Spark voltage is very important to every gasoline engine, but most people don’t really understand what it means. This post will tell you what it is, why it matters, what changes it, and how to measure it.
What is Ignition Spark Voltage, and What Does it Mean? Read More »
We’ve just released a new version of our GTC605, and it contains many improvements, focused on ease-of-use, accuracy, and reliability. As was the case with our GTC505 redevelopment, the re-design was prompted by our inability to purchase the NXP Kinetis processors that we were using for the previous version. The changes to the Fuel Injection
What’s New in the GTC605 Fuel Injection Analyzer? Read More »
Mechanical Diesels are tough to diagnose, and very few tools help with it. The GTC605 helped us repair this small, old, unevenly-timed Yanmar 2GM. This 1984 Yanmar 2GM is a 40-year-old two cylinder indirect injection Diesel engine with jerk-type injectors. This type of small twin generally runs a bit rough because the timing is uneven (180-540 degrees), which tends to mask minor issues, but the GTC605 helped us uncover the problems.
Troubleshooting Rough Yanmar Mechanical Diesel w/GTC605 Read More »
‘Spark testing’ can involve anything from checking whether a spark plug works, to full-system tests of the whole ignition system under load. As is common with many other engine tests, the method you use depends on the tool(s) you have, and there are a variety of options. Each of the tools (and specific tests) can help find different issues, with some being much more useful than others. That said, you should know that not all tools work equally well for all applications, so it’s important to understand what the different tools do, and how they work before deciding on which to use.
What a Spark Test is, and Which Spark Tester to Use Read More »
This year, we’ve released a new version of our GTC505, with a number of new features to improve performance, reliability, and ease-of-use. This redesign and redevelopment was triggered by supply issues with the NXP Kinetis K60 processor we had been using. We took advantage of this opportunity, and completely reworked the tool’s electronic hardware and
What’s New in the GTC505 Engine Ignition Analyzer? Read More »
NOTE: this procedure applies to units with S/N:23121501 and above only. 1- Connect the GTC505 to a computer’s USB port, using the supplied micro-USB cable.2- Upon detecting the USB connection, the GTC505 should show the charging screen.3- Press the “POWER/CLEAR” button until the unit turns off.4- Press and hold the “HOLD” button, and while the
GTC505 Firmware Update Procedure Read More »
Welcome to our comprehensive guide to inboard & outboard engine surveys. This guide is for anyone planning to survey an engine, or hire someone else to do it. We’ll answer the who, when, where, why, and what of engine surveys. If we did miss your question, please let us know by e-mailing us, so we can get you an answer, and add it to the guide!
The Ultimate Guide to Marine Engine Surveys Read More »
This video shows how you can use the GTC605 to quickly check idle RPM on a small indirect injection diesel. Transcript (0s) Narrator: Checking governor settings on small diesels, like this Yanmar 2GM, is easy with the GTC605.(6s) Narrator: After a quick setup, you just press the sensor against an injector, and let the Fuel
Quickly Check Mechanical Diesel Idle Speed with the GTC605 Read More »
Gasoline-fueled piston engines require an ignition source to set off the explosion that converts the chemical potential energy of the air-fuel mixture into thermal energy which the engine can convert into mechanical energy. Each type of ignition source has advantages and disadvantages (which we’ll get to soon), but all have the same basic objective, which is to efficiently set off a quick explosion that burns all the fuel in the cylinder. There are four ignition systems commonly used in 4-stroke, 2-stroke, and rotary engines, along with an oddball only used in small 2-strokes.
The Different Types of Ignition Systems Read More »
This video shows how you can use the GTC605 Fuel Injection Analyzer to quickly check mechanical injectors on a small indirect injection diesel. Transcript (0s) Narrator: Starting and configuring the GTC605 only takes a few seconds; we’ll start by using the the easy-to-read digital view to check how long each injector is ‘open’ for on
How to Check Mechanical Fuel Injectors with the GTC605 Read More »
