Auto Enginuity Question

windrunner408 · Dec 20, 2011

I have heard that the AE with the Ford bundle can do just about everything that a dealership can do with their IDS.

So I was wondering if I could get some input from people that have it and see how it worked for you. It would be nice if I could hear from a dealership tech that has used both but beggars cant be choosers.

I know that all the advertisements talk about the various abilities of this system but what does/can it do that benefits us PSD owners specifically??

Whytry · Dec 20, 2011

I love it, First off it isnt that expensive second you can do so many things on it from data logging to monitoring to changing tire sizes it has a lot of good things on it. I work at an international dealer and I have some experience on the computer and it can't do everything they can do but you are also not spending the like 10k in computer stuff we have.

windrunner408 · Dec 20, 2011

Good to know man. I appreciate it. Can it pull history codes (both hard and soft)?? I take it that it can't do things like shut an injector off electronically or whatever can it.

lubeowner · Dec 20, 2011

windrunner408 said:
Good to know man. I appreciate it. Can it pull history codes (both hard and soft)?? I take it that it can't do things like shut an injector off electronically or whatever can it.

it can turn off injectors. It also can do contribution balance test.

Pizza pig · Dec 20, 2011

and yes it can pull hard and soft codes

i borrow a friends, but thats next on my list, its too useful not to do it.

Zmann · Dec 20, 2011

lubeowner said:
it can turn off injectors. It also can do contribution balance test.

as stated on other forums same exact post

ostwhore2:

it does all of these things ..

I kinda hate when somone jumps to all the popular forums and pastes and copies the same question ,,, but thats just me :doh:

windrunner408 · Dec 20, 2011

Zmann said:
as stated on other forums same exact post ostwhore2:

it does all of these things ..

I kinda hate when somone jumps to all the popular forums and pastes and copies the same question ,,, but thats just me :doh:

Well while I would agree. You do get different responses to the same question posted in different forums and I think it is best to get the most rounded answer I can find.

Thanks all for the info and input and I will make it next on my list.

lubeowner · Dec 21, 2011

windrunner408 said:
Well while I would agree. You do get different responses to the same question posted in different forums and I think it is best to get the most rounded answer I can find.

Thanks all for the info and input and I will make it next on my list.

what you should do is take the answer from someone who knows and has done it. We hav A.E. and used to use it alot. I personally like the snapon scanner the best but that is me. On the A.E. it is kind of hard to find the menu where you can disable injectors but it is there. I forget how to find it everytime i use it and it takes me a few minutes each time to find.

Also i am pissed at A.E right now as ours won't connect to the vehicles anymore and A.E wont stand behind thier product and we havent had it a year yet. So i havent used the A.E in about two months.

windrunner408 · Dec 21, 2011

I agree and thank you for the input. I was hoping to hear from folks that actually have it and have used it A LOT. So if I may what does the Snapon Scanner do that the AE doesnt, which Snapon Scanner model is it (I havent really looked at Snapon), and how much of a price difference is there between the two?? The fact that AE wont stand behind their product worries me. I have heard that their updates and stuff are good for a year then you have to pay for the updates. Not sure how that stuff works with Snapon. Thanks again man you have been great.

lubeowner · Dec 21, 2011

For me the snap on is better. But i have a shop and fix all brands. The snapon to me is faster and easier to use. Also I like the on the snapon contribution balance you just get a number like -90 or something. On the A.E. you get a graph and it is slightly harder to interpreter as it moves around. Gets the job done and is very effective. In the end my snapon is just better for me. As far as price you will have about 2 to 4 thousand in a snapon. Also you have to have update 11.2 or newr as that is the first update with snapon that had contribution balance. Before this update came out this spring the A.E was more useful in the shop.

windrunner408 · Dec 21, 2011

Yea I hear you on the snapon but I dont think I can quite recoupe/justify the cost of the Snapon Unit. It does appear that the AE is a powerful tool that will do most of what I need it to. I guess after thinking about it; I really need it for pulling ALL codes, monitoring EVERY sensor on the truck, and doing some basic diagnostic testing such as testing injectors and what have you and it appears that it will do that. Thank you again for the help and info.

phale · Dec 21, 2011

We use AE everyday on Powerstrokes and Cummins both. I would not have anything else for a Powerstroke and it is pretty good on a cummins as well. Just remember that most things you need are in the actuations tab that is a little hard to find. For 6.0 injectors the power balance test is great.

windrunner408 · Dec 21, 2011

How long have you been using it on the Powerstroke??

da94broncodude · Dec 21, 2011

how are you doing the powerbalances on ae? i have ae and worked for a dealership about a year ago, i bought the ae so i could still test/diag and imo the powerbalance on the ids is way better unless im doing something wrong on the ae?

Zmann · Dec 22, 2011

lubeowner said:
Also I like the on the snapon contribution balance you just get a number like -90 or something. On the A.E. you get a graph and it is slightly harder to interpreter as it moves around. Gets the job done and is very effective. .

We actually Hated the #'s they changes so fast that it was impossible to see if one was out of range IMHO

I like the Graph but have yet to see a bad injector shown on either so

IDK how it's going to display and how easy it will be to see

Zmann · Dec 22, 2011

windrunner408 said:
Well while I would agree. You do get different responses to the same question posted in different forums and I think it is best to get the most rounded answer I can find.

Thanks all for the info and input and I will make it next on my list.

Ya agreed sorry about that comment

windrunner408 · Dec 22, 2011

Yea no worries. Appreciate the input.

Zmann · Dec 22, 2011

Betty White moment

I needed a snickers lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ya0-OZ58s

windrunner408 · Dec 22, 2011

hahaha

hawgdoctor · Dec 23, 2011

while you are running the power balance in the graph you can look at the percentages also if you hit the drop down menu, and scroll up to the line that says KOEO. Just an FYI.