Diagnostic software for laptop

Because you can't alter the the tune on motronics you may as well not use a laptop and just use your android phone to recieve data via blue tooth. There are blue tooth obd2 scanners that plug into the DLC and you are good to go for less than $50. Not sure which ones work. Ebay is hit and miss. Most stuff from china. Inovate product does not work according to many web forums. If you find one that works post it here.

 

Yes, there are several of us that do. I believe "Loser" is a user of this software also. I have the bluetooth version and connect to my laptop. Takes a bit to get used to but overall pretty good.

 

I have used it, works really good for pulling and clearing codes as well as reading the mapping of your car. I use other software as well, but that IS for changing the mapping of the car and tuning it. Scan Tool would be your best bet.

 

Also keep in mind I am doing this on my Subaru and NOT a Ferrari. I flash my ECU with new maps for different stuff I add to the car, different fuels I use and other scenarios. There are a lot of programs that allow you to flash your ECU with the settings you choose. However I am coming from 4 years or learning how to do this and it is not easy. I use Tactrix for tuning. http://www.tactrix.com just for reference go to the site and click on the 2nd picture or middle picture and it shows you a screen shop of one of the mappings. Basically, if you aren't sure then paying someone or sending out your ECU is best. There are places that you send your whole ECU in to get flashed as well. ScanTool just allows you to monitor it and not change anything, which from what you described it what you would need.

When you send it out to be reflashed or reprogrammed they are tuning your ECU basically. When I first got my car tuned they put it on the dyno and tuned it via a laptop (which is how I do it now) or reflashed the ECU to preform better with the new stuff I added. Your stock ECU is great from the factory, reflashing or tuning is a way to use it to it's full potential in a way. Sorry I started to ramble for a bit, just wanted to try to help you out on the matter some and to clarify

 

I am. Most of the wired and bluetooth ELM scan tools sold on Ebay include a copy of the early "freeware" version of ScanTools.net and it works great for reading and clearing codes, and also reading sensor data in real time. Limited functions, but when you can get the cable and freeware for under $13 with shipping, it is a bargain, and works on any car made from 1996 on. I bought something similar to this about 3 years ago: http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-V1-4-ELM327-OBDII-OBD2-CAN-BUS-Diagnostic-Scanner-/320730973198?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aad0e440e There is also a bluetooth version available for a little bit more. I am uncertain if bluetooth is that much of an advantage...the hardest part is getting it plugged into the port on the car, and that is not made any easier if bluetooth. But choice is yours. These all includes a copy fo the scantools.net freeware on a cd rom.

I am also using PCM Scan from Palmer Performance Engineering, which is way more sophisticated, and allows for graphing, free frame, and many other features. It has a long learning curve to use, and frankly I just use the ScanTools.net software 99% of the time.
There is a bunch of freeware out there, once you buy the cable or bluetooth ELM scanner tool for your laptop.

BTW, I have not tried it yet, but was recommended to me by another Fchatter to try this software, which for "freeware" looks very feature laden: http://www.easyobdii.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=15

 

+1 for Scantools and PCM scan. Perfect for simple OBD diags. I used the scantools adaptors since their first product. Now they have improved them a lot and it just works great, including OBDlink bluetooth and Wifi which are now flashable interfaces.