Hello everyone I just was browsing this months pico technology letter and there is a new product out

http://www.picotech.com/auto/mixmaster.html?N061002

So Tom whats the price and availabiltiy on thes going to be and is there much difference between this and the ferret KV adapters?

Sam

Hi Sam,

I have some of these on order and should be here soon.  The Mixmaster with four leads is $362.48 and extra leads in sets of four for $110.40.  I may offer a package with eight leads.

It appears as though this unit has the capability of two Ferret 953 as deployed in The Adario Method:

http://www.autonerdz.com/cgi/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1121116107/0#0

Can't wait to get my hands on one  8-)

Hey Tom,

Just curious, could this also be used on the pimary side for COP stuff?

BTW, after roadtesting a Vantage Pro, I should be picking up a Pico by the beginning of the year, maybe even a Christmas present to myself. Not that the Pro was a bad experience, I like it quite a bit, but I'm finding as I age, it's getting harder and harder looking at small screens. This is also why I'm liking the idea of computer based scan tools.

Hello Kevin  I am not Tom but it does not appear the tool in its present form will do primay ignition.  The specifications indicate a + or - 2V range with and absolute of 4V so it appears to be designed for seccodary leads.  The pico itself can do primary with attenuators.  Have you checked out Carls last post using and inductive probe and triggering off one cylinder this is a good way to pin down bad coils.  When I get a chance I will upload some files I have using primay ignition on a Ford COP.

BTW what did you think of the VP?  I had a chance to use a coworkers for a while seemed like a good tool but I already have the heritage vantage.

Thanks Sam

I asked because I didn't know. If I didn't ask, I wouldn't learn. Thanks for learning me.

I also have a Vantage. I bought it used a couple years ago knowing I'd eventually want more. I am still learning. Most of my career had been done using DVOM's, but I knew how to use them well and they worked well for me and I was never left hanging (really). I went to work for someone a couple years ago and he started showing me bits and pieces on labscopes, I now wonder how I did as well as I did without one.

I really like the VP, but, sadly, as I mentioned, I'm getting older and the screen isn't much larger than my Vantage. I'll take the trade of slightly less portability for screen size. I'll be letting my Snapon dealer down Monday morning.  [smiley=cry.gif] Plus I figure if I bought the Pico from Tom, I'd have much better support when I need it, at least that's what I keep hearing.  :) Then there's the plus of this site and it's users. When I have a question, I can also ask here.

Thanks again

Your welcome.  I am not absolutely certain that it will not work I was just going by the specifications pico provided.  There is the possibility attenuators could be hooked to the tool for it to be safe to be used for primary ignition but that could be very expensive with each hookup requiring one, not to mention the voltage scaling would need to be corrected.  I am sure Tom will chime in and set us both straight. :)

Sam

Hi Sam,

I'm still waiting for the Mixmasters.  Hopefully by the end of the month  ;)

I agree with you.  Looking at the specs with a max +-4v input, even with 20:1 attenuators, that's a max of 80v.  Not even close to the 400v+ spikes you'll see on primary.  An attenuator could be placed at the scope end, but it's probably not a good idea to expose the Mixmaster to primary.  [smiley=eek.gif]  

The capacitive probes are 10,000:1 so 4 volts would translate to 40 kv.

Kevin,

I prefer the nice big screen for the same reasons as you do.  Although with the new micro PCs, the Pico can be a hand held for the die hards.  

You'll be in some pretty good company as part of the Autonerdz Users Group.  There is a whole section of these forums you can't see until you are part of the support group.  That's where much of the discussion and support resources are, but that's only one part of the total package of support and equipment specific training that is part of the Autonerdz kits, not to mention the extra hardware goodies.  Of course, Pico offers world class support of their own so I always have good backup.   ;)

Well, the Mixmasters arrived but were all gone before I could even make a web page for them  ;)  I have more on the way.  I got the last of Pico's stock and, after this next batch, there will be some delay until more are manufactured.  Typical of a new product release.  I did keep one for myself so I could play with it and it works as I expected.  Here is a capture using 'The Adario Method' on a 3.5 Chrysler.  Bank A is bank one all positive fired.  Bank B is bank 2 all negative (conv) fired.  Channel C is the trigger from the Mixmaster which is the output for cyl #1:

---

Here is another example from a 2001 Windstar.  Here, both banks are combined on A with sync on the other channel.  This would be one setup option for a two channel scope.

---

We now have a Mixmaster page upon the site and are expecting more to arrive Monday or Tuesday.

http://www.autonerdz.com/mixmaster.htm

When those are gone, there will be some delay due to factory backorder but advance orders will be accepted.  

I even had to let the one I was keeping for myself go to a customer.  Darn customers anyway  ;)  Maybe if we stopped taking care of the customers they would stop bugging us  :-?

---