Looking to buy a nice Chrissy pressy for myself and was wondering if anyone had used one of these code readers on their Panda. One here is about £55 but realise other makes sell for single figures. China is mentioned most times. This for my 2011 Panda Multijet but wondering if anything at all would come up on my Ducato 2002 M/home. Realise o course OBD starts 2002 Petrol and 2004 Diesel.
Technical Foxwell NT301
- Thread starter goggs
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Technical Foxwell NT301
I've not used tht reader, but a quick check on the web indicte one in tat price range come form China. Most of the listings had "screen-shots" that obviously were not compatible with the unit's screen so don't expect too much. If you have a windows laptop ( even an old XP one) consider Multiecuscan www.multiecuscan.net and a USB ELM327 "modified for Multiecuscan" interface for about the same cost. It's not a "single box" soluton and takes a little more initial effort but it does so much more. For exmple if you change the oil on DPF equipped multijet you need to reset the oil degredation counter as well as resetting the service indicator. MES will do this, but a generic plug-in unit won't.
Robert G8RPI.
Robert G8RPI.
Looks like your hyperlink needs updating. I doubt a full studio set of drums is going to be much use in diagnostics (well, that was what ebay guessed that I wanted..........which is kinda right).
Hi,
The ELM 327 link was added by the website code. I did not try to add a link there at all. Ben is on the case and has hopefully turned of the offending "feature". Might take a while for everything to get flushed out though. Random links to things for sale could be very embarrassing!
Robert G8RPI.
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Yes well would love to be able to look at all those sine wave style graphs of injectors firing, sensor voltages and the like but don' t want to pay out streems of money and not get a final result.
Last MES setup I did was €50 for the licence, £35 for a interface kit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161715574389 (ELM & KL interfaces plus 4 adaptor leads so does 90% of Fiats) and a zero cost old Sony windows XP laptop from Freecycle /freegle / even on eBay you can get a working old laptop for under £50 so not exactly a huge outlay. If you have a laptop and only want basic module connection (same as the Foxwell) you are talking €50 registration and £15 for a ELM interface so almost exactly the same cost as the Foxwell. First time you do an oil change on a DPF equipped diesel MES will have paid for itself.
Robert G8RPI.
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You've got to consider what you want from a tool like this.
Most generic tools will only read generic codes and data the engine control module.
A few higher end ones will also read ABS, SRS and Body control modules, and some higher ones again will read these and the manufacturer specific codes, but they are really aimed at small garages, can often have subscription or update fees and they cost a lot more to start with.
So for not much more than the Foxwell, you can invest in the MES, happy in the knowledge whatever gets thrown up, it can handle.
If you just want to read the engine codes and data, there are cheaper ways.
A cheap bluetooth OBD2 device and some free or cheap software like Torque Pro for you smartphone works just as well.
I've found my £4 device very useful over the years and it (and the internet) has taught me a lot in regards to what sensors read and how they are meant to work.
Most generic tools will only read generic codes and data the engine control module.
A few higher end ones will also read ABS, SRS and Body control modules, and some higher ones again will read these and the manufacturer specific codes, but they are really aimed at small garages, can often have subscription or update fees and they cost a lot more to start with.
So for not much more than the Foxwell, you can invest in the MES, happy in the knowledge whatever gets thrown up, it can handle.
If you just want to read the engine codes and data, there are cheaper ways.
A cheap bluetooth OBD2 device and some free or cheap software like Torque Pro for you smartphone works just as well.
I've found my £4 device very useful over the years and it (and the internet) has taught me a lot in regards to what sensors read and how they are meant to work.
So to start with, just to show we are getting something, what do you get with the MES leads alone, which I take it are the interface kit. Then there is the extra licence I take it this is for deeped diagnostics. I don't want to have it flung in the back of a drawer because it's too complicated. I know my friend who buys cheap newish cars with electronic problems would like this sort of thing, but he's not wanting involved in the scan side of things.
The Foxwell is generic scanner. You at paying extra for a colour screen. They are very touchy on what cars they work on with regards live data. More research would be required preferably from someone who used one on a Panda.
The free multiecuscan and a £10 diagnostic lead with switch will do far more such as connect to the airbag to read and clear errors. Read all the engine sensors and so on. Although you will need the paid versions to connect to the steering module. You can't connect to the air bag with the elm interface. All of which is fine if you already have a tablet or laptop.
If you don't have a laptop or tablet running Windows. Then there are plenty of scanners around the £30 mark that do live data. But do some research on there compatibility with the Panda. Don't go by all European car as this might only be referring to the generic codes not manufacturer specific
The free multiecuscan and a £10 diagnostic lead with switch will do far more such as connect to the airbag to read and clear errors. Read all the engine sensors and so on. Although you will need the paid versions to connect to the steering module. You can't connect to the air bag with the elm interface. All of which is fine if you already have a tablet or laptop.
If you don't have a laptop or tablet running Windows. Then there are plenty of scanners around the £30 mark that do live data. But do some research on there compatibility with the Panda. Don't go by all European car as this might only be referring to the generic codes not manufacturer specific
Yes right I'll start by clearing out this old laptop I've got here by returning it to how it was when bought. I certainly prefer seeing nice big graphs with the sensors and injectors switching. Then look into these leads. May take a while, like everything does here. Will call a break from this issue at mo...
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