What is a good code reader / diagnostic tool to get? Would like to do my own troubleshooting and not have to rely on the dealers. Thanks for any info
There was a lot of discussion about this subject in the recent Diesel Laptop tread. This is interesting and worth mentioning. Since the fleet I maintain is spread out in some very remote places, I’ve been purchasing these little inexpensive hand -held units and leaving them with the Terminal Managers. This way they can plug in to the J-1939 and provide some basic info before I pack up my game and catch a flight. Sometimes it can prevent a trip for such easy problems like frozen crankcase filters on the Cummins ISC engines ( excessive crankcase pressure codes) and so forth.
How much will this do without being tied to the factory ?
Old Doug, it will read the J1708 and J1939 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and American Trucking Association (ATA) generic codes with the SPN, FMI and MIDS. Then, you have to Google what those numbers mean, or print off a chart. It’s not able to make changes, re-set check engine lights or run tests for you. It just reads codes. Nobody offers a good HD On-road aftermarket scan tool that works on everything. J-Pro has a computer-based program that is decent, but it lacks Cat and Cummins. Plus, if you are running any DD13/DD15 engines, Freighliner has to give J-Pro permission for their software and just for the engines that you can prove to have ownership. Snap-On has a decent hand-held tool called Pro-Link. But, it has its problems. Especially if you don’t have a good Snap-On Guy that is familiar with the software. Unfortunately, we are somewhat at the mercy of the OEM’s and their software. Of course, there is plenty of bootleg, pirated software available if you look in the dark corners of the web. Both on-road, off-road and automotive. But, I don’t play that game. I’m not dissing the guys that do.
I would think the right to repair act would have had a bigger impact on availability of on highway truck information.
Nope, right to repair doesn't apply to heavy trucks.
***!
equipment either
Big green leading the charge on that. Software locked up tight. Deere makes more and more proprietary, farmers **** and moan, "we wanna fix it ourselves." Lawsuits and court action. Then, after all is said and done, the farmers continue to buy green, and the lawyers get fat. EPA regs make it where almost everything is tied to emissions, any repair or maintenance is deemed "tampering " You are essentially prohibited from do it yerself repairs. Right to repair group was gaining traction last year, then the farmers caved in on something which basically set precedence over everything else. A big LOSE for all concerned
I feel like some of this is a state to state thing also. In New Hampshire there were state level hearings with John Deere on some items. I don't remember the details but this has been going on for over 20 years now.