Good scan tool?

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MDavis0424

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I need to pick up a scan tool, was wondering if anyone had suggestions. It looks like some of the tools come with their own PC software, others you download/buy the software separately? Some of the tools also talk about optional upgrade for Ford specific codes.
 
I need to work on my searches, 'scan tool' and 'code scanner' returned almost every post. I knew this had to be out there, but couldn't find it.


Do the $40 tools from harbor freight or walmart allow you to reset the codes as well as read them?

Here's my real question: My '04 has dropped dead on the side of the road twice in the last two weeks. Dealer said it was throttle body, but from some other comments I got it sounds like it was RF interference from a bad coil causing a bad code. It sounds like if I could have reset the code, I would have been back on the road and could have driven it to the dealer at a more convenient time?
 
Honestly I would spend the extra money on an SCT XCal2 and a custom tune for your car. The XC2 can read / clear codes and datalog your vehicle, and you will gain some horsepower, torque and fuel mileage from it.
 
I have an Omni Nova(?) that I bought 2 years ago. It works with OBDII and was fine on my chebby. But on my LS there are some Ford specific codes that do not show up at all. For example I was having a missfire with the CEL flashing. The code reader saw nothing and did not reset the code.

So if you buy one, make sure it has Ford or even Lincoln specific codes. I am afraid this probably means an expensive unit. A friend of mine, a professional mechanic, has the SUN tester and it is amazing but very expensive.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson
 
I realize he was looking for a cheaper solution, I just thought he may want to hear his options.
 
Any information is helpful. I've got 4 years and 50,000 miles left on the Lincoln premier warranty, so hopefully I'm not going to be working on it much myself. If the $40 tool will reset a code, and resetting a code let's me get off the road and into a parking lot the next time it drops dead in traffic I'll throw one in the glovebox.

Have looked at a few performance enhancers including Xcal2, but it looks like you could easily drop a couple of grand just to get 30 extra hp. Also know me, and once I get started it's real hard to stop.
 
'03 and up are CAN. I was assuming that they have the $40 tools for this as well as OBD2, but maybe this is a bad assumption?
 
MDavis0424 said:
'03 and up are CAN. I was assuming that they have the $40 tools for this as well as OBD2, but maybe this is a bad assumption?
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I'm thinking that's a bad assumption. I found one that's a $160-ish scanner, but I've never heard of the company that makes it. (Heck, I was just glad that one of the results of Googling "CAN scanner" was relevant to this thread. :D )

The CAN-capable AutoEnginuity PC ScanTool is $249. The kit including the Ford extensions (ie, Ford-specific codes) is $379. It's not cheap, but if you want to be able to diagnose the electronic monsters yourself, it's invaluable.
 
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