Scanmaster, whats your opinion?

[k10boy]

I've talked to several people who tell me not to buy a scanmaster and that its the biggest waste of money. Apparently it does not always read knock and when it does it is delayed? Also isn't there an audible knock detector in these cars from the factory that will retard the timing when theres knock?

 

[TurboDave]

I find it hard to believe that these were Turbo Buick people you were talking too. I don't know of any Turbo Buick people that are actually stupid enough to make such claims. Talk to anyone on this board and they will pretty much all say the same thing. The Scanmaster should be the very first purchase you make for your car!!!
It reads whatever knock that the sensor sends to the computer. It has no way to pick and choose.
Yes, our cars have a knock sensor and it works just fine, assuming it's hooked up and is properly torqued. And yes it does retard timing when heard. If the knock sensor has any shortcoming it's that it is prone to hear and report false knock.

If you keep following the advice of the people to whom you refer, you are in for some serious let downs.

 

[coach]

WOW!!! That's more stupid then not having a pile of dollar bills when you go hang out with Bison!!!

Scanmaster is a must...regardless of what your running. I just got one for my XFI

 

[k10boy]

I find it hard to believe that these were Turbo Buick people you were talking too. I don't know of any Turbo Buick people that are actually stupid enough to make such claims. Talk to anyone on this board and they will pretty much all say the same thing. The Scanmaster should be the very first purchase you make for your car!!!
It reads whatever knock that the sensor sends to the computer. It has no way to pick and choose.
Yes, our cars have a knock sensor and it works just fine, assuming it's hooked up and is properly torqued. And yes it does retard timing when heard. If the knock sensor has any shortcoming it's that it is prone to hear and report false knock.

If you keep following the advice of the people to whom you refer, you are in for some serious let downs.

I sold some parts to a guy over the weekend and he said that his audible knock sensor was going off and his scanmaster wasn't reading anything. Maybe he was lying I dont know. Have you ever had any problems with it?

 

[TurboDave]

The audible knock detectors are an aftermarket device that merely taps the knock sensor's signal line. It nabs this signal before it even gets to the noise filtering device. The car's system is designed to filter out most of the none knock related noises. The audible knock detectors will sound off on ANY noise it hears including false knock which is most prevelent at WOT tip in (that is when you slam the throttle open) Many of us are plagued with it, and most aftermarket chips will ignore the knock sensor all together for about the first second and a half of WOT. I've got it, as do many others. Not sure what's causing it, but I just tell the system to ignore the first two seconds of WOT.

The most dangerous time for REAL knock to occur is at the 2-3 shift and anywhere in third or fourth gears.

Tip in knock is probably what was setting off his noise maker (that's really all they're good for) and as such was likely false knock.

 

[wiseman]

The scanmaster was the very 1st electronic device that I brought for my GN when I dropped my rebuild engine in , the caspers knock alarm was the second, the caspers knock guage was my third. I use and rely on these items to make sure that I am warned before I get too far the highway to a very catastrophic breakdown. The scanmaster has been a great tuning and diagnosing tool for me , especially since this is my 1st GN, and 1st time messing with forced induction. It's better to be safe than sorry especially once you have $1,000s and.$1000s of dollars invested into your car.
Don't listen to your friends, get one.

P.s. make note.....do a search on turbo buicks and notice how may cars you see with a scanmaster on the dash somewhere vs the ones that don't.....;-)

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[BIGPSI]

probably 99% of the cars on this board have one. the audible is going to pick up a ton of false knock as stated. do yourself a favor and get one,it is the best thing to have to keep an eye on everything. i have powerlogger also,and most of the time i use the Scanmaster because it's right there

 

[dartguy340]

I find it hard to believe that these were Turbo Buick people you were talking too. I don't know of any Turbo Buick people that are actually stupid enough to make such claims. Talk to anyone on this board and they will pretty much all say the same thing. The Scanmaster should be the very first purchase you make for your car!!!
It reads whatever knock that the sensor sends to the computer. It has no way to pick and choose.
Yes, our cars have a knock sensor and it works just fine, assuming it's hooked up and is properly torqued. And yes it does retard timing when heard. If the knock sensor has any shortcoming it's that it is prone to hear and report false knock.

If you keep following the advice of the people to whom you refer, you are in for some serious let downs.

X2. Also, good to see that you are actually asking people for help who know what they are doing when it comes to Turbo Buicks!

 

[rev. 3:11]

X10 to all the above
No stock audible knock detector (well, except for the whole engine becoming "audible")
Scanmaster is an absolute must
used for much more than knock
Get one
It should be the 1st aftermarket item you purchase

D

 

[Braxton Jordt]

I simply shift my car jnto gear and my audible knock sensor goes crazy...

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Bigjsn250]

The most dangerous time for REAL knock to occur is at the 2-3 shift and anywhere in third or fourth gears.

Tip in knock is probably what was setting off his noise maker (that's really all they're good for) and as such was likely false knock.

great info. I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten knock so far while tuning this car. As soon as I see it, I get out of it and make adjustments. Knock while your first getting on a car in low gear rarely hurts motors. You almost always see the problems (blown head gaskets, serious detonation, burnt valves and of course breaking parts) in higher gears or extended runs.

Not mention it's a TPS setting device, a tach, a speedo, a water temp gauge, voltmeter, show fuel trims, reads mal codes, etc etc etc all in one package. It even has recall for knock/retard.

 

[FastB]

Is there more than one version of the scan master? And if so, which one is best?

 

[Williams3982]

2.0, 2.1, 2.2, and im sure there is older ones that's just the versions i've seen. I know 2.2 is required for use with a powerlogger and 2.1 supports newer aldl datastreams. Also believe 2.1 shows o2 x counts.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Pronto]

Too late, he's already blown up his car.

 

[FastB]

I need one...been doing the laptop thing for a while and that's old...I do have PL. I'm hoping I have a ALDL connector..my car is an '85 with a '87 swap. Guess I'll get out there and look to see if I have one...some of my connectors and things that are stock on other cars are missing from mine.
Been hunting for my wastegate solonoid for a few months now..LOL...it's MIA.

 

[blackazz]

Too late, he's already blown up his car.

R.O.F.L

 

[FastB]

I know exactly how my car is running with Powerlogger..just trying to lose the laptop.

 

[Pronto]

From Blazing Saddles, "It's twue, it's twue!"
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...night-need-a-motor.393226/page-6#post-3234150