Picked this up for $25 a few months back and just got around to cleaning it up and bringing to work. Thought some of us guys would enjoy this stuff.
Picked up a Sun Scope
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Nice! I remember someone having one. But I do not remember who?
That sure is in good shape. How old is it ?
I remember using one of those back in the mid-'70s.
It was good for diagnosing ignition systems, but not
an essential piece of equipment. Customers were sure
impressed though and it did help sell parts and service.
Keith
I remember using one of those back in the mid-'70s.
It was good for diagnosing ignition systems, but not
an essential piece of equipment. Customers were sure
impressed though and it did help sell parts and service.
Keith
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The date stamp inside says 1979. It was absolutely, and still is, a necessary piece of diagnostic equipment if you are working on cars that have a distributor and spark plug wires. Of course, the operator needed to know what he was doing.
All I did was clean it to get it like this. It belonged to the college I teach at (and graduated from). It was one of the ones I originally learned to use.
I tune old cars for a living so I have been really happy putting this one back into service.
All I did was clean it to get it like this. It belonged to the college I teach at (and graduated from). It was one of the ones I originally learned to use.
I tune old cars for a living so I have been really happy putting this one back into service.
what is that? It was born before me... OBDII analog version?
Originally Posted By: MBS500
what is that? It was born before me... OBDII analog version?
For us younger folks who don't have experience with distributor-based ignitions, would that be used with any car with a distributor, or only certain ones? Say I had a 4300 V6 in an OBDII-compliant pickup, and couldn't get the distributor timing just right, thus making the computer go nuts. Would this help?
what is that? It was born before me... OBDII analog version?
For us younger folks who don't have experience with distributor-based ignitions, would that be used with any car with a distributor, or only certain ones? Say I had a 4300 V6 in an OBDII-compliant pickup, and couldn't get the distributor timing just right, thus making the computer go nuts. Would this help?
It is useful with any ignition system that has plug wires, so yes you could use is on a 4.3 V6.
its a big oscilloscope,you could see timing, dwell and wire resistance. you could hook up vacuum as well. Most handy for a points based ignition.
A scope is valuable for more than just the old ignition systems. It can measure things that change very fast. Like voltage while cranking. A peak reading meter is not fast enough to read the starting voltage. With a clamp on probe you can measure starter draw of current. You should be able to see a bad cylinder since it will draw less current than the others.
If you search the forum you will find a URL of an article in a trade magazine about the various ways people are using a scope. I posted it.
If you search the forum you will find a URL of an article in a trade magazine about the various ways people are using a scope. I posted it.
Dude. On Pawn Stars the guy bought one for like $600 and only got $100 out of it. Either you screwed someone good or the economy got even worse in the last month than anyone can imagine.
That also looks suspiciously like the one on the show, because they're old and yellow unless you restore them.
That also looks suspiciously like the one on the show, because they're old and yellow unless you restore them.
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I volunteer at an antique auto museum and someone donated one of the Sun machines last year. After some clean up of the exterior and cleaning of the switches and controls, it works fine and is used regularly. It is a great piece of equipment for diagnosing and tuning of the older point type and early electronic ignition equipped cars. I have the smaller Heathkit version that I built in the early 80's that I use in my own garage.
I've been trying to figure out what I'd use an oscilloscope for, DIY automotive repair-wise. I'd love to get a RIGOL or an OWON, if I could figure out how I'd really need it. So far (30+ years DIY) I've gotten along without one, by coming up with cheap hacks.
If you can get them for $25 and had like acres to put it on it would be cool just to own, even if you could never really use it.
Originally Posted By: supton
Where's the cal sticker on it?
What's the cal sticker?
Where's the cal sticker on it?
What's the cal sticker?
I think he means the calibration sticker. It will tell you the last time it was professionally serviced.
Originally Posted By: Grant11
Dude. On Pawn Stars the guy bought one for like $600 and only got $100 out of it. Either you screwed someone good or the economy got even worse in the last month than anyone can imagine.
That also looks suspiciously like the one on the show, because they're old and yellow unless you restore them.
I saw that show. Doubtful it is the same one - many were well maintained. These things were very popular in their day, but for a shop or a school, their time is past. Most wound in a landfill because you couldn't even give tham away. No one got screwed. For a guy with the room and a love of old cars, they are a superb item. Snap On and others made similar models. If it works well, I wouldn't worry too much about cailbration.
Dude. On Pawn Stars the guy bought one for like $600 and only got $100 out of it. Either you screwed someone good or the economy got even worse in the last month than anyone can imagine.
That also looks suspiciously like the one on the show, because they're old and yellow unless you restore them.
I saw that show. Doubtful it is the same one - many were well maintained. These things were very popular in their day, but for a shop or a school, their time is past. Most wound in a landfill because you couldn't even give tham away. No one got screwed. For a guy with the room and a love of old cars, they are a superb item. Snap On and others made similar models. If it works well, I wouldn't worry too much about cailbration.
It can also check cylinder balance.
They were made HUGE to impress customers. It could have bee mush smaller. Lots of room to store stuff, though.
They were made HUGE to impress customers. It could have bee mush smaller. Lots of room to store stuff, though.
Not sure about the OP's tester, but some had features like the ability to measure oil temp and full test of starting/charging system with carbon pile load test, etc. I assume these were options available to the basic tester. Getting manuals and paperwork with it is a big +.
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