If you work in the marine industry, chances are you’ve heard of Jaltest Marine. However, you might still have questions about what it actually does, whether it covers the brands you work on, and whether the investment makes sense for your workshop. If so, you’re not alone. These are exactly the kinds of questions we get asked all the time here at Eclipse.
So rather than give you another overview of the software, we thought we’d do something more useful: answer the questions marine technicians and workshop owners actually ask us.
From coverage and key features to training, finance and what to expect from day one, here’s everything you need to know about Jaltest Marine, in plain English.
The Basics
Q: What exactly is Jaltest Marine?
Jaltest Marine is a professional multi-brand diagnostic system built specifically for the marine industry. It’s developed by Cojali – a company that has been at the forefront of multi-brand vehicle diagnostics for decades – and it allows marine technicians to connect to a vessel’s electronic systems and diagnose faults, read live data, perform calibrations and carry out advanced programming, all from a single tool.
Think of it as the marine equivalent of the kind of dealer-level diagnostic equipment you’d find in an OEM workshop – except it works across dozens of different brands, all through one interface. That’s what makes it so valuable for independent workshops, marinas and shipyards that service a wide mix of vessels.
Q: Why is a dedicated marine diagnostic tool necessary?
Modern marine engines and vessels are packed with ECUs (Electronic Control Units) managing everything from the engine and helm controls to the powertrain, steering, trim systems and instrument clusters. These systems are just as sophisticated as anything you’d find in a modern truck or car – and they require the same level of diagnostic capability to work on properly.
Without a dedicated tool, you’re essentially working blind. You might be able to spot an obvious mechanical issue, but if the fault is being generated by an ECU – or if a repair requires recalibrating a sensor or reprogramming a control unit – there’s no way to complete the job correctly without diagnostic software. That’s not just inefficient; on a commercial vessel, it can mean prolonged downtime and unhappy customers.
Q: Who makes Jaltest Marine?
Jaltest is made by Cojali, a Spanish technology company founded in 1991 that has built its reputation on developing some of the most comprehensive multi-brand diagnostic tools in the world. The Jaltest suite covers commercial vehicles, agricultural machinery, off-highway equipment, material handling and marine – all built on the same platform and updated three times a year.
In the UK and Ireland, Eclipse are the official distributor of Jaltest – meaning when you buy from us, you’re getting the genuine product, backed by our own technical support team and the full weight of Cojali’s development behind it. We’ve been Jaltest UK since 2010.
Coverage: What Does It Work On?
Q: How many marine brands does Jaltest cover?
Jaltest Marine currently covers over 88 marine brands and almost 1,800 models across inboard engines, outboard engines, jet skis and personal watercraft, and stationary engines. That’s a remarkable breadth of coverage for a single tool – and it’s growing, because Cojali releases three software updates every year, each one adding new brands, new models and expanded system coverage.
Some of the major brands covered include Volvo Penta, Iveco-FPT, Yamaha, Honda, Mercury, MAN, Cummins, Yanmar, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Sea-Doo (BRP), Caterpillar, Scania, Detroit Diesel, John Deere, MTU and many more. Whether your workshop services leisure craft, commercial workboats, jet skis or large vessels with stationary industrial engines, Jaltest Marine has you covered.
Q: Does it cover both inboard and outboard engines?
Yes – Jaltest Marine is designed to cover all major engine configurations used in the marine industry, including inboard engines (diesel and petrol), outboard engines, jet ski and personal watercraft (PWC) systems, and stationary marine engines. There are different package options available depending on the scope of your workshop, so you can choose a licence that matches the types of vessels you service.
If you’re not sure which package is right for you, that’s something we’ll walk through with you before you buy. There’s no point paying for coverage you won’t use, and equally no point ending up short on the brands you need.
Q: Does it cover both diesel and petrol marine engines?
Yes, Jaltest Marine covers both diesel and petrol (gasoline) marine engines. This is important because many marine workshops service a wide mix of vessel types – from diesel-powered commercial craft and superyachts to petrol outboard motors on leisure boats and petrol-powered jet skis. Jaltest Marine gives you one tool that handles both, rather than requiring separate solutions for different fuel types.
Q: We service a lot of Volvo Penta engines – how deep does the Volvo Penta coverage go?
Volvo Penta is one of the most comprehensively covered brands within Jaltest Marine, which is appropriate given how widely Volvo Penta engines are used in both leisure and commercial marine applications. Coverage includes diesel and petrol inboard engines, IPS (Inboard Performance System) drives, D-series diesel engines, the EVC (Electronic Vessel Control) system and more.
With Jaltest connected to a Volvo Penta system, technicians can read and clear fault codes, view live sensor data, perform component actuations, carry out service resets, and access full interactive wiring diagrams and step-by-step troubleshooting guides – the same depth of functionality you’d get from Volvo Penta’s own dealer tools.
Features and Functionality
Q: What can Jaltest Marine actually do once I’m connected to a vessel?
Once connected, Jaltest Marine gives you a comprehensive suite of diagnostic and repair capabilities. Here’s a summary of what you can do:
- Read and clear fault codes (DTCs) across all supported systems – engine, helm controls, powertrain, steering and more
- View live sensor data and display or graph readings in real time during a sea trial or static test
- Access guided fault diagnosis – step-by-step troubleshooting that walks technicians through identifying the root cause of a fault
- View interactive wiring diagrams, component locations and system diagrams directly linked to the fault being investigated
- Perform component actuations and system checks to verify that components are working as expected
- Carry out service resets and vessel maintenance procedures
- Program and configure ECUs – including injector coding, sensor calibrations and parameter modifications
- Access vessel technical data such as OEM torque settings, reference measurements and service intervals
Q: What is guided fault diagnosis and why does it matter?
Guided fault diagnosis is one of the features that sets Jaltest apart from simpler fault code readers. Rather than just presenting a fault code and leaving the technician to figure out the rest, Jaltest takes the technician through a structured diagnostic process – step by step – to identify the most likely root cause of the problem.
This is enormously valuable in the marine environment, where faults can have multiple possible causes and misdiagnosis can mean an expensive return visit. A technician doesn’t need to be an expert on every single brand to use the guided diagnosis effectively – Jaltest does the heavy lifting, presenting the possible causes and linking directly to the relevant tests, component locations and repair procedures.
For workshops that service a wide variety of vessels and brands, this is a genuine competitive advantage. It means your technicians can work confidently on brands they might not service every day, without the risk of guesswork.
Q: Can Jaltest Marine replace dealer tools entirely?
For the vast majority of day-to-day workshop tasks, yes. Jaltest Marine operates at dealer level, meaning it has the depth of functionality to carry out the same diagnostic work that a franchised OEM dealer would do on their brand-specific tool. That includes not just reading codes and viewing live data, but performing advanced functions like ECU programming, parameter modifications and calibrations.
There will always be rare edge cases – typically on brand-new models within the first few months of launch, before Cojali’s development team has completed integration – where an OEM tool might offer something Jaltest does not. But for the vast majority of work coming through a typical marine workshop, Jaltest Marine is the only diagnostic tool you need.
Q: What is Expert Mode?
Expert Mode is an advanced feature within Jaltest that unlocks additional functionality for technicians carrying out more complex work. When Expert Mode is active, users can modify parameters in different ECUs – tasks such as sensor and actuator calibration, configuring operating parameters, DPF replacement and regeneration (where applicable on marine diesel systems), and other advanced modifications that would otherwise require OEM-specific tools.
It’s the kind of capability that was historically the exclusive preserve of official dealers, and having access to it within a multi-brand tool dramatically expands what an independent workshop can offer its customers.
Q: Does Jaltest Marine include wiring diagrams?
Yes – and they’re interactive. Rather than static PDF schematics, Jaltest’s wiring diagrams are integrated directly within the diagnostic software. When you’re diagnosing a fault, you can call up the relevant wiring diagram for the specific system you’re working on, for the specific vessel model, without having to search through separate documentation or log into a different platform.
This saves real time on the job. A technician troubleshooting an EVC fault on a Volvo Penta engine, for example, can pull up the exact wiring diagram relevant to that system, view the component locations and cross-reference the live data readings – all within the same interface, without leaving the diagnostic session.
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Ready to Try Jaltest Marine for Yourself? Eclipse are the UK & Ireland’s official distributor of Jaltest diagnostic tools. Whether you run a busy marina workshop, a commercial shipyard or a mobile marine repair operation, we’ll help you find the right package – and back you up with training and expert technical support every step of the way. 03454 666 699 | Request a free demo or ask us anything |
Practical Questions for Workshop Owners
Q: How much time does Jaltest Marine actually save on a typical job?
This varies by job, of course – but the savings are real and they add up quickly. The biggest time savings come from three areas.
First, faster fault identification. Without a diagnostic tool, a technician might spend hours checking components manually before identifying the root cause of a problem. With Jaltest connected, you can scan all systems in minutes, identify active fault codes, and begin targeted troubleshooting immediately.
Second, fewer return visits. Because Jaltest’s guided diagnosis helps technicians find the actual root cause – rather than just the symptom – there are fewer jobs where the wrong component gets replaced and the fault reappears. First-time fix rates go up, which means fewer wasted hours and fewer frustrated customers.
Third, no hunting for information. Having wiring diagrams, component locations, torque settings and service data all accessible within the tool means technicians spend less time searching for information and more time completing the repair.
As one of our customers put it: “We have found the Jaltest diagnostic package from Eclipse gets to the root cause of the problem very quickly and easily, cutting down VOR times significantly and improving repair times with the help of Eclipse technical support.”
Q: We run a mixed workshop – we do trucks as well as marine. Can Jaltest cover both?
Absolutely – and this is one of the things that makes Jaltest particularly well suited to mixed operations. The Jaltest platform covers commercial vehicles (trucks, trailers, buses and coaches), agricultural machinery, off-highway equipment, material handling vehicles and marine vessels, all within the same software ecosystem.
This means a workshop running both HGV and marine work can use a single diagnostic platform across their entire operation. Technicians learn one interface, one workflow, one support structure – rather than juggling multiple different systems. It also means software updates, support contracts and training can all be consolidated through Eclipse, making it much simpler to manage.
If you’re interested in a combined package that covers both marine and commercial vehicle diagnostics, speak to us – we can tailor a package to match exactly what you need.
Q: Is Jaltest Marine suitable for a mobile marine technician, or is it just for workshops?
It works very well for mobile technicians. The hardware is compact and portable – particularly when paired with the Eclipse Testpad Extreme® Pro, which is a rugged, purpose-built diagnostic tablet designed for workshop environments. The Jaltest Link V9 interface is small enough to carry easily, and the software runs on a Windows laptop or the Testpad, so you’re not carrying bulky equipment to a marina or boatyard.
Mobile technicians particularly appreciate the self-contained nature of the tool – having diagnostics, wiring diagrams, component locations and repair data all available offline means you’re not dependent on having a strong internet connection on a pontoon or in a boatyard. Everything you need is right there on the device.
Q: What does the software update schedule look like?
Cojali releases three major software updates per year for Jaltest Marine. Each update adds new brands, new models and expanded system coverage, as well as new technical information, wiring diagrams and updated repair guides. Updates also frequently include improvements to the software interface and new diagnostic features.
For workshops, this is significant: it means the tool you invest in today will cover more vehicles in a year’s time than it does now. You don’t need to buy new hardware or a new licence – the software updates are included as part of your annual subscription, and they install easily via the Jaltest update process. It’s one of the reasons Jaltest keeps such a lead over competing tools – the platform never stands still.
Q: How does Jaltest Marine compare with using multiple OEM tools?
For most independent marine workshops, running multiple OEM diagnostic tools is expensive, complicated and inefficient. Each OEM tool requires its own hardware, its own software licence, its own update process and its own learning curve for technicians. If your workshop services Volvo Penta, Yamaha, Mercury and Yanmar vessels – which is not unusual – that’s potentially four separate systems to manage, maintain and train staff on.
Jaltest Marine replaces all of that with a single tool. One hardware interface, one software licence, one update process, one training pathway. The total cost of a Jaltest Marine package is typically far less than the combined cost of multiple OEM tools – and that’s before you factor in the time savings from having technicians work in a single, familiar environment rather than switching between platforms.
There’s also a coverage argument: because Jaltest is actively developed and updated three times a year, it often catches up with OEM coverage faster than independent workshops could afford to keep multiple OEM tool subscriptions current.
Getting Started with Eclipse
Q: What do I get when I buy Jaltest Marine from Eclipse?
When you purchase Jaltest Marine from Eclipse, you’re getting more than just hardware and software. Every package includes:
- Jaltest V9 Link diagnostic interface
- Jaltest Marine software licence (12 months, covering your chosen module)
- Multipin set and diagnostic cables
- Hard carry case
- USB cable and OBD diagnostics cable
- 12 months of vehicle and IT technical support from the Eclipse team
- 12 months of software updates (three major updates)
- 12-month hardware warranty
- Handover training – so you’re not left to figure it out alone
We also offer the option to add the Eclipse Testpad Extreme® Pro – our rugged, purpose-built diagnostic tablet – so the whole package is genuinely ready to use the moment it arrives.
Q: Is training included, and what does it cover?
Yes – handover training is included with every Jaltest Marine package from Eclipse. This isn’t just a quick demonstration; it’s a proper introduction to the software that gets your technicians comfortable with the interface, the diagnostic workflow and the key features before they start using the tool on real vessels.
Beyond the included handover, Eclipse offer additional training options – including remote training sessions, classroom courses and on-site training – for workshops that want to get deeper into the software’s capabilities. We’ve found that technicians who invest a little time in learning the tool early get significantly more value from it, and faster.
Click here to learn more about our training courses.
Q: Do you offer finance options?
Yes. Eclipse offer flexible finance options on all Jaltest packages, which means you can spread the cost across monthly instalments rather than paying the full amount upfront. This makes the investment much more manageable – particularly for smaller workshops or mobile technicians who are just getting started with professional diagnostic equipment.
Finance is subject to a background and credit check. For specific figures and to discuss the options that work for your situation, get in touch with the team directly and we’ll work through it with you.
Q: What technical support does Eclipse provide?
Technical support is one of the things we’re most proud of at Eclipse. Every Jaltest Marine package comes with 12 months of both vehicle technical support and IT support – meaning if you’re stuck on a particular fault or have a question about how to use a feature, you can call us and speak to a real person who knows the software and understands marine vehicles.
This isn’t a call centre reading from a script. Our support team are industry-trained technicians who use Jaltest themselves. They understand the kinds of faults and challenges that come up in marine workshops, and they’re there to help you get to the right answer as quickly as possible – so your customers aren’t waiting any longer than necessary.
Q: Can I see a demonstration before I commit?
Yes – and we actively encourage it. Seeing the software in action on a real vessel is the best way to appreciate what Jaltest Marine can do, and we can arrange an on-site demo or a remote walkthrough depending on your location and preference.
To request a demo or just to have a conversation about whether Jaltest Marine is the right fit for your operation, get in touch with the Eclipse team at eclipse-tech.co.uk/products/marine/ or give us a call on 03454 666 699. There’s no pressure – just a straightforward conversation about what you need.
The Bottom Line
Jaltest Marine is the number one multi-brand diagnostic tool in the marine industry for good reason. It covers over 88 brands and 1,700+ models, operates at dealer level, and gives marine technicians and workshop owners the diagnostic depth, technical information and repair guidance they need to get vessels back on the water – faster and more reliably than any alternative.
If you’re currently working without a dedicated marine diagnostic tool, you’re spending more time on every job than you need to. If you’re using multiple OEM tools, you’re paying more and managing more complexity than the situation warrants.
Jaltest Marine, backed by Eclipse’s UK support, training and expertise, is the smarter solution. We’d love to show you why.
