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Borescope Endoscope Thread

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Old 01-03-2019, 11:25 AM
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Default Borescope Endoscope Thread

There are tons of crappy borescope options out there. I've tested 2 of the shittiest ones from Harbor Freight and can happily report that they are shitty.

Does anyone out there have experience with anything good? I'd love to have:

1. Most inexpensive (I didn't say cheap).
2. Ability to inspect valves (180deg bend or mirror).
3. very close focal point (probably most important, our cylinders are small compared to like the aviation guys, who use them all the time).
4. good lighting

There are $20 to $20,000 options out there. Who has something they actually like?

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Old 01-03-2019, 12:38 PM
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https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...5/#post1517251 Also see one post up, for context.

I ordered one of the WiFi ones today. It should be here tomorrow. It has much better reviews than the USB one. I did not order any mirrors, but they have kits.

This one This one

I can let you know my experience Saturday.
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Old 01-03-2019, 01:05 PM
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I'll try and put together images from both the Harbor Freight and the crappy USB one that I got.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Digita...era-61839.html
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Old 01-05-2019, 09:55 AM
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I was wrong. The one I purchased did have the mirror kit with it. Scope works fairly well, except the lighting potentiometer is a bit finicky.

Here are some pics:

These are piston #2 taken at 1280 x 720 on my iPad using the battery on the scope.






Looks like some carbon buildup on the intake cut-outs.

Piston #3. In the past (6K miles ago), the plug showed some evidence of detonation (1280 x 720):




And at 19280x 1080:



Some open air shots:





That's all I have.
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Old 01-05-2019, 06:42 PM
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I used to work for a medical instrument company, I still have a 3mm 30 degree sinus endoscope. It’s pretty rad. It has light fibers at the periphery of the lens so you can light the field of view. The optics are amazing.

You wouldn’t want to pay what the hospitals pay for these things, but they do show up on Ebay once in a while. Only issue is that they’re pretty fragile.
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Old 01-06-2019, 09:23 PM
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I've used the cheaper Snap-on model and it works pretty good. I wouldn't buy new, but like Schroedinger said they do pop up in classifieds often.
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