Hand held scanner that reads live data?

[letitsnow]

I don't want to rely on my phone, so lets take all of those options out of the answer.

I also don't want to find an old snap on....

Is there a decent, new hand held scanner that will show me live data?

I see a bunch of them on ebay, but I don't know enough about this to make the decision. I am looking at something like this Bosch 1200 https://www.ebay.com/itm/BOSCH-1200...125210&hash=item4b7f4fd68d:g:B1AAAOSwReVfKr1v

 

[df2x4]

I have no idea about multi-make stuff, but if your primary concern is GM then you can get a Chinese Tech 2 clone for around $2-300.

 

[stutaeng]

I've got a Innova 5610 from AAP. Retail is kinda of expensive, but bought with a discount & coupon. It has live data, and you can perform injector balance tests, which is a must for the 4.3/5.0/5.7/7.4 Vortec, especially the spider type for diagnosing lean conditions. I spent like an entire Summer on my K3500 5.7 looking and testing all sensors with a DVOM. Even bought all 4 O2 sensors chasing a lean code on bank 2.

Finally got that scanner and with basic knowledge (from YT videos on fuel trims) I was 100% my #6 injector was stuck closed. Test took like 15 minutes! New spider assembly and problem solved. I could have spent $100s more doing the typical parts cannon approach.

It's not a full blown pro-grade full featured scanner (those are thousands!), but has paid for itself in my case doing basic stuff.

The Tech 2 does seem appealing...

 

[Supercharged111]

Looks fancier than my old HF unit. Are you wanting to see individual PIDs in real time? The one you linked should do that and more.

 

[letitsnow]

Looks fancier than my old HF unit. Are you wanting to see individual PIDs in real time? The one you linked should do that and more.

I want to be able to see what is happening while the motor is running, and learn about what that info means as I go.

I am so far behind guys like yourself with this kind of info, and I would like to learn more.

 

[letitsnow]

I've got a Innova 5610 from AAP. Retail is kinda of expensive, but bought with a discount & coupon. It has live data, and you can perform injector balance tests, which is a must for the 4.3/5.0/5.7/7.4 Vortec, especially the spider type for diagnosing lean conditions. I spent like an entire Summer on my K3500 5.7 looking and testing all sensors with a DVOM. Even bought all 4 O2 sensors chasing a lean code on bank 2.

Finally got that scanner and with basic knowledge (from YT videos on fuel trims) I was 100% my #6 injector was stuck closed. Test took like 15 minutes! New spider assembly and problem solved. I could have spent $100s more doing the typical parts cannon approach.

It's not a full blown pro-grade full featured scanner (those are thousands!), but has paid for itself in my case doing basic stuff.

The Tech 2 does seem appealing...

Right now I have a 5.7 vortec in one truck, a 4.3 vortec in another, and I plan to build a new 383 vortec next. Being able to see what the injectors are doing would be handy!

 

[df2x4]

The Tech 2 does seem appealing...

One big advantage of the Tech 2 is that it's what all the factory GM service manuals are based on. If there's a diagnostic/maintenance procedure in the manual, you can do it with a Tech 2.

The biggest downside is you're restricted to 1991-2013 GM vehicles.

 

[stutaeng]

One big advantage of the Tech 2 is that it's what all the factory GM service manuals are based on. If there's a diagnostic/maintenance procedure in the manual, you can do it with a Tech 2.

The biggest downside is you're restricted to 1991-2013 GM vehicles.

Really? That's a wide range of years!

I'm having a problem on connecting my scanner to my project Silverado truck. Something about the Class 2 Data splice. I was watching a video on diagnosing the problem and the tech was using a Tech 2.

On those trucks the ABS, airbags and a host of other things are connected together, I think so they can communicate with one another...I think it's because of a failed EBCM, but for the time being I was able to back probe the ECU and jump it to the OBD port to get it to work.

But it's good to know there are options for troubleshooting these trucks.




...

 

[AuroraGirl]

Really? That's a wide range of years!

I'm having a problem on connecting my scanner to my project Silverado truck. Something about the Class 2 Data splice. I was watching a video on diagnosing the problem and the tech was using a Tech 2.

On those trucks the ABS, airbags and a host of other things are connected together, I think so they can communicate with one another...I think it's because of a failed EBCM, but for the time being I was able to back probe the ECU and jump it to the OBD port to get it to work.

But it's good to know there are options for troubleshooting these trucks.




...

class 2 data bus was not in use wide spread on gm trucks until 2003 unless you are saying youre truck is newer.

class 2 in gmt 400... would be limited to the ECM communicating to other modules.. my dads 96 doesnt have much for options, so he has 3 modules iirc. They MAY be class 2 but I would be doubtful, I can check my tech 2 on it. Its probably just UART.
My 1999 park avenue is class 2 in most of its wiring, with some hardwired connections to modules or functions that were either class 2 by 2000 or they were kept off the class 2 line for a reason.

UART would be most gmt 400 if not all

a failed computer shouldnt be your class 2 problem since class 2 is comoing from the ECM. i would suspect damaged wiring or maybe a bad pin or at worst a faulty output from the ECM but not an ECM error. if you can probe that wire it means class 2 data bus is working. you should get a tech 2 and see whats reporting as "on" on the class 2 network

 

[sntrym]

I have the Bosch 1300 that can do all OBD1 and 2 vehicles. You can see live data, pick the data you want to see, record, and much more. It's great for just seeing what's going on. It can clear codes too

If you're looking to tune, I'd suggest a laptop, TunerProRT, and an OBD1 or 2 cable. TunerPro has a nice dashboard if you want to see live data.