[Gmecm] Class2 DIY tools?

[Scott Pearson]

As far as tools, the Mastertech is about the closest to the Tech2, but costs 
even more. Probably the best aftermarket tool for the money is the OTC 
Genisys, but it's kinda sketchy on body stuff. Some it works good on, others 
it won't do anything. The car that pushed me over the edge to buy a Tech2 
was my Catera. Aftermarket support for it is non-existant, even powertrain 
is only OBDII generic.

I think that Bravada has a Passlock system, which is primarily between the 
key cylinder and the IPC, with a pass/fail message going to the PCM. If 
you're loosing data to the IPC, it will fail. Make sure you have good 
grounds, they'll throw fits without that.

Scott

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jay Vessels" <jay at vessels-clan.com>
To: <gmecm at diy-efi.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 9:38 AM
Subject: [Gmecm] Class2 DIY tools?


> Hi there!
>
> Are there any consumer tools that will talk over the Class 2 bus on a GM 
> light truck that will communicate with the IPC and BCM?  I'm thinking of 
> tools that would do some of the tests that I can do with a Tech2 (i.e. 
> command IPC to turn on/off indicator lamps, command fuel guage to full or 
> empty, read BCM DTCs, etc.)  I haven't done an exhaustive search, but it 
> seems most tools outside of the Tech2 will either only read and clear 
> DTCs, or they are geared to primarily gather powertrain data.
>
> An example of why I want this -- I've got a '99 Bravada that seems to have 
> a failure in the Class2 bus wiring.  I recently replaced the heater core, 
> which involved at one point removing the IPC and BCM.  Things worked fine 
> for a few days, then the IPC seemed to have lost Class2 communications 
> since the fuel gauge, seat belt indicator, and a few other things stopped 
> working.  Things not driven by Class2 data (tach, oil pressure gauge, 
> voltmemter, SIR lamp) still work.
>
> Last night I started checking the wiring harness and apparently angered 
> the security system since now it starts and immediately dies.  I suspect 
> an intermittant break in the Class2 bus that I have completely broken, and 
> now the BCM can't send the Passlock "thumbs up" to the PCM.
>
> Being able to attempt to talk to the IPC and BCM would help rule out some 
> faults, and I could more quickly hone in on the problem.
>
> These kind of problems have come up before -- I had a failed distributor 
> cap on this same truck, and at the time I had access to a Tech2 which 
> really made running tests much faster since I could eliminate a lot of 
> areas quickly.  My Tech2 connection has dried up, unfortunately, since he 
> changed jobs.
>
> So, does anyone have a tool that does at least a reasonable subset of what 
> the Tech2 does for decent money?  I don't have the bones for a Tech2...
>
> Jay Vessels
> 1982 Chevrolet S-10 Sport, 2.8V6 TBI
> 1984 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer Sport, 2.8V6 (TBI pending)
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