This is one of the coolest tools I have seen for quite some time, and a SUPER value for the price.   The ScanGauge II is a small and simple device that allows you to view the information that your 1996 and newer OBD II equipped vehicle is already producing.   With 12 different digital engine gauges, a scan tool and full trip computer functionality its a powerful device in a neat and compact package.

You can download the user manual HERE.

Check out the cool old ScanGauge first generation we picked up on Ebay for $55 shipped!

With a compact size, its easy to find a spot to locate the gauge.
Another shot showing the unit and cable connector.
There are two plugs on the unit: one on the end and one on the back.   This further helps when trying to find a place to mount the ScanGauge II.

Above are a few different colors for the back light.

There are not just 1 or 2 colors you can choose from for the back light., you can actually adjust the Red / Blue / Green to make up your own color, or match what you already have in the rest of the dash.
For now, I ran the cable up and positioned it on the dash with the GPS and tilt meter.   I plan on finding a better mounting spot for the long term, but I would recommend against a hard mount.  You know it wont be long before your friends want you to read their check engine lights!
The ScanGauge II will automatically turn itself on and off with the vehicle.   The back light. was hard to see during the daytime, but you can see a bit of it here.

There are 12 different gauges, and you can display any 4 of them at any time:

  • Fuel Economy
  • Fuel Pressure
  • Battery Voltage
  • Coolant Temperature
  • Intake Air Temperature
  • Engine Speed (RPM)
  • Vehicle speed (MPH)
  • Manifold Pressure (not available on some vehicles)
  • Engine Load
  • Throttle Position
  • Ignition Timing
  • Open/Closed Loop

 

That's what I like to see!   No check engine light, no codes.

This is one part of the device that has been very convenient.   Being able to check trouble codes and clear the check engine light.   Before you go into the mechanic, you can read the code and see if its something you can fix.   The scan tool can:

  • Reads Trouble Codes
  • Reads conditions that set the Trouble Code
  • Clears Trouble Codes
  • Turns off the "Check Engine" light
  • Tells you when vehicle is "Ready" to pass OBDII Smog testing
  • Make and store up to 10 rewriteable special codes
    to send to the vehicle computer

 

The trip computer allows you to store 11 different parameters:

  • Maximum Speed
  • Average Speed
  • Maximum Coolant Temperature
  • Maximum RPM
  • Driving Time
  • Driving Distance
  • Fuel Used
  • Trip Fuel Economy
  • Distance to Empty
  • Time to Empty
  • Fuel to Empty

While using the ScanGauge II I have loved the MPG info.   We all guess about our mileage, and we can clock it after a fill up. But that's nothing like watching it change as you drive down the road.   Being able to find the just the right balance of speed and MPG during a long trip was really nice.   When you pull into the gas station and fill up, you tell the computer how much gas you put in.   It will make a guess, but you can adjust it to the actual amount added to the tank.   With this info over a period of time, the gauge can adjust to give more accurate readings.

I was going to add a gauge pod to get a few extra gauges, such as voltage and water temp but now I don't need to, and to top it all off, the ScanGauge II was cheaper.   The ScanGauge II is a product that I would fully recommend to anyone looking to add extra gauges.   Even if you still add pillar pod, you can put another different gauge in there, such as transmission or differential temperature that the ScanGauge II does not offer and have that much more information on your vehicle.

So now onto the best part.   We all know that scan tools can be quite expensive, and the cost of the ScanGauge II was one thing that completely blew me away: $169.95 including shipping!   How can you beat that?   
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