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Quality Automotive Borescope

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
Quality and affordable don't always go hand in hand, but lets say around 200$, what am I looking at for a quality borescope in that price point? Also, does anybody know if there are any decent quality borescopes available for android for use on a smartphone?
 
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colin39

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Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Messages
1,498
I bought a cheap bore scope of the bay last year its done well , ok its not a tool i reach for everyday but i do use it quite a bit, the only beniffit i can see of a bluetooth scope is you can put your phone or screen in one place nd move the scope , but the downside is knocking the phone or tablet on the floor while moving the scope about. Jus my opinion you understand.
 

guy48065

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Messages
637
Location
Calibration Lab
I have a bluetooth scope in my Amazon wish list for next time I have $100 to throw at a gadget. I just like the idea: your smartphone has a very nice bright HD display that's WAY better than most of these tools--so why pay more for one with a worse display?
 

lakota

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Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
162
Location
Western New York
Bought this at HD, it has good reviews but I don't like it. Not as useful as I thought it would be.
Ridgid 40043 Micro CA-25 Inspection Camera, Red
 

Hondarancher4435

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Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
151
I have the original snap on one I forget the model number br500 or something it works great good quality image, good lighting comes with a magnetic pick up tool that goes on the head. You can get one for about $200 on eBay
 

kd3pc

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Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Messages
3,630
Location
Northern Neck
I went the other way, as I only wanted to scope a motorcycle tank for rust and whether the filter was OK. I have since used it way more than I thought I would.

I bought an USB endoscope inspection camera from "CrazyFire" via Amazon, for $20. 2mm head, with adjustable LED lights and a 14 foot cable to the USB.

It performed much better than I expected and it met my need exactly...before spending $hundreds, I would see what the need is...as previous "pro" borescopes were fragile and not as useful as you would want.
 
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SuzukiGS750EZ

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Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
3,273
I would like it for engine inspection, checking in areas a mirror doesn't exactly lend well to, etc.
 

Skin

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
11,713
Location
Boston
HF sells mostly garbage but their $180 Cen-Tech camera is actually very decent. You get about 2 years of solid almost daily use out of it before the display takes a dump and by then its paid for itself many times over.
 

Mastermind

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
970
Location
Ypsilanti, MI
The usb and Android ones I see on Amazon get quite mixed reviews....anyone have the ones that plug into phone/tablet? Wich camera and which device?
 

oldtools

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2008
Messages
2,706
HF has two models. The more expensive model has a very small head that can go through the spark plug hole so you can inspect the piston/cylinder.
 

redmondjp

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Joined
Nov 25, 2014
Messages
2,318
Location
Redmond, WA
HF has two models. The more expensive model has a very small head that can go through the spark plug hole so you can inspect the piston/cylinder.
I have both models, but the more expensive one with the smaller head I purchased at Costco (made in the same factory but different brand). I was just at Sam's Club yesterday and they have one right now as well (can't remember the price).

Watch the Harbor Freight sales as they usually have one of these units on sale at least a couple of times a year.

I initially thought I was going to sell the large-diameter head unit that I bought at HF first. But I decided to keep it, because the flexible stem is larger and more rigid - you can extend it out and it will stay - this is really handy when you are trying to inspect inside wall cavities, furnace ducts, and the like.

The smaller-diameter camera head will fit into a spark plug hole just fine, but that stem is much more flexible and won't self-support for more than a few inches.
 

redmondjp

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Joined
Nov 25, 2014
Messages
2,318
Location
Redmond, WA
Update: I was at my local Costco tonight (Kirkland, WA) and they have the Performance Tools brand of this same unit, with a 9mm diameter waterproof head with 4 white LEDs, for $53.** or something close to that.
 
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