I am using Datamaster and Tunercats. The datamaster is great for diagnostics, pretty much plug and play with your windows laptop. Haven't messed around too much with the programmer yet but I will soon TunerCat
Alex Peper's software is off the market as far as I can tell. It was also OBD2 only, so it will not connect to OBD1. I sponsored a large group purchase of his software years ago here on the ISSF . I have tried many times over the last few years to contact him and never get any response.
Searched for old install file for Datamaster, but was not so lucky. Managed to find an old copy on an old laptop that I had to work on to get running. Then, the COM ports won't allow communication. Ugh!
Anyhow, $EEHack works great, and TunerCATS is what I use for "tuning".
DataMaster is no longer supported or available from the vendor, TTS Power Systems. There are still installs available for version 3 and 4 you just have to dig for them. It was always 'free' for doing up to 20 logs. I know that TC at TunerCat is working on a replacement of some sort. For data logging DataMaster was simple and well liked. The version 4.1 works fine on Win7/Win8 and Win10. I have run it on all three. Since TC was a DataMaster retailer, I will ask him what the above board way is to obtain an installation file. I do have the install file for their last version for 94-95 LT1 and would be happy to post a link at some point.
The information I received from TC at TunerCat is that TTS asked all their retailers to remove the software from any of their websites. This is not completely unusual but many companies tend to do a bit differently. I will say it was a bear to get TTS to register it again if you purchased a new laptop... they did not make it easy and pretty much charged you about 1/2 another registration fee to send you a new key. -Gerry
I have been using TunerCat and DataMaster OBD1 for 12 years or more. For those years... it has been pretty straight forward to get connected when you are using a genuine RS-232 port on a laptop (or desktop). Most every implementation that used any sort of a USB adapter that 'converted' it to RS-232 had some subtle issues IF it connected at all.
Just curious atlantadan, if you are using a straight up RS-232 port. If so what operating system ( XP, Win7 etc? ). All of my software has worked fine on all these OS's up to including now my Windows 10 laptop. If there is a COM problem and you are running XP or even Win7 you might need to change a couple of comm port parameters. Just a few thoughts.
TunerCat's OBD1 package is seamless. TC has it on autopilot. You may want to trade the hours you've spent on this for a licensed copy of his OBD1 Tuner. I am willing to bet TC would participate in a group purchase, but I can only guess. Running a Group Purchase here is a labor of love. Been there and done that with the Alex Peper OBD2 diagnostic package. Which btw is no longer supported....
Hi Gerry - TunerCat works just fine with the USB port and ALDL plug provided some select fuses have been pulled. Scan9495 works flawlessly without pulling anything. Both of those programs work in either 7 or 10. The trick with TunerCat is to pull the SLS underhood fuse, and the #15 AC/DRL, and #25 air bag fuses in the main panel. Once those three fuses have been yanked and their corresponding background PCM chatter silenced, it's smooth sailing.
To be clear, this is in a 95 Caprice wagon, so I am sure there are other communications happening in the background that are not present on an ImpSS
Unfortunately, even after pulling these fuses, $eehack still errors out, but its much more stable and actually usable as a datalogger. Not as solid as TTS Datamaster or Scan9495, but at least its usable.
If the other packages work fine that would lead me to believe some comm tweaking might be needed. The tweak the vendor had listed above seems to be for FTDI based USB cables. And oh yea... the wagons have that DTC display you can bring up on the radio... My memory was rusty... your comment about pulling fuses rang a few bells. -Gerry
I got SCAN9495 to connect to my '95 Wagon in expecting to pull SIR and ABS codes but after further research, it looks like it doesn't work on B-Bodies. Any suggestions on what I can use to get those codes?
Scan9495 works perfectly on a 1995 b-body wagon. Its one of the few programs thats been truly "plug and play" for me. What sorts of problems are you having?
To my recollection ABS system diagnostics are not available in the '95 PCM. The ABS system has its own diagnostic system separate from the PCM. If there is a way to get these codes that would be interesting to know. This goes back to me looking for a way to monitor ABS reluctor data after changing from 3:73's to 4:10. Never found a 4:10 reluctor, 3:73 yes. Don't want to hijack this thread though.
I can connect and get engine data but when I click the SIR and ABS capture buttons then view those tabs it doesn't display anything and then stops capturing those items. The ABS and Air Bag lights are on in my dash. Want to know what to fix.
Reading the guide and other threads on ABS, it is a separate module but should be read by SCAN9495. I'm starting to think it works for F-body but not B-body.
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