Snap on MT1261A timing light

[paul_f]

I have got a MT1261A timing light in with a bunch of other stuff.

I connected it up to a car and it was working fine, but then I pressed the flash button to turn off the strobe as I just wanted to look at the RPM reading.

The light reset, and now it just scrolls "SNAP ON" the whole time unless I press reset - it then shows "1261 SNAP ON" before just repeating "SNAP ON"

Has anyone got one of these lights if so what happens if the engine is stopped (or if it is not picking up the ignition pulse), does it just scroll SNAP ON?

Cheers
Paul

 

[JASTECH]

Hmm, Paul I don't have that model but seems to me it lost connection, programming messed up or you pushed/touched buttons just right to place it in advertise mode.

 

[Eagle Point]

If the light is inop or acting up, wiggle the leads where it goes into the housing and see if it changes anything. Those leads were famous for going bad. The wire is very thin and many people would wrap the leads around the housing when storing it which caused many of these leads to break over time. Snap-on dealers used to warranty the leads right on the truck back in the late 80's/90's, not sure what the policy is today. They also had a flat-rate repair if the light needed more than leads which back then was usually replacing it with a new light....

 

[Danglerb]

I don't know the models, but at least some of the Snapon with rpm have known defects, so I skip Snapon when it comes to timing lights.

 

[paul_f]

Thanks for the replies. I got this one with a complete roll cab and was intending on selling it on if it worked.

I'll have a play around with the leads

 

[paul_f]

Someone emailed me a scanned copy of the manual, and the way it shows "SNAP ON" is correct when there is no signal.

Therefore it must be something else. I buzzed out the wires and they are fine, and the coils measure resistance, so it could be something with the electronics inside the actual light.

I will take it to the electronics lab at work and have a play to see if I can get it to work