Code readers

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Author Message   SG Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 01:49 pm:    After an absence of many months, the 'check engine' light has returned. I expect this to be the lower two oxygen sensors, as being a cheap bugger, I only replaced the upper two last go-around. Incidentally, I sourced these from Nathan Crabtree who has the best prices on the continent. Excellent service, too. Rather than paying the local dealer another $90 or $120 just to pull the codes (did I mention I was a cheap bugger?) I might as well bite the bullet and buy a code reader. Now this is a '96, OBD-II model, so what suggestions mightn' y'all have WRT TestBook clones? Opinions on cost vs. ease of use or documentation would be appreciated. Cheers   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 01:54 pm:    Sandy, I'm about to finally get off my duff and get one from http://www.obd-2.com/. It needs a laptop, or at least a long cord to reach to your computer, if you have it in your shop. There are other ones out there, though. Some are plug-ons for PDAs, etc. etc. I don't have hands-on experience w/ any of them yet. This particular one (that I posted the link to), the fella made up a Land Rover code patch that's downloadable, to enhance it for us. The fact that he did it is making me lean that way. 'Course, Craftsman has 'em, too. They're more than this guy's, but they have a built-in screen, so you don't have to have a laptop. FWIW... -L   Bill Bettridge (Billb) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:26 pm:    A cheaper source for the OEM style O2 sensor is: http://odin.he.net/~partsdc/index.php www.automedicsupply.com At least for a 1997, sensors are only $66.99 Bill   Garrett #2 Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:30 pm:    For the OBD II scan tool go to: http://www.jcwhitney.com/product.jhtml?CATID=58908 or http://www.auterraweb.com I have used the first one above before and it is very simple and easy to use. The second one I have never used but it looks cool b/c it plugs into a Palm Pilot and gives you all of the diagnostics. Good luck and let us know what you get!!   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:44 pm:    Bill, I think you're in the wrong thread.... lol... Garrett #2, Not bad, I suppose, if you want an independent reader. Costs more, but if you don't have a laptop..... Nice thing about the one that uses a lap-top, if I understand it right, you can monitor the engine w/ it while it runs. Kinda cool, IMHO.... -L   Bill Bettridge (Billb) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:50 pm:    L - you're right - I got lost with my backwards and forwards buttons! Sorry Bill   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:55 pm:    lol... -L   gp (Garrett) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:55 pm:    .....and you can get 100 feet of cable and run it from your house to the truck on those cold winter nights!!! LOL. that is the way i am going.....but i need a laptop first. damit.   JEspelien (Superj) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:57 pm:    Okay I need sensors for my 4.0SE so I checked with automedicsupply they only have the 3 wire european sensor which is not OBD2 compatible. They said they have never had the 4 wire sensor for rovers and can NOT get it so enough with them already. If you use the 3 wire the truck will run fine but you can't get the check engine light to go off because the fourth wire is used by the OBD2 computer to measure resistance through the sensor.   Curtis Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:59 pm:    Very cool indeed. I use the OBD-2 tool and you can monitor the engine when running. You can even create a custom "dashboard" to monitor all signals. Go to http://www.obd-2.com for more details. One bad note - they guy who makes the software - Alex Pepper - send me the wrong damn cable. He kept treating me like an idiot saying it was me, the settings, my laptop and all kinds of stuff. I finally figured out what was wrong at it was that he sent the wrong cable. I then had to provide my own as he never sent me a proper replacement. Not that big of a deal though because the software is incredible compared to anything else out there under $1000. Curtis   Garrett #2 Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 03:00 pm:    Leslie, You don't need a laptop for either of the Scan tools I listed above. The one that plugs into the palm shows everything right on the screen. Its really cool. You can use it while the car is running and it will show all of the diagnostics too. And you can pick up a palm pilot that is compatible with this tool for about $50-$75. Much cheaper than a laptop!!   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 03:20 pm:    Yeah, but I have a laptop! lol.... They're really versatile.... use it w/ mapping programs, OBD-II, surfing D-web, emailing for parts, checking tech-articles.... I don't think I could maintain my Disco w/o a laptop! lol... -L PS: Superj, you're in the wrong thread, too.... lol....   gp (Garrett) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 03:36 pm:    they must be smokin that wacky tobacky today!!! hehe. i am always on the wrong thread. in life and on dweb.   Curtis Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 03:40 pm:    I may be wrong, but I do not think you could pack all that the obd-2.com scan tools features into a Palm. Even if it was possible, it would be too difficult to manage. Not to knock the Palm tool. I hear good things, but if you already have a laptop the obd-2.com tool is the way to go. The guy who developed it is a genius that worked on the OBD-1 project and works with most major auto manufacturers on emissions. The software is very capable and stable. One big feature I like is to save diagnostic profiles n a way that is similar to recording video. You can go back later and review a whole drive session after you record it. Helps to keep your eyes on the road and not your laptop. Curtis   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 03:41 pm:    Really? Dang, I'm gonna have to go ahead and order it now.... -L   Santo Nucifora (Santo) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 05:42 pm:    I bought my OBD-II scan tool from http://www.abcwc.net/accounts/quanta/index.html It looks like a home made OBD-II scan tool that hooks up to a laptop/computer in DOS or Windows (so you don't need a monster PC) and works well with my 98 Disco. I've read and turned off a couple of codes already. It also monitors various things and you can record session logs for later viewing. Two features that I love. 1. It will work with all three types of OBD-II vehicle modes (VPW, PWM and our ISO 9141) and it's the same cable. No cash grabs for another cable to check the other vehicles on your driveway. 2. It's inexpensive and works. $76 shipped. If that's too expensive, they'll sell you the parts to build your own!!! I don't know what all the other scan tools do but if it can shut off codes, everything else is gravy. The person who maintains the software is also very responsive. You can download the software to simulate without a OBD-II device just to see if it is sufficient for your needs too. Check out that web site for details. Hope this helps, Santo 98 Disco I LSE   Carl Muckenhirn (Carlmuck) Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 08:43 pm:    If you've got a Palm or Handspring then there are a couple of options. I've got the Auterra tool, comes with an attachment for the OBD-II plug to rs-232 and then an rs232 to Hotsynch cable. The software lets you pull the codes as well as run graphs and meters of various things. (List view lets you monitor 6 of your favorite engine measurements at once!). Best feature is it will report the vehicle speed as reported by the VSS, and its accurate!!! (at least much more accurate than the speedo). Whole package was ~$230. Try them at http://www.auterraweb.com. carl.   Chris Lessard (Thechrisr) Posted on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 05:49 pm:    Is there anything out there for a 95 disco????? Chris   Robbie Donaldson (Robbie) Posted on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 05:53 pm:    We are lucky in the 94-95 years. We have OBD-I vehicles, so we have the readout under our passenger seats. Black screen that will show fault codes in red led lights if you have any. Robbie   Brian A Posted on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 06:37 pm:    I can vouch for the obd-2.com software, too. It's good stuff and you definitely get a lot more than you pay for. Hook-up and use are quite simple. If you've already got a computer at home (and assuming from all the late-night postings I see around here, it looks like most of you guys do), this is the one to buy. The cable between the computer and truck is just standard Cat-5 with a couple of adapters, so you can run up to 100 meters between the two. Hence, a laptop isn't 100% necessary, just much more convenient. Brian   p m Posted on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 - 06:56 pm:    Leslie, I have the OBD-2 reader - bought from obd-2.com. Guess all you pay for is the cable; plugs into the diag.port on your disco, and into the DB9 com port on the PC. A very cool gizmo. software you download from the website. Once in a while, my CEL comes on, for no apparent reason, and nothing seems to be wrong. the little gizmo will at least turn off the damn light. speaking of laptops, there's a new/used store in San Diego (Laptops USA) that always has some small and very inexpensive stuff, about or under the price of a Palm. You get real (sort of) keyboard, too peter   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 02:50 pm:    Peter, I ordered mine back over the weekend, hopefully will be at the house in the next day or so... Software's already set-up, just waiting on the mail... -L   p m Posted on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 02:56 pm:    you won't regret it, Leslie peter   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 03:02 pm:    Considering the nearest dealers are 2 hours away (one in Knoxville, one in Asheville) I reckoned that I'd better get to where I was self-sufficient, eh? -L PS: How's Doc's Timex Restoration Project coming along?   Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Posted on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 09:00 pm:    Heh heh..... When I got home, guess what I found had arrived in the mail today... -L