Attn car geeks: Help me choose an ODB writer.

[x88x]

So, I realized something ridiculous today. Despite being a computer/electronics geek and a software developer, the one thing in my car that is impossible for me to work on at the moment is the computer. Because of this, and the fact that I need to pass emissions testing very soon, I am ending up having to spend about $400-500 more in parts and labor at a local garage than I would if I could do the stuff myself. ...seriously, Mazda.. $100 for a rubber air intake shroud? It just has a small split in it, and I would be happy (and I imagine the engine would be fine as well) just sealing it with heatshrink and epoxy. But nooo, it has to be fixed before the computer is cleared or it'll just set it off again. And if I take it home, fix it, and bring it back to have them clear it, they'll charge me again for reading and clearing the computer. Not to mention the Mazda O2 sensors they're using cost almost $100 more than the 3rd party ones.. :facepalm:

So, time to end this ridiculousness. I've put it off for far too long, and I wouldn't be paying this if I had bought one sooner (or if I had longer until I need to pass emissions). I need to buy an ODB/II reader/writer. Once my federal tax return comes through I'm going to make the purchase, but unfortunately I don't know much about them. So, I know at least one person on here has one (forgot who...some thread somewhere..), and I'm sure others know enough to make recommendations.

So, ODB/II reader/writer. Recommendations? What should I look for? What should I steer clear of?

[altec]

Well, if you need it done soon, you can try going to Advance Auto. Depending on if you get a D-bag or not they will clear your codes for you.

Got a Android phone? There is a app called Torque. It uses a bluetooth OBD adapter to work. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems decent. For the price of the app, and the cost of a eBay OBD adapter it seems worth a shot...

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/communication/torque_flre.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCZyxrS_ixY
http://torque-bhp.com/software/torque-android-obd2-adapters/

I normally just use a cheap reader to clear codes. Can't even remember what it is. Just a walmart blue light deal...

[x88x]

Hmm, torque sounds interesting. No Android device though. Do you know if there's something similar that would work with a laptop?

[altec]

Can't say I do sadly. Something I'm interested in as well though. Some googling shows quite a few options. Like Autotap. Which seems a little limited for the price...

If I find anything else, I'll let you know. Amazon seems to have some options at a "Why not" price. I guess it really depends on how much you want to do. A basic scanner that shows some of the vitals is pretty cheap. Then a dead area where they get more expensive, but don't do more... Then you can pay $8k for a Snapon MODIS. Wanted one of those for a long time.

[x88x]

I want to be able to read everything available, and reset anything that can be reset. A full-fledged programmer would be nice, but not really what I need. Unfortunately, $8,000 is quite a bit out of my price-range. :P I'm looking in the sub-$400 range. I know I can get a basic reader for ~$30 on Amazon, but the big thing is that I want to be able to reset codes. Also, a nicer interface would be good, which is why I'm thinking something to talk to a laptop. Hmmm, if I can't find anything I might look into making my own...maybe contact the author of Torque, see if he can give me some pointers and/or resources for interpreting the data.

[altec]

Most all the ones I've seen clear codes. Even the $37 one on Amazon advertises code clearing.

Torque for PC would be cool. Use a bluetooth dongle, and have a wireless OBD interface! :bunny:

[x88x]

Most all the ones I've seen clear codes. Even the $37 one on Amazon advertises code clearing.

...damn, wish I'd known that this morning...would have saved myself ~$60. :facepalm:

[CanaBalistic]

Buy the ODB reader, clear the codes and return it and get your money back...

you can also look up your model and see if there are cheats to clear the codes yourself. Some cars; like mine need to be turned to on and left for 15min to clear the codes. Turn car to on and press OD reset pin for 5 sec. Turn car to on and press gas pedal to floor 3 times. ect, ect, ect...

Some computers will auto reset once the problem has been fixed, some can be reset by a switch on the computer module (usually under the passangers seat or floor carpeting.

standard O2 sensors cost from $5 to about $20. you can change them yourself but they can be a pain in the ass if the guy who put them in didnt use anti-seeze paste. if your car has two, one will be on the exhaust manifold and the other will be in the cat just aft the manifold.

hope that helps

[MrGoat]

Autotap is what alot of folks use for Shadetree type stuff like you are talking about. It costs about 125 with the adapter and you will need a laptop or nearby pc to use it.

www.autotap.com

[SXRguyinMA]

I bought mine from out Matco guy, it was ~$60, reads and clears codes, works perfectly for my needs :D

[farlo]

i got mine from harbor freight

http://www.harborfreight.com/can-obdii-code-reader-with-multilingual-menu-98568.html

works fine for reading, and clearing.

[Mark_Hardware]

I got one from the Snap-On truck that does virtually everything for OBD-I and II...
Just go buy one from Auto Zone, use it for what you need, then return it. Say you didn't like it or couldn't get the hang of it or something.
They might even rent them, or have someone do it for you. I have seen them do that at Checkers- err O'Reilly