ECM Code Reader

It would help someone that knows if you posted what is under the hood.

 

Yep, the adapter is only half of the equation. The software will usually cost more and be a recurring expense.

 

See, this is also part of the problem. People seem to think sometimes that trucks are like cars and all you need is a truck version of a regular obd code reader. While they will retrieve codes sometimes, many times they are not correct or in error because all those different manufactures do not use a standard software language so that one code reader can scan different systems.

 

They have to adhere closely to the J1939 standard for the generic adapters to work. Luckily there is at least one engine manufacturer that does and the generic ones work fine.

 

If you're talking about a generic fault reader, they are not going to tell you much more than the flash codes that you can get off your trucks. Just keep a copy of the engine fault codes in the glove box and save the money.

 

Yup. On my Mack, when the lightning bolt lights up, flip the cruise control switch "off" and hit the "resume"...then count how many times the lightning bolt flashes. It'll blink, pause, then blink some more. Then you look up what that code means. For example, *blink blink pause blink* would translate to code 2-1...which according to the table for my truck would be for the engine coolant temp sensor. No need for a fancy scanner tool. The process might vary a little in how to pull the code from one manufacturer to the next, and the various codes may have different meanings, but every truck ought to be able to pull the codes in some way, and you ought to be able to find (or ask your dealer) what they mean.

 

Volvo and Mack's 24 hot hotline will tell you the code cause and give you generalized overview of the fault list and derate possibility. Usually it's 2-3 issues and they're pretty vague but a good starting point to begin trouble shooting.


"Oh yeah that's a low/high voltage code for exauhst gas temperature."

Which can mean one of three sensors all of which are on the dpf for god knows why I guess because the place the 7'th injector is wasn't good enough for a real pyro and not a tech at three shops can say with diagnostics or without which one it is so they'll just toss 3 new sensors into the god ###### thing and charge you two hours of labor for the same thing you could've done with a basic tool set an a general clue about how to turn a wrench (or hit a vice grip with a sledge on the case of exauhst temp sesnsors because I'll be god ###### if I pay someone to do it.)


So far as I can tell the only difference between you being able to diagnose a modern trucks maladies with the onboard screen, spn&fmi vs the laptop software is real time data on sensors jumping temps or pressures. And while that's handy an all, a little bit of home brew know how and common sense with some hand tools will save you loads on the long train.

 

A Scangauge will give both J1708 and J1939 codes. Just the numbers. You still have to look up what the codes mean. 9 pin only though,