Cheap endoscope

[Thruster88]

Cheap $27 endoscope looking for cracks in the main boom  inside the stainless sleave at the forward horizontal stabilizer spar on a thruster. Very impressed how good it works. That's a 3/16 stainless pop rivet. 

 

 

 

[kgwilson]

You can buy an endoscope with 6 LED lights and a 2 metre cable that connects to the micro USB on your mobile phone for as little as $8.00 on Ebay. You can get much longer cables for a bit extra & there are 2 diameters, 5.5mm & 7mm. They come with a button on the cable that you use to take photos for checking later.

 

 

[Methusala]

looking for cracks in the main boom  inside the stainless sleeve at the forward horizontal stabilizer spar on a Thruster.

Did you find anything? What have you heard? Mine looks sound from the outside. Saw this point fracture on a Gemini at Holbrook 25 yrs ago. Not fatal but still not good.  Rgds Don

 

 

[Thruster88]

Did you find anything? What have you heard? Mine looks sound from the outside. Saw this point fracture on a Gemini at Holbrook 25 yrs ago. Not fatal but still not good.  Rgds Don

Did not see any faults and have not heard of anything but if it was to crack it would happen inside the stainless brackets and not be visable from the outside. Mine has about 1300tt nearly all by me and no training.

 

 

[Methusala]

Mine has about the same hrs but was owned by James B Waller at Holbrook and was used for training. Might be worth a look!

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I want one which can go down a spark plug hole and then look up and back at the valves in my Jab engine . It needs to show a clear picture. Any suggestions?

 

 

[Thruster88]

I want one which can go down a spark plug hole and then look up and back at the valves in my Jab engine . It needs to show a clear picture. Any suggestions?

The camera is 8mm dia and comes with a mirror fitting to look at 90, has led light and good resolution. EBay.  I taped light tie wire to the cable can bend to suit.

 

 

[Thruster88]

I think a differential compression tester will show any valve problem more reliably than an endoscope.  

 

 

[pmccarthy]

It wouldn’t have picked up my bowel problem. Compression is still good, but they needed the camera.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I'm planning to use both. To this time, I've used a leakdown tester and I don't plan to stop.

 

But reading Mike Busch got me thinking a look in there would be good too.

 

 

[Yenn]

There have been many write ups of cameras for checking inside cylinders. I have seen plenty of photos taken with them and they can save a lot of time and money, especially if used in conjunction with a compression or leak down test. If you had one and used it at every engine check it could possibly show up problems with valves, before they can be picked up by a leak down test.

 

I can't remember offhand where i have seen write ups, but Mike Busche and Vans forums would be a place to start.

 

 

[jetjr]

Bruce, Vivida Ablescope VA400

 

https://www.oasisscientific.com/vividia-va-400-rigid-usb-articulating-borescope-videoscope-inspection-camera.html

 

Fits in Jabiru plug hole and looks back on valves well

 

Were on ebay, they also make a wifi unit which lets you use ipad as screen

 

Also used to be much cheaper...….

 

Mirror type or ones on flex cable are waste of time for inspecting valves and heads - only look straight ahead.