What Type Of Scanner Is Everyone Using

Mike, I hope you don't mind me tagging on to your query here.

I am wondering how I can tell what kind of scanner will hook up to my '95 Park Ave Ultra. Is there a list of this info somewhere?

TIA

Ed

Tag on Ed, there's plenty of room. I believe your '95 is OBD I, so you'd need a scanner that is compatible with it, as well as OBDII for newer cars. If memory serves me correctly, OBDII hit the streets in '96.

The '95 P.A. is OBD II.

94-95 were the transition years. GM had OBD I AND II on various models and some had 1.5 which was a blend of parts and used the OBDII connector BUT with different pinouts. Still better than Ford or Chrysler who had MANY more connections and protocols.

If your looking for a decent unit that has a good price AND can monitor sensors real-time check out the Actron 9145. It can read OBD I and II and has many make specific codes in it already. It is the one I grab the most to use at home.

(9150 is the same scanner BUT includes all the cables for differentvehicles, great deal if you need them)

If you want a full tilt machine that can read anything in the vehicle. Find a Genisys and all the add-ons. Or for a bit less money a tech 2 that is up to date and has the correct modules and cables.

anything you might want for a PRICE.

You are correct. From my Actron OBD II CP9135 box (Auto Zone/$99.99), "Use on all cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. from 1996 to present."

The back of the box shows the Actron CP9150 will do OBD I & II.

It have two, a Actron 9135 and a Scantool CJ3 that does live data and supports CAN protocol which the 9135 dies not. The CJ3 also has a data feed through so you can hook a laptop or PDA to it and software for it is free.

Zone/$99.99),

The Actron 9145 will also handle CAN with the update. It will print as well BUT only to a serial printer. Still waiting for a USB adapter to see if it will work that way. That box is correct to a point. There are 94 and 95 vehicles that use ODB II. The 95 PA is one.

is the book for the 9145 and it has a chart in appendix A of 94-5 OBD II vehicles.

I use a home made MAX232 IC based unit for my 1995 ALDL8192 Monte, I made an ELM322 (VPW) IC based unit for OBDII GMs, and I am in the middle of constructing a home made ELM327 IC based unit for OBDII/CAN/ISO vehicles. All connect to my laptop and use free software.

Steve

Now that's cool Steve. Care to share the schematics and any observations of your design/build process? How about functionality? Complete? Turn off Check Engine? Got Pics? Free Software - from where? I'm sure more questions could follow.

Easy as pie. All the ELM IC schematics and data sheets are available here:

The MAX232 unit for the GM ALDL160 and ALDL8192 (aka OBDI and OBD1.5 by some) schematic and info available here:

Data streams for GM vehicles available on the 'net under the name "ALDLStuff.zip."

Free software is all over the 'net. I use CarBytes for the ALDL8192 interface.

I can take pics later and post them on my website.

Steve