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Mode $06 data capable OBD2 ScanTool?

Posted By: 360view

Mode $06 data capable OBD2 ScanTool? - 07/08/13 01:18 PM

anyone know which
Scantools
have the feature that they can show the
raw ignition missfire counts in the
Mode $06 data banks?

this article talks about using these missfire counts:

http://www.aa1car.com/library/misfire.htm

sample quote

If you find a P0300 random misfire code, it means the misfire is random and is moving around from cylinder to cylinder. The cause here would likely be something that upsets the engine's air/fuel mixture, such as a major vacuum leak, a leaky EGR valve or unusually low fuel pressure (weak pump or faulty pressure regulator).

If your engine seems to be misfiring,
but there are NO codes set
(no individual cylinder misfire codes or no random misfire code),
and you have a professional grade scan tool that can access Mode $06 data,
you can use the scan tool to look at the raw misfire data that is being tabulated for each cylinder.
Normally the misfire counts should be zero or close to zero for every cylinder. The OBD II system will usually NOT set a misfire code until the actual misfire count exceeds about two percent for any given cylinder.
So by looking at the actual Mode $06 misfire data, you should be able to see any cylinders that are showing an abnormally high misfire rate.

For example, if the Mode $06 scan tool data shows zero or close to zero misfires for all cylinders except cylinder number four
(which has a count of say 80 or higher),
that would tell you cylinder number four has an ignition, fuel or compression problem that will require further diagnosis.
end quote
Posted By: 360view

Re: Mode $06 data capable OBD2 ScanTool? - 07/09/13 12:31 AM

Long time automotive writer Larry Carley makes an effort to explain M $06 data in a clear manner:

http://www.underhoodservice.com/Article/39044/obd_ii_diagnostics_checking_into_mode_06.aspx

sample quote
Unfortunately,
GM, Daimler-Chrylser and other vehicle manufacturers have not yet posted any of their Mode 06 information on the iATN website. ( at least as of April 2005)
Mode 06 information on other vehicle manufacturers usually can be found by searching their service websites. These sites, which include all their OBD II-related service information, can be accessed via the Internet for fees ranging from free to about $25 per day.
For a complete list of OEM websites,
go to
www.nastf.org
or
www.underhoodservice.com
and click on the red oval reading
"OEM Service Repair Links."

Note: We've heard that some of the OEM Mode $06 lists are not completely accurate. Some of the TID/CID hex codes listed on certain OEM websites are incorrectly identified. iATN has attempted to post corrections where errors have been discovered, so it's a good idea to see if there have been any recent postings if you're an iATN member.

It would be nice if there were a single master list of Mode $06 data and what it means,
but each vehicle manufacturer assigns their own unique hex code to their system monitors and components.
As a rule, the hex codes are similar from one model year to the next within a vehicle manufacturer's product line, but some codes may change from one year or model to the next depending on the vehicle application.

If your scan tool only displays Mode $06 information in hex code and you have been unable to find a reference chart to translate and convert the hex code,
your only alternative is to create a reference list of your own using a known-good vehicle.

One automotive trainer we know did that by hooking up his scan tool to a variety of vehicles and painstakingly compiling his own reference manual of hex code translations.
To identify each TID/CID,
he would disconnect a component or create a false failure and then note which TID/CID on the Mode $06 screen changed. He would then write down the item, the corresponding Mode $06 hex code, and convert the test value into regular decimal units that made sense.

One thing to keep in mind here is that if all the Mode $06 entries read PASS,
it means all the monitored components are working within specifications.
There are no problems lurking in the system waiting to trigger the MIL light and set a DTC.
Consequently, you don't really have to know what each TID/CID means as long as all the lines read PASS.

On the other hand, if one or more lines read FAIL, then you know there's a problem and further diagnosis is needed to isolate the fault. For that, you do need to know what component is identified by the failed TID/CID hex code.

end quote
Posted By: Skeptic

Re: Mode $06 data capable OBD2 ScanTool? - 07/09/13 01:43 AM

Mode 6 can be very helpful, or worthless. Aftermarket scanners are a total crapshoot on how accurately they report and display the data. BTW "fail" can mean that the monitor has NOT run yet and is not always an indication that a monitor has failed.
IATN is an excellent resource for information, a subscription is well worth the cost.
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