code reader?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6,335
Likes: 6
From: Midwest
code reader?
I guess the time has come i should break down and buy a code reader,since the only vehicle i drive with a carb any more is my truck. the question is,what is a good brand for a good price to get? is it possible to get one that can read ob1 and ob2 codes on a variety of different vehicles or are they vehicle/brand specific? I would like to keep the price below $200,well below if possible,but i know that probably isn't possible. thanks,Ben
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,388
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From: Saratoga, NY
some OBD 1 cars will flash the codes with the engine light, mopars do this by turnung the ignition on and off 3 times, GM you use a paper clip th short the DLC pins 1 & 2 to do the same thing (I think) don't know about Ford since the only one I own has a carb. As far as a OBD 2, if all you want to do is read code numbers Harbor Freight sells a cheap one for about $40, the more you spend the more info you can get from the car your working on. By the way the cheaper ones will only read the generic OBD codes, anything manufacturer specific may not show up and if they do you probably won't have a clue what they pertain to.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,653
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From: in the adirondack mts
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
I bought the EZ-2000 from Northern Tools for $190. It reads pretty much everything except early Jeep <1989 and < 1995 overseas cars. Early GM and Ford and OBDII work well with it. There are some features missing that the upgraded models have, but, all in all, it was worth the money. Real time data collection from sensors (o2) would be nice for the newer cars.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 339
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From: north central Indiana
I have one of those $40 Harbor Freight code readers for OBDII and it does perform pretty much as advertised. It reads and clears codes, and that's it. I've used it on my '95 Mustang and it correctly gave a code indicating a problem with the camshaft position sensor. For me, it was worth the $40. A full-blown scanner would do alot more but for a bunch more money.
