Hey guys. As the title says, I need a scanner for 1995 and older vehicles. I need this thing to be able to do live data. It will be used on gm vehicles %94.7256 of the time. My budget is roughly 300-350 dollars. Any links or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I need a scanner.
- Thread starter Shannonwilkerson
- Start date
Use a paperclip in the OBD port, and watch the CEL on the dash. There are plenty of guides on which pins need to be connected with the paperclip, and how to interpret the codes that show up with KOEO. Free scanner! 
Whoops saw you need live data. It’s been so long I forgot all the OBD I scanners, sorry.
Whoops saw you need live data. It’s been so long I forgot all the OBD I scanners, sorry.
I bought an Xtool A30D off Amazon, been pretty happy with it. Only downside is you need a smartphone or tablet for the display. It's bidirectional though, which is what I was looking for to troubleshoot the air injection on the wife's Equinox.
Yes. Must do live data. I love having cold, hard, data to look at when I am diagnosing issues with my/other people's vehicles.Use a paperclip in the OBD port, and watch the CEL on the dash. There are plenty of guides on which pins need to be connected with the paperclip, and how to interpret the codes that show up with KOEO. Free scanner!
Whoops saw you need live data. It’s been so long I forgot all the OBD I scanners, sorry.
Imo tyring to diagnose a computer controlled vehicle without a way to talk to the computer is shooting yourself in the foot.
Also. I've considered the Chinese tech2 clones but I'm leery of them actually working (because, china) do you personally have one? @atikovi
Were Equinox made prior to 1995? I don't think so.
The $700 Xtool D8 I bought was pitiful on older GM OBD-II cars, wouldn't even read ABS or chassis codes. So awful with older models (not just GM) that I returned it. I don't have much confidence any Xtool model will work with GM OBD-I, let alone read live data on one. It seemed fine with modern canbus vehicles, but seriously lacking on the older OBD-II protocols.
THIS is what I want. I love when people talk from experience, and use their ability to read.
I don't have hands on experience using one on OBD-I, but check out Launch products. Some of the more popular tool truck scanners are rebranded Launch units. I have a higher end one, but it came with a slew of OBD-I adapters for various makes, and claims to support OBD-I. It read all my chassis & ABS codes on my OBD-II Pontiac, and has full bi-directional support on that older model (1996).
Some of the OBD-I GM models near the OBD-II transition had a weird pin configuration, which IIRC, I read on a forum that the Launch units handle fine. Might do a little research on them, perhaps there's a sub $500 unit that covers those years, but I can't say for sure.
If you're looking into real old OBD-I stuff, a GM specific unit is probably your best bet. I suspect most of the newer scanners are losing support for those real old models, just not enough demand for it.
Of the current big name scanners (Snapon, autel, Launch etc) Snapon is the only one that offers OBD I coverage. How far back into OBD 1 do you want to go? If all the way back to 81 a Tech 2 wont do you any good as it only goes back to 92. Tech 1 covers prior to that. A Vetronix/Bosch Mastertech runs the same software for GM that the Tech 1 and Tech 2 does for the vehicles it covers with the correct CAN vim for CAN vehicles(up to 08 or 09 IIRC). It was also the factory tool for Honda and Toyota at one time. A snapon scanner is decent on OBD 1 GM and I sure fixed a lot of them with a Snapon scanner.
You could use Tunerpro RT and an ALDL to USB cable, along with a laptop. That seems to be one of the few currently available options for pre OBD-II GM vehicles, unless you want to scrounge around on Ebay for something like an Autoxray (which supports ALDL, but went out of production around 20 years ago...)
Whoops! My mistake, I missed that it was older than 1995.
Many of them won't do 95 GM cars that have the OBD2 plug but OBD1 systems. Actron used to offer one, the CP9185, if you can find one, but that is a discontinued part number, and I no longer deal with a 95 GM car, so I never got one.
Email Actron/Bosch, Innova, Autel, and any other scan tool mfr to ask which scanners actually work in a 95 GM
Email Actron/Bosch, Innova, Autel, and any other scan tool mfr to ask which scanners actually work in a 95 GM
Should be noted that pre OBD-II GM vehicles support either 160 baud ALDL or 8192 baud ALDL, regardless of what the connector looks like. 8192 baud ALDL seems to have become common after about the late 80s.
And any ALDL to USB cable supports both, you just need the correct mating connector, if you want to go the Windows software route.
And any ALDL to USB cable supports both, you just need the correct mating connector, if you want to go the Windows software route.
I saw this in DieselPlace forum.
I am not sure if it will work for you:
https://reddevilriver.com/aldl.html
In the 95 6.5L Diesel in my signature, we have used a software called GMTDScan (basic/free and Tech/paid).
It is unsupported now and only work with Win 7.
The link above, provide some information on ALDLDroid apps.
I hope this help.
I am not sure if it will work for you:
https://reddevilriver.com/aldl.html
In the 95 6.5L Diesel in my signature, we have used a software called GMTDScan (basic/free and Tech/paid).
It is unsupported now and only work with Win 7.
The link above, provide some information on ALDLDroid apps.
I hope this help.
My 1995 has the obd1 connecter. The only obd 1.5 I've seen was on a s10blazer
This cable:
http://aldlcable.com/aldl.asp
along with TunerPro RT software
https://www.tunerpro.net/
and one of the .ads datastream files here:
http://www.tunerpro.net/gmOBDI.htm
along with these instructions for converting the .ads files to .adx format (required for Tunerpro V5, seems Tunerpro V4 supports the .ads files directly so maybe one could use V4 instead of converting):
http://support.moates.net/tprtv5-ads-to-adx/
might do what you need?
The Snap-On MT2500 red brick was considered one of the best for OBD-I - even compared to the Tech I for GM.
Great! That makes it easier to find a scan tool
another obd 1.5 car is the 95 J-body Cavalier/Sunfire
Still have one & use it occasionally, The thing you need to watch out for is what cartridge's come with it, Snap-on likes to delete certain features with updates....In this case they originally updated the tool with a new cartridge, But later on used Programable Cartridge's.
The Domestic "Thru-1999" Cartridge works great on OBD-1 & Early OBD-II....Especially GM.
Most Programable Cartridge's I've used are a little watered down on early stuff, But do work & gives live data. There are many versions of software released for these, They go by the Year & Quarter.....A 7.1 is first Quarter 2007.
Dedicated OBD-II or Asian Cartridge's will of coarse not work on OBD-I domestics.
I still use my AutoXray 6000 scanner for OBD 1 stuff. No bi-directional capabilities but does great with live data. I don't remember if my older 3140d Innova scanner reads live data on OBD 1 or not. My Innova 5610 scanner can also use my 3140d OBD 1 adapters but not sure if it reads live data on the older stuff either.