The diagnostic socket is a convenient place to monitor the Lambda system. Outside of that you can get any signals you need from other, better places. The timing pick-up isn't really needed as any timing light you get will not need it. This was probably intended as a "one stop shopping" spot with a dedicated piece of equipment to monitor the engine and electrical system but if you have individual pieces of test equipment the plug isn't used. It was meant to save time hooking up to the car. I think the same applies to the plug used on the automatic transmission shift computer. I do think you could build a piece of equipment to use the plug but it would probably be easier to just build a harness and attach all of your tools to it. I think ALL of the Deloreans came with the plug early and late. On many cars that had the transmission removed they never replaced the timing pick-up anyway. David Teitelbaum vin 10757 --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "edherrmann" <edherrmann@xxxx> wrote: > Just a question. I know that eary models included an actual diagnostic > socket and the later models did not but did provide a conector from > the wire bundle. The diagnostic socket was never used and no > diagnostic instrament was built. Section M:04:01 in the manual > explains its function. My question is can the socket be used now if > the conections were reinstalled and a diagnostic unit was built with > todays technology. Would it be worth it to have it reinstated or the > information it was intended to provide be useless. Thanks Ed