Scan Tools

[Steve Wood]

I never cease to be amazed at the number of people that refuse to buy a scan tool for their Buicks.  Almost weekly, I get one or more emails from people that have a problem with their car and they start off with a list of everything they have replaced on the car and it still does not run properly.

When I ask for scan tool data, they tell me they cannot afford to pay $250 for a Scanmaster yet they have just listed a lot more than that on parts they have replaced for no reason other than they hoped it would help.

When I point out that a Scanmaster not only gives a snap shot of the sensor data but it also provides a full time monitor of timing retard so one can avoid potential damage to the car from detonation, they tell me they don't have a detonation problem.  How do they know this?  They don't hear it.   

Next thing they tell you is that someone told them they may have a blown head gasket and they know that is b.s. because they never heard any detonation so the previous owner must have lied to them because it started acting funny three months after they bought the car and they never heard any detonation. 

No scan tool, no fuel pressure gauge, no boost gauge, no nothing....tel l me what to buy, but, I can't afford to buy a scan tool.   $1500 worth of tires and wheels are no problem, but I can't afford a scan tool.

Check engine light is on, should I be concerned? 

I know my car is running rich....becaus e I smell it in the garage....no, I cannot afford a scan tool, but I replaced the coil, the module, the tps, and the o2 sensor.  Got a check engine light?  No, should I?  Why did you replace all those parts....oh, sorry, you said it smelled rich....


These cars are 25 years old.  Some have been well maintained.  Others have been thru five or six owners who abused the heck out of them and knew absolutely nothing about taking care of them. 

If you want to enjoy them, learn to take care of them.  Start by buying a scan tool (don't buy one that is a generic model that does not monitor timing retard all the time-borrow those for troubleshootin g but don't think you are safe without having full time timing retard data staring you in the face)   A fuel pump, injector, etc can act up at any moment and when they do, bad things happen when you keep going full throttle.

Yeah, I know $250 is a lot of money...but it is cheap compared to a crank that has been ruined by detonation over a long period of time, a hammered piston pin, cracked pistons, blown head gaskets, and rods thru the side of the block.

Some people buy a big turbo, another converter, chip, injectors, etc but won't spend money on a scan tool...

 

[dpasadena]

I could not imagine driving my car without a scan tool. I look at the scanmaster more than I do the road! Maybe some of these people running around without scan tools are made of money!!!! I know I can't afford to drive without one

[TURBOPOWERED68]

As dumb as i am i got my Scanmaster BEFORE i had a running car. 

[larrym]

No scan master here can't afford it............ ....not enough space in the cab to many other gauges knock gauge alky controller that doubles as a boost gauge WB gauge Tach temp oil pressure.
 
 
I do have an autoExray 5000 that is OBD1 and OBD2 compatabile its always seems to be set up for GM vin 7 cars though. I can look up how many knock counts if gauge shows knock, it displays real time data and will log short runs 10 seconds at a time. I was surprized the first time I thrashed the car after polishing the crank and new bearings 21 PSI and not a single knock count would have had 10 or more prior to that guess the old bearings were rattling a bit.
 
 Lots of people show up at my place "Larry my check engine light is on" I decifer the code and send them on their way, unless its the daughter than the car gets rolled into my shop her boyfriend is totally clueless, he wanted to get rid of their last car because it was stalling and running poorly, I replaced the 02 sensor one day when the borrowed my truck it was brand new car I guess the black smoke was not enough of a clue for him. She can do more and does when her car is sick. She needs my tools and guidance but typically gets the job done.
 
 

 

[Steve Wood]

I always get a good laugh when they tell me they are car guys and they had a mustang with flowmasters on it....

It's hard to get across the point that a naturally aspirated engine may not split in half with a little detonation whereas a forced aspiration engine might have three times the pressure spike when detonation starts.  My experience has been that when detonation becomes audible, you often drive over the crank at the same time.

[larrym]

When ever a noob asks what should I mod first my response is buy a scan tool.
Than you can get the most out of what you already have and it will help you figure out what you need to do first. I thought I had a fast car until I got a scan tool and an adjustable chip the differance was night and day.

[Pyro6]

  vent,  vent,  vent  always makes a person feel better.

[$1987 GN$]

Wow someone found his breakfast; I am not gonna ask what they did to it.

You have made a point; you are correct, a few k of parts are cheaper than a measly scantool.


AJ___

[SuperSix]

That should be the MAIN page of Vortex Buicks

[Steve Wood]

I have been considering something similar

[Turbodave]

No, I agree with SuperSix!  Your original post should be what people see on opening your main page. Wording is perfect!

[SuperSix]

I have been considering something similar

Yep - something similar with a huge "READ THIS FIRST".

[Pyro6]

I figure if they can't afford 250 they can't afford these cars.

[Steve Wood]

I figure if they can't afford 250 they can't afford these cars.

It's amazing.  They tell you all the things they have bought and then start telling you they cannot afford one.  I guess there is not much street cred in a scan tool

[SuperSix]

One of the FIRST things I bought for the GN was a Scanmaster and Powerlogger.