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CKO TECH 2

THEFERMANATOR

THEFERMANATOR

FRANKENBURBAN
Staff member
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Location
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I've been on the fence for awhile, but I seen one of the clone Tech 2's with Candi module for $225+ shipping(came out to just under $268 after shipping and handling/customs). It came with a clone/chinese tech 2, data cable, 12 pin obd1, 16 pin obd2, a couple of other plugs for Saturn and I believe Opel, Candi module, cigarette lighter plug, a/c outlet plug, battery clip power cable, ethernet hookup cables, tis 2000 cd, and a documentation cd. The Tech 2 covers Saturn from 91-13, and GM from 92-11 and several others to 13(you need an mdi to do 14+).

I've only had a chance to use it on my Burb, but I've had ZERO trouble accessing ANYTHING in it. It has zero trouble going into my TCM(alot more than I can say for EFILIVE's V2), links right up to the ECM, read my 01 BCM and cluster module on the obd2 side as well. Then I swapped over to the obd1 side and had no problems going right into my abs and airbag controllers. The main reason I bought it was obd1 is a bastard child in several ways for 95, and only a factory tool can access my abs and airbag. The tech 1 requires a special adapter to connect to the abs where the tech 2 does not, used tech 1's with the abs adapter will set you back close to a grand for a nice one, and I don't need to read GM's older than 92 that bad(or I can use aftermarket cables and tuner pro for about $100 if I really need to).

So far the only complaints I have are the cigarette lighter plug doesn't work(has a break in the ground, I'm contacting them about a replacement), it has the common issue of shutting off and restarting when you crank the vehicle that plagues these clone units(it's a known power supply issue and can be fixxed most say), and some of the menus regarding vin breakdowns are not completely marked(a small price to pay for getting one for $268 vs $4K+). Otherwise I LOVE this thing.

Here lately my EFILIVE has been giving wild balance rate readings on multiple trucks(mine with the sac nozzles was showing -2 up to +1.6), and the tech 2 shows them being almost perfect(-.6 to .5) like I had hoped from a $2800 set of s&s sac's. I'm going to see if my neighbor will let me connect to his 2011 yukon so I can verify the candi module works, but so far everybody says they've been solid.

If you're like me and plan on keeping your vehicle, at this price it makes sense to pick up a scan tool to read your vehicle.1017181550a.jpg
 
ak diesel driver said:
I have one but I need to figure out how to use it.
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It's a little confusing to those who have never used one, and I think that is why some others had trouble with there's. So far the only difference I have found between this one and a genuine one in operation is when going through the prompts to input the info from the vin tag, a genuine one tells you which spot to look for the digit where this one doesn't. But that may be a setting I haven't found yet.
 
For the recycling on engine start issue, presuming it is from a drop in vehicle line voltage, a small inline rechargeable battery should fix that. Sure it is a couple more parts, but they are inexpensive enough.

Or, if you happen to have a portable 'starter' battery with a cigarette lighter type power port, that should do the trick as well.
 
RI Chevy Silveradoman said:
Does this just read modules? Or can it reprogram like the EFI Live does?
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It does everything a genuine GM tech 2 can. I can buy a tis2web subscription for a day and go nuts flashing if I wanted to. Just do NOT update the tool. The clones get zapped by GM's software during flashing. GM wrote code in to kill the clone units if you try to update one, even though they use genuine GM flash cards.

And some people have had luck with installing an external 5 volt voltage regulator with some resistors, but the issue has to do with the internal 5 volt power supply. During cranking voltage can drop below 9 volts which is where the chinese power supply cuts out. GM had custom ones made to handle less than 7 volts so this didn't happen. As to an external power supply, this will not work. The scanner is powered via the same power wires it uses for data transfer. If you use an external power supply, you cut the vehicles positive and ground the scan tool needs to read the vehicle.
 
smokymtn65 said:
@THEFERMANATOR What do you think about this scan tool so far?

Thanks
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So far other than the rebooting when you start the vehicle I have no complaints. It works just like a genuine tech 2. It connects quickly, goes right in and reads data right away, and the special function tests all work the 1st time. Well worth the money to me to have it just for my burb as I needed something to access my abs to bleed the brakes, and the tech 2 is about the only scanner I found that can do it without a seperate adapter(the tech 1 requires an adapter and special cartridge to connect to 95, but its only a 95 problem).
 
Thanks I have the 95 Burb as well as the 07 Burb so that is why I am trying to decide if it would be a good fit for me, someone put a cheap after market radio in the 07 I have a factory one with nav etc, to put back in and I think i will have to have it to reset it to correct options as well.
 
RI Chevy Silveradoman said:
Does it read transfer case issues (4wd) and SRS Air bag codes?
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For my 95 I had no problems going into the airbag, but I don't have push button transfer case. All of the options are there on later trucks to go into them, so I see no reason why it won't. I know some people have had troubles with there CKO TECH2's not working when purchased off of ebay and a few others, thats why I stuck with a trusted vendor with alot of positive feedback on the message boards.
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
For my 95 I had no problems going into the airbag, but I don't have push button transfer case. All of the options are there on later trucks to go into them, so I see no reason why it won't. I know some people have had troubles with there CKO TECH2's not working when purchased off of ebay and a few others, thats why I stuck with a trusted vendor with alot of positive feedback on the message boards.
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If you remember , do you care to share which vendor you went through?
T Hanks
 
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