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Watching YouTube with a mechanic (scannerdanner) doing diagnostics on a 1989 F-150. He has some variant of the Snap-On Verus scan tool to do comprehensive check on codes. Wondering if these are any good for our OBD1 trucks. The cost is not small, but to have a mechanic do all this would be more cost and no learning. Thinking along the lines of buying a scan tool and timing light so I can get my "new" old truck running and doing so without codes.
There will come a day when these old trucks will be in demand again and will need more bubbas who know how to fix them. This is my first foray into really getting into mechanical stuff related to drivability. Wondering what other tools I'll need to acquire over time.
I use a paper clip to jumper the diagnostic plug to the STI and count the check engine light flashes.
Lincolns OnLine | Tech Tips and Articles https://share.google/L8UQv4bnm33Lv0x3b
This article is a good read. Always get the engine to operating temperature before pulling codes.
The best single thing I ever did for my truck, was to replace the vacuum lines. I used 5/32" vacuum hose.
I haven’t used or needed a Star II or New Generation Star since I left the dealership in 1996. The only thing I need to work on my Ford cars and trucks is the Innova 3145 to take the guesswork out of the codes, generic OBD-II code reader (when we had the ‘01 Taurus and ZX2), test light and a DVOM to test components and circuits. If you want to invest in a fancy scanner you should get something that can do both OBD-I and OBD-II vehicles.
When I was in Ford ASSET school (‘93-95) we had a chance to buy a New Generation Star (NGS) at a reduced price but that was still something like $2500. If you could afford the Snap-On tool it would be able to work with more than Ford vehicles.
I haven’t used or needed a Star II or New Generation Star since I left the dealership in 1996. The only thing I need to work on my Ford cars and trucks is the Innova 3145 to take the guesswork out of the codes, generic OBD-II code reader (when we had the ‘01 Taurus and ZX2), test light and a DVOM to test components and circuits. If you want to invest in a fancy scanner you should get something that can do both OBD-I and OBD-II vehicles.
I was looking at an Actron CP9690 but they seem unobtainable, complete. Is there anything similar, new, for OBD1? Most of what I'm finding is for 1996-newer/OBD2.
The simple scan tools are a start but don't provide the data I saw on an old CP9690 someone online was using to diagnose.
I don’t know what is out there since i only use a code reader. The computer can and does make adjustments which is why there can be stored codes but not have a check engine light. I have never had the need to watch live data.
I purchased the Harbor Freight Zurich ZR 15 OBD2 readers which is made by Innova.
I never mentioned that it could read OBD1 codes but the Innova ones did. So I bought the OBD1 adapter from Innova and it works just fine for reading the codes.
