Handheld Oscilloscopes

[mtt.tr]

I suffer too with this terrible affliction.

But equally I've found faults that others chaps would have played a game change everything until it works.

 

[Ubique]

But equally I've found faults that others chaps would have played a game change everything until it works.

...which usually goes something like " I got 4.5V, it should be 5V but it's probably my meter or the leads so I thought it was near enough" when pressed on the reason they changed the same sensor eight times but missed the damaged sensor supply wire not 200mm from the plug....
Getting an accurate measurement is one thing, knowing how to interpret it is another.

 

[mtt.tr]

...which usually goes something like " I got 4.5V, it should be 5V but it's probably my meter or the leads so I thought it was near enough" when pressed on the reason they changed the same sensor eight times but missed the damaged sensor supply wire not 200mm from the plug....
Getting an accurate measurement is one thing, knowing how to interpret it is another.

I don't bother asking as one might risk catching brain damage.


Oven elements keeps burning out, under warranty new element burns out again, they never question why anyhow just stick in a new one
I got fed up thermostat is out of whack runs almost 70-100c hotter than it should the Mrs did say to them it's gets excessively how.

 

[Wightsparks]

Sure I don't have a problem but I do have 4 'scopes
and..
6 pressure/vacuum sensors
2 HT lead voltage sensors
2 differential pressure sensors (intake and exhaust)
2 COP sensors
3D motion sensor
KESY sensor (for Keyless entry and other stuff 140kHz)
433Mhz pick up (Key fobs)
Parking sensor... sensor
Pulse sensor for diesel pipe pressure
Sound pick up
3 amp clamps

For the similarly afflicted rotkee.com can allow you to indulge without breaking the budget.

 

[keithski122]

I bought an autel scan tool about 12 years ago for checking codes on my cars.In the last 20 years I've been driving japanese cars so the scanner is still in the box.

 

[Ubique]

I bought an autel scan tool about 12 years ago for checking codes on my cars.In the last 20 years I've been driving japanese cars so the scanner is still in the box.

I thought Autel covered Jap cars?

 

[Ubique]

Sure I don't have a problem but I do have 4 'scopes
and..
6 pressure/vacuum sensors
2 HT lead voltage sensors
2 differential pressure sensors (intake and exhaust)
2 COP sensors
3D motion sensor
KESY sensor (for Keyless entry and other stuff 140kHz)
433Mhz pick up (Key fobs)
Parking sensor... sensor
Pulse sensor for diesel pipe pressure
Sound pick up
3 amp clamps

For the similarly afflicted rotkee.com can allow you to indulge without breaking the budget.

No data logger though

 

[Wightsparks]

With the 4425A you can go to almost 14hrs on a screen and still get 100,000 samples/sec, though in reality with masks, triggers and alarms not sure you would need too.

Back to the OP's actual question about a handheld I also have one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294558504566?



It has a few niggles but good enough to check a sensor output or monitor P/G for drop outs.

 

[p0689109]

Wightsparks, so that was one I was looking at. Does it/would it show up a miss albeit small on the ignition system on a petrol engine then? And what is the difference in the 2 channels and is the bandwith figure a limiting factor on what the machine can do? Electronics is black magic to me by the way!

 

[ChrisBailey]

Im pretty sure the 2 channels are identical. One is yellow and the other blue, on the screen. Means you can measure two signals at once.

The bandwidth is a measure of how fast the scope takes samples. The larger bandwidth number means it takes samples faster. This means you can measure signals that change at high frequencies.

If you wanted to measure a signal such as your coil pack. Your engine revs to say 6000rpm. Thats 100 revolutions per second, also known as 100Hz. Coil pulses once every two revolutions, so 50 times per second at 6000rpm. You would need a scope with a bandwidth of atleast 50Hz to measure that signal.

Actually, you need atleast twice that. Theres lots of electrical theory for bandwidths of various signal types.
Good news is scopes usually have bandwidths in MHz which is more than fast enough to measure signals of rotating or pulsing parts on a car.

Unless you plan on measuring ultra high frequency signals which are mostly found in radio equipment, you will be fine with the devices shown in the other posts.

 

[keithski122]

I thought Autel covered Jap cars?

Its not that it doesn't work on japanese cars, as the cars are japanese I've had no need to use a fault code scanner.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Electronics is black magic to me by the way!

Maybe a scope's a little more than you need then?

For me a scope is like the top end of electrical diag. A good scan tool to start, then test light/logic probe, multimeters, amp clamps etc, the scope is (generally) for really complicated stuff.

If electrics is black magic and (presumably) you're not using a multimeter then jumping to a scope might be a little "advanced"?

also, a scope won't "show" a misfire. With an amp clamp or inductive pickup it'll give you waveforms for primary/secondary ignition, but won't show any mechanical fault that way.

Its not that it doesn't work on japanese cars, as the cars are japanese I've had no need to use a fault code scanner.

Because they rust away before they get a chance to break?

 

[Ubique]

Back to the OP's actual question about a handheld I also have one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294558504566?

View attachment 328588

It has a few niggles but good enough to check a sensor output or monitor P/G for drop outs.

Hmm.... I'm thinking that would be useful for road-test data - I have a Picoscope and a datalogger which are great for workshop use but a pain for capturing engine, drivetrain or suspension data under load. A couple of questions if I may @Wightsparks , is the data exportable and what are the niggles? Thanks.

 

[Ubique]

Its not that it doesn't work on japanese cars, as the cars are japanese I've had no need to use a fault code scanner.

Yet you still bought one.... I'll let my colleagues at the Toyota dealership know, I'm sure they'll be happy they can sell-off their unused diagnostic kit & racks of special tools.

 

[keithski122]

Because they rust away before they get a chance to break?

My first mazda 323 lasted 14 years plus the 5 years or so before I bought it. Second one probably ten years plus the 5 years before. My first suzuki was a bit rusty but was probably 15 years when I scrapped it. Current one is 13 years old 130k and still going strong.All just had routine servicing although I have had to replace a sunvisor on my latest suzuki swift.
I pay about £3k -£3.5k for a car if it last 10 years without any work before I need to scrap it thats good for me.

 

[mtt.tr]

Yet you still bought one.... I'll let my colleagues at the Toyota dealership know, I'm sure they'll be happy they can sell-off their unused diagnostic kit & racks of special tools.

I feel the intended message was "I bought it just incase, but thus far the cars have been reliable"

 

[Ubique]

My first mazda 323 lasted 14 years plus the 5 years or so before I bought it. Second one probably ten years plus the 5 years before. My first suzuki was a bit rusty but was probably 15 years when I scrapped it. Current one is 13 years old 130k and still going strong.All just had routine servicing although I have had to replace a sunvisor on my latest suzuki swift.

Sorry mate, as soon as you mentioned Mazda, that's all credibility blown - well known rustbuckets with the mechanical resilience of a paper bag. In the rain. Yep, it's the internet so you can claim what you want, from a sample of one, you may well be right. My experience is not the same as yours.

 

[mtt.tr]

Sorry mate, as soon as you mentioned Mazda, that's all credibility blown - well known rustbuckets with the mechanical resilience of a paper bag. In the rain. Yep, it's the internet so you can claim what you want, from a sample of one, you may well be right. My experience is not the same as yours.

I had a nice picture of one, only few years old rear axles was liable to drop of it was so corroded

 

[keithski122]

I worked as a technician for a mazda dealer for 10 plus years from 1989 ( I worked for them three times so the end time was later than 2000) and did my apprentice training at the local college, this was when scopes were the size of a small wardrobe. I never had to put my training to use though, probably a good thing as I would have forgotten it all.From what I remember of my mazda work was 323 ign modules I replaced a couple and I once had a car that the heater matrix leaked onto the ecu and it would cut out every so often. Really all the work was servicing and sometimes a clutch.Glad I'm not a mechanic anymore I imagine the diagnostics can be a headache.

Ps I've had two mazda's, my sister had one and my parents had two.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

My first mazda 323 lasted 14 years plus the 5 years or so before I bought it. Second one probably ten years plus the 5 years before. My first suzuki was a bit rusty but was probably 15 years when I scrapped it. Current one is 13 years old 130k and still going strong.All just had routine servicing although I have had to replace a sunvisor on my latest suzuki swift.
I pay about £3k -£3.5k for a car if it last 10 years without any work before I need to scrap it thats good for me.

My post was obviously a joke.

You probably ducked as it went over your head.