What's a good code reader / diag tool ?

[Lemondrop]

Im thinking of buying one , I have seen the one that Diagtek has and Im wondering what else is out there . Im guessing Ill have to use a Palm or Laptop (Id go Palm) so that's not a big deal . Hell , Id build a PC to use it on if I was desperate
Anyway , please post up some products and possible links to sites that have info and or purchase options if you can .
Also please give input on personal experience with purchase and support from the scan-tool OEM and the person whom you bought it from (Rip-off , good deal , poor support , great support , etc.)

Thanks

 

[Robb]

Just a reminder, an OBD II scanner will not work with your 95, only your 96.

Robb

 

[jazz_master221]

autoxray

i think the auto xray tool is cool...www.autocheckup.com.
it's a simple tool for the do it your selfer....but it's worth checking into if you just want something will scan and retreive codes ...it also breaksdown the codes into a short summary for you

 

[Lemondrop]

Originally posted by morrisey0
Just a reminder, an OBD II scanner will not work with your 95, only your 96.

Robb

I still wonder why my 95 has the ODBII connector under the steering wheel and the regular old connector out by the engine compartment fuse / relay box .

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by Lemondrop

I still wonder why my 95 has the ODBII connector under the steering wheel and the regular old connector out by the engine compartment fuse / relay box .

Don't we all.

I think Ford just got a little ahead of themselves and forgot to tell the interior guys that the OBD II wasn't quite ready for the 95.

Robb

 

[Lemondrop]

I have between my 2 trucks and my father in laws ranger plus friend/family owned Fords around 14 Fords that people look to me to fix
Sucks to be a mechanic for a living .
Right now I just don't have a easy way to pull codes from any systems . Im looking to resolve that issue .
One of my buddies said I should buy the tool and charge everyone 25 bucks a hook-up to pay for the tool .
I told him I wouldnt do that unless they were a friend of a friend type thing .

Now if I only had a Caterpillar engine Id be set

 

[Robert]

I think on the '95s some of the DTCs can be pulled through the connector under the hood (things like air-bag and abs faults). The engine parameters are only available through the under hood connector though until '96 when Ford went to OBD-II completely.