Automotive Inspection Scopes

[BusyGuy]

I have a few cheapo USB inspection scopes and I am extremely disappointed with the quality. I just but an AC DELCO AZR6058. I like the unit, the controls, the recording etc. The quality and lighting is vastly superior that the cheapo USB endoscopes/borescopes, but it still is far from great.

Do any of you have the newer Bosch or Snap-ons? Is it much better quality?

Here is a video of the top of a piston.

 

[K-Dog]

The one from Costco *****.

 

[Rmracing]

I have the snap on and highly recommend it . It has the front and side view and takes high quality Picts and video . It's a little pricy but well worth it.

 

[trackwelder]

I have the bk5600. Very clear and handy to have around

 

[IsaacJ]

I spent 500 on a snap on, it's great. I don't use it all the time, but when I do, it works awesome.

 

[Ruger_556]

The $100 Ryobi one at Home Depot is actually real good.

 

[amlv20]

I spent 500 on a snap on, it's great. I don't use it all the time, but when I do, it works awesome.

I have the bk5600. Very clear and handy to have around

Same here bk5600!!!

 

[jeepnatv4life]

The one from Costco *****.

lol my wife got me this one for Why does it **** so bad? It has a higher pixel rating than the milwaukee 12v

 

[K-Dog]

lol my wife got me this one for Why does it **** so bad? It has a higher pixel rating than the milwaukee 12v

Imaging on mine is horrible.

 

[Jazz1]

I saw a snap on being used to disconnect transmission cooling line on gm,,worth every nickel for the view. Then if was just a matter of getting tool up there to disconnect...

 

[stage20]

i havent seen it personally, but a few friends of mine bought these 25 dollar kits off ebay that actually plug into your smartphone. say they work great. no big case to store in your box either
im skeptical

 

[Danglerb]

The cheap ones on ebay rarely state the sensor pixels, only the interpolated output pixels, which mean nothing with most using a 0.3 mp 640x480 sensor.

That said I think around $35 to $55 some of them will really have HD 720x1920 or some such resolution.

Even so the bad ones are 100% better than not having one.

 

[anndel]

Autel MaxVideo MV400 is what I use.

 

[bdelmar2]

I don't have a borescope at all, in the past they have been really expensive and even as a general/engine mechanic I didn't have very many situations where one would have been that useful.

I got by with a mirror for most things, and one can generally tell if an engine has that kind of internal damage without actually looking inside a cylinder.

Sometimes it would be nice to show a customer damage, or save some diag time though, or even look in hard to see spots.

Now that the price is down to impulse buy territory I would like to find a decent smart phone type one myself.


EDIT:

The video posted by the OP appears to be of a useable quality for me, but that model looks to be in the $225 range after taxes and I don't see it being used enough to justify that, but if I could find a smartphone one that good for like $50ish I would be happy.

So if anybody knows of a workable one for occasional use (that won't drop a part in a cylinder) at a reasonable price, I'd like to hear about it also.

 

[WhiffySpark]

X10 on a bk5600. Don't use it a lot but invaluable when I need it. Once you own one you'll be surprised how much you use it

 

[snyder]

Any one ever use a scope to see inside a door when doing a lockout jimmy ?

 

[trackwelder]

Any one ever use a scope to see inside a door when doing a lockout jimmy ?

No not really these days. For me I just use a Big Easy and the air bladder. Haven't touch my old lockout set in years.

 

[Showkey]

This thread needs sample pictures..........

 

[gdocktor3]

Anyone use a smart phone borescope??? Oddly enough one just popped up on my facebook feed and I thought it was pretty cool. Something like this https://chickadeesolutions.com/prod...=18654230597&gclid=CLWdkJzl1dACFUpMDQodUTEAAg

 

[sberry]

I don't have one either, might do it if there was a reasonable decent option, never occurred to me but at sub 100$ pricing its tempting and spose there could be the case where it pays for itself in a single event.

I don't have a borescope at all, in the past they have been really expensive and even as a general/engine mechanic I didn't have very many situations where one would have been that useful.

I got by with a mirror for most things, and one can generally tell if an engine has that kind of internal damage without actually looking inside a cylinder.

Sometimes it would be nice to show a customer damage, or save some diag time though, or even look in hard to see spots.

Now that the price is down to impulse buy territory I would like to find a decent smart phone type one myself.


EDIT:

The video posted by the OP appears to be of a useable quality for me, but that model looks to be in the $225 range after taxes and I don't see it being used enough to justify that, but if I could find a smartphone one that good for like $50ish I would be happy.

So if anybody knows of a workable one for occasional use (that won't drop a part in a cylinder) at a reasonable price, I'd like to hear about it also.

 

[Danglerb]

Anyone use a smart phone borescope??? Oddly enough one just popped up on my facebook feed and I thought it was pretty cool. Something like this https://chickadeesolutions.com/prod...=18654230597&gclid=CLWdkJzl1dACFUpMDQodUTEAAg

I don't know iPhone, but with android the phone/tablet needs to support USB OTG (On The Go), which allows USB devices from mice, keyboards, to cameras to work from the small USB power/data port. The Google playstore has free apps to "check OTG" compatibility on your phone.

With our Nexus6 some devices worked fine, no luck so far with cameras.

When it does work, its great, even with a cheap $15 ebay endoscope, just 640x480 or less, which is plenty to see most of the things I am looking at.

 

[danski0224]

Anyone use a smart phone borescope??? Oddly enough one just popped up on my facebook feed and I thought it was pretty cool. Something like this https://chickadeesolutions.com/prod...=18654230597&gclid=CLWdkJzl1dACFUpMDQodUTEAAg

I couldn't get one to work on my phone.

The bigger problem is that the connecting cable will not position at all. Pushing it up into something is impossible, going along with gravity would work though.

The more expensive version at Harbor Freight is pretty decent and it will take pictures and video. The cheaper Milwaukee M12 version will not do pictures or video. Either of those has a positionable cable that will hold it's shape fairly well.

 

[Showkey]

Quick search of SOKOS on Amazon yields the USB camera is question above. Mixed reviews with 18% 1 star and 62% 5 star. Mixed reviews when reading the text.

 

[DFB]

I have the 12v Milwaukee M-SPECTOR 2313-20 360™ Console unit. No frills doesn't take pictures or videos but the screen rotates which is handy because the camera end doesn't always orient itself how you may expect so by adjusting the screen just let you sometimes visual things better.

The light level is adjustable can gets pretty bright and the cable stiff enough so it stays in position easily. They definitely are for close up viewing though like with engine work. In other trades though people get one thinking they are going quickly view 6 ft down a wall cavity...just ain't gonna happen.

So I paid like $109 bare tool on a sale. No battery/charger of course. You can still get one right now for that price there is a current $20 off code most places. Hit a 20% off sale and one could be slightly cheaper. Does what I need.

 

[jubilee]

Harbor freight $80. Works fine for me. Mostly inspecting cylinder walls after leak down test.

 

[jeepnatv4life]

Anyone use a smart phone borescope??? Oddly enough one just popped up on my facebook feed and I thought it was pretty cool. Something like this https://chickadeesolutions.com/prod...=18654230597&gclid=CLWdkJzl1dACFUpMDQodUTEAAg

I had no luck with 2 seperate amazon purchases for droid powered cell phone scopes. 2 different types and 2 different results one wouldnt display and the other was just a glorified pen light