I have a 92 Corvette. I wish to know what is the best diagnostic scanner, programmer, and program to buy. What is the best or favorite in each category for? I wish to edit my chip. I want to turn the cooling fans on earlier and replace the thermostat with a 160 to 180. I also would like to add an oil cooler. I believe if I do these things I can use regular motor oil.

 

For your car there are several scan tools that can be had. A lot of it depends on your budget. So starting with the most expensive and working down the list:

GM/Vetronix TECH2 datalogging Scan tool and downloads to a PC. This is the GM dealer prefered Scan tool. About $3500 to the public

GM/Vetronix TECH1A nearly as good as a TECH2 but its discontinued but is still supported by Vetronix. About $300 if you can find them on Ebay or others, just be sure that it contains the GM Mass storage unit.
http://www.vetronix.com

Diacom Plus: A great scan tool develpped by Rinda Technologies. It is PC based but it doesn't like Pentium class PC's and at about $500 its not worth it unless you can find a good 486 or slower PC to run it on. It works very well, and does datalogging as well.
http://www.rinda.com

EASE Diagnostics: For about $350 for the home version this is a very good scan tool that is PC based. It to does datlogging and will do so until you fill your hard drive. Don't let the sales guy convince you that its GM approved or is used by GM dealers, that is their claim that I have yet to substantiate. GM requires all their dealers to use and have on hand the GM TECH2 which is soon to be replaced by a GM TECH3 in the second quarter of 2004.

DataMaster by TTS Powersystems: About $95 and requires a interface cable from AKM Cables for another $95. You can download this tool and use it free for 20 datalogging sessions. After that you have to pay for it. It does a very good job of datalogging and is very user friendly. You can check it out here:

http://www.ttspowersystems.com

http://www.akmcables.com

There are several "free" scan tools available for downloads on the internet. These are rather generic but they do work OK. One of them is called "free scan" Here are a couple websites where you can find the freebies:
http://www.andywhittaker.com/ecu/ecu_software.htm

http://www.moates.net

For tuning software I use Tuner Cat. It works with a myriad of GM ECMs. First you have to download the program and also you have to purchase the correct ECM definition file for your car, which in your case this is an $8D defintiion. Cost is about $69 for the tuner software and $19 for the ECM definition file. TunerCat also offers a program called RT Tuner which allows you to tune in real time via a prom emulator. You can find them at:
http://www.tunercat.com

For chip burning hardware I use a Transtronics Pocket Programmer 2. Its reasonbly priced and does everything one needs to program GM and many other makers Proms. The prom emulator is also made by the same people, they call it the Pocket Romulator. I'm not to big on weird names but thats what they call these things. You can find them at:
http://www.xtronics.xom

One other bit of information. Be sure to get a PC that has working serial ports for a connection to the ECM. A lot of laptops these days are being produced without the old standby 9 pin serial port. Using a PCMCIA card serial port adapter or a USB adapter is not a reliable means to communicate with your ECM with a scan tool. There has been a lot of problems out there in doing so without a 9 pin serial port. Most of these problems has been associated with the use of PCM flash programming tools such as LT1 Edit and LS1 Edit. And of course TunerCat when using it to program a 94/95 LT1 based PCM.




[Modified by tjwong, 9:23 PM 12/15/2003]

 

Thanks for all the info. I find this very helpfull. By the way, I want to know your opinion about using regular motor oil instead of synthetic. I have listened to people in my club talk about synthetic oil leaks around the intake area, front seal, and rear seal. Some of them talk about switching to regular oil. What do you think?

 

Hey Tom, you shoud post that in the tuner section. I found it to be fairly informative. I do think that the tuner cat def. file for a 92 is the DA2. The $8D I believe is for the 91's. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Bad92, I use Diacom, tunercat and a pocket programmer 2. I also use an electronically eraseable prom. This way you don't need a UV eraser. The chip is an AT29C256. They cost somewhere around $5.00. These items seem to do a pretty good job of getting me in trouble. Hope this helps.

 

Opps you're right. 92 LT1 Y body definitions are $DA2 while a 92 F Body is a $8D. My eyes aren't what they were a couple years ago, damn it's tough getting old!

 

Tom is a great source of knowleadge! He helped me out greatly when I was trying to get started EEPROM Burning..

Anyways, I went with the following combo (and recommendation by tom-tjwong)..

- Datamaster for logging data
- AKM Cable
- Tuner from TunerCat (TunerRT seems overkill for my use since i can flash eproms all day logs)
- Pocket Programmer II
- Motes Adapter (to piggy back the chip)
- Atmel 29c256 chips

and enjoy hot rodding once again.. its cool.. instead of spinning the distrubuter, turning in some fuel screws..etc..etc.. you point and click.. all while the ECM gives you feedback on what your changes are doing..


I first thought computers would be the end of hotrodding.. I WAS WRONG! They are a blessing!

 

Thanks for all the info and help. It seems like I will be asking Tom some questions if he can spare the time.

 

I bought an old Toshiba Laptop on Ebay. It has the 9 pin serial port on it as well as a CDROM to make loading software much easier. I use Datamaster, Tuner Cat and the AKM cables as well on the 93. I have only thus far set the fan temps lower and changed the TC lockup mph a smidge. Really wanted to get into it, but I guess it'll be on to LS1 edit in the future....
Oh, I use the Nedhams EMP10 and AT29C256 chips.