i'd like to pick up an inexpensive scanner for my truck (03 ford) and had my eye on this guy: http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16364 i'd like to have the model-specific codes built in instead of having to look shit up. check engine light finally came on solid and i'd love to get to the bottom of my weird-ass running problem. advice? - jim
If you have a smart phone This http://www.brainydeal.com/Software-...urce=froogle&gclid=CL3Gx7GwtbICFQgGnQodxzYAcw And this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en
I picked up a decent one on Scamazon.com for ~$120. Sure you can get a smart phone one but most people go through smart phones every few years. My ~$120 scanner will last virtually forever... or until I spill beer on it while working on the car
Careful what bluetooth adaptor you get as most of the really cheap ones will not communicate with ford ecu's...
Scan Gauge II, Kesler told me about it first. I use it on a few different vehicles and it also calculates fuel mileage.
cheap scanner + google to look up what the codes mean = win BTW- what kinda wierd runing problem is it having?
weird running problem: intermittent (i.e. - not cyclical/rhythmic) shuddering between ~2200-3000 rpm. feels like it's missing and i'm 99.9% sure it's electrical (i.e. - not a slipping clutch, etc.). below 2200 no problem, above 3k no problem. problem is worse if truck is full of stuff (like race bike and gear) and generally shows up if i'm climbing a hill. i can be cruising at 70mph and hit a slight incline and the truck will start bucking. if i let off the gas and just kinda maintain my speed or slow slightly it will abate. if i floor it not only does the truck not accelerate but it will continue to buck. dropping to 4th will get the vehicle over 3k and i can accelerate and the problem goes away. i've basically been driving "around the problem" since it's somewhat isolated. word on the street is that these coil packs are notoriously bad. new plugs and wires (motorcraft) installed to no avail. never done the fuel filter. 110k miles 2.3L 5 speed manual 03 ranger
Clean the hotwire in the maf just for fun...and then call an IATF member shop and ask them to check for pattern failures with those symptoms (if he has not already told you what is wrong)..
I <heart> my Scangauge. On vehicles equipped with the sensor you can program it to show your transmission temp, just the ticket on the Safari van. My suburban is too old, no sensor.
If you just want to pull codes and be able to clear them, get this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LHVOVK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00 I have one and it works just fine. It just gives the code number. You have to look it up in the included book or on the web.
