What is everyone using for an OBD1 scanner?

 

Snap-on MT2500 with appropriate cartridge(s) and GM Tech 1 are among the best I've seen for OBD1 cars. There are adapters for '94s and '95s that use an OBD2 connector, but OBD1 signaling. The Snap-Ons are fairly prevalent on eBay, but Tech 1s pop up from time to time.

Mike

 

TunerPro RT.

basically for the cost of the ALDL-USB cable.

 

OTC Enhanced Monitor. Mostly because the MT2500's are overpriced.

 

Are any tuners capable of doing more than the $40 GM scanner that gives code #'s on the dash

 

Autoxray, hell of alot cheaper then Snap-on MT2500

 

paper clip

 

😆 how well does your paper clip datalog

 

Haha... I use the paperclip too... but it depends on the car. The OBD1 cars I have usually have a really big support base, and there's usually a custom datalogging system for each of them.

The Tech-2 with the right adaptor can also data log from OBD1, and you can still use it for newer cars as well that are OBD2 (which is really what it was designed for).

 

Most of the decent old school scanners would data log, pretty primitive compared to anyone from the cheap laptop generation but it's there.
We usually just had someone ride along and watch the readouts

 

Possibly the best one to get is the Tech 2: https://www.ebay.com/itm/357254260608 ($413). The Tech 2 has an adaptor for OBD1, and does everything the Tech 1 does, and everything any other scanner has. The Tech-2 is the official scanner that GM dealerships used to buy for their service techs to diagnose issues. It comes with a device called the CANDI module that has a series of relays that switch the pins to diagnose different things. This works even for OBD1 because some of the later cars, you had to switch a pin to read ABS sensor data. Anyway, the Tech 2 is like the holy grail of these, and that's what I'd recommend. You can program your own VATS style key fobs, recalibrate ABS seat sensors, reconfigure TPMS sensors, you name it.

Best part of all... it'll has full support for any GM vehicle you buy that uses OBD2 as well, and still provides advanced OBD2 support for all other cars as well. But yeah, it will work with OBD1, and you can run a real-time diagnostic capture as well. Though... you'll need a computer with a serial port to pull that data off. But you can also just have someone in the passenger seat look at it while you're driving.

NOTE: The auction says "best suitable for GM 1997-2013." That's simply because that's why most people buy these... because GM did a lot of weird crap back then and it needed a really advanced and complicated system. But it has the adaptors for the OBD1 port also... and will already know how to handle all that data.

But if I'm being honest, I use the paper clip too 99% of the time.

 

hmm

 

title says OBD1 scanner
read code

 

? Where