Scan tool musings

[Gumby]

I drove around with my new scan tool hooked up yesterday and found out a few things.
The OTC Genysis is pretty cool. Large color screen with room for a bunch of lines of digital data, or two analog guages, or a few lines of graphing, or a combination of the three. The graphing is very helpful as you can watch the relationship between a number of lines of data as you drive. It's supposed to communicate with my laptop wirelessly so I can capture large amounts of drive time, see lots more data at once, or project it on my LCD projector, but I haven't tried any of that yet.
I set it to watch ignition advance and engine speed. I have my base timing set to 12* and I have always wondered if I have a spark knock that I could not hear. The graph shows a very predicable relationship between ignition advance and engine RPM and load. No knock sensor retardation. I do not have a knock sensor line of data on my 95, so I couldn't just watch that.
The truck seems to think it's running about 185* most of the time. There seems to be very little guage needle movement between 170* and 200*. It's all right on the middle of the guage. I wonder if this is to keep the driver placated.
The EGR does not work at all. The EGR temp sensor is reasonably close to engine temp. When I activate the EGR through the scan tool, it does nothing. No change in EGR temp and no change to engine RPM. I know it works when applied direct vacuum, so my VSV is probably the culprit.
My second O2 seems to be happy with one cat as well. We'll see how that goes.
I dig new toys.

 

[RavenTai]

COOL!!!

a lot of laptop based software can graph and log data what sounds very interesting is that you can actually tun things on and off that is lacking in all but factory hand helds, does this one do all factory scan tool functions?

how much $?

 

[Gumby]

I don't think it will be nearly as enabled as the factory tools. those things will network with all of the modules and roll up the windows, turn on lights, all kinds of things. This one will fire the injectors and the coils and a few other things I have discovered. Mine was about $2000 with the educational discount. About half of what Snap on wanted to upgrade my current MT-2500 to 2002, and then Snap-on was barely supporting the MT2500, because they have their new Modus just out.

 

[StressPuppy]

$2000!??!?! That's a REAL toy!!!!

Does sound cool. But I think I will have to stop reading this thread because I will want one and my wife will make me sleep in the truck!! (I am ALWAYS looking for reasons to by new toys, uh uh, tools......)

Keep us posted on what other things you can determine with it.

Just out of curiosity, what does one of the factory ones cost? Or do I really want to know?

 

[RavenTai]

Gumby, Ouch that is some serious cash, If you can fire the injectors you can flow test them right in the truck with a fuel pressure gage by tuning on the fuel pump then turn it off fire the injector for a set amount of time, observe pressure drop repeat for each injector the difference in pressure after each run is the difference in flow

SP the GM tech II was around 3K used if you could find one, I have no idea what the Toyota/Lexus would be

 

[alia176]

Dude,

Will that thing work on Subarus? Trying to locate the source of a OBD-II code on my wife's for about three months. I don't have many hair left!

 

[turbocruiser]

[quote author=alia176 link=board=2;threadid=17710;start=msg171620#msg171620 date=1086747571]
Dude,

Will that thing work on Subarus? Trying to locate the source of a OBD-II code on my wife's for about three months. I don't have many hair left!
[/quote]

Dude, as much as we would all love this tool that G has, 2000 bucks breaks budget for me and for most of us!!! I recently got a good scan tool for 99 dollars at autozone. It will read codes and it will clear codes. The first time you use it, it pays for itself. Hey G, you wanna rent that thing out by the week? I prolly could pump another 15 horses out with that trick tool of yours? How's fifty per week sound? You'd pay for it in no time!!!

 

[Chuck_FJ60]

I bought a scan & clear code reader (called CReader) on eBay for $ 50 shipped. Works like a charm.

 

[Gumby]

I'm just really glad I don't wrench for a living anymore. My first couple of scan tools I had to pay for myself. This one was bought with Perkins grant money. $2K is nothing. A Snap On Modus is more like $8K and some of the factory ones are in the $30K range. If it was my money, I would think about a win-ALDL-type of laptop or PDA based reader. I got the Genisys because it is much more like what the kids will use in the field.
Ali- It'll do Subaru if is it is OBD-II. the kit with the software and cables for pre-96 Asians is $900. I was pretty bummed when I found that out.
Turbo-You're welcome to use it at the shop. You just have to come to the Windy to use it. The next update is supposed to flash PROMs as well.

 

[Junk]

$2k?

How many sets of lips and what color wigs? :whoops:

Seriously though, as you mention, that's a great deal for what it can do and compared to the other options.

I feel bad for the lil kids though, since they gotta deal with BBG (big bad gumby) in order to use it Said in jest of course, well, halfways

 

[StressPuppy]

[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=17710;start=msg171647#msg171647 date=1086750059]How many sets of lips and what color wigs? :whoops:
[/quote]

You is a very bad boy..................

 

[alia176]

Gumby,

I'll try to pop by one of these saturdays! Thanks.