SD2 Alternative for DIY use?

Single model Galileo (same manufacture as Leonardo)

Contact Nick Forza Ferrari (sponsor here)

I was days away from buying one before I aquired an SD2

 

What kind of coin are we talking about?

Pros and cons of each system?

 

I've only had my SD2 a few weeks but it's a factory tool and it covers a range of models from 348 to 575 and Enzo.

Galileo comes with only one model (you can add more). Contact Nick for pricing.

For 360 and up, where you can access Ecu's thru OBDII port, other options are out there such as Auto Ingenuity for about $4k but I have no experience of what AE can or cannot do. Terry has it for his 575 though.

 

I have a Auto Ingenuity that I use primarily on BMWs manufactured after 2004. For that it is a great tool because it allows you to address 98% of the cars addressable systems.

Speaking specifically about their Ferrari interface for a F355......it is not worth the money they asked for it. When I looked at it just for the F355 it basically did things a reasonably priced OBDII analyzer could do and not much more. Similar to BMWs....in the early 2000s most manufacturers switched from isolated on board systems to having a common interface. Certainly, Auto Ingenuity has been able to do far more with later models.

 

I believe they are limited on the 355 since most functions need to connect to the individual ECU's via ISO cables and not the OBDII port.

 

I agree. I was at our local Ferrari dealership the other day and they were complaining that their SD2 was having trouble communicating with some 355s. Specifically, they were having trouble resetting an airbag light. Eventually the customer got frustrated and took it elsewhere where it was reset with an Leonardo.

The on board technology of 20 years ago has become a very niche business.

 

I guessf old systems are like 5" floppy drives in a world of flash drives.

 

Hmm - that's interesting.

What people don't understand (I was one too) is, SD1 is the proper tool for a 355. When using an SD2, you are porting the software thru the SD2 to a PC. From what I can tell, you cannot use the SD2 standalone on a 355 - you must port to the PC. I'd surely hope the dealer tech knows this but perhaps this is why he could not connect. When trying to use in standalone mode, you get a message (paraphrasing here) "impossible to run in standalone"

I have a thread going in the 355 section of my learning on the SD2 and will be into those ECU's soon.

 

Dave,

We are getting older. A lot of the Dealer mechanics were in high school or younger when the 355 hit the street. My guess is that more than a few see it as an antique which requires special diagnostic tools to work on. Given the few amount of 355s I see at our local Dealer for service.....it's not a surprise that training, working expertise and knowledge on an older model would decline over time.

I am following your SD2 story. I am curious though if a working SD1 or SD2 breaks.....can they be repaired?

I have an engine analyzer that is over 35 years old.....I still expect it to break every time I use it.

 

I'm told, yes. I've also been told the SD2 is very bullet proof, contrary to what others had told me prior.

The problem with "I'm told" is taking someone's word for it without first hand experience. Although, the I respect and trust the ones who told me.

 

My software writer for my ECU tuning company put together a system for me, working with one of his friends in Indonesia.

I've got coverage for the 348 through the F12. On my CS I've been able to access most systems. I've been able to read clutch life, set PIS, bleed clutch and clear a air bag light. It's worked great for me and at $2K, was reasonable.

 

Good info. Care to mass produce it ?

 

Skipp - just contact Nick and discuss Galileo.

 

Thanks Dave.

 

Heads up, from what I know the SD2 is non repairable. No parts and no service as the people involved with it's MFG have since shuffled of this mortal coil...

 

Scott, both the seller and another tech have told me it's repairable. IIRC, by the same company who makes the SDX who has former Digitek people.

 

Scott - for giggles, I sent an email this morning to the makers of the SDX and they no longer service SD2's. Awaiting a response from a tech I know.

 

Dave when you discussed the galileo with Nick did he say it did everything or did he list the things it does not do.

 

Hi Grant, there is a published list of coverage per model. Shoot me an email and I'll send it to you. I believe Nick has that list on his site but I don't have a link handy.

 

Just wanted to update this based on what I learned last night. With my 355 F1, I was able to connect to the Motronic ECU and transmission (F1) ECU via the OBDII port.

http://youtu.be/gUDrnt-ZUrA

 

We have now for end users the actual Leonardo dealer level software in a tool called the Galileo. We offer a one car hardware and software package for 5.000 USD including a flight case all cables including the ISO1 ISO2 for pre OBD or early OBD (for the older cars 512 TR/ 348/355/550/575/456) We cover all Ferrari up to the 2018 GTC4 LUSSO. This is the real deal with Proxi programming/ alignment for the newer cars.
(There is no tool that does this other than the factory tool or the Leonardo/ Galileo)..

We actually offer this for any single car model in the Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini product line.

You can then add more cars as you go if you acquire another car. We are doing this for end users/ car owners on F chat. The price is higher on my e bay listings as an example.

We also offer technical support on the car for one year included in the cost price.

On a side note on the SDX their support is terrible from what my business associates and dealers have been telling me, to the point that this month alone 2 Ferrari dealers have contacted me to replace their problematic SD2/ SD3 units which they cannot get repaired and wanting to replace them with Leonardo's as they are faster and easier to use an we also offer a 2 year warranty on the hardware.

Again this tool is reverse engineered off of factory Ferrari tools, not a second or 3rd generation hack or an old Leonardo tool hack which we have seen all over the web and even at the AAPEX show this month.

The data numbers are accurate to the dealers numbers and this is a professional tool for just only one model of car.

Hope this helps. I can be reached at 360 410 1949 call or text if you wanting anymore info on the Galileo device.

 

Nick, I've heard the SDX and its support are top notch.

 

I have never used a Leonardo, but the SDX works very well. Most of the problems with SD2's And SD3's are related to cabling/connectors. The get a lot of abuse at the dealership level and no one seems to realize how important they are. They are treated like crap and we have multiple cables that are bad, but they refuse to get new cables (I don't know if they are even available anymore).

 

Brian - cables are available but also Steve Bisel on the forum can make them - he made some for me and the quality is awesome! I can connect you if you like.