So what can you do with a tuner scan tool? You can recalibrate various settings in your engine's computer to increase Horsepower & Torque. So who makes the best tuner scan tool? The best tool is the one that has the features you want. These products typically sell in the $400 range depending on the model, application and where you buy it. Some of these are AmericanMuscle's BAMA tuner tool for Mustangs, Superchip's "MAX Microtuner" for late model GM, Ford and Dodge car and truck applications, Hypertech's "Power Programmer" tool for Ford and GM applications, GM Performance's "Granatelli/Diablo Sport Predator" tool for GM, Ford and Dodge, and Crane Cams "PowerMax" performance power tuner for Chevy, GM and Ford trucks plus Hummer. Various aftermarket suppliers sell specialized "tuner" scan tools for tweaking the PCM to improve vehicle performance. Tuner scan tools let you dial in more horsepower. This was to discourage emissions tampering and to protect the OEMs against unwanted warranty problems caused by someone fooling around with the calibration of the PCM. With the introduction of EEPROM (Electronically Ereaseable Program Read Only Memory) chips in computers on OBD II equipped cars and light trucks, reprogramming become possible - but only with a "factory authorized" reprogramming tool. This allowed the input and output signals to be modified to achieve the desired gains in performance. On applications where the stock chip could not be replaced because it was permanently soldered into the PCM main circuit board, the stock PCM could be fooled into delivering the desired ignition timing and fuel enrichment by piggybacking a second module into the vehicle's PCM wiring harness. People who want more performance from their engines used to have only one option: to replace the original equipment PROM (Program Read Only Memory) chip with a performance chip - and then only on certain General Motors and Ford applications.Īftermarket performance chips typically provided more spark advance, fuel enrichment, and allowed the user to bypasses the stock rev limiter and speed limiter.
#Automotive programming tool software#
Even professional scan tools cannot change the programming unless they are J2534 compliant, and even then they only pass through new factory software settings to reflash the PCM memory. But most DIY and entry level scan tools do not have the ability to reprogram the operating instructions that are already in the computer. Scan tools are used to pull fault codes and system data from vehicle computers.
#Automotive programming tool manuals#
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