OBD Tester question

[John T]

So, I have had a CHEAP OBD tester for years that works for what it is, I want to upgrade BUT CAN NOT FIGURE OUT AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.......

Say I throw a MISFIRE code on my Ford V10, what testers of the thousands out there IF ANY will show on WHICH CYLINDER the misfire occurs??????????????????

Heres one of thousands on E Bay, would it show ON WHICH CYLINDER a misfire happened? If not any recommendations of one that would ??

John T
OBD Tester

 

[Steve@Advance]

I'm no expert on the subject, but I 'think' pinpointing the actual cylinder is a function of the onboard computer. The reader just reports what it is given.

There are high dollar readers that are way over my head, and probably most everyone else's unless they are seriously into tuning.

That reader should be enough for a home shop tech to find his way around. There are also ones that work through a patch cord and phone app. They are easily updated as technology changes. But I'm not sure they can clear codes, something to check before buying.

 

[Bob M]

Hey John T - greetings from western NY!

I too have/use a cheap code reader - it does what I need, when need it.

ANYWAY if yours can display DTC (trouble) codes, it will tell you which cylinder is misfiring.

Codes are: P0301 (cyl #1 misfire) thru P0312 (cyl #12 misfire). Additionally code P0300 indicates multiple random cyl misfires.

Hope this helps!!

 

[560Dennis]

P301 is misfire cylinder one all the way to -P310 is misfire cylinder ten .
P300 is rand cylinders misfire .
What I got on all the reader I ever used .

 

[JD Dave]

John,
I just recently researched scan tools and bought a higher-end one which seems to work okay. That being said, I'm not sure it will indicate which cylinder is misfiring. Seems that what information is offered from the scanner depends on the technology of what the vehicle computer feeds into it. I'm working on a 9 year old Mercedes diesel with low mileage which will not pass New Jersey inspection because of 2 not ready sensors. The manufacturer says, just drive it until the drive cycle is complete. That was three months ago and I'm still driving around with a rejected sticker!

 

[gears]

I like the 30$ ama zon bluetooth obd2 dongle that connects to my phone. The $5 Torque app is what I use for live data and the scan gives clear codes and can clear them as well.

 

[Sprint 6]

On Fords, unless they set a hard code for a particular sensor, no cheap scan tool can indicate what cylinder is misfiring. OE Ford scan tool does a slick cylinder balance test to determine weak cylinders. My $5K Snap On Modis just added the Ford power balance feature about 2 years ago on an update.

 

[moresmoke]

John, if you want to work on a Ford, I highly recommend reading up on Forscan software.

I recently went through this on my F350. Misfire was bad enough to set P0307 code which would be number 7 misfiring. Following common internet advice, I changed the COP on that cylinder. No dice. Swapped plug, boot, and coil to number 6. No change.

At this point, I remembered that I had Forscan downloaded on an old laptop. (Windows XP!) Hooked it up, was able to graph the misfire count, eventually looked at the long term fuel trims and oxygen sensor signals. Bank 2 indicated a high fuel trim and the O2 sensor feedback was choppy. So bank 2 was running lean and uneven.

Put a new fuel injector on number 7, problem solved.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Years ago I had a misfire on one cylinder. Autozone told me which cylinder is misfiring and it was FREE.
Try stopping by Autozone.

 

[UncleTom]

Watch this guy on why you should never get your codes read by a parts store. This guy figures out problems dealers cant. $
south main auto

 

[John T]

WOW Thanks everyone for such great support, gotta love YT and the fine gents here. I don't have any misfires, I'm just the kind of guy who likes to know what's wrong and hopefully can fix it himself. I'm considering carrying a spare coil pack and plug JUST IN CASE as they're not hard to change.

I carry a spare serpentine belt, fuel filter has been changed, spare fuel pump and other Ford elec relays for that engine, hose splices, spare tire and jacks, air compressor, and when I asked my professional mechanic buddy what spare parts to carry on the Ford V10 he said even if I loose a coil pack and 1 in 10 not firing Im not stranded,,,,,,,,,,,that crank or cam position sensors like never fail, AND BESIDES I HAVE EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE (but dont work if no cell service)

John T An Old Boy Scout BE PREPARED

 

[Hobo,NC]

You need a tool that will give mode 6 data to nail it down.

I have never used this tool it has good reviews from the field for the price hard to beat.

Google topdon scanner

I have never had a customer drive up with a cheap reader hooked up that had any useful info on it. They just don't get the job done : (

Good luck they are a bear to work on...

 

[Barts Dad]

I second going to Auto Zone. They helped me determine which plug/coil was bad on my old Ford Escape. I would think any other parts chain would have similar equipment to help you out.

 

[jimg.allentown]

There are many scanners out there ranging from a cheap hand held code reader to a full blown system that can read live data and do more intricate diagnostics.

For the occcasional DIY kind of use, a decent ''middle of the road'' scanner should do the job adequately. In genreal, codes tell you a lot while not telling you much. Misfire codes point to the weak or misfiring cylinder. Code like lean/rich or EGR only tell you that there is something wrong in that particular system. From there, diagnostics are needed.
Reading live data can be useful, but you need to be able to interpret what the data is telling you. That takes training and education.

You have to determine what your needs are and what level of scanner will meet those needs.

 

[sotxbill]

Had success by using cheap bluetooth scanner but downloaded the Ford OBD Scanner software on my iphone. It was able to read many more of the hgher level ford codes over my gerneric code reader, and correctly diagnosed the bad ox sensor and which of the 4 sensors, bank2 number 2, by drilling down deeper into the ford codes. Dont know if it would help you or not. It would also reset the cel as a temporary measure and I could see it come back on by driving the vehicle. HOWEVER you can replace the wrong sensor out of the 4 as i found out. ; )

 

[J.Wondergem]

I haven't had a miss fire, but it tells me what oxygen sensor is bad by the code number.

 

[guido]

John T,

Another way to check I miss fire is with and infrared thermometer, fairly cheap too!. Just point the thermometer at each cylinder exhaust port,

Guido.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Yep, they don't do the free scan because they want to help you, it's to sell parts.

Usually you will come away with oxygen sensors, plugs, coils, and a gas cap.

 

[Jthomas1970]

My Innova does. I like it a lot.

 

[gears]

So, anyone got a link to the Ford software reader download? I d like to try it...

 

[gordy8n]

Steve is correct, its a function of the software in the onboard computer. The reader is just a reader.

 

[dhermesc]

I bought my own code reader - even the cheap WalMart reader gives you a lot of detail if you know what you are looking at. Most cars throwing a single code it usually is easy a fairly easy fix. In the case in the link the Chrysler product was throwing multiple codes and the experienced service tech spent a quite a bit of time figuring out what the fairly new vehicle had done to itself using his own high end diagnosis tools. Its the difference between free and paying a guy a $100 an hour to work on something can be pretty substantial - and it should be.

 

[Roger Tomfohrde]

I agree with most of the comments about a reader being a reader . The cheap ones are that. I have a Foxwell higher end tool and you can manipulate some Items, and it will let me look into the modules the basic readers will not let you check. You are not going to get this cheap. I bought it used from a coworker who ran into the ceiling on his European cars when he could not reset a simple code- I think it was for changing the battery. Having a basic tool to check some codes and not spending $$ is OK, I can see now why shops need more expensive tools. Some cars you need a I forget the term but it writes to your system, and it is require to move the brake pistons home for a brake job.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 19:53:04 09/01/22) I agree with most of the comments about a reader being a reader . The cheap ones are that. I have a Foxwell higher end tool and you can manipulate some Items, and it will let me look into the modules the basic readers will not let you check. You are not going to get this cheap. I bought it used from a coworker who ran into the ceiling on his European cars when he could not reset a simple code- I think it was for changing the battery. Having a basic tool to check some codes and not spending $$ is OK, I can see now why shops need more expensive tools. Some cars you need a I forget the term but it writes to your system, and it is require to move the brake pistons home for a brake job.

Bidirectional control is a generic term used to describe sending and receiving information between one device and another. The vehicle engineers responsible for designing computer control systems programmed them so a scan tool could request information or command a module to perform specific tests and functions.