at the Salt and elseware and a good supply
of sharp pins.