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bstone · Aug 3, 2006, 07:49 PM

I currently have a 93 Ford Explorer. I am seriously trying to sell/donate it and get a 91-93 Honda Accord. Their gas mileage and reliability really impress me.

The Explorer currently is getting a check engine light. NOBODY around here has an OBD 1 device and the Ford dealership wants $110 just to scan it. If I get a Honda Accord I want to be able to scan it, as well.

Does anyone know of a good yet inexpensive ODB 1 device?

Gossamer · Aug 3, 2006, 07:54 PM

I've heard that you can go to an Autozone and they'll let you borrow their machine, but it sounds like you might have already checked out that option. It's possible they'd still have a device to read computers from 11+ year old cars, but not likely.
Here's an eBay link to an auction for a Ford OBD 1 reader for $18 shipped, but it sounds like it might not work for your future Honda. Hope you get what you're looking for!

The Godfather · Aug 3, 2006, 08:07 PM

My '94 626 has an ODB I port too. Luckily, after reviewing the Haynes repair manual, I found a way to jumper 2 holes in that port and the car would blink out the error codes on the dashboard.

bstone · Aug 3, 2006, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Gossamer

I've heard that you can go to an Autozone and they'll let you borrow their machine, but it sounds like you might have already checked out that option. It's possible they'd still have a device to read computers from 11+ year old cars, but not likely.
Here's an eBay link to an auction for a Ford OBD 1 reader for $18 shipped, but it sounds like it might not work for your future Honda. Hope you get what you're looking for!

Yeah I called every AutoZone and mom & pop store and no one has it available. Weird thing is when I was in Boulder, CO a few weeks ago every store had it. AZ says they dont scan anything pre-96.

Rev-O · Aug 3, 2006, 09:25 PM

Have you tried unhooking the battery for a few, then rehooking it up? IIRC, on some of the early to mid 90's Ford Pickups and Exploders this would reset the Check Engine light, which may or may not come on again at some point in the future. While this won't diagnose your issue, it would allow for a quick dumping at a dealership.

Gossamer · Aug 3, 2006, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Rev-O

Have you tried unhooking the battery for a few, then rehooking it up? IIRC, on some of the early to mid 90's Ford Pickups and Exploders this would reset the Check Engine light, which may or may not come on again at some point in the future. While this won't diagnose your issue, it would allow for a quick dumping at a dealership.

That's the same with my Mystique...IIRC disconnecting the battery reset the ECM completely.

bstone · Aug 3, 2006, 10:07 PM

I'll disconnect the battery but I think this is a real isue. The engine runs rough and I'm sputtering a bit every now and then, with the engine occationally dying when I am sitting at a red light. I've replaced the TPS, one of the O2 sensors and replaced all the spark plugs. Hmm....

Gossamer · Aug 3, 2006, 10:13 PM

I got a ton of CELs with my Mystique...I ended up having to replace all 4 O2 sensors (and one had to be replaced twice...ouch), fix a small vacuum leak, and after a while a new fuel pump was needed. My engine started dying randomly, turned out I had a dead spark plug and several others were dirty. How are your plug wires?

bstone · Aug 3, 2006, 11:53 PM

It's a new fuel pump (1 year old) and the plug wires are a year and a half old. I'll try the battery trick. Maybe I'll go unplug it now and let it sit all night. Could be the comp needs to be reset.

My explorer only has 2 O2 sensors.

Gossamer · Aug 4, 2006, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by bstone

My explorer only has 2 O2 sensors.

Lucky

I have both upstream and downstream sensors on both cylinder banks.

Snooperino · Aug 4, 2006, 08:49 AM

OBD1 doesn't have a scanner.... scanning devices were mainly for OBDII, because OBDII was a universal system. OBD1 varied from car to car.... get a manual, and you should be able to use jumpers on a little fuse box, and it will 'blink' codes at you morse code style with your check engine light. Then use the manual to decode the codes into usable information.

ChrisF · Aug 4, 2006, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by bstone

The Explorer currently is getting a check engine light. NOBODY around here has an OBD 1 device and the Ford dealership wants $110 just to scan it. If I get a Honda Accord I want to be able to scan it, as well.

Does anyone know of a good yet inexpensive ODB 1 device?

OBD 1 doesn't work that way. Each mfr. generally had its own interface and code reporting system and that's why you can't find a generic scan tool. These codes can often be extracted by following a procedure which might cause the car's computer to flash the check engine light in a certain pattern to indicate a diagnosis code.

Gossamer · Aug 4, 2006, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by ChrisF

OBD 1 doesn't work that way. Each mfr. generally had its own interface and code reporting system and that's why you can't find a generic scan tool. These codes can often be extracted by following a procedure which might cause the car's computer to flash the check engine light in a certain pattern to indicate a diagnosis code.

But be careful if you try this, I've know people who fried their several hundred dollar ECU doing the paperclip thing.

bstone · Aug 4, 2006, 09:37 AM

I think I'll go with the $18 device. Much more worth it.

CMYKid · Aug 4, 2006, 12:29 PM

thats really all the $18 device usually is, one jumper wore with a plug housing and a switch built around it.

Spliffdaddy · Aug 4, 2006, 06:36 PM

Here's how to extract the fault code >

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=147734