496 MAG engine - decoding/reading out engine errors

burp

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2002
Messages
363
For the 3rd time I'm faced with the Guardian 2 beeps per minute audible alarm on my 2003 496Mag engine. 1st time was a fuel pump relay error caused by a CAN bus connection on the engine wiring harness. 2nd time was a defective IAC valve. Now it's ???....heading to the shop for diagnosis and repair.

I'm debating on spending a little money to at least identify the problem. My thoughts are doing one of the following and would like to hear pros & cons of each and what others would do.
1. Buy the Rinda diagnostic device to decipher the errors.
2. Buy the Smartcraft gauge to show the errors....but which gauge would you purchase? Any Smartcraft gauge purchased will be mounted in addition to the existing analog gauges. (In other words, I will not be replacing the existing speedometer or tach gauges.) Does the Smartcraft gauges tell you which specific engine sensor is generating the error or just a generic indication that an error exists?
3. Buy a diagnostic software program for a laptop computer to diagnose the cause of the error. I'm clueless on what software programs are available, where it can be purchased or if one software package is better than another.

If I don't spend the money on the boat.....the wife most likely will spend it elsewhere.

Thanks in advance for your input, experience and knowledge.
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: 496 MAG engine - decoding/reading out engine errors

The way it has been drilled into head is; if a code has been set. Keep in mind that "smart-craft" works off of the PCM. That is where codes are stored & nothing will remove them except for the "CDS". Dealer access only, and it makes plenty of sense to me.
 
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