What kind of hardware and software is available for diagnosis of problems and failures, probably through a USB port into a PC?

What prompts this query is that my 85 GSL-SE stopped dead on the road a couple weeks ago and I've been running the usual series of old-fashioned tests and substitutions trying to solve the problem, but it seems to me that with the right stuff (intercept sockets on the ECU and other low voltage probes, plus some clever induction device at the distributor) and the right software, a guy could monitor and record some good stuff. If nothing else, you could record normal operating behaviour and play that back against abnormal readouts.

Is any of that available readymade?

I know that "Pico Technology" has a $2000 kit that is advertised for 'modern' engines that looks like it has the right kind of probes, etc., but I wonder if the software is appropriate for a 23 yr. old engine/system?

I suspect that there is some oscilloscope software available in the Shareware or Open Software worlds that would provide a starting point.

 

I'm finding a lot of stuff, both o'scope software and input probes, usually to BNC connectors (figures) and thru USB to the PC.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Oscilloscope-Aut...QQcmdZViewItem

http://robots.net/article/1480.html

http://www.usb-instruments.com/oscillo_sword.html

http://www.usbee.com/

http://www.easysync-ltd.com/index.ht...target=d3.html

This is getting interesting.

 

Most people who are looking for that level of datalogging have a standalone EMS which can monitor most of the stuff you are talking about.

 

If you go standalone the level of diagnostics you can perform would be much higher