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What kind of code readers do you guys have? What are the pros and cons? I am looking at a mechanic doctor on ebay, it seems to do everything I need. Read/erase codes also has live data and freeze frame. Do any of you guys have one of these and do you like it. It will be used on a 2000 expedition and a 2000 chrysler. Thanks alot, Mike
I have no experiance with the mechanic doctor brand. I have an auto-xray 6000 that works very well and is easy and fast to work with. For more involved diagnostics on fords I picked up a NGS Hickock scanner used off of ebay this one will tell you everything you ever wanted to know if you have the correct software cards, but it more cumbersome to use.
Well, technically, the vehicle's computer (PCM) takes the snapshot of various sensors when the PCM stores the first code and saves this snapshot. Some scan tools can display this snapshot.
If your scan tool instructs the PCM to turn the CEL off, the PCM also will clear any stored codes and this snapshot (aka freeze frame) data.
I have an auto-xray 6000 that works very well and is easy and fast to work with.
Ditto, I use the same one. I like the PC software that come with it too. You can connect the scanner to your computer and view graphs of the sensor readings taken at selected intervals under various driving conditions.