computer

[illiniboarder88]

Does anyone know anything about the computers our boats have on them? I know with a car, you just plug in one of those readers you can get at like Autozone. Do the automobile machines read boat computers, or do you need a special one?

[mtnsmith]

If it would work at all I think it would depend on which engine you have. The mercruisers use a lot of proprietary parts where as the marine powers are very much a gm small block as far as parts go. I know this is not much of an answer, but someone should be able to give you a better one. I just wanted to get my post count higher ...j/k

[chpthril]

What yr and engine (manufacturer) do you have. Most marine engine builders us a different data link (plug) and means of communication from everyone else. Don't know of any universal scanners for marine like the auto's

[SPBFAN]

What yr and engine (manufacturer) do you have. Most marine engine builders us a different data link (plug) and means of communication from everyone else. Don't know of any universal scanners for marine like the auto's

I can help you with this. I work for the largest scan tool manufacture in the world for Automotive. Marine is a little different than automotive. How old is your boat. If its a newer systems it is what they call (CAN) systems short for Control Area Networks Systems. These systems communicate to a scan tool at a rate of seven samples of data per second. Most scan tools slow the data down to four samples per second so the voltage driving the data into the tool does not fry the tool. You need to make sure you are using the correct scan tool that can handle the task at hand. The little code readers at Auto-Zone will not work for these types of systems. You will need to buy a higher end system.

The other issue you are deal with is the Programing on the ECM. The marine ECM's are programed for high output systems and with out the proper tools hooked up you can deprogram the High Output programing and actually detune the power produced by your engine. It is important to use the correct scan tool when messing with this stuff. Hope this helps.

[kko]

The software and plug are different. our scanner works all inbaords. most use same plug as th MP engine mecruiser is the odd ball you have to buy a special plug for it.

[chpthril]

The software and plug are different. our scanner works all inbaords. most use same plug as th MP engine mecruiser is the odd ball you have to buy a special plug for it.

Which one do you guys use KKO?

[illiniboarder88]

It's a mercury fuel injected 5.7. It's a 2000.

[lee]

Most people use the Diacom software from Rinda Technologies Inc.