Hey I just bought an Actron u381 code scanner from e-bay, cost a whole $65 and change. Does anyone have experience using this scanner? It's supposed to have live data reading..will that allow me to find which coil-on-plug is giving me issues without the check engine light being activated? I called my mechanic and he wants almost $200 to replace a coil-on-plug, when I can buy one for $50 at Advance Auto Parts..$65 isn't much to pay to save hundreds of dollars at the garage, these damn Fords go through cop's like a fat kid goes through candy.

 

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^^ Agreed ^^

I had a cursory look at the specs for that device. I do not think it has that capability.

Watching live PID/DMR data isn't the same as further processing of that information into meaningful diagnosis.

I can view / log events all day long with my SCT device & software - doesn't mean I know what I'm lookin' at

Perhaps the attendant software that comes with the device offers some more functionailty and can 'present' the captured data with more insight. That's a SWAG, though ...

You can try contacting the manufacturer and ask them but they probably speak Chenglish

You get what you pay for ...

 

That's a good idea I'll try calling them..if it can't do that, I'll just wait 'till the check engine light comes on, if it doesn't already by time I get the scanner next week. I just want something that will save me from spending money for some guy connecting a code scanner for a few minutes at $65-$100 each time, all I need to know is which cop it is so I can replace it.

 

jbrew that's a good idea, I can buy a whole set for less than it would cost for 2 at Advance Auto Parts..only instead of changing all of them, I think I'll just change them one at a time because there are already 2 new ones that I know of in the past 14 months..who knows how many more have recently been replaced.

 

Yea you need a WDS for stress testing/ channel 3/ Or Mode 6 for cylinder count history. You could call 1-800 ROTUNDA, - $$$$ for diag comp.

Change them all for ignition integrity, keep your old set for spares. The search bar is an awesome feature on this site.

Good Luck.

 

Which two were replaced

(The llama doesn't mean anything.. I just noticed that he was available so I wanted to use him)

 

I don't know..1 was done under warranty and the other shortly before I looked at it..so that's two within the same month. 14 months later and another one needs to be replaced..that's 3 that I know of, so I may be half way or more there lol.

 

The two replaced should be Black on the top, originals should be Yellow.

 

Can I ask what symptoms are leading you to the COPS?

EDIT - sorry - just saw it was a pre-2004 - those fared better in the COP department, lol

Thanks

 

Oh ok that's good to know, when I get in there I should be able to tell how many have been done. If they were done be a ford dealership would they also be yellow, or still black?

 

Wow 2004 and up are worse? Mine is going through them pretty quick. It's doing the typical studdering under light load, more so in overdrive. It was worse when the previous cop went bad, so it's kind of making me wonder. Anyhow, when I get that code scanner it should tell me exactly what's happening.

 

Sorry bud - my wording sucks, lol. 2004+ are not having problems at all (or verrrry rarely).

If yours are not getting obviously wet, the boots are in good shape, there is dielectric in there, etc .... I'm just wondering if it's not something else, is all.

Good luck. You gots Jbrew on the case, yer golden

 

Right, yellow or black. Yellow tagged are factory - Blacks are Gamma's w/motorcraft part#'s which is what they use and what your purchasing @ Global.

 

I dont know zip, in fact I am having the same problem. So I did a lot of reading these COP posts and the thing that keeps coming up is how the heater hoses commonly leak under pressure and cause the back two on the passenger side to go out.

I am just parroting what I have read so take it only with a grain of salt. But reading that yours are going one at a time and pretty close together in time, it seems to me to be a good possibility that it is something like the hoses causing it.

Jbrew helped me and he's helping you so your in good hands. I just wanted to say that you may want to look a little further before putting in the new ones. Even know these ebay ones are cheap, I have not read in any of the posts yet that people are doing it because they enjoy it

Jbrew will give you the scoop on the heater hoses. Or you can read one of the times that he has already posted it. There should be dozens of them

Good luck