GM Tech 2 Clone Reliable or Not Purchase – Package – Programming Tips

This is advice for those have problems:
– what do you think of Tech 2 made in china?
– Is there any software close to Tech 2 to be bought which has access to all hummer h2 modules?
Many thanks all contribution from MixManSC like to share his experience with all.
Purchase:
I bought my Tech2 from China and it works great.
I cannot speak for any on Aliexpress or Amazon. I’ve seen both good and bad reviews on the ones from there.. Regardless it would not matter as again, I have no way of knowing if one from some seller on there will be a good one or not.
It is also worth spending the extra to get the case which does cost a good bit more. These come with a lot of different adapters and parts and the case makes it very nice and easy to keep it all together.
This is the kit that I ordered. It also includes the Candi module which is needed for many newer model GM vehicles.
Newest Vetronix Tech2 Diagnostic Scanner Working for GM/SAAB/OPEL/SUZUKI/ISUZU
Note: China tech2, Palmer ScanXL Pro and EASE
I’ve got 3 different scanners, a China tech2, Palmer ScanXL Pro with enhanced GM software and EASE Diagnostics with enhanced software for both chevy and hummer.
The Tech2 is the best, palmer ScanSL Pro is very good at pulling trouble codes from all GM modules but does not have bidirectional control while EASE is good software its had issues with pulling all codes from all modules but it has bidirectional capabilities. The Tech2 can do it all up to 2013 along with programming modules if you have the software and security key up to 2007 models.
Package:
The “Candi” module is needed for GM vehicles with the newer electrical systems. On an H2 the “Candi” module would be required for an 08/09 model. I’m not sure what years on an H3 and other GM vehicles.
On any of them you must have the 32MB card (GM North America)
The plastic case adds to the cost but is worth it as the full kit is a lot of separate pieces and the case gives you one place in a custom fitted case to keep it all neatly versus all dumped into a cardboard box.
The TIS2000 software/USB Key are really NOT needed unless you want to reprogram ones of the many various computer modules in your vehicle with software updates. To use the TIS2000 software you will need to install it on an older PC running Windows 98, Windows XP, or Windows 7 (32 bit) and will need a serial port to connect to the Tech2. As an example though, my 2003 had multiple modules with updated software which CAN fix problems. One I remember is my air ride module had an update that fixed the compressor running much more often than needed.
Hummer H2 Programming tips & guides:
Actually it does the programming just fine on newer than 2007 GM vehicles BUT you must pay for an ACDelco TDS subscription for vehicles above 2007 and you would use the CANDI module that comes with many of the Tech2’s for working with CAN bus vehicles. You can subscribe for as little as two days for $55.
https://www.acdelcotds.com/acdelco/action/subscribehome
This is ONLY needed if you want to program or update the software in a module. ALL of the build in diagnostics and testing for vehicles up to 2013 works without the subscription or the older TIS2000 software. You only need those for doing actual programming. The older TIS2000 software – that is what has the programming was discontinued in 2007. TIS2000 does have the actual programming for all vehicles up to 2007. After 2007 GM went to the TDS system.
You can also get a newer style MDI or MDI 2 for diagnostics and programming. The catch with those. They have NO screen or built in software and you must pay for a subscription from from ACDelco TDS to use an MDI.
Other brand units, a very select few can do actual programming and use the pass-through method. NONE have the diagnostics that the actual Tech2 or MDI (with the subscription) will have. Check with Autel and see if they have the full diagnostics and re-calibration for the rear air suspension on a Hummer H2. Not going to happen, there is too little demand for them to hack and reverse engineer that particular bit of code in a Tech2 to figure out the diagnostics and then write programming for that for their tool.
For programming you also need to have TIS2000 running on a computer or pay GM for a 24 month subscription for their TIS2WEB (Vehicle Programming) for $40 https://www.acdelcotds.com/acdelco/action/subscribehome
The computer will need a serial port for downloading the programming to the Tech II for programming your vehicle.
The way programming works is you connect the Tech2 to the vehicle and tell it you want to program a module. It interrogates all of the modules on the vehicle for the current versions and the VIN number. You then connect it to the computer running TIS2000, GlobalTIS, or TIS2WEB subscription and select programming in the computer. It reads the Tech2 for the vehicle info and then presents you with a list of software for all of the modules and shows you which have updated software. I recommend only doing one module at a time which is a good bit more back and forth but safer. The computer then loads the update to the Tech2. You take that back to the vehicle and connect it and it then programs the module.
The best, most reliable and safest method is to use a long enough serial cable (its uses 9 pin serial adapters with an ethernet cable to make the cable longer – so you can just use a longer network cable) and do pass-through programming. In that method the process is the same but you leave the Tech2 connected to both the computer and the vehicle at the same time. Once you select programming on the Tech2 then go to the computer and you can immediately update each module right from the computer.
There is a slightly more updated version of standalone TIS2000 floating around on the web which has additional updates that has software updates for vehicles through 2009 as well. I know just using that TIS2000 both my GMC truck and my 2003 H2 both had
a bunch of software updates available to be programmed all of which fix small issues or improve certain aspects. One example in on the older single compressor air ride like my 2003. Those would run and make small adjustments a LOT more often than needed and the software update fixed that. On the H2 the rear air ride is also one to be very careful of for doing software updates though. For example, my 2003 came with the earlier style single compressor but if it were to fail a dealership would replace it with the newer style dual pump compressor. Programming would still think its the original style and would attempt to program it and that would actually cause it to fail. TIS2000, (Global, Web, etc) will warn you about this sort of thing though so just heed all warnings and follow instructions and its fine.
The programming aspect is not needed or required to use the Tech2. The Tech2 still gives you a TON of diagnostics and tests that NO other OBD device has including things like the air ride module, detailed BCM functions, basically you can control and test every computer module in the vehicle.
btw, HUMMER is not shown in the GM vehicle list… because that little short list is incorrect and only shows a few of the earlier than 2007 CAN bus vehicles.
Summary:
Cannot really compare software with a gm Tech2 as that is comparing hardware to a program. That being said, there is a software side of things that work alongside the Tech2 which is the TIS2000 software. Getting that working is a bit of a project in and of itself as the software is old and seems to work best on Windows XP. The TIS2000 software is really not needed to use the Tech2 though – that is needed if you want to update the firmware in the various modules in your vehicle like the ECU, BCM, DDM, etc.
Simply put though. There is no other tool that can do everything on Hummer H2 that the Tech2 can do. It is the only tool with things that are very specific like calibrating the rear air suspension module. Other tools can be very powerful but that are mostly just have features that are common to many vehicles and will not have things that are specific to just one or two vehicles.