Does this scanner read cam?

[Toenail]

I notice some responses to a problem people do not understand. The later model GM gas engines 96-2000 with a distributor have something called cam retard or CMP or other names. This setting is the position of the rotor in the distributor cap relative to the distributor cap spark plug electrode when the crank sensor fires the cylinder. It has nothing to do with timing of the firing pulse. These engines fire from the crank sensor not the position of the distributor. The distributor does not contain the older cam to trigger points or a reluctor wheel to trigger firing. In the worse case the cylinder may fire when the rotor is near the cap electrode but not pointing at it therefore making the spark travel a much greater distance than if it was pointing at the electrode. This setting being several degrees off will result in burned rotors, burned cap electrodes and misfires. In general the distributor can be inserted where it runs fine but is actually not in spec and will result in misfire codes or out of tolerrance codes. Of course if the distributor is inserted so that the rotor points at the wrong cylinder then the engine is drastically out of time and will not run. This setting is not related to actually moving the cam in a retard or advance position. Hopes this helps someone.