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Sun Engine Analyzer

Printed From: TheAMCForum.com
Category: The Garage
Forum Name: Tool Time tool review and eval area
Forum Description: Tool reviews, evaluations and tips only please.
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=117655
Printed Date: Apr/18/2024 at 4:11pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Sun Engine Analyzer

Posted By: MIPS
Subject: Sun Engine Analyzer
Date Posted: Nov/23/2022 at 2:21pm

This is a pretty damn niche tool unless you have the willpower and space to buy one but the MSA-1500's seem to show up often enough through Craigslist/FB Marketplace and online liquidators and sell for a lot less than the cost to drive and load it on a trailer ($150 or less) and I don't mind getting dirty messing with these older analyzers because according to google nobody knows how to use them.

Late 80's and early 90's styling so pardon the design clash if everything else in the garage is from the 60's/70's but it will work with damn near anything you roll it up to. Base models can monitor RPM, strobe timing, dwell, battery voltage, secondary coil HV and spark efficiency per cylinder, plus disable cylinders one at a time. Compatible with 2/4 stroke engines up to 12 cylinders. (!) Works with both positive and negative ground vehicles and both points and solid state ignition systems. There's a multimeter built-in for volts and ohms/continuity and a full engine kill button.
Options included combination amp clamp and universal vacuum pressure kit, Coil primary voltage, magnetic timing probe, hard copy printer and CO/CO2/HC/O2 exhaust gas analyzer. Technically the cart and boom arm are also options but I don't see why you wouldn't of just bought them anyways.

They don't seem to be too bad for maintenance. The electronics are rather simple inside and other than possibly having to reseat a chip or two it doesn't seem like the kind of thing that just drops dead unless someone goes in and tries to recalibrate it themselves. The test cables seem to be interchangeable with most of the Sun machines from the 70's and 60's. The only real snag is the gas analyzer. If you are really savvy there are both the owners manual and the service manual available online (It's in a huge dump of manuals found https://archive.org/details/engine-analyzer-manuals/42-000%20EZ%20Reference%2025763-1/" rel="nofollow - here ) but to rebuild and maintain the analyzer is expensive. Nearly 20 feet of tubing to replace, the oxygen sensor is $150 and is only rated for 16 months and the calibration data is stored in memory that is protected by a long dead battery. A full recalibration also requires an expensive cylinder of calibration gas however if you don't care for that the machine will continue to work fine with the analyzer not working.

Other than alternator testing and a few newer things I doubt we care about here (distributorless ignition, Mercedes Diesel and non-AMC computer diagnostic checks) there's not much else it can do so it's absolutely a thing for people with a big enough garage and small wallets.

Replies:

Posted By: jpnjim
Date Posted: Nov/24/2022 at 8:41am

Nice!

Thanks for starting a thread on this!

Do you think it would work with the 87-90 Jeep Renix Computer systems at all?

Just curious,

I don't have room for one of those in the garage anyway,

unless I got rid of something else in there first.

-------------
71 P-code 4spd Javelin/AMX
some Jeeps and some Fords

Posted By: MIPS
Date Posted: Nov/24/2022 at 11:59am

Should be since it doesn't need to talk to the vehicle directly. As long as you can give it coil secondary out, cylinder 1 and TACH- from anywhere you can connect a tachometer (diagnostic connector?) it will do the rest for you.

Edited: Oh, you mean talk directly to the Renix computer directly? No. the optional Data Link kit states that is only compatible with Ford, GM and Chrysler systems. AMC/Renix are not listed and they don't list any adapters for those systems.

HEI ignition is supported with an adapter from Sun.
There are a few sites that sell replacement test leads and harnesses new and used but I've had a bit of trouble finding reliable sources with multiples in stock so you might have to just save a search on ebay and wait a few months. My analyzer has the option plate for magnetic timing but I didn't receive the probe.

Posted By: fastjeep
Date Posted: Nov/28/2022 at 8:47pm

I miss using a scope to troubleshoot engine problems. With a scope you can find bad spark plugs, wires and coil easily because you see the pattern of the cycle. Being able to stack cylinders you can see low compression and vacuum leaks and isolate which cylinder is weak. With everything computer controlled now still need to verify basic engine problems. I see people swap sensors thinking that's the problem a computer can't correct mechanical problem in engine.