Cheap/easy code reader
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 560
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From: San Diego, CA
Cheap/easy code reader
What is an easy to use and cheap code reader? I don't want a programmer, just something that will read the codes and clear them. I saw this from one of the site sponsors I have dealt with: http://www.puredieselpower.com/catal...roducts_id=311
Is there somethng better or cheaper that will do the same thing?
Is there somethng better or cheaper that will do the same thing?
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 74
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I bought the same one from Harbor Freight for around $40 on sale. Does the job. Haven't had to use it on my F150 yet but I did on my old 96 Oldsmobile (which I traded in on the F150 
)
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030
)http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46030
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,653
Likes: 6
From: Cabot, Arkansas
Looks like both links are the same tool, just half the price.
That tool will do fairly well on an OBDII gas vehicle, but it won't read the diesel codes or any manufacturer codes. Basically that tool will tell you if you have a bad O2 sensor or a spark plug misfire. Yol'll be lucky if it will read any code a PSD can generate.
That tool will do fairly well on an OBDII gas vehicle, but it won't read the diesel codes or any manufacturer codes. Basically that tool will tell you if you have a bad O2 sensor or a spark plug misfire. Yol'll be lucky if it will read any code a PSD can generate.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 14,582
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From: 21791
maybe i should be more active in posting threads. i saw this exact page last night and i was thinking of posting a question, but didnt. ive been doing that alot lately, something piques my interest and the next day a thread is posted about it. 
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,524
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From: CA Bay Area
I've been looking at those cheap readers, but they are readers only and finding the code meaning might be a hassle.
On 2 occasions I needed reader in last year I went to AutoZone and they had free rental of expensive readers, that displayed full code meaning, avoiding the hassle.
If you have AutoZone, or another free rental place, why spend money on substitute, that you might (hopefully) never need?
On 2 occasions I needed reader in last year I went to AutoZone and they had free rental of expensive readers, that displayed full code meaning, avoiding the hassle.
If you have AutoZone, or another free rental place, why spend money on substitute, that you might (hopefully) never need?
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 337
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From: West cental Texas
anyone ever messed with scantools.net. they have a reader for about $140 that can do live logging on a laptop. works with several pay and free software packages. says it can handle some diesels in fords. but they all quote foreign ford models. it's just a obdII converter for the laptop, so theoretically, software is the limitation. any thoughts?
Chad
Chad
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: South Dakota
For the PSD you will need a scanner with the Ford enhanced codes. I have an Auto Xray 2000 and an Actron and they will not pull codes off my truck. The scanners with Ford enhanced codes capability are over $300. People have been happy with their Autoenginuity and a few DYI guys up here are using the AutoXray 6000 with the enhanced package and liking it.
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Arizona City
I just bought a code reader from Alex Peper at obd-2.com. I had very good luck with using it to scan my early 99 F350. I ordered the PWM-ISO combo gateway for $142 including shipping and a registration key for the software. It works with most laptop computers. The software is free to download from the website and is updated regularly. There is a sample data file to try it out. If you download the Ford enhanced files, this tool will do the KOEO and KOER tests, read the enhanced codes as well as log the data in our engines. With the ISO added to the PWM it will also get the codes from the ABS, GEM and restraint modules. The website is a little hard to use, but I didn't have any trouble figuring it out.