The Trainer #30: Learning The Automotive Lab Scope

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There is no question that a modern automotive labscope, in the hands of someone who is willing to learn how to use it, is a powerful diagnostic tool.
Many of the technicians we've met around the country tell us that they (or the shop) own a scope but are unsure of how to use it or when to use it. The answer to "when" is pretty simple. You can only get comfortable using any diagnostic tool or process by doing it a lot, and doing it first on cars you know are OK. As we've said in these pages many times over, troubleshooting problems is similar to that old game where you compare two pictures to one another, looking for the differences. If you look at lots of good "pictures" then when you see a bad one, it will stand right out!
How to use it is another story, and one we intend to try and help you with right now. In the June 2013 edition of "The Trainer" video, we'll show you the basic settings and how to choose the ranges you want dependent on the signal you intend to capture. We'll also show you some common testing procedures and how to connect your scope to perform them. And we'll also show you why these connections are made they way they are so you can apply that knowledge to future challenges on your own.