AWW #10 - How to get Secondary Ignition Captures with the Picoscope, Snap-on and uScope

Automotive weekly waveform #10 will guide you through the process of obtaining a secondary waveform with the picoscope, the Snap-on 4 channel scopes, the Snap-on 2 channel scopes and the single channel uScope from AESwave.
WARNING!!! We are working with voltages up to 40,000 volts. Use caution for your safety and the safety of your scope. NEVER connect scope directly to the secondary ignition cables or the coil output.
For this test we are going to use a secondary ignition adaptor/probe. I used the ones that came with the picoscope, the ones available from Snap-On and the one supplied with my uScope deluxe kit. Most of these probes are interchangeable between scopes but the default scaling may be incorrect.
For a 2+ channel scope we will connect one secondary ignition pickup to the coil wire AKA the king lead(wire between the coil and the distributor) and a second secondary ignition pickup on a spark plug wire for a sync channel. I prefer cylinder #1 if it easy to access. If you have a 3+ channel scope you can add in the primary voltage or current.
single channel scope will only be able to capture the coil wire or the spark plug wire but not both at the same time.
/ automotiveweeklywaveforms
affiliate link used below help support the channel at no addition cost to you. Thank you
60 amp PDI low amp clamp with banana plugs- amzn.to/3qznAW0
Cheaper hantek low amp clamp(I have never used this clamp) - amzn.to/2JwUC8x
20:1 attenuator - amzn.to/2JSicwl
10:1 attenuator for uscope - www.aeswave.com/Primary-Ignit...
back probing set - amzn.to/3587E46
secondary ignition pickup(we will need this shortly) - amzn.to/35bxlkm

[@mikejr550]

Great video. Thank you for showing how to use these features.

[@felm3283]

Thanks for the opportunity. Thank you for your great job and knowledge.

[@gojudude]

Well done young man!!! I agree with Mr. Jim Morton and although he and I have never met, I've followed him for years, among other greats on IATN, and this has been a really good class. Thanks for your time!!

[@Mako-sz4qr]

These are really great videos you have been putting out. Fantastic 👍🏻

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Thanks Burt!!

[@bartscave]

Excellent information Chad!

[@1b9e7n3z]

Thanks for share this information with us, I am delighted With regard to your simple mode to explain things, to explain these principles of electricity, really professional many greetings from Spain

[@stevemcguffey148]

Good video, definitely helps to explain the process.

[@TheFuneralDirector]

Brilliant .... I learned loads there .. Regards Andy

[@marekhabel2493]

Informative presentation not only on the wave forms but on the equipment as well. Myself, I would stay away from the lower end scopes coming from other than top brands.

[@robertomijango6207]

thanks for you time and explain all the step this it is great job

[@spelunkerd]

That's a fun exercise. Seeing the same pattern on different scopes is eye opening. I found COP to be very different, I hope you do one of those next. We don't see these old single coil vehicles very often any more. Thanks for bringing us along!

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

As much as I like scoping the distributor based systems you are correct and they are slowly disappearing. I find the newer vehicle much more difficult to obtain a clean usable waveform even when using a spark plug wire between the coil and plug.

[@david619dc]

I really wish they have this options on COP system. Or for primary captures at least

[@jimmorton3009]

AWESOME job on scope usage and analyzing the Ignition waveform. I would really like to talk to you about some other information in the waveform when you have the time. THUMBS UP

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Jim I would love that. My schedule is mostly flexible so let me know what works for you.

[@georgebonney90]

That Toyota is very cool,great info thank u sir

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

I hope it will be the subject in future videos. I have a 1987 Landcruiser as well that needs heaps of TLC.

[@chrisingram7277]

Thanks Chad, great video. Does it matter which type of test light you use for wire testing, led or filament bulb?

[@apollokidvolvo4820]

Thanks to have explained why taking secondary signal after the distributor has often a long nose. I discovered it by myselft and infact I always take it between coil and distributor and I use the second channel on the plug wire only for trigger, but I was supposing it was a behaviour of my particular engine. This is not true: it's due to the spark inside the distributor that shutoff before the one into the plug and interrupts the current flow to the coil. Many thanks 👍

[@zodmansour3217]

U mentioned wires on control side of coil, high voltage coil line and I’m guessing the black wire is the ground. Which side of coil is the red wire connected to? Would be nice to show the connections in the wiring diagram.

[@keving52002]

Good video ,the questions i have is ,i have and old OTC solarity lab scope. brought it second hand on ebay ,do you know if that scope need a attenuator for protection?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

A quick search yielded minimal results online. I would go to the component test guide and pick an injector or ignition coil. If the machine tells you to install an attenuator you’ll have your answer. Snapon has them built in but pico and autel do not.

[@timothydenette6735]

Great video! I was wondering, how do I hook up the secondary ignition leads for a GM 5.3L Coil near plug? I cant seem to get the parade or any other reading to show.

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Do you have the SIA2000 kit? It’s a kit that allows you to connect to 8 secondary leads.

[@1magnit]

The secondary voltage goes up with cylinder pressure. At idle it's at it's lowest. With boost it's at it's highest until you turn up the boost to the point where it misfires due to insufficient voltage and stored energy.

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

Smaller plug gaps required for boost since the coil has to overcome so much more resistance. I will get to experiment with this if I ever get my turbo 1FZ Landcruiser back together.

[@1magnit]

@@ThePracticalMechanic With upgraded ignition you can still run big gaps

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

@@1magnit I’m worried about transmission longevity so I will probably run 8-12psi with power cut of some sort during shifts. Still running distributor ignition as well. Don’t know if I want to convert to coil on plug yet. Gotta get time to finish the build before I worry about other modifications.

[@microfarmers]

14:53 Isn't the gap the magnetic field collapsing. The short horizontal lines to the right is the spark gap?

[@DependableAutoTruck]

will i use the attenuator on uscope? also i have the clamp like you used and also have one of the clamps like comes on timing light i guess i need to use the 2 clamps on the snapon

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

If you purchased the deluxe kit it will have a secondary pick up that plugs directly into the scope. If you’re using the secondary adapter from different scope you should be able to use it with the banana jack leads and no attenuator.

[@DependableAutoTruck]

@@ThePracticalMechanic ok thanks yes i got the deluxe kit. hopefully i wont worry ya'll to much this time

[@bartscave]

The uscope also has a predefined ignition probe choice if you want.

[@autotech1100]

I wonder if a cop paddle against a spark plug wire would work for a sync if only one secondary lead pick up is available?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

It should work fine as a sync. The information may or may not be accurate enough for a analysis but will be enough for a sync.

[@autotech1100]

@@ThePracticalMechanic there wouldn’t be any more risk to the equipment holding a paddle probe next to a plug wire than next to a cop coil I suppose?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

@@autotech1100 al long as the wire look decent the risk is minimal. I still like to sweep my test light around the area I’m connecting to just to confirm I don’t have spark leakage.

[@philh9238]

What ever happened to these vids. They are extremely helpful even though I don’t have a snap on scope

[@motorax.service.motociclete]

hello, is the facebook group deleted? can't load the page. thanks

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

The group archived until we resume the videos. We are hoping to have a second season this winter.

[@motorax.service.motociclete]

@@ThePracticalMechanic and could access first season also?

[@johna7184]

Is the FB group page active?

[@ThePracticalMechanic]

It’s currently inactive since I haven’t had time to continue the series. I made a new list of testing to perform and will likely open the FB page up to new members and clean up some unrelated posts on the group page.

[@johna7184]

@@ThePracticalMechanic Okay thanks for the reply.