I know absolutely nothing about code readers. I just bought a 1991 Corvette, which is OBDI and have a 2000 BMW which should be OBDII. Would it be worthwhile to buy a code reader and if so, is the Autoxray 2000 a good one. It reads both OBDI and OBDII. They are available new on Ebay for about $ 70.00 with shipping. Alternate suggestions? Thank you.

 

I bought the auto x ray 5000 and I like it. It does obd 1 and 2.

 

paperclip

 

paper clip or the $25 ones they sell in stores

 

First question: Code reader or scanner? Code reader,a paperclip will do fine to pull SES fault codes. Scanner is a quantum step up.

 

For an OBDI car it's hard to beat the old Snap On red brick # MT2500 as they are a dinosaur by todays standards but perfect for an OBDI car. You can buy them for a couple hundred bucks now. When our cars were new the MT2500 was as good as it got other than a TECH I or TECH II and were a couple grand.

 

 

Your question about reader or scanner made me think, which I seldom do. I realized what I would want would be a scanner, as it could give much more information than a code reader. Thank you. After looking I think I will go with another suggestion on here and get an Autoxray 5000 or 6000 scanner. Or should I be looking at others?

 

Autoxray 5000
You can sometimes pick one up on sale between $150-$200.
It does both OBDI & II and comes with different adapters. There is an adapter that works for my '01 325i & '06 x3. Check ebay, and Levine Auto online, etc.
If you change your own oil in the Bimmers you can also find an oil change/service interval tool that clears the reminders for around $30 and plugs right in the same place.

 

I picked up a Snap-On scanner off of ebay. I can check sensors. Works great.

But a paperclip works fine for pulling codes.

 

I am new to all this myself, so how does a paperclip work? Where do you check it?

 

sometimes the best solution is the cheapest. In this case for OBD1 it is.

I paperclip it.

 

Here is a post where someone talks about it in depth

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...-real-bad.html

 

If you want a code reader to read both cars go for it.

 

Well, today I bought an Autoxray 6000 on Ebay. Now, if it works OK all I have to do is learn how to use it and then learn to interpret the data it gives me.

 

Congrats, I think you'll like it
I still got to get some of that Kroil you told me about-searched for it in stores but I guess I got to order online.

 

Tell me how it works out for you. I am going to try this setup.

http://www.obd2allinone.com/sc/details.asp?item=12combo

I have 1994 Corvette and 2003 Tahoe and Silverado. I really didn't need the 12 pin cable but with the combo, it was almost free.

I will post how it works out when I get a chance to use it.

 

I ended up sending it back. Using free software is, well, you get what you pay for. By the time I buy software and the cables, etc., it would be comparable to getting a hand held unit. Plus having a computer in the front seat is very cumbersome.

 

One (of many) advantages of a scanner over code readers/paper clips is it can sit on the seat beside you and data log the sensors in real time, dynamically (even as you drive). But, unless you have their PC software and can download the registers, I believe you are relegated to stepping thru the data registers to collect and map (I used Excel) the data to make graphs. Buy the software!

I bought mine b/c of an intermittent problem that simple code reading was not shedding light upon. In data monitoring mode the AutoXray monitors, and when you punch the "enter" button, it saves the previous 10 or so register data and continues to log the next 10 or so for comparision.

It turned out to be an O2 that would sometimes (short out?) go to zero volts at around 3000+ rpm. The data showed the voltage drop to zero on the right O2, and the injector pulse width suddenly going to more than double that of the left side, even at WOT. (That explained the black smoke from the left side exhaust (true dual exhaust on the LTx cars))

It was my first experience with a scanner, and don't you know I felt good to be able to fix it when the shop had the car for a week and said, "No problem found". (Later I had two more O2s go "bad", but that was b/c I had sealed the wires entering the O2 sensor with silicone RTV to keep oil/water, etc out. Later I learned that O2s have to be able to "breath" to "do their thing". )

Since then I traded for the ZR-1 and the scanner instantly located a couple minor problems shortly after I got the car: Mice chewed the plug wires under the plenum, and a loose MAT sensor plug. The scanner said, "MAT sensor" when the dreaded "SES" came on, but it would be difficult for it to determine "mice under plenum". But, maybe your 6000 is more sophisticated?

Good luck!

P

 

Sounds like a good endorsement. Which scanner and software do you have that you would recommend?