Lexmex

It took a few hours today, but I reevaluted all of my options on this particular subject, but in the end one factor came out ahead, I wanted to get something that would also be more likely be purchased by fellow members in the forum, and given the economic reality we're living in now (at least those with a laptop), the winner was the ElmScan 5 Compact shown here,

http://www.scantool.net/elmscan5-compact.html

I ended up getting this at Amazon for $59 and should hopefully be here the first week of December.

One other important issue was getting a device that would also utilize the CAN protocol common to most of the vehicles made in the latter half of this decade, but would of course work with out RX300s.

Among the other things I looked at was the fact that this program works in Vista (which I have on my computer) and many OBD2 programs, both for purchase and freeware, will work with this device. I was considering the all-in-one scanner but at $109 that was just way out of bound for price. I also looked at Digimoto, but again at $125 for software and device, it was a stretch, though I may eventually purchase their Digimoto 5 software at about $40.

I haven't purchased software yet to go with this device, but want to evaluate a few free options first to decide what might be best for the RX300, since given my modifications I've got a whole host of things I want to check out.

salimshah

All I can say is "Happy birthday". Enjoy your toy and I feel for you regarding "vista"

Salim

TunedRX300

Lexmax, let us know how it turned out.
I bought the Costco $35 + tax one, it was actually pretty good since description of the CEL codes are given. It was good enough for my purpose.

Lexmex

Will do. That Costco one is an excellent value.

Lexmex

I just got the Elmscan5 yesterday and wanted to show some screenshots from the basic program that came with the tool itself after I ran my vehicle for about 15 minutes and then pulled over and took some screen captures. I'll try to show some more pictures about it's operation tomorrow, but I am already happy with how easy it was to install and get going. The next step is to examine some software packages to see which is the one that will best help evaluate our vehicles for the price. Do note that low rpm that I've been mentioning about, but that is due to my modifications. Notice the air intake temperature, as I usually see it around 86F on the highway. I have a design concept to re-do the ram air with the hole in the bumper that should allow the vehicle to run at sea level without running too lean that the air can't be rammed in right, so hope to do that before Christmas. Oh yeah, take a look at that coolant temperature, thank in part that TRD T-stat.

blueridger

Lexmex, have you had a chance to experiment with this any further? I'm about to pull the trigger.

larturo

pardon my ignorance but, is this a diagnostics software/hardware that we the humble humans can use instead of being charged some money every time we go to the shop and have them plug in theirs? if it is, is it easy to use for someone don't doesn't have any clues or do must i have some background on this type of devices?????

Lexmex

I haven't had a chance to experiment with programs further, in part because I can't get a decent trial of the software. I will tell you that I am leaning toward getting this program (that does work with the Elmscan 5 compact), http://www.digimoto.com/shop/Product...-software.aspx

I do think that the Elmscan5 is the way to go as far as hardware, because it works with probably the largest amount of software programs out there. The problem is the really decent software programs cost $$$, but the one from digimoto seems to be the best bang for the buck and it's on sale now for about $32, but don't go spending $125 or something to get their equipment and the software, the elmscan5 works just fine.

To answer your question laturo, yes. However, you need a laptop or a close enough desktop computer to be able to link up this device from computer to car. I already have a little handheld scanner to take with me, but I needed something more advanced to look at further parameters. For me, I needed something to read not just codes, but also temperatures and sensor readings, something I could have done by paying for a more advanced $100 handheld scanner, but decided what I really needed was just a laptop unit, leaving the cheaper under $50 OBD2 handheld as an emergency solution for when I'm on the road.

The elmscan5 compact is about $59 or so and probably the best value I've seen given it can work with so many software programs.

larturo

does it matter whether the car is J1850 VPW, ISO 9141-2 or J1850 PWM if I'd like to purchase an obd2 scanner?, or, will the scanner read the car no matter the type? I was reading some reviews and people say that ths scanner is not very specific in terms of giving the right code (i.e. if the code is P0441, the scanner won't display the P only the numbers "0441"), and if this is so, is it really important? I read this from Xu on Amazon.com.......

Lexmex

Best to get a scanner that reads CAN protocol, because then it will work not just with older cars (up to 1996 model year and few before that since that was the limit of OBDII), but also newer ones coming out. My old Actron pocketscanner does not work with newer vehicles, because it did not read CAN.

trips1

I am looking for something that i can use to read values from my AF sensors.
So can the basic/free programs that come with ElmScan be used with a laptop to read the AF sensor values and analyze them.
Or i still need to get a paid software to do that.

Also as a side note let me mention that for a last 4-5 months my mpg had gone down to 14-15mpg and it was looked by an independent using scanner and laptop and he diagnosed that my AF sensors are weak/bad. There was no CEL.

Anyways last month my battery died and i replaced it and after changing the battery i got error codes P1130 and P1150.
But CEL automatically disappeared in 2 days and since then i have started using 91Octane and have not got the CEL back in last 200 miles.
Any suggestion if i should just go for AF sensor change or wait for some more time and hope that 90 Octane gas along with some Fuel cleaner in the gas tank will help with AF sensors.

Lexmex

Yes, the basic programs that come with the Elmscan5 compact can do this. I am using the basic program in the screenshots shown above.

There are more advanced software packages that I am evaluating (a few of my tuner friends have them) and I am favoring right now ScanXL over digimoto, though the cost is prohibitive.

Always wait to see how things pan out when the a/f sensor is not constant. I had to deal with the issue for years in Mexico given their gas and I am still on the same a/f sensors that came from the factory. A fuel cleaner can definitely help.

gazi001

Top / OBDII Packages / Digimoto USB Package for $89.95.
Link: http://www.digimoto.com/shop/Product...b-package.aspx

carguy07

Are you able to see the tranny temp on this? Not sure if the sender is an on off switch for an idiot light or an actual sensor.

Lexmex

No, not on the basic software shown above. That's one of the specific readings things I am looking at right now for more advanced software. It might be available on some of the Toyota/Lexus add on packages for something like Autoenginuity (which requires buying their actual hardware to use the software) or something like ScanXL (though I don't think they've come out with that Toyota add on yet).