Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> OBD Advice >> laptop and cable info please
        
(Message started by: invernessguy on Jun 16^th, 2005, 9:18pm)

Title: laptop and cable info please
Post by invernessguy on Jun 16^th, 2005, 9:18pm

Ok, where do i start...

I live up in inverness, and there are a shortage of garages that will / can scan my scorpio.

After a little panic last month when i realised just how busy the garages with diagnostic equipment were... 4 weeks waiting list! I have decided to help myself and buy a laptop, and as many leads as i need to make some cash myself.

Most of the garages that do diagnostic work, will not just scan the vehicle, they want the repair work as well.. understandable, but one guy who works out of the back of an escort van, is extremely busy, and all he will do is read your codes, and or adjust mileage etc. He wont actually repair your vehicle. This is the market i was hoping to tap into.

So guys, and ladies ;) What i want to know is the minimum spec for a laptop, software required, and leads required. I have had a read of the obd section here, and im still none the wiser. Does anyone know what i would need to do for other cars? What would i need to do mileage adjustment?

All help appreciated, thatks guys!

donnie

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by craig on Jun 17^th, 2005, 6:51am

donnie..
all the info about the OBD leads and software can be found at obd2.com,as for "adjusting" the mileage,yes it can quite easilly be done with the correct software,but you are entering a "grey area" by doing that !!!!!

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by invernessguy on Jun 17^th, 2005, 12:34pm

im aware of the grey area, ie illegal! but what i was hoping to do was make some money doing scans, as everyone with a lead etc here, seems to be busy 4 weeks ahead!

thanks for the info, i will check the site out

donnie

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by scorpio_man on Jun 17^th, 2005, 1:13pm

hi donnie

mind there's more to running scans than just pulling the error codes! you need to know what they mean and how that will affect the running of the car etc. eric's pages on obd-2 didn't happen over-night. it takes a while to figure out what it's trying to tell you!

regards

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by Fitzy on Jun 17^th, 2005, 3:38pm

Its actually NOT ILLEAGAL to adjust the mileage of a car, whether it has a digital odometer or analogue one, if your doing it just for kicks. But it IS ILLEGAL if your adjusting the mileage for financial gain, ie a motor trader etc, but if you just want to lower your cars milegae for your own ego then thats ok, it doesn't even matter when it comes to the MOT if the mileage is lower by a few thousand or even it starts at zero, for all the MOT inspector knows it could have new clocks fitted. You can find plenty of people who do the clock adjustments in the yellow pages, they can even do the mileage on the Scorpio main computer.

HTH

Fitzy ;) ;D ;)

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by invernessguy on Jun 17^th, 2005, 4:47pm

i knew it was legal to change the mileage, as long as future owners are advised of the change... \I suppose thats how anyone can advertise it. As for what the scans mean, i intend to do scans with a local mechanic, who has a bit more of a clue than me!

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by ADroste on Jun 19^th, 2005, 12:46pm

Hello,

since 17th June 2005 in Germany every manipulation of mileage counters is illegal - be it for private purpose or not. The spedometer is handled as an official document. Manipulations to it will be punished from fine up to one year of jail.

I am quite sure that also in UK it will be punished, if you do mileage correction as a business. Because no judge will believe you that your customer wanted to have it done just for private amusement. I think, even if you present a paper to him, in which your customer frees you from any liability, this will not prevent you from being punished. I learned in school that British courts decide mainly on precedence cases rather than written rules/laws. So, if I were you I, would quickly forget about adjusting mileage for money.

In addition I would like to point out that this forum up to now was free of any illegal or possibly illegal advice. The way you frankly ask for means for mileage correction may lead to instantaneous ban. People have been banned for far less important things.

Regards
Armin

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by Boblavens on Jun 20^th, 2005, 8:08pm

Inverness guy
Just steer clear of mileage "Tweaks" and you will stay on the right side of the law and the Admin guys of this site.
Get youself a Tricom lead, which as you will see from the OBD site covers all cars, "Probably". and Dowload Mr Pepper's software
Practice for a long while with your own and a few of your mates cars if they have an OBD connector and stick to "Safe" Money makers of reading OBD stuff.

Good Luck in your venture and if you do slide of the "Rail" someone might send you a "File in a Cake" if get my meaning.

Bob

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by invernessguy on Jun 28^th, 2005, 3:55pm

thanks for the info guys, and yes, i will steer clear of mileage corection... seems like its a bit of a minefield, but like i said, there is so much demand for obd scans here, and my mate runs a garage, but knows nothing about computers... only what i have told him!

thanks again for the info guys, i will let you all know how i get on when i get it all up and running

donnie

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by nitram on Jun 30^th, 2005, 2:12pm

ADroste:

How about the reason I had my mileage adjusted on my last car - I had some electrical problems and the odometer reset to zero! It was annoying me and I wanted it changing back to the real mileage.

Or how about your dash goes belly up and you get one from a scrappers - Not sure about the Scorp, but a lot of cars store the mileage in a chip on the back of the dash, you'd want the correct mileage showing, especially if the donor car was higher mileage than yours!

These guys freely advertise their services (Just Google for mileage correction), so I can only think it's not punished (Unless they're tweaking it to sell on themselves, obviously!)

Title: Re: laptop and cable info please
Post by Boblavens on Jun 30^th, 2005, 5:01pm

Still a very Grey area in the eyes of the law.
I think that manufacturers are probablly pushing this one in the background.
So you'd have to use new parts and Main dealers who will probablly be the only authorised "Tweakers" in the future.

Bob