I finally decided to get a program for my OBD1 PCM. Its TunerCat the best bang for the Buck? I rather get a program than just a scanner for the obvious reasons.

My car does not sound crisp. I am replacing my IAT today. I found out its resistance is right on the money at ambient temperatures but as soon as it gets by 120* farenheight its resistance goes all over the place. Its failure temperatures are consistent and predictable. some readings are off by upto 50% from the Chiltons baseline table. I used a specialized program to generate a Temperature versus Resistance table for the IAT in one degree increments using the Chiltons 22 diff base readings from -40 degree to 212. I know the IAT went south. I tested it over and over.

When Hot, my car idles at 16 inches of vacum and it has a slight misfire plus some pingin at mid throttle with the A/C On. It runs sooo smooth when the engine is cold... Just like brand new that I know the ingnition is fine. I just dont want to throw parts at her and hope I fix the problem... I want to intelligently diagnose and then fix any problem with the least amount of money involved... I am willing to spend countless hours learning to skillfully use a program before I even attempt to use it for the first time...

What do you guys recomend as best bang for the Buck?? Whare can I find the website for TunerCat?

I see a big cam and headers in my future and I want to start learning to use a program now before before the big mods...

Your help will be greatly apreciated.


Marvin.

 

Go for it, you wont look back, its very cool. Tunercat is the least expesive that I am aware of. It works for me FWIW.
tunercat.com

 

Thanks quicksilver

 

If you are going to do tuning, you should already have a scan or data logging program. They go hand in hand and you can't really do any real tuning without data logs.

 

I got you sir. I've been at the autoparts store and they have on display the new AutoXray units.. they also have some data loggin software. They were busy then but I am interested on the data loggin sofware. I wonder how it works. Is it off the scanner or is it stand alone?

I will buy a fuel filter today and I will ask. They also have the so called F.A.S.T program. Is like you put down a credit card number and they let you borrow a scanner. I need to ask. they have this big display about free testing. Online it refers as using a credit card though...


I need more info. The other confusing part is the usage of the ALDL 16pin conector wire. Not sure if its gonna run with diff softwares. I downloaded FreeScan and it wont run on my XP machine. The error reports "The system cannot find the specified file. when you close the little window then you see the Freescan program but thats as far as it goes.

Marvin

 

I would try to figure out why freescan does not work first. I was lucky, no issues, but I have read about others that have had problems with com ports and/or problems with newer computers not having a serial port and they needed a specific adaptor (like Bell, not radio shack). I don't know if your OS would have anything to do with it but I suppose its possible. Either way, you have a chance of running into the same problem with tunercat so you might try to fix it first before spending your money.

Edit: I didn't read what you used for a cable, I never tried to use freescan w/o being pluged into the car, maybe thats your missing file error?