I'm looking for a diagnostic machine for a 1991 ford f700 429 fuel injected motor. Any recommendations of a good affortable one to use? Thanks you for your time.

 

Do you mean like a code reader?

I have this one and it works as designed.

Innova/Ford OBD1 code reader 3145 at AutoZone.com - 1 reviews

 

Do you use it? Do you like it? The reviews on it are really bad.....

 

Many of us have one, me included. I love mine. Works great.

 

I've never heard a bad thing said about them.

I don't own one because my current truck is OBD2 and before I signed up here I didn't know those existed, but when (not if but when ) I get another OBD1 truck one of them will definitely be making it's way into my possession.

 

I bought mine 10 years ago and shortly after, the 6'ft extension connector. It has been a god send for troubleshooting and to help identify a failed PCM due to not being able to retrieve any.

I have NEVER heard a bad thing about this code reader in my 11 years of owning OBS Fords.

 

Mine has always performed as it was supposed to.

 

I have four Fords that are OBD1 and the 3145 has work very well on all of them.
The 3145:


I have not used my OBD1 diagnostic machine and its recorder after getting the 3145. They are large and hard to hook up and they do not display codes. They only tell what the sensor is reporting back and you have to go by a chart to see if the sensor is in the ball park or not.
The OBD1 diagnostic machine:


The EEC-IV Recorder:


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what does OBD1 and OBD2 mean Dixie460? So you guys think it would be good to get, then I will get one.

 

OBD stands for On-Board Diagnostics, and the number 1 or 2 after it is the generation.

After electronic ignitions and feedback carbs (carburetors with electronic controls) came out there wasn't really any standard for the on-board electronics than controlled them. Manufacturers realized that was a sucky way of doing things and each one of them came up with their own standard for how the built-in diagnostic system would work and what equipment (diagnostic machine as you call it) would be required to interact with those systems. Ford used the equipment pictured above, other manufacturers had their own versions of that and none of them would work with anybody else's system. So a Ford diagnostic machine wouldn't work on a Chevy for example. This was the first generation, OBD1. That code reader you're looking to buy will only work on OBD1 Fords.

Sometime in the 90's the evil government agency called the EPA actually did something useful for once and decided that there should be a standard diagnostic system that used a standard diagnostic interface, and that it should be mandatory by 1996 in all half-ton and lighter trucks. Actually it went by GVW and the Republik Of Kalifornistan (California) decided to mandate it sooner, but I ain't getting into that. Cars too. So by the late 90's most passenger vehicles were using the second generation of diagnostic system, OBD2. With this system the same diagnostic tool that works on a Ford will also connect to and have it's basic functions work with a Chevy, Dodge, or even a riceburner. There are still exceptions when it comes to certain features, but the basic diagnostic system is the same across all manufacturers. And by that I mean any OBD2 code reader can plug into any OBD2 vehicle and get the fault codes that are stored there. Any scan tool can also plug in and view basic parameters such as water temperature and throttle position for example.

In case you're wondering, they are not backwards compatible either. Also note that you're "supposed" to use roman numerals for the numbers, like OBD I for OBD1 and OBD II for OBD2, so if you see it written that way it means the same thing. Nobody really sticks to that standard though, not on forums anyway. At least I don't... LOL.