Anyone use a Kragen or other generic OBDII tool on the 996?
03-17-2008, 10:38 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Anyone use a Kragen or other generic OBDII tool on the 996?
I see the Durametric software is very nice, but does less than my VAGCOM does for my Passat, at twice the cost. Of couse, there are a ton more VAGCOMs sold than Durametrics, so I can't blame them. Thinf is, I've used my VAGCOM maybe 4 times in 3 years and once was to add another key, and the other to choose a different DBW curve (neither of which the Duramtric can do, tho the DBW on the 996 is excellent, compared to the crappy VW one). So if it can reset service codes & airbag lights, and give ALL the diagnostics that are useful, even with a paper translator, I'd rather spend $50 to $100 than $250. Anyone?
03-17-2008, 10:44 AM
#2
Pocket Sand
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i had a nology OBD2 scanner and it worked with every make and model and let me clear check engine lights. i dont think it did the airbag light on the porsche but it definitly did the CEL's
their customer support is pretty **** tho. a generic OBDII will still give you code readouts.
their customer support is pretty **** tho. a generic OBDII will still give you code readouts.
03-17-2008, 08:37 PM
#4
Race Director
I bought the Harbor Freight code reader as well and love it...but I don't think it will erase air bag codes.Because the price was so cheap, I didn't think it would work very well, but I was wrong.
03-17-2008, 09:26 PM
#5
Race Director
Had real good luck using an Actron 9435 or something like that ....
I see the Durametric software is very nice, but does less than my VAGCOM does for my Passat, at twice the cost. Of couse, there are a ton more VAGCOMs sold than Durametrics, so I can't blame them. Thinf is, I've used my VAGCOM maybe 4 times in 3 years and once was to add another key, and the other to choose a different DBW curve (neither of which the Duramtric can do, tho the DBW on the 996 is excellent, compared to the crappy VW one). So if it can reset service codes & airbag lights, and give ALL the diagnostics that are useful, even with a paper translator, I'd rather spend $50 to $100 than $250. Anyone?
My particular unit -- bought in the '96 time frame --- needed a firmware upgrade to speak with my Boxster or my VW -- can't remember which now.
The unit doesn't speak 'CAN' though so a CAN vehicle will need a newer unit.
The Actron cost me around $250 then but has paid for itself many times over.
As for accessing some of the more lower level 'features' of your Porsche, forget about it. Porsche doesn't share that info with hardly anyone, least of all Porsche car owners. VW is at the opposite end of the spectrum. And other auti makers are just as giving... GM for instance: I have a code reader for my GTO that allows me to disable the skip shift, adjust the temperatures/power levels of the electric cooling fans, adjust 'tunes' (timing/fuel maps), etc.
(Some years ago some UK based independent Porsche service centers sued Porsche to get Porsche to release its factory OBD2 communications info in order to be able to service these vehicles. I'm not sure, but I think they won, or Porsche relented, but the solution ain't cheap. A company in the UK sells a Porsche OBD2 reader that supports access to some of the lower level stuff but the device is expensive. IIRC, search for Automagic (or auto magic?), in the UK portion of the 'net.)
Sincerely,
Macster.
