Is there an easy to use automotive equivalent of an Oscilloscope? | FerrariChat
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Is there an easy to use automotive equivalent of an Oscilloscope?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by yelcab, Aug 13, 2023.

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  1. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Mitchell Le
    #1 yelcab, Aug 13, 2023
    I am helping someone troubleshooting an over-fueling condition and it is now necessary to look at the injector signals in real time. We are 2000 miles apart, or I would just come over with my digital oscilloscope. I am an EE by training and have used an oscilloscope forever so it comes easy to me. My friend does not have the same experience and it is too difficult to explain voltage scale, time division, trigger lever, one time trigger, continuous trigger, trigger sources, trace capture and ... you get the point.

    I know that modern automotive technicians have scopes where they plug in the probes to the signals, and the instrument figures by itself the voltage level, the trigger level, the time division, and just displays the signal for us to see. That is what we now need.

    Which model and from where can we get one? @Rifledriver , @tbakowsky , @Ferrari Tech
     
  2. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

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    Dominick
    #2 flash32, Aug 13, 2023
    Tell him to watch scanner danner videos and get a pico

    Are you sure noid lights won't help

    Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
     
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  3. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 tbakowsky, Aug 13, 2023
    The launch X431 has the ability to live link to another scan tool in real time. They also have a scope option as an add on. Although I have not used it..as I have a Pico.. it might be an option..
     
    flash32 likes this.
  4. raemin

    raemin Formula 3

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    #4 raemin, Aug 14, 2023
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2023
    What about WinOscillo? It's a free software that converts a computer audio input into an oscilloscope. Works quite well.

    You may have to add a voltage divider (scale voltage down to 0~1v) , but that's it: this cheap tool just auto-scale everything and the graphs are easy to read.
     
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  5. Ferrari Tech

    Ferrari Tech Formula 3

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    Wade Williams
    #5 Ferrari Tech, Aug 14, 2023
    I usually use a noid light to see if the signal is stuck. I can use my diagnostic devices to see injection time. If it is over fueling on all cylinders then I would expect it to show in the injection timing. If that is the case, then you would need to find why the ECU thinks it needs to do that.
     
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  6. Island Guy

    Island Guy Karting

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    #6 Island Guy, Aug 15, 2023
    PicoScope is the defacto standard amongst OEMs.....
     
  7. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #7 Rifledriver, Aug 15, 2023
    Any oscilloscope will work. They all just measure time and voltage. I'd just google Oscopes and find something cheap with a big enough screen for your needs. They are out there. Its not like no one needs them anymore.
     
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  8. RayJohns

    RayJohns F1 Veteran
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    #8 RayJohns, Aug 17, 2023
    Aww, a moment of silence for my beloved Tektronix 2232... may she rest in peace with all her broken dials that are impossible to fix.

    On your over fueling issue... are you trying to examine the actual wave form or just measure the injector pulse width duration?

    Ray
     
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  9. Dolcevita

    Dolcevita Formula 3
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    #9 Dolcevita, Aug 20, 2023
    Would a cheaper model of a Launch OBD2 work. X431s are pricey but I assume they could do it. I haven't used one but the data monitoring seems good. I'm not sure how the capabilities vary by model.
     
  10. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #10 yelcab, Aug 20, 2023
    It's not the scanner. He has a Leonardo for the 355. We just need to look at the analog signals for the fuel injectors and that can't be done without some kind of osscilloscope.
     
  11. AD170

    AD170 Karting

    Jul 18, 2014
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    #11 AD170, Aug 20, 2023
    You have two choices- go to AESWAVE and they have a one channel UScope that is designed exactly for looking at fuel injector patterns. Another relatively cheap option is a Pico 2204 two channel DSO coupled with their free download Automotive software. Just be aware it's limited to (if I remember 10v signal) so you will need a 20-1 attenuator at all times so you don't fry the DSO. Remember, you need to know a good pattern before you can tell a bad pattern.
     
    flash32 likes this.
  12. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

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    #12 flash32, Aug 20, 2023
    Spot on

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