Purchasing Scan Tool

[steriosm]

I'd like to buy a Scan Tool this year from Canadian tire up here in Canada. Does anyone know what feature i should look for when I'm trying to set timing on a Vortec engine? I'd like to replace my distributer gear and I need a scanner that would let me do this. What do I ask for? I've tried talking to the parts counter guys and I get blank looks. Thanks and Happy New year to all.

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by steriosm

I'd like to buy a Scan Tool this year from Canadian tire up here in Canada. Does anyone know what feature i should look for when I'm trying to set timing on a Vortec engine? I'd like to replace my distributer gear and I need a scanner that would let me do this. What do I ask for? I've tried talking to the parts counter guys and I get blank looks. Thanks and Happy New year to all.

Sorry I do not know what Canadian tire has to offer in scanners but here are a couple that may interest you if you have a laptop computor:

http://www.autotap.com/?s=ask5

http://www.autoenginuity.com/

Read this thread it may help you understand the timing a little.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...setting+timing

In case you do not know procedure for removing distributor I will explain best I can.

Remove distributor cap
Using a straitedge of some kind mark with magic marker a spot on the distributor housing and the firewall (This will keep the housing at the original setting)
Again using straitedge across rotor button mark the postion of distributor rotor on the firewall.
Remove distributor hold down bolt and bracket.
Slowly pull the distributor upward watching the rotation of the rotor button
(I believe it rotates counterclockwise) when the rotor stops rotating again use straitedge and mark on the firewall.

Reinstall in Reverse order and it should fire right up without any difference in timing or cam retard. Key is to install distributor exactly as it was removed.

Hope this helps

[maxwedge]

Most cheap scanners will not display the cam/crank sensor correlation error, this is the issue when removing the dist. The info from tempfixit should help you avoid that.