“Taking Advantage” Of A Vintage Snap-On Vantage (and Vantage PRO) Diagnostic Tools

[mrrsm]

Right... The risk is of course axiomatic with any Electronic Circuit Board is to accidentally create a *Spark* that can generate an EMP (Electro-Magnetic-Pulse) expanding-collapsing Field and damage the delicate chips mounted on the Card.

You really Can't be TOO Careful Here... so this should always be the SOP for any Snap-On Gear...especially if pulling the CF Cards out of the Snap-On Vantage Pro, Modis and Verus Gear... to POWER DOWN BEFORE PULLING ANYTHING OUT ...OR PLUGGING ANYTHING IN... :>)

 

[Wayned]

Right... The risk is of course axiomatic with any Electronic Circuit Board is to accidentally create a *Spark* that can generate an EMP (Electro-Magnetic-Pulse) expanding-collapsing Field and damage the delicate chips mounted on the Card.

You really Can't be TOO Careful Here... so this should always be the SOP for any Snap-On Gear...especially if pulling the CF Cards out of the Snap-On Vantage Pro, Modis and Verus Gear... to POWER DOWN BEFORE PULLING ANYTHING OUT ...OR PLUGGING ANYTHING IN... :>)

I received the broken MT2400 today that I had ordered for the additional accessories that my first machine did not have. I took it apart to see if I could see anything obvious, but I didn't. I cleaned all of the contacts but still no luck. The plastic part of the screen had shifted out of place because the foam part that surrounds it had fallen apart. I took some strips of toolbox liner that I had and put them in there to take up the space and it worked.
I then tried putting the 4.0 card in my working machine and it wouldn't power on. I put my 1.1 card in the new machine that I just received, and it turned on and worked so the 4.0 card is bad.

I had put an offer on the 4.0 card that is on eBay but they never responded so I just used the buy it now option and bought it today so I could use the KV module with the 2400. Hopefully it works like the listing says. I had read that the 1.0-3.0 cards never fail but that the 4.0 ones and above do so it might be true. I'm hoping to find a 3.0 card at some point for it's supposed reliability and can be used with the KV module. I now have two of the KV modules as well.

 

[Wayned]

Here is where I saw that you are not supposed to put an older memory card into a machine that has been upgraded. It's on a card in this Ebay listing.

Snap-On Tools Memory Card EETM301B for Vantage MT2400 - Ver 2.1 U1 5C77 U2 4593 | eBay

Ver2.1 U1 5C77 U2 4593.

www.ebay.com

 

[mrrsm]

Well... In addition to trying not to tout the use of Diagnostic Devices that I have not actually purchased and used first hand, it is axiomatic that I likewise try to provide advice about them with as much accuracy as possible from the Manufacturers Official Documentation.

Listed below are excerpts from the Snap-On Vantage MT2400 Graphing Multi-Meters as Edition #2 and the later Edition #5. Please note that they bear consistency in both when informing the User about the "Memory Card with PROM" Chips" (Programmable Read Only Memory) and their installation and expected performance:

Edition #2:




Edition #5:




This implies that the User has no means of interacting with their versions would be possible and this would also imply that there would be no issues with inserting one card over another. To put it with the compliment of being blunt:

The most salient point about the information you are recounting from eBay ...is MISSING from BOTH Snap-On Official MT2400 Graphing Multi-Meter Documentations Versions: There is NO Mention of NOT installing these Older Cards whatsoever after making the transition to the different iterations of either of their Cards and no mention of there being any physical differences between the Base Hardware which appears unchanged for the entire history of the Snap-On Vantage Product Line.

Please balance whatever "Ad Hoc" information you might receive from eBay Vendors (or elsewhere ...as Internet Forum output) who may have ulterior motives leaning more towards "Making The Sale" as opposed to providing accurate information. If nothing else, these Manual Photos will allow you to add the most accurate (however rare) data to your lexicon of What To Believe ...about these Amazing Machines.

"My Knowledge of the Snap-On Vantage and Vantage Pro Series of Graphing Multi-Meters may not be profound.... But I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Last Night..." :>)



PS... Here is another example of "Rumor Control" being exacted on behalf of Snap-On Vantage Pro Owners that is equally topical and of similar value for being able to "Clear The Air" of incorrect information:

https://productforum.autorepairdata...antage-pro-user-forum/11191-to-upgrade-or-not

 

[Wayned]

Yes, the owner's manuals that came with my machines, a 1st edition and a 4th edition say basically the same thing that both of the manuals you posted say. The only caveat that I would say is that neither on them mention anything about upgrading the machines with higher version cards than what came with the machine. My first machine has a 1.1 card in it which is obviously an upgrade of a 1.0 card. I have seen a couple of 2.1 and 2.2 version cards on Ebay which may have been upgraded cards as well.

I'm new to these machines so I have no idea if what was posted in that link I used in my post above or some of the same wording I have read on different websites are accurate or not.

Hopefully the 4.0 card that I just bought works and I won't have to worry about it.

 

[mrrsm]

Definitely Hoping for a Functional Snap-On OEM 4.0 PROM-RAM Card that allows for the added use of the KV Clip On-Plug-In Module... Best Of Luck!

 

[Wayned]

Definitely Hoping for a Functional Snap-On OEM 4.0 PROM-RAM Card that allows for the added use of the KV Clip On-Plug-In Module... Best Of Luck!

Thanks, I hope so too. Just curious, I saw that there are different clip-on attachments to various different coil setups to use with the KV module. I do not have any of them. Is this module useless without them? I just have the two cables that came with my second MT2400. One is for the RPM and I'm not sure about the other. It looks like it clips on to a cable as well.

 

[mrrsm]

No... There are optional Tools besides the Clip-On KV Coil and Ignition Pick Up. The others would included an Inductive Chrome Clamp that grabs any of the Ignition Wires leading to the Spark Plugs (Mostly used to confirm Actions on the #1 Cylinder where a Secondary Coil is Firing Very High KV and thus... having an intermediate 10:1 or even Hantek 20:1 High Voltage Attenuation in between will protect the KV Unit and the Base Unit.

You can also use a Flat Pick Up Unit that can lay over the tops COP (Coil Over Plugs) and grab the Ignition Wave Forms thusly. The others would be the Low and High Amperage Clamps like the Hantek Models CC-65 Low Amp Clamp and the Hantek Model CC-650 High Amp Clamp.

They work by passively sensing the Internal Voltages via the Magnetic Fields they create. Then they convert them into Milli-Volts such as: 1 Amp = 1 Milli-Volt and then display them as Voltage Over Time on the Adjusted Screen. Amp Clamps do not require the use of any Attenuators.

The Scalers involved here are the variable Ranges of Voltages and the Time Bases chosen for their capture and display. THAT is where the "Secret Sauce" of having a decent skill set comes in handy when setting up What appears Where on the X and Y Axis.

Remember that the ONLY thing that any Oscilloscope does is display Voltage Over Time on an X/Y Scale on Screen. The early model Vantage Diagnostic Tools do have a relatively Low Sample Rate when compared to say... The Vantage Pro, The Autel Model# MP408... or "The King Of Automotive Scopes" ...like my MICSIG... But they can admirably perform Basic Oscilloscope Diagnostics. Observe James Danner at work using his Solus Scan Tool along with the Scope Features of BOTH his Vantage ...AND... his Vantage Pro Diagnostic "O" Scope Features (Yup... He is Paul "Scanner" Danner's Brother):

For a more comprehensive overview on the subject of Oscilloscopes and the improvements they bring to the Auto Diagnostic Gaming Mesa...Visit THIS Link:

How To Use PICO #2204A & HANTEK #1008C Oscilloscopes

You don't need a Huge Bag of Coins in order to obtain and use an Oscilloscope for performing In-Depth Wave Form Analysis in Automotive Applications on everything from Problematic Electronic Fuel Injection to obtaining accurate Compression Tests to Diagnose Internal Engine Conditions. HANTEK...

gmtnation.com

 

[Wayned]

I received the 4.0 memory card from Ebay today. Turned out to be a fail. Got a message that said it was configuring for Version 4.0 and then after about a minute the same screen said, "Memory Card CRC Data Error-U2" and that screen stayed up until the machine automatically shut off.

I tried putting it in my other 2400 that originally had the 1.1 memory card in it, and it gave me the same screen and messages so it wouldn't work in either one.

The seller is refunding me the cost of it and I shipped it back out to them.

 

[mrrsm]

Dammit... Well if it is any consolation, that Graphing DMM will still allow for up to 16 Hours of Parasitic Amperage Monitoring Time and provide you with Dual Graphing capabilities on a Fresh Pair of "D" Cell Batteries.

The Guided Components information for Early Model Vehicles is still worth having when encountering legacy vehicles. You are still not completely out of options since there are a few other vendors selling the 2.0 Version PROM-RAM Cards... But I am not certain that you will be anxious to investigate a Dual DMM that has been out of general automotive circulation for so long.

I wish there was more definitive information that once the Updated PROM-RAM Cards get inserted that they *Park* and BIOS Chip Update on the Base System Logic Board and the problem stems from that. I was pulling for you and hoping that your "Next Level" interest might be in the realm of the Snap-On Vantage Pro, which is a stellar improvement in all aspects and finished the Snap-On Update Regimen around late 2015 to early 2016. Mine registers in at 15.4 and is a truly sterling performer, too.

Regardless of this dismay, you are still very fortunate to possess and use a truly standout Original Performer in the pantheon of Professional Grade Automotive Diagnostic Tools. Lurking on eBay relentlessly has proven worth its while to be so dogged and determined to acquire such tools whenever the best and unusual deals come around. I hope fortune favors you in time in this regard.

Snap-On Vantage Cards for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Snap-On Vantage Cards at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

 

[Wayned]

Yes, I was disappointed that it didn't work. I would think that if the ebay 4.0 card was good, it would have been able to update in my 1.1 memory card machine. It should have also worked in the machine that already was a 4.0 machine unless putting the 1.1 card in it screwed something up for using a 4.0 card again.
As luck would have it, I found a 3.0 card on ebay and bought that one. I have read that the 3.0 cards and less don't have issues like the 4.0 and up so we will see.

I might invest in a Vantage Pro at some point but we will see if this 3.0 card works. Thanks again for your input.