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Coming from the 7.3 forum, I've had AutoEnginuity (AE) for about 8 years now. I've also been pushed into securing some other make-specific software for Volvo and Toyota. Consequently, as I begin considering making the jump from a 7.3 to a 6.0, I'm not thrilled to have already seen very few references to anyone using AE.
So... what are you guys using for a scanner, and do any of you have successful and positive experience with the AE platform on the 6.0's? I only ask because I don't assume that the AE platform is equally beneficial with the 6.0's as it had been for me with my 7.3 (although, intuitively, I find it sort of hard to see how it would NOT be equally useful for me).
There's are people that use AE and are happy with it I have no experience with it but if it has the Ford Bundle it should work just fine. As you know there are other options like torque pro, ForScan, dash command, and scangauge. I use the scangauge to watch things while driving but it's not a good code reader if working on the truck I will use ForScan. Obviously the best would be the Ford IDS.
AE is great, the only thing I've been told that it doesn't do is uncompensated injector contribution as part of the power balance test. It should be able to knock off individual injectors still though. Should be a good tool for you still.
Day to day something like Torque or DashBoss is easier because it runs via a smart phone, not a laptop. Unless you want the WWII cockpit setup of a bunch of 2" analog gauges, those are great ways to get a lot of data in a concise manner.
For day to day driving the Scanguage !! works fine.
When it comes to issues I then go to the VCM2 with IDS on the laptop.
If for some reason the laptop is grumpy I use a Snap-On Modis.
Sounds great. I've already got TorquePro on my phone but have not yet set up any specific PID's. Does anyone know if the PID algorithms for the 6.0 are different from those on the 7.3?
Pete, I have used AE on my 7.3L & 6.0L as well. It can do a lot, but I like the Dashboss the best with the 6.0L for daily monitoring - if you already have an iphone or ipad the cost is less than the 3 gauge setup I used on my 7.3L's and a much easier install. While driving I can just put my iphone on the dash and monitor what I need to.
I'll find the link to the various scanner options for the 6.0L that one of the members put together.
But for deeper more in depth data - Yahiko's advice is the way to go.
With ExPACamper's Excel spreadsheet you can easily download data files and graph your results.......but the Dashboss will graph on it's own as well.
This kit includes the additional sensors & hardware to monitor EGT's and fuel pressure.
or you can try it without. I haven't had to worry too much about EGT's on the 6.0L (towing or unloaded). My 6.0L's EGT's do not get as high as my 7.3L's do. But most would agree that fuel pressure is an important PID should be monitored.
In my current arsenal I have SG2, Forscan on iPad and iPhone, AE and IDS, although IDS is temperamental right now.
SG2 has been a good monitoring tool for everyday running, letting me watch what I considered pertinent. With the 6.0 it's permanently in there. Since then I've acquired Forscan and occasionally I've used the Forscan with it, and if I didn't have SG it would be there instead. Every time I drive our Lincoln LS I have Forscan activated.
AE is still my fallback tool for our Ford products and it's helped me greatly. I acquired IDS due to 6.0 injectors. I've not been able to fully diagnose 6.0 injectors without it, which led me to replace a turbo on speculation when IDS showed it was an injector. The cost of an IDS clone is the same as asking a dealer to check out your injectors, so it's a no brainer for me.
If I had to restart and buy systems my first choice would be Forscan for my phone, with IDS as the full function tool instead of AE.
I can't say anything about Dashboss as I never used it.
You have Torque Pro, but have you set it up yet? If not the 1st thing to do is bring in the Ford Specific PID set. From there there are custom PIDs you can easily create and then ad gauges for them, for example I wrote up a "delta temp" gauge that does the calc of subtracting Coolant temp from Oil Temp so you have an at-a-glance number.
I think Dash Boss may be one of the best, I like that you don't have to separately set up a list of PIDs you want to data log like in Torque -- you just hit record. Also that you can add in a Fuel Pressure and EGT and have it all in one place is cool. But I don't own an i-anything and Torque did cost like $15 for adapter and App, where DB is in the $150 range...
Coming from the 7.3 forum, I've had AutoEnginuity (AE) for about 8 years now. I've also been pushed into securing some other make-specific software for Volvo and Toyota. Consequently, as I begin considering making the jump from a 7.3 to a 6.0, I'm not thrilled to have already seen very few references to anyone using AE.
So... what are you guys using for a scanner, and do any of you have successful and positive experience with the AE platform on the 6.0's? I only ask because I don't assume that the AE platform is equally beneficial with the 6.0's as it had been for me with my 7.3 (although, intuitively, I find it sort of hard to see how it would NOT be equally useful for me).
What part bham you in,im in cullman, i got forscan on a laptop,run edge cts driving.
Scott, Jack, and Rich... great input. Thanks for those details and perspectives. As I continue moving forward in my considerations, those details will be very helpful.
I've not activated TP yet because I'm only driving about 4 miles each way to work and back every day, and a job change has thus far eliminated the 2-3x per week 220 mile drives to regional customer locations... I'm just not on the road enough to monitor much during my daily drives, and my truck has been so dang reliable and runs so well that my current scanner needs are restricted to very occasional minor troubleshooting or "check-in" efforts. I expect, though, that I'm going to need something better than that when I make the jump to a 6.0, and that's the reason for my asking. Granted, the options may well be different by the time I make the jump, as technology continues to change so stinking fast with OBD2 options and an ever-increasing number of apps.
Mark, I'm on the south side of B'ham in the Hoover area. We've been considering our options for downsizing recently, but I think we've just decided that we will probably stay put for another 2-3 years before moving to a smaller place. Right now, I'm inclined to be watching the southern side of Irondale (south of 459, and closer to Lake Purdy, but we are NOT "lakers" and will NOT pursue excessively expensive waterfront property).
