Stethoscopes

[signcrafter]

Need to pick up a new stethoscope. I had a cheap one from a parts store that broke. I don't use it often but they can be a handy tool to use when tracking down some noises. Have a bearing noise coming from a pulley on the front of a 6.7 F350 that is hard to tell for sure which pulley it is. When I went to amazon to check out the choices for stethoscopes they have your standard cheap ones and a lisle that looks a little better made and then a steelman engine ear set. It's basically a noise cancelling headphones with a microphone. After using my cheapo stethoscope from the past the noise cancelling headphones looks like they would be a lot nicer to use and track down noises. Has anyone used one before? Is it worth the 80 bucks they want for it vs the 18 for the lisle stethoscope? Steelman also makes an engine ear II which has a meter on it for 124 bucks. Not sure exactly what the meter does but don't think I need one that fancy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FAC38QG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Formula]

Honestly I would just go with a basic cheap one. I’ve had the same basic one for almost 30 years now and it works just fine.

 

[bobg03]

Get the lisle...it will be adequate.

 

[FMB4]

Ya, I too say go with Lisle.

 

[haveissues]

I have one of the $12 ones. Worked great for figuring out which wheel bearing was bad on the wife's car last week.

 

[signcrafter]

That's what I had for years and it worked good but finally broke. Was planning on getting the lisle one that looks a little better built but ran across that steelman one. The part that interested me was the noise cancelling ear muffs it has vs the little things that go in your ears on a normal stethoscope. The normal kind can be a pain when you are moving around trying to find the noise.

I'll probably just end up with the lisle but the steelman ones still look interesting to me.

 

[FMB4]

I've had a cheap pair since the mid '80s. Buy I've also borrowed a Lisle pair that worked very well.

 

[minke]

I don't know the answer,,, but I'd speculate:

The point of noise cancelling earphones is to suppress repetitive, periodic noises. I'd think that that is exactly what you want to listen to.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I previously had a HF, now I have a lisle. The HF ear pieces hurt my ears, the seams on the rubber were too big. The lisle ear pieces are much softer. I ordered the lisle online, and it arrived with a cracked chamber for the listening end. The little round disc midway down towards the business end. Still works good though.

 

[ThePostman]

The lisle is the way to go. It comes with the standard metal rod that can be disconnected from the tubing and replaced with a "trumpet-type" listening attachment, or one can just use the hose to listen for air leaks. For example, I replaced the heater core in a Ford Transit connect, and then prior to refilling the cooling system, I put pressure on the system, then listened for air leaks, and found one of the Ford proprietary connectors on one of the heater hose didn't survive, and I only knew because I was able to listen for air leaks. The cheapo HF version and it's equivalents, would have never detected that very slow leak, and saved me a come back and a lot of headache.

 

[Madjik Man]

I too am in the market for a stethoscope and obviously see the Lisle one on Amazon.

Is this the same one everyone is recommending above?

Lisle 52750 Stethoscope Kit​

 

[signcrafter]

I too am in the market for a stethoscope and obviously see the Lisle one on Amazon.

Is this the same one everyone is recommending above?

Lisle 52750 Stethoscope Kit​

That is what I ended up going with. I actually bought two of them. Bought one and ended up throwing out the and of it, thought it was part of my old broken one so tossed it when cleaning. Went to use my new lisle scope and didn't have the end. LOL And people wonder why I don't like to ever throw anything away, as soon as I do I need it. Ordered a new one and been happy with it.

 

[Madjik Man]

That is what I ended up going with. I actually bought two of them. Bought one and ended up throwing out the and of it, thought it was part of my old broken one so tossed it when cleaning. Went to use my new lisle scope and didn't have the end. LOL And people wonder why I don't like to ever throw anything away, as soon as I do I need it. Ordered a new one and been happy with it.

Thank you. And duly noted not to throw anything out ever again.

 

[spanimal]

Sorry... wrong thread

Edit... while I am here might as well give a protip: any screwdriver can be used as effectively as a stethoscope. Point the tip as you would the tip of the scope and stick your ear to the end of the handle...never buy a stethoscope again.

 

[bobg03]

I still use the first one that I got when I became an EMT in 1985

 

[Tools4Me]

Since this thread popped up, I figured I would post what I made/use. I don't need a stethoscope very often, so I wasn't willing to spend much money on one, but I still wanted something that would work well. I ended up mating a HF stethoscope to a pair of HF earmuffs. I also had a small amount of leftover soft acoustic foam from a different shop project, so I added that to the inside of the HF earmuff cups to give me a couple extra dB of sound deadening from the muffs.

The only part that took a little time, was laying out my hole locations through the earmuffs so the stethoscope nubs would still fit into my ear canals like normal when I'm wearing the earmuffs.

I have used screwdrivers many times in the past, and I also have a few lengths of 5/8-7/8" ID rubber hoses that I use to quickly identify more obvious noises, but this stethoscope setup is noticeably better for noises that are faint or hard to isolate, especially in noisier environments.

HF's prices have been steadily increasing, but you can still make yourself a pair of these for about $9 (less if you have a coupon).

Mechanics Stethoscope

Amazing deals on this Mechanics Stethoscope at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Ear Muffs

Amazing deals on this Ear Muffs at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Ramblin Man]

I have the Lisle one. It works good for me.

As spanimal said above, a screwdriver works also. What I found that works great is a long screwdriver with a handle shape that you can slip the cap end of a windshield washer solvent jug over. Cut the bottom of the jug off of course. It is like a P.A. system, ha-ha.

I have a long snap on screwdriver with the hard handle that I use.

And, it has to be a windshield washer solvent jug, An antifreeze jug, or any other shape I treid would not work nearly as well.

 

[Madjik Man]

Sorry... wrong thread

Edit... while I am here might as well give a protip: any screwdriver can be used as effectively as a stethoscope. Point the tip as you would the tip of the scope and stick your ear to the end of the handle...never buy a stethoscope again.

I used to do that.

Until I was face to face with my engine fan while trying to listen to pulley/compressor bearings.

 

[signcrafter]

Sorry... wrong thread

Edit... while I am here might as well give a protip: any screwdriver can be used as effectively as a stethoscope. Point the tip as you would the tip of the scope and stick your ear to the end of the handle...never buy a stethoscope again.

A screwdriver works alright for some things. But for 20 bucks, life is too short to skimp out. I mean, a crescent wrench will work instead of a socket set right? Using a screwdriver up to your ear to find pulley noises means your head is turned sideways and you can't see what you are doing. Then the screwdriver hit a pulley or fan blade and ooops. I've worked on things outdoors in the middle of winter on my back on the ground with minimal tools and made many improvises over the years. But when someone is asking about a stethoscope to help diagnose something there is zero reason not to spend 20 bucks for the correct tool. My first muffler repair I did by driving my passenger side of car up on a curb to raise it up, I didn't have a jack. But if I ask what jack to get, obviously I'm looking to buy a jack, so I wouldn't expect replies of "a curb will work just as good as a jack, never buy a jack again."

 

[Indexmill]

Ok, now that we got all of that hard stuff finished, what stethoscope are we recommending?

 

[spanimal]

Great points being made. I guess being in a workshop with a hoist did grant me advantages not available to everyday people.

Absolutely a stethoscope would be invaluable in the situations described .

 

[richfinn]

I just made one like Eric O's (never used my actual stethoscope since)

It works very well and is more or less free!!!

 

[Ramblin Man]

I just made one like Eric O's (never used my actual stethoscope since)

It works very well and is more or less free!!!

Thats exactyly what I was talking about in my post above. It will probably surprise a person in how well it does work.

 

[richfinn]

Thats exactyly what I was talking about in my post above. It will probably surprise a person in how well it does work.

It works way better to be honest, and you don't have to risk getting a screwdriver poked through your brain

 

[Madjik Man]

For those with the Lisle 52750 stethoscope the Caseling X001AYUIML (case for straightening irons and accessories) is a really good fit.

I'd imagine this case would be great for most every other similar style stethoscope.

 

[Bubba Fett]

I used to have a regular doctor's stethoscope, but I have misplaced it, so I will probably get the Lisle one.