How do people use laptops to run diagnostics on their car?

i wanna use my laptop to do that to my car and im wondering what programs they use or i need to use or get, and how exactly it hooks up etc. any input at all is appreciated cause i dont know anything right now.

lets keep spam down and get some good detailed discussion here. this thread could help alot of other ppl too.

1995 obd1 acura integra RS running GSR tranny, with stage 3 clutch and 8 lbs flywheel with the LS engine

I even wanna go so far as using the laptop always to monitor the system to see if lean/rich etc, can i do it tat way instead of guages? or what exactly can i do?

 

no1 got nothing eh ?

 

You need an EMS such as Neptune, ECtune, etc. that will allow you to check for Error codes. Try researching.

 

just had to add the comment " try researching".

damn youngins and their attitudes.

u do not think i researched, i looked?
buddy different inputs r good and what if i searched and didint find quite what i was lookin for?
thing is im new to the whole tuning and programming/laptop area of cars so i am having trouble even knowing what to search for...
I'm looking to understand more, figure out the basics and get a setup hooked up, possbly even use it to manage my system.

if your not gonna post proper information related to the subject at hand dont waste time typing OH AY YO TRY RESARCHING BRAH....

that really pisses me off, this is a social forum, try not to treat the members left like **** so we die even more.

 

Youngins? I'm not bitching about not knowing how to tune. Try the damn EMS thread. Common sense or maybe you're too old for this technology? What do I know right? I've only tuned more cars than you can think of bud.

By the way what I posted answered your damn question. Go figure

 

so then help me out, because right now your posts are irrelevant and you look retarded for bragging about knowing things and you refer to the "go here or try searching method"
lol

ppl like u obviously make this an unrespected scene.

nobody cares how many cars u think you've tuned this isnt the VMA's FOR who tuned how ever many cars.

if u know so much u should have a few links to give me or some programs for me to download, instead all u got is BRO GO RESEARCH BRO LIKE BRO RESEARCH IS BEST BRO.

**** outta here

 

I wasn't spoon fed to get my knowledge. You're targeting me for being young? blah blah blah? Cry about it. Like I said try the damn EMS thread. Read much?

I don't give a damn about H-t. I come on here out of boredom to help helpless people like you who don't know how to tour the website. I'm not bragging, but when OLD farts like you target young people just because I'm much younger than you is over the board.

H-T main page scroll down to EMS thread left click and read. Got that? Hope so.

 

lol

Yeah, anyways what the OP is asking about is called 'datalogging.' You need some sort of EMS like bouab18c1 says.

Datalogging without a separate wideband gauge is not a good idea, because voltage offsets with the ECU result in the ECU recieving a different signal than the wideband sends. Because this can vary with system voltage, EMS datalogs can be pretty unreliable. So a wideband gauge is pretty important.