Can anyone give me suggestions on brands or types of code readers I should consider for a 2004 6.0L Power Stroke Diesel? Do I need a code reader that reads CAN as well as ODBII? Does anyone have any experience with AutoEnginuity's Scan Tool? Looks like $400 for the enhanced Ford and CAN capabilities. Thanks.

 

Your best bet would be to buy an SCMT 1704 from Motorhaven. You'll get up to 150 HP of good, professional tuning and it has the capability to read the CAN-Bus codes for the 6.0L

Click here
http://www.motorhaven.com/home.php?cat=218

 

Or the predator from motorhaven - either one gives you a BIG grin and can read codes

 

Do they come with books to decipher all of the codes? How do you know EXACTLY what each code is for? Just curious, thanks.

 

Matt... no... but there is a short desc with each one displayed...

and SOMEWHERE on this internet there's a code defintion file...

I put it somewhere around here let me look...

 

Thanks John, I was just wondering, you know, for the whole purpose of justifying another purchase.....

 

To WHOM ? !

come for a ride and THAT will justify it

 

Yeah, I know... the list goes- gauges, exhaust, tuner. I'm still working on the first, so have plenty of research time for the rest.

 

Probably get slapped on the back of the hand for this....
but I did exhaust - tooner - and not-to-worry driving for about 44K miles with no issues thus far...

MY simple minds logic...
Why measure how much of a problem you got,
when you can eliminate it before it happens
Nary a worry about egt's with a full turbo back exhaust since I don't do any pullin !
and the longest I'm on it full throttle is about 9 seconds at the 1/8th mile twice so far....
never have found that road where they will let me stay on it long enough to hurt it... and after 15 seconds I'm going WAY too fast

coarse I are not to smart der - so please forgive me

but I did take the input of a lot of experience here over the last few years and knew that I would not be exceeding any limits in MY situation....

but to each his own - u know the saying...
don't worry - be happy

sorry - long night - er weekend...
conversion for vp level app and ti's kept me staring at the puter screen.....

 

waddyou sipping there JD?

 

Obvious huh

LONG work hours, little sleep, and success over a MAJOR show-stopper makes the cork come off the wine bottle

now, I'm payin for it

 

I have an Autoxray ez-scan 6000. I paid about $600.00 for it. It covers more info than the predator such as monitor status and such.You can down load up grades for it also. Go to there web site at www.autoxray.com. For the money its not bad.

 

apologies - rookie question...
what's "monitor status" ?

I don't got no monitor on my truck !

but the predator does have live data logging and downloads to a pc and free analysis software if that's what it is

never used it - but it's there

apologies, I just got the tooner to satisfy my "inner child" other things are "laniappe"

 

I also have the EZ-Scan 6000 which was purchased several months before I bought my first Ford. I do not believe it is a good tool for the 6.0 because it was worthless last year when I had the bad EBP sensor since it does not display same. It indicates EGR Command and EGR error (flow); however, EGR Command remains at zero (no data). EGR flow works fine and was going to +99% when my EBP sensor was bad. The tool needs to show the EGR command value; it also needs to show the EGR position.

The tool doesn't give any info on VGT position or command; engine oil temperature; transmission temperature; injection control oil pressure; EGR throttle valve command and position...... And like the EGR command which doesn't show any data (even though it should) there are some other blank parameters.....

There are two baro sensor PIDS both displayed in inches mercury IIRC; one is high resolution; both are absolute. If you want to know boost in psi you need to subtract the BARO sensor and basically divide by two for a rough estimate. BUT, there is an issue with the data displayed at full throttle... Yesterday pulling TT at WOT and BARO goes up to +79 then +8; as if there is a "roll-over" issue from the tens to the hundreds....

It does display ECT; engine coolant temperture; both IAT, intake air temperature (one from MAF and another in manifold); MAF, mass air flow; fuel level; BARO; which of the six gears the torqueshift is in; engine load; how many succesful OBDII drive tests have completed and current state (BTW they don't pass with EGR disconnected); how many miles since the last reset of codes; {thats all I can recall from memory and I probably got the OBDII syntax wrong}
Don't get me wrong; I've used my 6000 to save some co-workers money finding their problems and clearing codes. It is a decent scan tool but there are too many manufacture specific parameters that they don't cover and based on the response I have gotten from AutoXray I'm not holding my breath for any sort of improvement. I just ordered the EZ-CHARGE-200 (Battery conductance testing - Midtronics) accessory last week for my EZ-SCAN 6000; so I'm not planning to get rid of the tool. It is a good tool for the pre OBDII days of Ford, GM, & Chrysler too if you have the cables! I just don't recommend it for the 6.0.

I should recieve my AutoEnginuity software Monday; I think it will suit what I want. You do need a laptop, pocket PC, or PDA though. AutoEnginuity started in 2000 IIRC and I don't believe they have become as 'big' as AutoXray and therefore at this point the little guy's suggestions and needs will still count.

BTW, Ford now has software for a Pocket PC that does everything a $2500 NGS tool costs; I don't know the cost of the software though.

There are lots of OBDII scan tools out there, the biggest difference is what manufacture specific data they cover. Another difference is most consumer afFordable tools or software do not support commands to the PCM such as cylinder balance tests, etc.

Bob

 

Monitor mode puts you into the 'capture' mode on the tool. Typically most scan tools have a way to push a button when a driveability problem occurs and then one can look at sensors, etc prior to the event and following the event. The EZ-SCAN 6000 when put into monitor/capture will capture 14 scans of all the data or only what you have customized, you can also adjust the interval between these scans from 500ms - 5000ms (1/2 sec to 5 seconds). Mine is 1000 ms or 1 second; therefore I get 14 seconds prior to trigger and 14 seconds following trigger. Once it has collected the initial 14 scans it works like a FIFO or sliding window until you push the capture button when your problem starts.... it then saves the 14 scans prior to you pushing the button, the scan when you push the button, and then the next 14 scans; or a total of 29 scans of data.

You can transfer the data to a PC for viewing or trending; or, you can view the data with the scan tool.

The scan tool allows you to look at 4 items at a time on the 8 line backlited LCD screen.

The tool will display "Freeze Frame" data if the PCM supports same; not supported on the 04 6.0 PSD though. The PCM basically collects a snapshot of all the sensor data at the time of any DTC, diagnostic trouble code. The scan tool allows you to view this data.

EZ-Scan 6000 data
Readiness Monitors Complete Yes or No
Load Value %
Coolant Temp degrees F
MAP Sensor in.hg
Engine RPM
Vehicle Speed
Intake Air Temp degrees F
Air Flow Rate lb/min
OBD II Required OBD & OBD II
Power Take Off active or not active
Time Since Engine Start how long it has been running
Distance since MIL active miles
Commanded EGR % but this doesn't work!
EGR Error % flow
Fuel Level 20.7% I'll be filling tomorrow!
Warmups since codes cleared 255 this is a count
Distance since codes cleared 6613 miles
Barometric Pressure 28.6 "Hg
A/C Requested or Not
Brake Depressed Yes or No
Four Wheel Low Requested or Not
Park Neutral Detected or Not
Trans Control Switch On or Off
Power Steering Load Mine is always "off"
A/C Pressure Sensor Low or High
Field Octane Not requested
Canister Purge Not requested
Low Speed Fan On or Off
High Speed Fan On or Off
Malfunction Light On or Off
ODBII trip Completed Yes or No for current startup
A/C Clutch Engaged or Not
Trans Control Light On or Off
Secondary Air Pump On or Off
Coast Clutch Solenoid On of Off
Baro Pressure 28.85 "hg (yep two of them)
Engine Speed 652 RPM
MAF Sensor 1.43 volts (note flow earlier)
Num Completed OBD Trips 236
Num Comp OBDII Drive Cycles 768
Continuous DTC Counter 0 see note below
Intake Air Temp degrees F
Throttle Pos Mode Open or Closed

Above parameters are from "engine" PIDS; there are a few others when "transmission" is selected.

I have had the Continuous DTC Counter at values above zero when my EGR was unplugged; however, the tool would not display any trouble codes. Doing a code reset would reset the counter to zero.

You can configure which parameters you want to see, which is good for clearing the ones that have nothing to do with the diesel engine and also handy since you can only see any four at a time on the LCD screen. I've had it so I could see just: Engine coolant; MAP; EGR error; IAT; otherwise you are stuck with looking at only four in the same order as I listed all of the above.... so if I wanted coolant I would get:
Readiness Monitors Complete
Load Value
Coolant Temp
MAP Sensor



Bob