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Engine Control Communications |
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The EZLink scanners connect to the vehicle through the diagnostic connector in the car. It is the same port that the dealer connects with. The scanners contain sophisticated software that allow it to communicate with the Engine Control Module (ECM) vehicle software. The tools can then access trouble codes stored in the ECM memory, or read the sensor data as it is being read by the ECM software.
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Real-time Data Monitoring |
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Most if not all functions of vehicles today are controlled by the ECM or another computer in the vehicle. The only inputs can come from individual sensors such as the Oxygen Sensor, Manifold Air Pressure Sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, Mass Air Flow Sensor, Crankshaft Position Sensor. Each of these sensors are critical for providing input to the control functions of the ECM. If one of these sensors is faulty, most of the time the ECM can detect and log a trouble code. These codes can be retrieved later via the EZLink scanners. Many times, however, the sensor is "lazy" and not completely faulty which can lead to fault intermittance. For these cases, the Data Monitoring function and the Data Capture function can be used to "catch" the vehicle sensor when it is acting up.
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Trouble Codes |
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Trouble codes are the easiest way to detect vehicle problems. These codes are set by the vehicle when the engine control software has detected a sensor out-of-tolerance or malfunction. Most vehicle user manuals show a technician the exact procedure on how to repair problems that tripped the trouble codes. We also sell OBD-II reference manualsthat explain trouble codes and automobile control systems in great detail. The EZ Link OBD-II , Ford, GM, and Chrysler OBD-I scanners display not only the trouble code number which can easily be referenced in the vehicle's repair manual, but also a brief description of the problem on the LCD screen. Here are some examples:
When the description is too large for the viewable screen area, an arrow is displayed that indicates that there is more text. Here is an example.
Where pressing the <down> arrow will display more text. |
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Data Capture Mode |
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| As with many intermittant automobile problems, the symptoms are sporadic and few and far between, and worse yet occurs while driving down the road at a certain speed or starting from a stopped position. The Data Capture Mode allows the user to trigger the scanner as soon as an elusive symptom occurs and saves previous 15 seconds of data and stores an additional 15 seconds after the problem, along with the data collected when the user pressed the trigger. This capture interval is configurable between 500ms (15 seconds of capture data) and 1 second (30 seconds or capture data) rates. |
