Using an Oscilloscope for engine diagnostics.

PostPost by: billwill » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:19 pm

While going through some of my old electronics magazines from the 1970's I came across this very useful article.
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Using an Oscilloscope to diagnose engine problems
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PostPost by: Galwaylotus » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:25 pm

So we'll all go and dust off our old oscilloscopes!! 8) :roll:
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PostPost by: billwill » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:53 pm

Once upon a time, long ago, I bought a little 2 inch CRT with a vague plan to build an oscilloscope into my dashboard.

:lol: 8) :D
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PostPost by: Galwaylotus » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:57 pm

You're far ahead of me, Mr. W! :wink:
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PostPost by: billwill » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:16 pm

It would have been instant diagnostics on the move.. :lol:
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PostPost by: summerinmaine » Sun Aug 01, 2010 5:07 pm

IIRC Snap-On Tools makes a hand-held auto diagnostics scope, about the size of a dwell/tach or VOM, that would be pretty handy. Probably a bit spendy though.
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PostPost by: summerinmaine » Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:00 pm

billwill wrote:Once upon a time, long ago, I bought a little 2 inch CRT with a vague plan to build an oscilloscope into my dashboard.

:lol: 8) :D



Your idea has me intrigued, so I looked around a bit. You can get a DIY kit to make a DSO for short money, as reported on this link. Prices may have changed a bit, and it would take some fiddling to set it up for automotive applications, but it would be an interesting project. Rather than build it into the dash, I'd enclose it and set it up for a GPS mount. Wonder if the vibration for road travel would hurt it?

Or, forget the CRT and get one that uses a TFT LCD panel!
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PostPost by: billwill » Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:58 pm

Looks like a nice piece of kit at that low price. I might order one.


Makes it all a bit too easy though :shock:

My CRT is about 8" long, so I would have needed a glove box full of electronics.

:lol:

My existing 'scope is about as old as my Elan and is a rack mounted valved thing and the sync doesn't work well


<later>

The sample length on that first scope you found is only 256 samples which are probably not enough for ignition diagnosis, so this one is probably more suitable at 4096 samples and $89

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/dso-na ... th=104_108
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PostPost by: stuartgb100 » Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:09 am

Bill,

You have a pm.

Regards,
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PostPost by: tower of strength » Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:37 pm

the best automotive scope at the moment is the pico scope, the two channel jobbie would do the job for setting up carbs and diagnosing ignition problems. Its PC(laptop/netbook) based and is around a grand. look for 2nd hand on fleabay, where some one has upgraded to a 4 channel.

http://www.picoauto.com/automotive-oscilloscope.html

contact me if interested


i have compared it against the Snap On Vantage Pro and Modis scopes and they dont come close,

another good portable scope is the Bosch PMS100 by fluke and its derivatives, these are stand alone (no need for a PC) but a bit pricey I've got access to some new old stock kits at around ?1600+vat if any one is interested

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PostPost by: summerinmaine » Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:41 pm

tower of strength wrote:the best automotive scope at the moment is the pico scope, the two channel jobbie would do the job for setting up carbs and diagnosing ignition problems. Its PC(laptop/netbook) based and is around a grand. look for 2nd hand on fleabay, where some one has upgraded to a 4 channel.

regards

Mark



Those all sound great, but I'm just a poor barrister, so I'm looking for a DIY penny (pence)-tech solution.

But I do like the idea of using a laptop PC, instead of having a special purpose (redundant) screen.

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