The MTS 4000 / 4100 works great with Vibrate 5.1, just skip the Vehicle Selection screen and use the Principal Component Display feature instead. Details are below.
The MTS 4000 / 4100 works great with Vibrate 5.1, just follow the steps shown below; see the Tutorial for complete road test and diagnostic procedures.
Ignore the following display parameters:
Use the Vibration frequency (Hz) numbers from the left column and Engine RPM from a tachometer or scan tool for more accurate diagnostics using the Vibrate 5.1 printed Vibration Worksheet. Follow the Tutorial for complete road test and diagnostic procedures.
The following information is based upon my own memory, experience, and opinions. - John Kelly, President of Vibrate Software, Inc.
The MTS 4000 / 4100 was introduced in 1998, it is manufactured and supplied by Bosch (Formerly Vetronix Corporation) and distributed through: OTC Tools, Rotunda Tools, and Kent-Moore Tools. At first glance by an untrained eye, this looks like an awesome tool; it appears to do all the work for you, no more guessing at what the vibration source is. The tool has an internal rechargeable battery, a quick responding sensor, three different ways to display frequencies and amplitude, it can be used to balance a propshaft in the vehicle (as does the EVA). Upon further investigation and use, a service technician will discover that it has some serious flaws that can lead to misdiagnosis if you allow the tool to calculate what the source of the vibration is, click here to read more.
The MTS 4000 is a stripped down version of the MTS 4100. It includes the base unit, a single vibration sensor, a photo tachometer, and EXPIRING SOFTWARE! This is a more affordable kit at around $1500.00 - $2500.00, although it is still limited in it's capabilities and accuracy. The $4500.00 MTS 4100 includes an additional vibration sensor, a microphone, a memory card to store events with, a 12V AC/DC power Supply/Charger, a strobe light, and even more EXPIRING SOFTWARE! Be prepared to pay more money for software licenses in the future that may or may not do anything more than let you continue using the tool's capabilities you have already paid for.
Chrysler corporation tried the tool for over a year in the field and decided to use the EVA instead. The high cost of the tool was unacceptable and the tool had limited vehicle support. Similar to the EVA 2's Auto Mode, the tool also has a severe flaw, it uses tire size and vehicle speed to base its calculations on. The flaw was the result of tire tread wear, same size tires having different rolling radiuses, and the installation of oversize tires on the accuracy of the vehicle speed sensor. If the vehicle speed sensed is incorrect, the calculations will also be incorrect which can lead to misdiagnosis. The MTS 4000 is now an optional tool for Ford dealerships, but not required for Ford or any other dealership.
A more accurate method of calculating the rotational speeds of rotating vehicle components uses engine RPM and gear ratios. If the engine speed (RPM) is known, the torque converter clutch is engaged, and the gear ratios of the transmission and axles are known, the rotational speed of the tires, propshaft, and etc. can be calculated regardless of tire size and vehicle speed. Vibrate 5.1 uses this calculation method and provides all the gear ratio information needed.
Most automobile vibrations are caused by rotating components that are out-of-balance or out-of-round. Since the engine must be running for these components to begin rotating, the engine's crankshaft will be the point of reference for vibration diagnosis. Every rotating component will have a rotational velocity that is faster, slower, or the same as the engine's crankshaft. Determining the rotational velocity of each component in relation to the engine's crankshaft is the key to an accurate vibration diagnosis.
VIBRATE 5.0 calculates the rotational velocity of each component and graphically represents these velocities on a computer's screen and on a printed Vibration Worksheet. The printed vibration worksheet is for an automobile technician to use while test-driving a vibrating automobile. When the automobile's vibration is present, the technician records the vibration frequency and the engine RPM on the Vibration Worksheet.
There is a point on the vibration worksheet where the vibration frequency reading and the engine RPM reading intersect. This point should be on, or very close to, a plotted line on the vibration worksheet. The plotted line indicates the specific component group causing the vibration. The technician can diagnose which component in the component group is causing the vibration by using the procedures outlined the Vibrate 5.1 Help file or in the vehicle manufacturer's service manual.
Automobile and truck technicians like this method of vibration diagnosis because the vibration worksheet is easy to understand and the technician is not required to perform any mathematical calculations.
The end result of all of this is: The MTS 4000 / 4100 works just fine on unmodified all-original equipment vehicles (except for crossover SUVs) that it can communicate with. Many new vehicles have powertrain configurations that the MTS 4000 / 4100 does not support. If the vehicle is has been modified at all, including buying new tires, MTS 4000 / 4100 is probably inaccurate and can lead to misdiagnosis, click here to see why.
For all vehicles, the Vibrate 5.1 software combined with the MTS 4000 / 4100 using the "Principal Component Display" feature will accurately assist a technician in diagnosing the source of the vibration, and in repairing the source of the vibration with feature rich context sensitive help.
This page was last modified Thursday, August 11, 2011 08:32:32 PM
