Do-it-yourself car diagnostics - how to do it?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

If your car suddenly began to behave unpredictably, “eat” more oil or gasoline, the best way out of this situation would be a timely full-fledged diagnosis. It is also used to check devices and assemblies before a long trip. However, every year manufacturers produce more and more complex cars, equipping them with a mass of sometimes unnecessary electronics.

Quickly identify a malfunction in such vehicles will allow only vehicle diagnostics. It is quite possible to do it with your own hands. How - see later in our article.

Scanners for car diagnostics and their characteristics

At the moment, almost all modern auto repair shops and service stations have in their arsenal of tools special devices for cars - scanners and testers. Currently, the following equipment for car diagnostics is used in Russia:

• code scanners;
• motor-testers.

To understand the features of each of them, we will analyze these devices separately.

Diagcode scanners

So, what is a diagnostic code scanner? This device resembles an electronic device based on a microprocessor, which allows you to read information codes from the memory of the electronic control unit (ECU) in digital form. The scanner is connected directly to the diagnostic connector. Depending on the configuration, this machine allows you to:

• decipher the code in text form;
• read error codes from memory and classify them into installed and current;
• display the interpretation of the electronic unit of the current values of signals from all sensors;
• actuate certain elements of the vehicle system (IAC, injectors, and so on);
• rewrite the value of the coefficients in the block memory.

Motor tester

And now let's move on to the motor testers. These devices are universal electronic diagnostic scanners that are used to measure the parameters of the internal combustion engine. The information of interest is measured using special probes and sensors, which are often included with the device. Thanks to the presence of a motor tester, you have the opportunity to measure the following characteristics:

1. Oil temperatures.
2. Current battery voltage.
3. Crankshaft speeds.
4. Starter and alternator current.
5. Voltage in the ignition circuit.
6. Amount of pressure or vacuum in the intake manifold, etc.

Modern motor-testers have digital oscilloscopes in their design, thanks to which many of the above data are determined with high accuracy. This information can also be displayed graphically. But how to detect an error / breakdown in the system without using these scanners for car diagnostics? There is a way out of this situation - it is called the Bluetooth diagnostics of the vehicle. What is the essence of the process, consider below.

Free car diagnostics with a regular smartphone - reality or myth?

Recently, checking the technical condition of the car through a tablet or phone on which a special program is loaded has been very popular among motorists.

Surely on the Internet you have seen a photo or video where a PDA or tablet was used as an on-board computer - it showed the exact engine speed, fuel consumption, antifreeze temperature and much more. So, these devices can serve not only as sensors, but also as scanners, that is, they can diagnose a vehicle through a special wireless device (adapters for car diagnostics are shown in the photo below).

Such a device is connected to the car's standard diagnostic connector (most often it is located to the left of the steering column), and then transmits information and error codes to the engine ECU and other systems via Bluetooth.

Moreover, by scanning your vehicle, the smartphone will not only accurately determine the error code, but also give a full description of itand decryption. Also, this method can be used on the go - when the car is moving, the device will read information from the control unit without failure.

How to use this tool?

How do you diagnose a car with your own hands using the above method? Using your mobile phone or tablet as diagnostic equipment is not only convenient, but also very simple. To do this, you need to connect the adapter to the car connector, then connect the latter via Bluetooth to your tablet or PDA and activate the desired program.

Almost all owners of cars manufactured since 1996 can use this method. As for brands, do-it-yourself car diagnostics can be done for absolutely any vehicle. These are Toyota, Kia, Peugeot, Hyundai, General Motors and many others.

If your car is not equipped with a special port (for example, if it is a VAZ 2109 car diagnostic), then you can use a DATA cable as an alternative to an adapter. In addition, today's assortment allows you to choose any product, from cheap Chinese to reliable and proven models. The cable is selected separately for a specific brand of vehicle. In many ways, the diagnosis also depends on the program itself, downloaded to the smartphone.

Advice from seasoned motorists

Many motorists advise using the Torque Pro software. With this utility, you are able toview all vehicle parameters in real time, including complete diagnostics with or without a GPS tracker. The interface allows you to display indicators from various sensors on the main screen of the display.

Similar software operates on Android phones. On another operating system, diagnostic programs can also work, but we'll talk about them a little later.

What opportunities open up for a car enthusiast using this diagnostic equipment (phone + software + adapter)?

Here it is necessary to note the high functionality of the software, because with it your smartphone can do the following:

1. Display all the main characteristics and parameters of the internal combustion engine.
2. Read codes from the memory of the electronic control unit.
3. Decode errors and delete them from block memory.
4. Save diagnostic report and display code status.

Some programs also have the function of automatically generating an SMS message with a fault code, which can be sent to the master at the service station.

How to diagnose via Java or Windows Mobile?

On phones with this operating system, the Check-Engine utility is most often used. According to its functionality, this program is capable of the following:

1. Display ICE operation parameters in real time.
2. Decipher and remove errors from block memory.
3. Send SMS messages with a codedetected faults.

As you can see, the set of functions between these two programs is very similar, and therefore there will be no difficulties when switching from one software (or phone) to another - the algorithm of their work is almost the same.

Diagnosing a car with your own hands is not only easy, but even exciting. It is very useful to have such a mobile scanner in your pocket, because you can use it almost every day. This is especially worth doing if the car is being diagnosed before buying - here you can independently identify hidden malfunctions and ask for a discount from the seller (if it is buying / selling a car on the secondary market).

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to note that due to the presence of the necessary program, a smartphone and a special adapter, the need for professional car diagnostics at the service station will simply disappear, and, accordingly, you will not constantly spend money on such services. The initial cost of computer diagnostics of the car starts at five hundred rubles.

Each time you use a smartphone and an adapter, you save this amount while gaining experience with computer equipment. Agree, it is better to buy a couple of new candles or windshield wipers with this money than to pay another person for the same services.

So, we found out how to diagnose a car with our own hands.