Hey guys back again lol.
So Iam trying to run some diagnostics and get codes for my truck.
Problem is the scanner won't communicate with the trucks computer.
It's the usb elm 327connector and Iam using the forscan program.
Changed to ciggar lighter fuse. still not working. I think the previous owner had a edge program in it idk if that might of fried the pcm or is causing it not to read right ?
do I need a better connector or are the pins inside the trucks communicater bad ?
Thanks guys for any insight

 

If your using one of those fine $10.00 Chinese Turd Burners, throw it away and get your wallet back out.........

 

Not necessarily. I have both a Bluetooth and a USB adapter, neither of which cost more than 12 bucks, and both of which have worked every time. Don't condemn the adapter until you've tried it on other vehicles.

 

What are you looking for? Purpose of the scan?

 

Is it a Bluetooth or wifi adapter. Is your computer Bluetooth capable.

 

He said it's USB in the OP.

 

Working in another vehicle isn't the acid test. Our J1850 PWM protocol uses different pins on the OBDII port than other protocols. If those sockets aren't hardwired for our protocol - you can huff and puff on that house of brick....

Here is more info on the ELM 327 units: [LINK]

 

Let me rephrase. Don't condemn the adapter until you've tried it on other pre-2004 Ford vehicles.

 

Normally I would defer to the greater Knowledge base on this Forum, but in this particular case I feel I am uniquely qualified to give my opinion. In my large family we own 7 different Ford Products, Cars and Trucks, 1994 to 2012. I do the Shadetree Maintenance on all of them. (when your kids and relations start crying their rides are broke what do you tell them???) I had some disposable cash at hand, so I started my own Blind study to find The Holy Grail. I bought 6 different ELM327 under $15.00 from 6 different Vendors, I also purchased Torque Pro, Forscan, and because I was having Problems of my Own, AE.... I use the ELM's all on a $79.00 Nextbook 7" Tablet with 4.4 Android. Out of the 6 units tested, 1/ didn't light up, 2/ wouldn't Pair with Wifi/BT, 2/ had the dreaded Mac Clone issue, the last one worked thru all those problems only to fail to recognize the correct protocol. Now I can appreciate that many people get lucky when they roll the dice on these units, But I feel compelled to point out that 6 tries to find the right device will start getting expensive, when upon asking advice from here First, saves a lot of time and money. I bought the BAFX as the seventh device, and it worked the first time, on all my 96-up vehicles. I use AE for the deep scanning with my Laptop.
I will now step off my Soapbox...........

 

Here are the two I use. Both have worked perfectly from day one.

 

So what do you guys recommend I do?

 

Answer some questions.

 

Well I was hoping to use it for what it's made to do. Read codes and do a buzz test. Before I get the AE I want to see if there is sowmthing wrong with my outlet plug or sowmthing else causing it not to communicate or if the usb connector is junk.
Been looking on the web and some say it could be the pcm is shot ?
How do you test the connectors/pins at the output plug for the truck? Maybe one isn't working properly ?

 

Where do you live? There could be an AE owner near you who could help you out. I think Tugly has a link in his signature with a map of registered AE owners. He calls it B.E.S.T. map

 

Look at the first diagram on this page, the one marked J1850 PWM in the graphic. With a volt meter, verify your power and grounds are good.