Finally getting a Tech2

[Teeroy78]

Hey folks,

I'm finally ready to break down and order myself a Tech2. Bonus that my wife's car is a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, so it should work on both our vehicles!

Many of the links I have found in the forums are no longer valid, but the pointers to the websites were still helpful.

I have found a couple, one on DHGate and one on AliExpress. DHGate is about $60USD cheaper, both offer free shipping to Canada (yay!). I'm ready to pull the trigger on the DHGate one, but before I do, can the Tech2 experienced folks have a quick peek please to see if the kits look complete? I'll specify GM-English in the software load for both.

DHGate for $323USD:
https://www.dhgate.com/product/2014...tech2/177356327.html#s1-0-1b;searl|2430543408

AliExpress for $385USD
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Best-sale-high-quality-G-M-Tech2-G-M-Auto-Professional-Diagnostic-Scanner-with-free-shipping/32738053241.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.8.2d24ba6bfsZHlV&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10065_10344_10130_10068_10547_10342_10343_10340_10548_10341_10084_10083_10618_10139_10615_10307_10313_10059_10534_100031_10103_441_10624_442_10623_10622_10621_10620_10142,searchweb201603_28,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=ae06c0f3-0e44-45ce-a657-eb24a4a57e78-1&algo_pvid=ae06c0f3-0e44-45ce-a657-eb24a4a57e78&transAbTest=ae803_4&priceBeautifyAB=4

Thank you very much for any guidance you can shed!

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Hey folks,

I'm finally ready to break down and order myself a Tech2. Bonus that my wife's car is a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, so it should work on both our vehicles!

Many of the links I have found in the forums are no longer valid, but the pointers to the websites were still helpful.

I have found a couple, one on DHGate and one on AliExpress. DHGate is about $60USD cheaper, both offer free shipping to Canada (yay!). I'm ready to pull the trigger on the DHGate one, but before I do, can the Tech2 experienced folks have a quick peek please to see if the kits look complete? I'll specify GM-English in the software load for both.

DHGate for $323USD:
https://www.dhgate.com/product/2014...tech2/177356327.html#s1-0-1b;searl|2430543408

AliExpress for $385USD
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bes...4a57e78&transAbTest=ae803_4&priceBeautifyAB=4
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bes...4a57e78&transAbTest=ae803_4&priceBeautifyAB=4
Thank you very much for any guidance you can shed!

@swathdiver

 

[Teeroy78]

@swathdiver

Haha, James does seem to be the resident Tech-spert. Thanks for pinging him Nate!

 

[swathdiver]

Hardly an expert, I'm new to it as well. The kit from DHGate includes the case and I find it really handy to have most everything locked into place for transport/storage. Some folks store them in other ways. As for your Cruz, check to make sure it does not use the newer MDI and GDS Software, it was not listed on one of those ads but I could check later if you tell me the line or body style on mine own. The 32.007 doesn't ring a bell as for being the latest card, I think it is 33.004 but my memory cannot always be trusted and have the flu again.

 

[Teeroy78]

Hardly an expert, I'm new to it as well. The kit from DHGate includes the case and I find it really handy to have most everything locked into place for transport/storage. Some folks store them in other ways. As for your Cruz, check to make sure it does not use the newer MDI and GDS Software, it was not listed on one of those ads but I could check later if you tell me the line or body style on mine own. The 32.007 doesn't ring a bell as for being the latest card, I think it is 33.004 but my memory cannot always be trusted and have the flu again.

Hmmm... doing some Googling, and I saw that Tech2Win seems to have a latest version of 33.004 as you indicated. Haven’t found a current listing for a physical Tech2 with other than 32.007 though. Strange. Does your Tech2 have 33.004?

I don’t know how I’d check the Cruze, so I’ll take you up on your offer to check on yours please. It is a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze LT sedan.

 

[swathdiver]

Found a 33.002 but having a hard time searching AliExpress. One seller with a good price did not show which version, you could always ask. Ebay has a bunch now too. You can also buy the cards separately or download an update (costs $$ I think). Some older versions of the Tech2 had the ability to make duplicate PCMCIA cards, mine does not have that feature. Found out the hard way after digging through boxes and boxes of old computer parts for my old PCMCIA cards! LOL

 

[Teeroy78]

Found a 33.002 but having a hard time searching AliExpress. One seller with a good price did not show which version, you could always ask. Ebay has a bunch now too. You can also buy the cards separately or download an update (costs $$ I think). Some older versions of the Tech2 had the ability to make duplicate PCMCIA cards, mine does not have that feature. Found out the hard way after digging through boxes and boxes of old computer parts for my old PCMCIA cards! LOL

James,

Good call on eBay. I found a few on there that ship to Canada for free and are 33.004 with case for only a few bucks more than the DHGate kit I linked to above. I wonder what the difference is between the two software versions. Probably added vehicle support, and if I want the 2013 Cruze supported I should get the newest I can get. I’ll keep an eye for more info and lock in on a final decision in the next day or two.

Thanks for your help! If you could still check your Tech2 for the 2013 Chevy Cruze LT, that would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Teeroy78]

Oh, and I found a seller on eBay selling just the card, 33.004, for $22.49USD free shipping, if anybody is interested.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Card-Fo...var=521420152894&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

[2011SSVHOE]

Interesting ,I watch utube videos and a guy in FL is working on a late model C6 corvette. He goes by Samcrac . anyhow he had to reprogram his ecu. he purchased a VXDIAG VCX NANO, plugs into the OBD port, comes with TECH2win and is only 120.00usd I see them on Ebay, my question is does it do all the same functions of a tech 2 ?
it works better with a 32bit laptop.

heck if it works as well as a Tech2 it's a lot cheaper.

didn't mean to hijack your thread. food for thought

 

[2011SSVHOE]

Oh, and I found a seller on eBay selling just the card, 33.004, for $22.49USD free shipping, if anybody is interested.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Card-Fo...var=521420152894&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

ok with that card and a laptop that supports PCMIA cards if you could get a cable to interface the OBD2 port to a serial or USB port will it do the same as a TECH2 ?

more food for thought

 

[swathdiver]

One downside I see is a laptop being cumbersome in the car, especially while underway!

Troy, I poked around and could not find your car on my Tech2, it does not identify them model, one needs the line number. Like a Chevy Impala was a W platform, the Cruz is a Delta platform but there is no D in the menu. I think it might be a MDI and GDS2 car.

 

[Teeroy78]

One downside I see is a laptop being cumbersome in the car, especially while underway!

Troy, I poked around and could not find your car on my Tech2, it does not identify them model, one needs the line number. Like a Chevy Impala was a W platform, the Cruz is a Delta platform but there is no D in the menu. I think it might be a MDI and GDS2 car.

Thanks for checking James, I do appreciate it. I had done some other digging too in the meantime, and my research also shows it’s a MDI/GDS2 system, not Tech2 compatible. Even if I can’t use it with the Cruze, it’ll still be well worth the purchase for my XL.

 

[Teeroy78]

Interesting ,I watch utube videos and a guy in FL is working on a late model C6 corvette. He goes by Samcrac . anyhow he had to reprogram his ecu. he purchased a VXDIAG VCX NANO, plugs into the OBD port, comes with TECH2win and is only 120.00usd I see them on Ebay, my question is does it do all the same functions of a tech 2 ?
it works better with a 32bit laptop.

heck if it works as well as a Tech2 it's a lot cheaper.

didn't mean to hijack your thread. food for thought

Hi Roger,

Thank you for bringing up this perspective! There was another person in another thread “VXDIAG as Tech2 Alternative” or something to that effect. The OP didn’t end up replying back, and somebody else chimed in and wasn’t able to get it working. It sounds like a CANdi module is still required, even with VXDIAG. Plus, if one has a 32-bit laptop kicking around, that’s great, but I don’t. I’d have to also pick up a used laptop and throw 32-bit Windows on it (apparently it doesn’t play nicely with 64-bit Windows). Adding up the small piece parts brings the total around or above a Tech2. At least in my use case, anyway.

I really appreciate your feedback Roger! I’m sure it will be helpful to somebody else down the road too. That’s the great thing about these forums I find.

 

[MidwestMike]

Hopefully not getting too far off the topic...

I'm seeing all these going up to 2013.
I know 2015's changed,
but I thought everything was the same in 2013's and 2014's?

Thanks

 

[swathdiver]

Hopefully not getting too far off the topic...

I'm seeing all these going up to 2013.
I know 2015's changed,
but I thought everything was the same in 2013's and 2014's?

Thanks

Depends on the body style and platform. My Tech2 says its only good up to 2013 but we know some 2013 and earlier had already switched over to new system. I do not believe that GM updated the computer system on the GMT900 SUVs in 2014, so they should be compatible with Tech2. I have not been able to confirm this though. The 2014 pickups are new platform and MDI/GDS2.

 

[Teeroy78]

Good news and bad news. My Tech 2 arrived today! The bad news is the cover to the card tray doesn't open up far enough to get the PCMCIA card into the top slot.

There is a lip at 90 degrees to the lid which cradles in the card to better protect it, I suppose, but it makes it quite impossible to access that top slot. I tried to wedge it in anyway, but no go. Inserting into the bottom slot and powering up shows a software download screen of sorts. I suppose the bottom slot is only for programming PCMCIA cards.

I have contacted the eBay seller. He's been very prompt with communication so far. Let's see how he stands behind his product.

To be continued...

 

[swathdiver]

Mine's like that Troy, I just forced it in. Later on I took the whole thing apart thinking I could flip it over but it's not designed that way. My fingers are too big to get in there and remove it, had my girls do it but once its in there's no reason to remove it as that card works for all the autos in my stable.

 

[Teeroy78]

Mine's like that Troy, I just forced it in. Later on I took the whole thing apart thinking I could flip it over but it's not designed that way. My fingers are too big to get in there and remove it, had my girls do it but once its in there's no reason to remove it as that card works for all the autos in my stable.

Thanks James, that makes me feel a bit better. I got a reply this morning saying that his supplier is away for two days and he’ll see what can be done then. It makes perfect sense that once the card is in, it’ll never have to come out. It was just very disheartening, that’s all. I was really excited to reset my fuel alcohol percentage back down to 3% from the 51ish% it’s sitting at now since my last fill.

I was going to hold off on forcing it in any more than I already have (just couldn’t get the pins to line up last night for the life of me) before hearing back, but knowing yours was the same way I might take another crack at it tonight. If it was a plastic lid, then I’d have no problems trimming it down, but since it seems like it is made of metal I don’t want any metal shavings getting inside shorting it out.

Perhaps a good solid pair of pliers could help too...

 

[swathdiver]

Make sure you're running regular gas with less than 10% alcohol content before resetting the fuel trims. That's from the manual.

 

[Teeroy78]

Make sure you're running regular gas with less than 10% alcohol content before resetting the fuel trims. That's from the manual.

For sure. I don’t want to generalize for all of Canada, but certainly in Manitoba 10% alcohol is the highest you can get. My experiment with premium is done, too. Way too expensive to put that in if I don’t have to.