What will scanning the codes tell me?
 

I am new to Boxster ownership. I am curious as to what information I can get from having the OBC scanned for codes. Will it tell me if and how many times the engine has been redlined. I am mostly curious about that. Other code history I'm sure would be helpful as well. I am considering the purchase of a scanner. From what I've read here, it would probably pay for itself with the 1st or 2nd scan. Just looking for information on what it will actually tell me. History??

Porsche DME's record certain data, including how many times the engine hit the rev limiter. In order to see this data, however, you will need a Porsche specific scan tool like the Durametric system, which can also see and clear codes that other "global" OBD II scanners cannot even see.

The Durametric tool will provide the following information;

Operating Hours Counter: 459
Ignitions Range 1: 9768/459h
Ignitions Range 2: 12/418h

This means that the engine has been operated a total of 459 hours.

The engine hit the rev-limiter for 9,768 ignitions, the last time being at 459 hours. So this indicates the engine was red-lined and the last time occurred very recently (within the last hour of operation) since the engine only has 459 hours.

This engine also exceeded the redline for 12 ignitions at the 418th hour of operation.

Each "ignition" is defined as a single spark plug firing event so there will be 6 ignitions per crankshaft revolution. At high RPM (redline and above), it is easy to get a lot of them even if the redline or over-rev was only momentary.