sia2000 set up questions 04 explorer 4.0

[Wheel]

my firefox downloaded it ok
wonder if you have a prblem with adobe reader?
are you able to open other pdf files?

I got a copy thanks to Steve.

[Wheel]

There were a lot of good tips in the posts.
2 sets of 6 is what you want.
The threshold looks like it is too low. This setting is often overlooked.
There a couple things that are very important to successfully connecting to waste spark systems.
Let’s start with the connections and cylinder firing polarities, then the threshold.
You must have the correct firing order and polarities entered in Setup for the power and waste patterns to be displayed correctly.

Cylinder firing polarity can be different on 2 vehicles of the same Make, Model, and engine. This may be due to different coils being used. Chrysler 3.3L engines for example can have the polarity of the middle the coil either way. In other words, one side may be positive on one vehicle and negative on the other. They came from the factory like that. This is why it may be necessary to check the polarities even if you followed those listed in the SIA2000 manual. It is also possible to change the cylinder firing polarity by switching the plug wires at a coil. They both fire at the same time and the engine doesn’t for the most part care which polarity a cylinder fires, just that it fires.
The instructions as listed from the SIA manual work just fine assuming the invert status of the channel has not been changed.
For waste spark, the yellow channel 1 should be inverted, the green channel 2 should not.
You should not change this.
Peak Detect should be On for both channels and you should not turn it off.

If you connect to a vehicle and the pattern doesn’t look right, check each cylinder’s firing polarity as noted in the instructions from the SIA manual. It is generally the easiest if you use the single cylinder scope selection. If the firing is up, it’s a negative firing cylinder (Because invert is on). If it is upside down, it’s positive. Record the polarity for each cylinder.
When you are done, make sure the correct polarities are entered in Setup and you connect the leads to the cylinders according to the polarities you established.
Connect the gray RPM/Trigger pickup to Cyl 1.
Once you get more comfortable doing this, you can just check one cylinder on each coil because if you know one, the other one has to be the opposite polarity.
When a car has problems, it can be more difficult and you may need to check all cylinders to make sure you have them right. Having experimented on a good car will help prepare you for that.

The ignition sensitivity setting should be in the 1-1.5kv range to start. In one of the posts, it was set around -1. It is set using the button at the far right of the lower toolbar in ignition scope. The setting is indicated along the left side of the grid as a right facing triangle. It can be moved up and down as needed. My rule of thumb is to set it at the average spark voltage to start (Typically 1-1.5kV).
If it is set too low, the scope may incorrectly detect firings. If it is set too high, it will drop cylinders. The best thing to do is once you get a vehicle connected and working correctly is to move the threshold down until the pattern starts to break up and observe what happens. Move it up until it stabilizes, then continue moving it up until cylinders drop out and observe what happens. Once you observe this, you will have a much better idea how it works and needs to be set.

It’s probably best to work thru the above on a vehicle that is not multi spark as that adds one more thing to the mix.

Many Ford waste spark systems are multi spark. They make more than one spark at idle and revert to single spark mode at some speed above 1000 RPM.
There were 2 basic versions that I remember. 1 was called Double Strike and fired the plug 2 times. The first spark lasted for 1 ms, then the coil started to charge again for something like 1 ms and then fired again. I don’t remember the times for certain, but that’s in the right neighborhood.
The explorer looks to be one of these.
There is also a multistrike system that makes up to 4 sparks.
The first spark will be .3 ms long, then the coil charges for a bit and fires again. This happens up to 4 times at idle. Each spark will be .3 ms long with the exception of the final spark which will be sustained until the coil runs out of energy.
When the system is in multispark mode, the last spark will probably be the one you are most interested in because the spark duration is not controlled by the system. It’s controlled by conditions in the chamber.

If you are testing a Double Strike, a 5ms pattern will probably be ok. If you are testing a multistrike, you may have to select a 10ms pattern to be able to see all of them.

I don't know if Snap On has the MT2700 anymore, but for me, using this is the fastest way of checking coil polarity. A lot faster and less confusing for me than the scope method. It's also a small engine and
motorcycle mechanic's best friend.

[Rich Shepherd]

I don't know if Snap On has the MT2700 anymore, but for me, using this is the fastest way of checking coil polarity. A lot faster and less confusing for me than the scope method. It's also a small engine and
motorcycle mechanic's best friend.

I believe only a replacement lead is available (MT2700-1) from Snap-on now, not the whole thing. I entered the part number into the catalog search box at snapon.com and the lead was the only thing that came up. There are probably still some in circulation somewhere though.
Many years ago when we were first working with these systems on the big box testers, one of the engineers made us a box with LEDs that indicated polarity so we could do a quick check on plug wires when out collecting information for vehicles.
If the car was in the shop and I was connecting to it, it was quicker for me to just use one lead and check the wires since I was going to connect to it anyways.
Bottom line is whatever works to ID the polarities will get the job done so as with most things there is more than one way to do it.

[crackerclicker]

It is also possible to change the cylinder firing polarity by switching the plug wires at a coil. They both fire at the same time and the engine doesn’t for the most part care which polarity a cylinder fires, just that it fires.

just be careful here if you're working on something with compression sense ignition

Peak Detect should be On for both channels and you should not turn it off.

sorry, i was wrong on that one . i had to remind myself of what peak detect does.

thanks, rich .

[Rich Shepherd]

"It is also possible to change the cylinder firing polarity by switching the plug wires at a coil."

It wasn't my intention to suggest switching the wires at a coil if that is the way it sounded. I wanted to convey there are several reasons the polarities may need to be checked regardless of what is listed in the chart. One is that the plug wires could have previously been switched at a coil making the polarities different than expected. On any particular engine even if the cylinder polarities were always the same on every vehicle that left the factory, by the time it comes in with a problem, they may have changed due to wires being replaced and/or switched.

[Wheel]

I believe only a replacement lead is available (MT2700-1) from Snap-on now, not the whole thing. I entered the part number into the catalog search box at snapon.com and the lead was the only thing that came up. There are probably still some in circulation somewhere though.
Many years ago when we were first working with these systems on the big box testers, one of the engineers made us a box with LEDs that indicated polarity so we could do a quick check on plug wires when out collecting information for vehicles.
If the car was in the shop and I was connecting to it, it was quicker for me to just use one lead and check the wires since I was going to connect to it anyways.
Bottom line is whatever works to ID the polarities will get the job done so as with most things there is more than one way to do it.

This is too bad. This was one of the best bang for the buck so simple
even an idiot can use it diagnostic tools Snap On, or anyone else has
ever created. I better check e bay and see if I can buy some extras
just to have.