[Bocephus660]

I am coming from a newer diesel pickup with a fancy LED screen with all the gauges on it. I absolutely loved it. What's everyone running on the older rigs? Does the "new" OBDII system on the 97 display a lot of the critical parameters? Coolant temp, Trans temp, boost, EGT?

 

[Jax]

Check out FORScan scanning software for Fords (free) and an OBDII reader. Greatest troubleshooting tool ever! I do not have financial interest in this tool. I just love it.
$12 for the 1-year PC license (not necc) and $7 for the android. OBDII reader $20-$60.

If you have an Android, you can make up a dash board to monitor any PIDs you like.

Does the fresh OBDII system on the 97 display a lot of the critical parameters? Coolant temp, Trans temp, boost, EGT?

I don't know what a fresh OBDII is, but you can read any PID you like. Some people like the Edge Insight CTS2 or 3. I find I have to keep wiping out the CTS3 and setting it up from scratch.

 

[Bugman]

The Edge Insight will only read boost on a 97, there are no other inputs to the PCM for any of the other things that you want to read. You have to install other parts and wiring to monitor the water temperature, trans temperature, and EGT's.

 

[Jax]

The Edge Insight will only read boost on a 97, there are no other inputs to the PCM for any of the other things that you want to read. You have to install other parts and wiring to monitor the water temperature, trans temperature, and EGT's.

So they have a severely limited set of PIDs?

 

[Bugman]

For a monitor to be able to pull information from the PCM the PCM needs to monitor that information. And the OBS trucks just don't do that, I don't believe that the 99+ years do either until the 2008 model year I believe, but it could of started earlier.

 

[Jax]

FORScan pulls all the modules it finds - PCM, GEM, ABS, OBDII, and I forget.

 

[Blue-Truck-Nut97]

On my 97 with an Edge, I can get trans temp ( auto trans ), engine oil temp, boost, exhaust back pressure, intake air temp, injection control pressure, IPR%, gear, ( auto trans ), RPM, and road speed.

Now, the Edge will monitor other things, but, for coolant temp you have to install a temp probe, same with EGT.

Like Jax, my Edge CTS2? freaks out occasionally, if I don't turn the key on and let it load before I start the truck it disconnects, and sometimes other odd stuff.

Personal opinion - when I bought the truck I should have listened to Bugman and put real gauges in the thing.

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