Older Automotive Tools, Bear Automotive Scope - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JamesDean · #1 10-31-2012, 08:26 PM

Hey everyone,

I figured someone out there would be able to tell me something about this thing.

My mechanic wanted me to take a look at it. When he said scope, I had envisioned an oscilloscope but...

I took lots of pics so I could easily re-assemble it. But on the surface nothing looks bad. These capacitors on the power supply board look older, the big fat one is a bit buldgy at the top so I think I'll recap the power supply board and we'll go from there.

Stretch · #2 11-01-2012, 03:56 AM

Well it looks very late 1980s to me and very interesting but what it actually does is another matter. Most certainly petrol engine related...

...have you managed to hook it up to something to see if it works?

JamesDean · #3 11-01-2012, 08:08 AM

I only have that box and the cables. I am almost certain it must attach to some type of display device or other such indicator box.

It has a lot of NLA DIP style chips on it. There is an AMD processor on it (C) 1986. A few EEPROMs and microcontrollers.

I'll talk to my mechanic today or tomorrow and inquire about whatever device connects to that serial/parallel port.

As of right now, I am just planning on re-capping the power supply board and that one small daughter board.

Stretch · #4 11-01-2012, 10:10 AM

It has to be petrol engine timing related with "cylinder #1 probe" and "capacitance spark probe" - what other sensors other than tachometers work with inductance? What's the "inductive current probe" going to be doing? Usually it would be proximity related. Serial port must be going to some computer (with the right software)...

I'm surprised that no professional mechanics haven't chimed in yet. May be they are all on the east coast of the USA?

Air&Road · #5 11-01-2012, 11:03 AM

You know, serial port being a DB25 makes me think that it was designed for connection to a very early PC. The AT, which came out in VERY late 1984 (I think) was the first PC with a DB9 serial port as opposed to a DB25 as was on the original PC and the XT.

Once the AT came out it was common to use a DB9 to DB25 connector for connection to serial devices. If the unit came out in '86, maybe the DB25 was intentional so that it could be connected to all PC's available at the time, albeit to some with an adapter.

Have you been able to come up with anything by googling?

My guess is that it basically took some basic signals through the proprietary cables that plug to those connectors and then there was a DOS application that displayed it as an ignition scope presentation.

Being both a car nut and a systems engineer during that period, that's my guess.

Idle · #6 11-01-2012, 01:50 PM

I have seen Bear analyzers that were known as a 'Pace 400'. They looked much like the Sun machines from the 1970's and 80's.

This appears to have 'Pace 100' written on it, so a guess on my part would be that it is a part of a larger unit.

The handles that allow it to be racked also indicate an industrial application. Perhaps this was a part of a military application for the servicing of military trucks? Even the most industrial of applications has a touch of design element; this has none which is common with government applications.

Air&Road · #7 11-01-2012, 01:56 PM

I've never seen ANY military test equipment that did NOT look like military test equipment. The color scheme, lettering and such has to be commercial. Also it doesn't appear to be 19" rails as are typical military equipment.

To your point though, it is VERY plausible that this is a component of a bigger system as you suggest.

JamesDean · #8 11-01-2012, 02:11 PM

Larry I agree. This doesnt seem like a industrial/military type unit. The handles on it seem like its more for convenience rather than mounting.

I will have to inquire about what else connects to this guy. I can't really test it without the rest.

Stretch · #9 11-01-2012, 02:28 PM

The more I think about it the more I think it is just a fancy replacement for a strobe light.

duxthe1 · #10 11-01-2012, 08:21 PM

The shop I work for has that same unit. There is a PC and monitor that is missing along with some gas analyzer eqiup. Properly setup it can do ign diagnostics, is a 3 gas analyzer, and has a 2 channel scope. On the older cars its still a valuable piece of equipment.

Angel · #11 11-01-2012, 10:24 PM

If it is a serial connection - you should still be able to connect it to any PC with a serial port (you would need a DB25 to DB9 adapter, or a DB25 to DB9 to USB adapter...) and read the output string in hyperterminal.

That might reveal a fair amount - what data comes out of it (even with no sensors installed...)

-John

Air&Road · #12 11-02-2012, 02:54 PM

Yes, you could certainly CONNECT IT, but there was likely a rather extensive software application that you would have to load. If you could find someone else with one though, you could probably get copies. Depending on the driver used to connect the hardware signals with the PC application, you might have to run it in a pure DOS environment. Probably wouldn't work in a terminal window in a modern Windows Op Sys.