Using laptop to monitor vehicle performance

[profcoyle]

I keep seeing ads for performance enhancement/monitoring devices and I know techs can plug their laptops into the vehicles system and run diagnostics. Is anyone aware of a cheap or even free program that would allow me to monitor my '03 7.3's performance using my laptop, which I'm already using when I travel as a gps. Seems like one should be able to open up a window which would display the basics such as engine/trans temps, exhaust temps, etc.

I appreciate your input.

[straycat]

As far as I know, the only way your going to get the EGTs and trans temps acurately, is to run the probes, my 99 dosen't have the factory trans temp gauge. And as far as i know the ones in the later trucks don't work that well to begin with. You should fill in the sig. so we know what year, mods etc. we are talking about, makes answering questions about your truck a little easier. hope that helps.

---Gord.

[slammedSI]

On my civic I run AEM EMS, Its not cheep at 1,250 to 2,200 for the hole system. Im not sure if it would work on our trucks but here is a link to there site just for looks.

AEM - Plug & Play Engine Management Systems

[fordnut85]

Don't know if your still looking but there is a company called autoenginuity (AutoEnginuity - OBD2 Scan Tool - Professional PC and PDA Diagnostics) that I use as a diag tool. what you can monitor is all dependant of what your vehicle can support, even if you don't have a tranny temp guage the computer still monitors it so you can too on a laptop. I did just this thing when hauling a trailer back from western kansas with the wife's sploder, I just resized the windows so I had tranny temp and trans slippage reading on the left side and my GPS taking up the rest of the screen. It's pretty affordable too.

[WEWILLE]

Yeah we looked into buying one for the shop, but ended up going with the same one the dealership uses. It sounds like a great program though.