Otc Monitor 85

[b4black]

I use a OTC monitor 85 scan tool. It won't do as many cars (only GM 1981/85) as a 2000 or 4000, but it works for my car and it's smaller too. Since it doesn't cover as many cars, they are usually much cheaper. I bought one for $10.

Here are two on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1872990708

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1872994138

(Note - they don't use cartridges like the 2000/4000)

 

[pat83t]

I bid on one of them. Thanx for the heads up.

 

[pat83t]

I got it for $9.99 plus shipping. Thanks again Rich. Now I will be asking you a hundred questions about it.

 

[b4black]

Cool.

Here another for someone else:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6754&item=1873178758&rd=1
(go ahead and outbid me, I just don't want to see it go unsold for only $5)

 

[b4black]

Originally posted by b4black
(go ahead and outbid me, I just don't want to see it go unsold for only $5)

Guess what I won.

At these prices, nobody has an excuse for not having one. Well, except for maybe not having an ECM.

 

[pat83t]

I don't think mine comes with the manual and I paid twice the price that you did. Now I feel like a schmuck.

 

[b4black]

This guy's charging me $8.50 to ship it. What bugs is it shouldn't cost that much and the guy never got my address before figuring out the amount. He knew ahead of time he was charging this much, but put in the description "Buyer pays shipping and handling", not the actual amount. I guess handling can be whatever he wants. (Actually I think some poeple inflate the shipping whever they are disappointed in the final selling price.) Oh well, it's still a good deal.


Pat, even at $10, you got an awesome deal. If it doesn't come with a manual, PM me your address and I'll send you one of mine.

 

[pat83t]

Thanks for the offer Rich. I will let you know.

 

[pat83t]

Well, I got it and just as I feared, no manual. I already PM'd you Rich. Everybody that doesn't already have one of these things should get one. Besides helping you with trouble shooting and tuning, it is very retro for these cars. I thought I was back in 1983.

 

[b4black]

Pat, the manual went out on Sat.

You mentioned the oxygen sensor wasn't responding on the scan tool. If you have a digital multimeter, it's real easy to hook it up and see exactly want the sensor is doing in real time (not thru the ECM/ALDL). Just get ~10' of wire (~18 gauge), strip one end and pinch it in the sensor's connector to the wiring harness. Then run the other end in the passenger compartment and hook it to + and the ground the -. It should vary from 0.000 VDC (lean) to 1.000 VDC (rich).

 

[pat83t]

Well thanks Rich, but you never even told me what you wanted for the manual. The O2 sensor was reading but only .05 volts and didn't fluctuate. The lead isn't shorted out against the exhaust so that can't be causing it. The only thing I can think of is bad O2 sensor so I changed and now it reads fine. Already it has paid for itself. I may know somebody that may want that other one that you got if you are willing to sell it. Let me know and I will tell him. He has an 84 T-type and it has problems.


Also check out what I got off E-bay to go hand in hand with this.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14026&item=745454606&rd=1

Should be here in a day or 2.

 

[pat83t]

Also it occured to me that nobody else either has an opinion on this or nobody else wants to get in on these things. Nobody else has stepped in here at all.

 

[pat83t]

Damn, I think that is the fastest the U.S. Postal Service has ever moved. I recieved the manual today. Thanks again. So far I found out that my mixture control dwell is out of specs, (58 degrees at idle and no fluctuation) and a friend of mines thermostat is stuck open. The highest his coolant temp sensor read was 60 degrees celcius after sitting and idling for half an hour. His heater never really did warm up but he thought it was a problem with the heater itself because the radiator was warm to the touch. It was getting warm just not warm enough. pulled the thermostat out and was stuck open about a 16th of an inch.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Pat,

I got an OTC 2000. I don't know about the type you and Rich have, but I know that on mine one can switch from metric to American. In either case these little things are great for our cars....

 

[pat83t]

If it does I haven't found it yet. However if my metric to standard calculator in my head is still half way operational, 60 degrees celcius is right about 137 degrees farenheit.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

On mine to change to American, press f1 then 1 on the number pad. *(By default the OTC shows in metric).

 

[pat83t]

Only one problem with that................ there is no F1 key. Just 0-9, enter, and mode. I will end up reading the manual and knowing it back to front in my sleep before it is all said and done though.

 

[b4black]

Pat, don't worry, the manual's on the house. I think I want to keep the other 85 I just bought. Then I can keep one in each car...

The Monitor 85 is just an earlier/simplier version of the 2000. It's actually a little smaller, and the modes are printed right on the unit. I have a 2000, but I like the 85 better. They should report the same data.

I wish anybody had them (meaning those with ECM's obviously). I don't understand why people aren't buying them, but then I don't understand how people can tune without a boost gauge.

Pat, try the knock retard mode and some WOT blasts.

 

[pat83t]

Well thanks again Rich. That is exactly the kind of attitude that inspired the other thread. No prob about that other OTC 85, I will continue to search for one for him. Shouldn't be too hard.

With the WOT blasts, I got all the way up to 21 degrees retarded in the knock sensor.

 

[pat83t]

HELP

OK now this is wierd. I have been having some trouble with the car popping back through the carb. but it hasn't been doing it much lately. Today I got in the car and went to drive to work and it was doing it bad. I decided to put the 85 in place and see what was going on. I plugged in the ALDL port and the rpm's raised alittle and it started to smooth out. I then plug it in to the lighter and it got even better. Then as I was driving down the road I hit the "0" key to trigger the air pump solenoid and it smoothed completely out and so I hammered the gas and it took off like you wouldn't believe. I have been suspecting the mixture control solenoid for awhile and then with checking it, it wasn't fluctuating like it should be and was sitting at 57-58 degrees dwell. When I hit the "0" key I am effectively leaning out the mix. Does this indicate that the carb is bad or a component of it? Please let me know because even though it is out of warranty, my boss said that she would warranty it out for me if it is bad. Thanks.