ok, today in autoshop he mentioned about codes and said how you can run you car with and without codes and said how you dont need to know them but it would be nice to and it sounded like he said you could buy a code puller for a few bucks. is this true? where do you get them and how does it work?

 

code pullers are basically like scanners. i work at a tranny shop with my dad and i always scan the cars so yeha. you just plug it into teh diagnostics test plug on teh driver's side engine bay and you should just enter the required vin numbers and it should give you codes.

 

http://www.toolsource.com/ost/produc...zrateactcp9125 im guessing this is what they are, so they arent a few dollers, more like $100-$200. maybe something ill invest in later. what can it tell you and how do you transfer the code to something understandable?

 

i got a really cheap one from advance auto parts for less than $50 i cant remember the exact amount. If your check engine light comes on the code scanner will flash out numbers, then you just look up the number in the book that comes with it and it will tell you the diagnostic info, very simple.

 

good thing we have a Snap On Scanner! keke we dont have ot look in the book the code defines itself =) but we did have to spend like 2500 for it

 

hmm maybe i should get that. my check engine light is always on, but i think its because i only have two cats. but seems really cool.

 

Well I dont have any cats at all and i dont get a check engine light

 

go to wal-mart . cost is 29.99 & it is digital. make sure it is for your year & make.

 

That code scanner is for OBD II computers whitch are cars from 1996 and up. Your 1990 stang is a OBD I your best bet is to go to Advance or Autozone they will pull codes for free.

 

All you need to check the codes is an analog multi-meter. They sell at Sears for $10. If you have a Hanes manual it tells you how to convert the number of sweeps the meter dial makes into the codes stored on your computer. It even tells you what the codes mean. It's a very simple and cheap way to do it.