Bought a cheap bore scope for a coolant leak and it paid for itself in one job

Had a customer with a slow coolant leak on a V6 that was driving them crazy. We pressure tested it, no obvious signs. Instead of pulling the intake manifold right away, I grabbed a $90 USB bore scope I bought on a whim a few months back. Snaked it down the spark plug holes and found a tiny crack in the cylinder wall near the bottom, clear as day. Showed the customer the video, they approved the engine swap on the spot. That little camera saved us at least three hours of diagnostic teardown time. I was skeptical of the low price, but the picture quality is solid for the money. Anyone have a favorite brand for these, or tips for getting a better view in tight spots?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura_chen417d ago

@aaron_mitchell probably wants the link for his own leaky mess lol

aaron_mitchell7d ago

What brand was that cheap bore scope you used?

max_brown7d ago

That sounds like a lucky break, but cheap tools often fail when you need them most. A blurry image could have sent you down the wrong path entirely. Investing in proven gear avoids those costly misdiagnoses.