Where to start shopping?

[DCEPTCN]

I know about as much about scan tools as I do about sub-equatorial cross pollenation, but I'm aware of the importance. Where do I start looking for them and how much do the less expensive ones put you out? TIA

[Be4u]

Since were about on the same level I'll give my opinion.

I first used a turbo link...I was lost...tried a few times and gave it up.
Bought a SM 2.0. Waaaay easier to understand for a beginner. I made a plug for my lighter...took pics today...(see my other post).

I paid $180. Plus I got a free heated o2 sensor, brand new.

[HairDrier]

www.turbo_link.com

Ken has one of the best descriptions of the different types of tools.

Many vendors have ScanMasters and Direct Scan


If you dont have a laptop dont bother looking at anything except a Scanmaster

[stevemon]

I sell a laptop based ALDL read scantool for $65. It's been around for quite a few years and is similar to Diacom which is the grand daddy of all of them. You will need a basic laptop with dos to run it but I can fix you up there too.
Thanks,
Steve

[DCEPTCN]

Is it pretty self explanatory once you buy the thing how to use it? I mean, are the instructions all you need, or does it take a while of screwing around to get the hang of it? I still haven't completely figured out our universal remtote. :zahn:

[1badTTA]

Is it pretty self explanatory once you buy the thing how to use it? I mean, are the instructions all you need, or does it take a while of screwing around to get the hang of it? I still haven't completely figured out our universal remtote. :zahn:
Depends what you mean by "using it". If you are talking about getting through the menus then it is pretty simple, if you are talking about understanding the readings it gives you, then you will have a pretty long learning curve. In reality, all the scantools will tell you the same things, some give more info (Direct Scan) and some give alot less info (Scan Master) but they all do give you the important info such as O2's, Knock Retard, BLM's, etc...

You can't go wrong with a scanmaster as it is self contained and pretty easy to use on an everyday basis. Either T-Link or DS will display so much info you don't need to be seeing that it will confuse nearly any novice, if you do go that route, just pay attention to the info a SM displays untill you have a use for the rest of the info, that is how I learned. The recording feature of the laptop based scantools is invaluable IMHO as it allows you to go over the entire run once you are in the pits with the car cooling off, a scanmaster only records peak numbers of the most important info which makes it difficult to see the big picture.

Probably the ultimate setup is a scanmaster for everyday use and Directscan for track/tuning use.

[DCEPTCN]

The Auto Xray easy scan 5000 has been recommended to me as a great all around (especially for the novice) scan tool. Anybody got any experience with these?

[HairDrier]

The Auto Xray easy scan 5000 has been recommended to me as a great all around (especially for the novice) scan tool. Anybody got any experience with these?

Why get a scan tool that no one else here uses? If you have trouble with it you will be totally on your own. Dont try to reinvent the wheel at first. Do what others have done, learn about your car, then try new things. Get an SM2 first, then once you get a laptop worry about the rest

[DCEPTCN]

Why get a scan tool that no one else here uses? If you have trouble with it you will be totally on your own. Dont try to reinvent the wheel at first. Do what others have done, learn about your car, then try new things. Get an SM2 first, then once you get a laptop worry about the restActually, I wasn't sure if anybody here HAD used it before....also, I'm buying a new laptop shortly and wasn't aware that that was the better way to go as far as scan systems go.

[Mistascott]

I use winaldl and it works fine for basic tuning.

It is free but you have to build the connecting cable with about $7 in Radio Shak parts -- a transistor and a resistor. You also need a laptop.

http://www.winaldl.webhop.net/

[Taffy]

Might I also suggest a wide band. They are pretty darn cheap these days. The narrow band sensor sucks. Lots of guys have gone fast with the narrow band, but guys are getting faster with the WB.:) :beerglass

[DCEPTCN]

Might I also suggest a wide band. They are pretty darn cheap these days. The narrow band sensor sucks. Lots of guys have gone fast with the narrow band, but guys are getting faster with the WB.:) :beerglassNow you're totally speaking greek to me, but I'll make sure to look for that! :zahn:

[1badTTA]

Now you're totally speaking greek to me, but I'll make sure to look for that! :zahn:
He is refering to narrow band and wide band oxygen sensors. Your O2 sensor in the car is a narrow band and really only acts as a switch for the ECM to see if it is rich or lean. The wide band O2 sensors will tell you exactly how rich or lean you are and are about 100 times more accurate. You would need a stand alone unit to monitor the wideband and it doesn't hook up to the ECM at all.

[DCEPTCN]

He is refering to narrow band and wide band oxygen sensors. Your O2 sensor in the car is a narrow band and really only acts as a switch for the ECM to see if it is rich or lean. The wide band O2 sensors will tell you exactly how rich or lean you are and are about 100 times more accurate. You would need a stand alone unit to monitor the wideband and it doesn't hook up to the ECM at all.
A-ha!

I was looking through a JCWhitney catalog last night just out of boredom, and saw that they sell the Auto Xray for $199......I'm the type of guy where money is ALWAYS an issue (new house soon, new baby soon, etc.) and that sounds like a great deal to me. I believe it was HairDrier who had made the good point about going with something that folks are familiar with around here, but for that price....I don't know.

[HairDrier]

If cash is tight just buy a used Scanmaster, they are going for sale all the time and are $150-200

[1badTTA]

If cash is tight just buy a used Scanmaster, they are going for sale all the time and are $150-200
:dito: A Scanmaster will do everything you need it to and then some and everyone with a TR knows something about them. The only reason to buy a universal scantool is if you plan to use it on other vehicles

The SM can/should be mounted for easy display when you are driving unlike the one mentioned. Major benefit IMO

[DCEPTCN]

:dito: A Scanmaster will do everything you need it to and then some and everyone with a TR knows something about them. The only reason to buy a universal scantool is if you plan to use it on other vehicles

The SM can/should be mounted for easy display when you are driving unlike the one mentioned. Major benefit IMOI guess it's probably the best way to go. Then there's somrhting else to worry about...buying used electronics! :SHOCKED:

[HairDrier]

Cant say I've ever heard of a Scanmaster failing, but I am sure they have. Buy a new one then, they are only $250, cheap insurance if you ask me

[1badTTA]

Cant say I've ever heard of a Scanmaster failing, but I am sure they have. Buy a new one then, they are only $250, cheap insurance if you ask me
I remember a thread about one failing, they sent it back and had it repaired fo almost nothing and were posting about the great service they got. Nothing to worry about as far as buying a used one, if it fails it can be fixed cheap.

[Slow T]

Ken Makes a great product and has a very good reputation for support help,but at the time I was in your position Direct scan had basically fallen into my lap,so that's what I currently use.
Turbo Link is very nice just not as fast as it uses the ALDL port where as Direct Scan you have to tear off the bottom of the ECU and clean off all of the coating and seat the ribbon cable.
Tlink seems alot easier,Also Direct Scan doesn't work well with Windows XP.
just my .02(But I really like my Direct Scan) :albert:

[DCEPTCN]

Ken Makes a great product and has a very good reputation for support help,but at the time I was in your position Direct scan had basically fallen into my lap,so that's what I currently use.
Turbo Link is very nice just not as fast as it uses the ALDL port where as Direct Scan you have to tear off the bottom of the ECU and clean off all of the coating and seat the ribbon cable.
Tlink seems alot easier,Also Direct Scan doesn't work well with Windows XP.
just my .02(But I really like my Direct Scan) :albert:Yeah, to be honest with you I'll probably end up buying the next one that I see for sale cheap.

[1badTTA]

Ken Makes a great product and has a very good reputation for support help,but at the time I was in your position Direct scan had basically fallen into my lap,so that's what I currently use.
Turbo Link is very nice just not as fast as it uses the ALDL port where as Direct Scan you have to tear off the bottom of the ECU and clean off all of the coating and seat the ribbon cable.
Tlink seems alot easier,Also Direct Scan doesn't work well with Windows XP.
just my .02(But I really like my Direct Scan) :albert:
Being a sheetmetal guy by trade, modding the ECM only takes me about 15 minutes including cleaning the end of the board. Methyl Ethyl Ketone works great for breaking down that gunk on there.

[bob]

I just got into these cars also and I have the new turbo-link on a used laptop. No doubt the scanmaster is the cheapest but if you are buying a laptop anyway then that evens the odds a lot. If you want to use your laptop for tuning be SURE to get one with a serial port. My buddies new laptop didn't have one and it was a pain to find an adapter that works with the program. And even now he has to carry around this extra little box and have it all tangled up in his syclone when tuning. I didn't think turbolink was hard at all to use but to actually understand all the info is gonna take me awhile. It has a section loaded on the disk that tells you what all the stuff does and you can open it while running the program. I think it's user friendly and Ken Mosher has GREAT customer support. The data rate is slow but the program has lots of little things that make it good for a beginner. I will eventually be getting directscan for the extra info but right now it won't do me any good anyways.

hope this helps

bob