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OBD II Tool

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Anybody own their own? I'm thinking of getting one that will also do ABS. If anyone has any suggestions, I would like to hear them.
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
How much you want to spend?

I have 2 tools - one is a Launch x431 GDS which is a really a computer and has adapters for just about every car out there. I picked a slightly used one for about 750 on ebay

It does almost everything. I can change the expected fuel quality/octane, I can force anything the computer forces to happen, I can adjust idle speed, etc, etc. It also graphs on a built in thermal printer. and then bought the "sensor box" which allows me to simulate sensor actions on the car itself. You can graph fuel trim, o2 functions, transmission functions, ABS, BAS, temperature systems, make the electric cooling fan run at various speeds, reset service counters, audio systems, everything.
You can watch the actual outputs from the various sensors. You can clear adaptations, input new ones, reset to factory new, etc. Very useful.

They also make an add-on "scope box" which has built in known wave forms so you can really check out the various devices and signals. I don't have one; I can simulate bad/good sensors with the sensor box.

I also have a Launch Bluetooth device. It's small, not as functional, and you use your smart phone, pad, or PC connected via bluetooth with an app residing on your electronic device. About 150 bucks with software. Very usefull for trying to diagnose and issue real time without a bulky computer. Plugs into your OBD port Maybe an inch tall and a bit wider than the OBD plug.

I have saved well over the cost of these devices with all these cars I have. Heck, my kid came up from Florida with his Ford pick up and his cruise control stopped working as he left Florida - plugged the GDS in and figured out it was his brake switch.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
How much you want to spend?

I have 2 tools - one is a Launch x431 GDS which is a really a computer and has adapters for just about every car out there. I picked a slightly used one for about 750 on ebay

It does almost everything. I can change the expected fuel quality/octane, I can force anything the computer forces to happen, I can adjust idle speed, etc, etc. It also graphs on a built in thermal printer. and then bought the "sensor box" which allows me to simulate sensor actions on the car itself. You can graph fuel trim, o2 functions, transmission functions, ABS, BAS, temperature systems, make the electric cooling fan run at various speeds, reset service counters, audio systems, everything.
You can watch the actual outputs from the various sensors. You can clear adaptations, input new ones, reset to factory new, etc. Very useful.

They also make an add-on "scope box" which has built in known wave forms so you can really check out the various devices and signals. I don't have one; I can simulate bad/good sensors with the sensor box.

I also have a Launch Bluetooth device. It's small, not as functional, and you use your smart phone, pad, or PC connected via bluetooth with an app residing on your electronic device. About 150 bucks with software. Very usefull for trying to diagnose and issue real time without a bulky computer. Plugs into your OBD port Maybe an inch tall and a bit wider than the OBD plug.

I have saved well over the cost of these devices with all these cars I have. Heck, my kid came up from Florida with his Ford pick up and his cruise control stopped working as he left Florida - plugged the GDS in and figured out it was his brake switch.

About 200 bucks. I'm sure those 750 dollar ones are nice, but I cannot justify that given the mods I am looking forward to doing on the truck.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
mine is a matco it does everything sold in the us. what it wont do is change parameters like reprograming chipped keys for fords I use the ford IDS program on my laptop. I really like the matco android pad wireless hook up and user friendly.
 
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