Disco 2 Diagnostic Tool Options

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Interceptorxj said:
I've just taken mine to an on-site VAG garage who have the latest all singing and dancing diagnostic machines and they have said none of their 3 machines will talk to my D2 TD5, they are suggesting there must be a fault with my socket. Is it possible it is just their machines or could they be right about my socket, is it a major changing the socket?
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Why would a VAG garage have a Land Rover Testbook system?
 
Interceptorxj said:
I've just taken mine to an on-site VAG garage who have the latest all singing and dancing diagnostic machines and they have said none of their 3 machines will talk to my D2 TD5, they are suggesting there must be a fault with my socket. Is it possible it is just their machines or could they be right about my socket, is it a major changing the socket?
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As both @sierrafery and @MJI have suggested, it could well be that the VAG garage kit just isn't capable of working with the Land Rover protocols of the Td5.
The Disco 2, while it has an OBD type test socket, the "language" used by the various ECUs isn't generally compatible with OBDII diagnostic code readers. For this reason, if you read the forum a bit more you'll see that there are 3 code readers for DIY use known to give sensible truthful results, Nanocom, Hawkeye and Lynx. There might be one or two others which have come on the market recently. Land Rover main dealers use the Testbook T4.
 
Sorry didn't make myself clear in this and sorry for the thread hijack but it appeared connected to my situation as I am contemplating a Hawkeye. The garage are an independent VAG repairer and do repairs on all makes not just VAG, Although called VAG and specialising in VAG they work on all sorts from Mini to Aston Martin & Bentley. Their diagnostic machines are supposed to be capable of talking to anything. My D2 started on Sunday then stalled withing 10 seconds and then refused to start, I ruled out the fuel pump as it had a new genuine one 6 months ago and it was still very quiet not sounding like it needed purging although I did several purging cycles to make sure with it still failing to start so I suspected the crank sensor but wanted to get this clarified after finding out a genuine crank sensor was £225:00. The VAG garage were doing me a free favour as they maintain all my companies fleet Sprinters.
On Monday night I swapped the relays in the engine bay and retried it and although it initially wouldn't start it was now trying to fire (could smell it) , I tried it a second time and it started with a chug or two and has been absolutely perfect since even with the relays swapped back. I had priced up a Hawkeye but would be miffed if I forked out for that and it wouldn't connect to my car because of a "faulty socket". I was just trying to find out if anyone else has had issues with their sockets talking to diagnostic.
 
Interceptorxj said:
I had priced up a Hawkeye but would be miffed if I forked out for that and it wouldn't connect to my car because of a "faulty socket". I was just trying to find out if anyone else has had issues with their sockets talking to diagnostic.
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Try and find someone local who has a known working unit for a D2 and be nice to them.

Cheers
 
The Foxwell scantool is a cheaper alternative and so far has done the biz for me. It does seem to read and clear all errors, as for reprogramming a new key, I have no idea, I bought it for something much more urgent and important than that!
 
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Just an FYI... Though the Foxwell NT510/520 is a great diagnostic tester for the money, I could never get my NT510 to reprogram a Disco 2 key fobs. I now use my Nanocom for that.
It might work on the Foxwell NT520 Pro or the newer NT530 but definitely not on the NT510.
I submitted a trouble ticket for this issue two years ago and Foxwell quickly emailed me back stating a future firmware update will correct this issue.
Three updates since then and the NT510 still doesn't reprogram key fobs.
 
I've been using Hawkeye on my D2 facelift for the last 4 years, I got it used (but as new) off Ebay as soon as I got the car, I find it invaluable for investigating faults and general diagnostics, it's also pretty much foolproof and intuitive to use. In fact I plugged mine in last week for the first time in ages.... "no fault codes" to report. I think that's the way with Landrovers.. if you don't have the tool, you'll be forever wanting to read fault codes.. as soon as you get the tool they start behaving themselves :)
 
I have a Hawkeye total on the way as i will be using it on my D2 and my father in laws Freelander 2. My mates D3 and D4 will also be plugged in. Will post up an honest review next week when ive used it. Second hand Hawkeyes can be had for £150 with D2 unlocked, or a total for £250 ish. They seem reliable units so second hand is an option to consider.
 
I’d say in the 6 weeks ive had the hawkeye its saved me probably £100 + in diagnostic time plus more in me being able to diy fix the problems. It also diagnosed my mates D3 power loss and smoke issues in 5 mins (split intercooler hose). Saved him also.
If the Foxwell jobbie does the same as Hawkeye it will be great.
The dongles do allow greater range on the Hawkeye but most are slightly obscure. I have the blk and red dongle as they came with it.
 
ronsealdeath said:
The dongles do allow greater range on the Hawkeye but most are slightly obscure. I have the blk and red dongle as they came with it.
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That's why Foxwell is better cos they didnt make tricks as to need dongles, all the links are already in the connector and it will communicate with all the vehicles and systems without needing costly addaptors, it's cheaper and "smarter" than Hawkeye as well
 
Interceptorxj said:
I was just trying to find out if anyone else has had issues with their sockets talking to diagnostic.
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As no one else seems to be answering your question, let me try. I bought my Hawkeye Total before I bought my D2 and I used it on a lot of vehicles before I settled on one (very informative it was too). There was one that refused to connect and another that shut down the electrics as soon as I tried to run any tests. In the latter case it was definitely due to a flat battery as I was interested enough to come back when it was recharged, but I never bothered to find out what the issue was with the other as it was not a great example regardless.
That said, my guess is that the VAG dealer simply did not have the protocols to communicate with a pre-OBDII TD5. "Read any car" claims are generally based on OBDII compatibility.
 
sierrafery said:
yes it does, here's the list https://www.scantool-direct.co.uk/user/uploads/Foxwell NT510_Landrover_Functionlist-V1.00.pdf and if you scroll to page 31 to special function list you'll se that it does even key programming ...i wouldnt have recommended it if it was some joke of a tool ;)
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I am one person who bought this on recommendation from @sierrafery who knows oodles about the electrics on D2s. I am extremely pleased with it and it proved to be more accurate than a LR specialist's tool. For the price it is brilliant, but do shop around coz the price can varyquite a bit. I paid £200 for mine, NT520 pro, but could have got it for £160 odd if I had looked harder. And yes the big bonus is that it covers a huge load of Land Rovers and Jagaurs withoutn needing to buy unlock codes, plus for a few quid more you can buy downloads for other vehicles/makes. Thoroughly recommend it.
 
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