With the unparalleled resolution and accuracy of the WPS500X Automotive Pressure Transducer you can perform quick and accurate pressure analysis of many automotive systems.
Snap throttle test for pressure in inlet manifold
Engine oil pressure test with WOT
Sight block used with stop-tap to test negative priming pressure
In-cylinder compression waveform with annotations
Various accessories are available for the WPS500X, including our Sight block kit. You can find more online here: WPS500X Accessories.
Often, problems reported by customers can have many potential causes, and simply reading fault codes leaves you no closer to a solution. In addition to the comprehensive electrical testing provided by PicoScope, the addition of a WPS500X provides you with that same detailed insight into the engine system for accurate diagnosis of common problems such as:
With the unparalleled resolution and accuracy of the WPS500X Automotive Pressure Transducer you can perform quick and accurate pressure analysis on many automotive systems.
The WPS500X features an extremely fast 100 µs response time from 0% to 90% of full scale and sensitivity down to about 0.07 psi (5 mbar). This provides you with an accurate representation of rapidly changing signals that span a broad pressure range.
Use the WPS500X with PicoScope to reveal how your engine is actually performing with minimal intrusion. Compression, airflow, valve timing and back pressure can all be measured in one hit.
The three pressure ranges of the WPS500X allow accurate measurement and analysis of many automotive pressures including cylinder compression, fuel pressure, intake manifold vacuum and even pulses from the exhaust.
The first range gives you high resolution and accuracy for high-pressure tests such as cranking and running cylinder compression or fuel pressure testing. Not only is this test a great way for you to find compression issues, but it is also an excellent way for you to identify cam timing issues such as jumped timing belts and stretched timing chains — this is especially useful on multi-cam engines that may not have a cam sensor on each camshaft.
The second range measures from –15 to 50 psi (approximately –1 to 3.45 bar). This range is ideal for vacuum tests and fuel system tests. When testing these systems you will find the zoom function is especially useful as it makes it easy to analyze the valves operating with the vacuum waveform, or the injectors through the fuel waveform.
With the third range you can measure –5 to 5 psi (approximately –0.34 to 0.34 bar). This setting is sensitive enough to allow you to analyze small pressures or pulses such as pulses from the exhaust.
| Range | Pressure range | Accuracy | Response time | Output scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | –15 to 500 psi –1 to 34.47 bar |
1% of scale | 100 µs | 10 mV/1 psi (500 psi = 5 V) |
| 2 | –15 to 50 psi –1 to 3.45 bar |
1% of scale | 100 µs | 100 mV/1 psi (50 psi = 5 V) |
| 3 | –5 to 5 psi –0.34 to 0.34 bar |
5% of scale | filtered | 1 V/1 psi (5 psi = 5 V) |
The zoom function operates by removing all of the voltage from the signal below 100 Hz and then multiplying the remaining signal up to 100 times. For example: Let’s say your transducer is connected to the intake manifold vacuum on a running engine at idle with the transducer set to mode 2 (–15 to 50 psi) and the waveform on your PicoScope is at –9 psi. The fluctuation in the signal caused by the valves opening and closing versus atmospheric pressure forcing air into the manifold will be visible, but will only make up a small portion of the overall signal. Selecting the zoom function will bring the waveform up to the zero line and the fluctuations will be magnified making an analysis of this component of the signal much clearer.
It is not unusual to require a different pressure transducer for each diagnostic test you want to run. The WPS500X eliminates this need by giving you one ultra-high resolution transducer that can be used for a multitude of automotive diagnostic applications. With three pressure ranges, a zoom function, pressure relief valve and a rechargeable Li–Po battery all enclosed in a durable housing the WPS500X is the cost-effective answer to pressure analysis.
When price, performance and versatility matter, there is nothing that compares to the WPS500X Automotive Pressure Transducer.
The pressure transducer has become the essential diagnostic tool to assist with a multitude of pressure related tasks from -15 psi up to 500 psi, so replacing the majority of analog gauges used today. With the ability to measure pressure against time we can now witness rapid events taking place that were never previously visible. Below is just a selection of how the pressure transducer takes diagnostic to a whole new level. (Adaptors will be required)
The WPS500X is available as just a transducer or as part of one of our popular kits.
As well as the transducer the WPS500X kit also includes the following accessories:
The Maxi Kit adds further accessories to further extend the capability of the system:
Both the WPS500X Kit and the WPS500 Maxi Kit are available in a range of packaging options and with one or two WPS500X transducers.
| Title | Language | Issue | Size | Updated | All products | All languages | All documents | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPS500X Pressure Transducer User’s Guide | English | 14 | 391 KB | Jan 25 2018 | Pressure sensors | English | open | |
| WPS500X un appareil à rayons X pour votre moteur | Français | 1 | 6 MB | Sep 18 2016 | Pressure sensors | Français | open | |
| WPS500X Druckwandler Fallstudies | Deutsch | 3 | 4 MB | Jan 04 2016 | Pressure sensors | Deutsch | open | |
| WPS500X Druckwandler ein Röntgengerät für Ihren Motor | Deutsch | 1 | 6 MB | Sep 18 2016 | Pressure sensors | Deutsch | open | |
| WPS500X | Deutsch | 1 | 6 MB | Oct 14 2016 | Pressure sensors | Deutsch | open | |
| WPS500X Pressure Transducer Data Sheet | English | 4 | 6 MB | Aug 03 2017 | Pressure sensors | English | open |
| Product | Price | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brake Booster Failure When applying the foot-brake, the brake pedal appears hard to press intermittently whereby the customer has to apply more effort in order to bring the vehicle to rest. Upon the next brake pedal use the feel of the brake pedal and the effort required to stop the vehicle returns to normal! The symptom had been very intermittent regardless of temperature/road condition and been evident for over two weeks. |
| Engine non-start The engine is a non-start after a major engine overhaul. Compressions and valve timing have been checked and are correct. |
| Misfire The topic of this case study is not so much "How we managed to diagnose the fault in question" but more about the multiple options at our disposal when it comes to diagnosing component failure. |
| Sudden power loss I admit that the fix is probably quite obvious using the parts darts technique or best guess scenario, but I thought this particular job demonstrated the use of the WPS500 as an everyday aid to speed up the diagnostic process. |
| Misfire This story concerns an employee of Pico Technology and their journey to the office. About one mile from work the owner of this 54,000 mile Smart Fortwo started to experience a very noticeable misfire. |
| Variable nozzle turbine pressure control I was fortunate enough recently to get hold of a WPS500X Pressure Transducer and looked forward to using it right away. It didn’t take long before I found a perfect excuse to switch it on: the Variable Nozzle Turbine (VNT) boost control. |
RATCHET+WRENCH recently published an article based on our WPS500X pressure transducer. Starring Matt Fanslow, of Riverside Automotive in Redwing, the article is a great read for anyone considering the purchase of our product. As Fanslow says. “There’s nothing on the market that comes close to it.”.
https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/articles/4633-an-all-in-one-transducer
Bernhard List
WPS500X Pressure Transducer
Great, great, great product!
This must be the best kept secret in car problem diagnostic. I have an old Jaguar MK2 (actually I maintain 4 Jags) and had some problem with light but only occasional misfire. I blamed the ignition and bought a Picoscope. Great but nothing pointing to misfires. Of course OBD II had not been invented so my last resort was a pressure transducer. I stacked my pennies and started learning everything I could find about pressure transducer on the internet. Also bugging poor Steve from Tech Support and off I went into the future of modern diagnostic.
1) cranking exhaust measurement ..... nothing wrong.
2) idle exhaust measurement ..... whoops, misfire. Is it a valve seating problem?
3) cranking in-Cylinder test .... nothing wrong.
4) idle in-Cylinder test ...... now here it was right in front of my eyes. Valve timing was way off.
Some previous owner must have set the camshaft precisely and in his infinite wisdom tightened the timing chain thereafter. Intake was 8 degrees off and exhaus cam 16, which led to a massive overlap between the valves of over 45 degrees and sent unburned fuel into the exhaust where it eventually burned.
Without the WPS500X I could not have solved that problem. I admit there is a steep learning curve to such tools but it pays hundrefold when mastered.
Since that day I have proven to my wife that her Renault Espace has no Piston Ring problem and the gas smell in the oil was only from short distance driving during winter ops. Now most of my friends don’t visit anymore because thy fear I would find anything wrong with their car.
So anyone worth his money MUST have that gadget, there is no way around. I am stashing the pennies again to buy a second one for combined measurement in exhaust and cylinder or intake and cylinder. (One is normally sufficient but I am too excited about it so I must have two 
Five Stars from this guy and the same five stars for Pico Support.
Bernhard List
Mark Stammers
WPS500X Pressure Transducer
I was so impressed with this transducer, I now have 2 in my kit. After initially experimenting with the settings, I now mainly use the standard range selections and not the ‘zoom’ function. The ‘zoom’ function has it’s uses, but because the Pico software is so good and the resolution of the signal is so good, there is usually enough zoom function available, whilst maintaining the entire pressure spectrum. I have used this facility for looking at the detail of intake and exhaust valve function, as well as the many other uses, like injector back leakage and so on.
I really wouldn’t be without one now.
Robert Burgy
WPS500X Pressure Transducer
This is a great product. I do not own one myself yet but
am able to use it at the tech school in which i teach. Able to easily read vacuum or
pressures to all ranges encountered in our business.