How to Use the Snap-On SOLUS

By Mandy Concepcion

COPYRIGHT © 2006, 2012, 2023 By Mandy Concepcion

This book is copyrighted under Federal Law to prevent the unauthorized use or copying of its contents. Under copyright law, no part of this work can be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any way or form without the written permission of its author, Mandy Concepcion.

The information, schematics diagrams, documentation, and other material in this book are provided as is, without warranty of any kind. No warranty can be made to the testing procedures contained in this book for accuracy or completeness. In no event shall the publisher or author be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of the performance or other use of the information or materials contained in this book. The acceptance of this manual is conditional on the acceptance of this disclaimer.

SOLUS is a registered trademark of Snap-On Corp.

Copyright © 2006, 2012 By Mandy Concepcion

This book is copyrighted under Federal Law to prevent the unauthorized use or copying of its contents. Under copyright law, no part of this work can be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any way or form without the written permission of its author, Mandy Concepcion.

The information, schematics diagrams, documentation, and other material in this book are provided as is, without warranty of any kind. No warranty can be made to the testing procedures contained in this book for accuracy or completeness. In no event shall the publisher or author be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of the performance or other use of the information or materials contained in this book. The acceptance of this manual is conditional on the acceptance of this disclaimer.

About ASE Certification

We at Automotive Diagnostics and Publishing promote the ASE Certification program and encourage all beginning and advanced technicians alike to participate and get certified. We are not directly affiliated with ASE. ASE Automotive Technician Certifications are recognized throughout the United States by almost all county and state agencies as meeting the requirements to be considered an automotive technician. Many organizations and repair facilities nationwide have ASE Certification as mandatory for their technicians as part of their business model.

It’s one thing to just show up for work; it is quite another to take control of your career, and get recognition for the knowledge and skills you’ve developed over the years. That’s what ASE certification is all about: helping you tell customers, employers, and other people about what you know. After all, being an automotive technician is not just turning wrenches. Your years of hard work show that you’ve gone the extra mile, and put in the time and effort to learn your trade. Your ASE certification patch is proof of it. Get certified now."

We are not directly affiliated with ASE. The Tech-2 is a registered trademark of Vetronix Corp. and GM The DRB III & Starscan are a registered trademark of DaimlerChrysler The NGS is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Co. Any other proprietary name used in this book was done purely for explanatory purposes.

THE SOLUS® SCANNER

EDITION 2.0  SOLUS BOOK

Copyright 2006, 2012,  2023 All rights reserved.

With the ever increasing electronic content in today’s vehicles, the scan tool has become the tool of choice to look into the ECM or module functions. The scanner is the only window into what the different modules are doing. One thing’s to use an oscilloscope or GMM, but to know what the computer is actually interpreting, your only choice is this piece of equipment. Snap-On has over the years developed into a leader in diagnostic equipment. With that in mind, let learn to use the SOLUS to its fullest and become a profitable, top technician. Remember, learning to use your equipment will also teach you a great deal of diagnostics.

Table of Contents

BASIC FEATURES

General Scan tool function & PID analysis

The Troubleshooter

Graphing the PIDs

Bi-directional Control

Snap-shot feature

OBD-2 operability

Using the SOLUS in conjunction with other types of equipment (Test-Light, GMM, DVOM, Oscilloscope)

The SOLUS and the PC. Building a library of known good waveforms

BASIC SOLUS® FEATURES

IN THIS SECTION, WE’LL take a look at the particular features of the SOLUS® diagnostic scan tool. This section is intended as much more than just a button or feature explanation. In here you’ll learn how to use each feature better and faster. The more you know about your new piece of equipment, the better off you’ll be. Enjoy your readings.

Preface

With the ever increasing electronic content in today’s vehicles, the scan tool has become the tool of choice to look into the ECM or module functions. The scanner is the only window into what the different modules are doing. One thing’s to use an oscilloscope or GMM, but to know what the computer is actually interpreting, your only choice is this piece of equipment.

This book is different than other book on the SOLUS. This book actually teaches you how to use the equipment and interpret the PID datastream. This book also borrows from some of our other publications, but geared towards the Solus. We also expose the use of other diagnostic equipment and how to use them together. In today’s automotive repair shop the technician has to be able to use the equipment and draw relational characteristics between the signal. It is from these relations that the tech arrives to the true repair. It’s not just using the Modis. It’s using the Solus and see if the scope and multi-meter readings also support the repair conclusion.

Snap-On has over the years developed into a leader in diagnostic equipment. With that in mind, lets learn to use the SOLUS to its fullest and become a profitable, top technician. Remember, learning to use your equipment will also teach you a great deal of diagnostics.