input for selecting a vom / dva meter to trouble shoot a suzuki engine

[hopalong]

looking for a quality meter to use to check all the coils and associated items readings as the engine is "operating"... output side.

I have the old school analog meters ( Simpson/ Tripett) that do an accurate job on static readings of coils, sensors. etc. And a Fluke clamp on digital meter.

I would like to have a correct marine outboard type meter that is used for reading and identifying the output voltage etc. to verify the actual output.

I have a 1987 Suzuki DT 115 and a 1988 DT 140 (I bought them new back in the day) . Both are in great shape except the 140 seems to have electronic/electrical control issues while operating when the boat has been under way for about 15-30 min.
I have verified the fuel side is not the problem.

All the pulsar, charge, and ignition coils are within the factor ohm limits ...power off.
I have 2 complete extra control boxes (cdi, coils, rectifier etc) that checkout good.

So the vom / dva is what I want so I can check the operating outputs of the controls.

Thanks

 

[gm280]

Well I am very partial to Fluke meters myself. Yes, they do cost more, but they are worth more in my opinion. I used to repair "black boxes" for the air force and they near exclusively use Fluke meters for everything. Even their official T.O.s (Technical Orders) are written to use Fluke meters. Can't get much more reassurance, recommendation or endorsement then that. You already have the best analog meters with Simpson you can get. Braun PSM-6 analog meter were very very good as well. I have some of all of them.

As far as any DVA goes, they do sell meters with those options as well. But a very simply made circuit will allow you to do those reading on most and quality DVM. JMHO

 

[hopalong]

thanks. I found the fluke's don't give wide range readouts when measuring 5K - 10K plus ohm items. Over the years I used several instrument meters in my business for trouble shooting controls with instruments such as Amprobe, Sperry, anemometers, humidity, static pressure etc. for electrical/electronic/pneumatic systems.

What # Fluke do you have and how is it for actual resistance values readout. I always preferred the analog's for static readouts as you can "see" the needle move throughout the range/test. As you know most all the instrument companys had analog meters where you "watched" the needle move. Then came digital and you watched the dot. They do read to the decibel but wavier unless you hit the hold feature.

Question: I see where each outboard manufacturer has do's and dont's when using some meters since their control units are somewhat different than Suzuki. So when selecting the DVA to use with a meter whether it is a Fluke, Field piece, CDI or other it seems the meter must work on Suzuki control units ...Suzuki different?

See you are a USAF vet...I too. was in the USAF 64-67 F4-C & D's jet engines GE J79 and other aircraft. 6 mo.s in Thailand and the Philippines.

 

[Texasmark]

You can build your own DVA adapter. Just need a Diode, C and R....diode to rectify the narrow pulses, C to store them into a dc voltage your regular multimeter can read, and a large bleeder resistor to keep the charge on the C current. Archives have schematics and www probably has some. Mine's in there somewhere.

 

[hopalong]

thanks. What meter would you recommend