Steve65E-NC Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 I know that there is a good, rugged, reliable, Borescope Camera out there at a reasonable price (say less than $100, this should be possible, consider the high resolution cameras on less expensive cell phones). I have looked at lots of photos of cylinder wall and valve face condition. Every time I pull my plugs I wish that I could go in and have a look around. I read the recent Mike Busch article from AOPA about engine condition and it re-enforces the value of a borescope inspection. Ok if it is USB or Blue Tooth to be viewed on my lap top. Needs to be color to interpret valve heat color/pattern conditions. Needs good resolution to inspect cylinder wall conditions. Hopefully has its own light source or a light that can be inserted through other SP hole. I have figured out, without wasting money, that the Harbor Freight version of a flex borescope will just not do the job of getting through the SP hole and bending around to look at the valves. In any case, I have my doubts that a fiberoptic bundle device like that will have sufficient resolution for the job. I hear about cheapy dental cameras that might work but have no idea which one is best or if this is best or if they are at all rugged. What kind of luck have folks had on this problem and at what price? Nothing shows up in our archives under Borescope. Quote
Hank Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Cheap is cheap; good is good. Good ones are sometimes available cheap (eBay, Amazon, etc.), but cheap ones are rarely good. We have a very nice one at work, Nikon or Olympus, I forget. I looked it up on google a few months ago, it lists at 29 AMU. I'm afraid to ask about borrowing it. If anyone has had a good experience with a moderately priced borescopes please post here. Bad preps are also encouraged, to prevent the rest of us from making the same mistake. --a che@p b@st@rd Mooney pilot Quote
Andy95W Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Check this out from Vansairforce: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=87505 I haven't made/modified one myself, but it's on my to do list. And the price is good at about $100. Quote
N201MKTurbo Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 To see the valves, I use a right angle mirror attachment for my borescope. It clips on to the end. There is no way to bend it around and be able to control its position otherwise. Quote
1964-M20E Posted January 19, 2015 Report Posted January 19, 2015 They have ones that you can manipulate in many different directions but they are in the 10AMU+ range. I have the better one form H&F not too bad unfortunately it focuses on the dust on the mirror. Quote
Hank Posted January 19, 2015 Report Posted January 19, 2015 The one discussed on the VAF forum seems to take good pictures. Ours at work has a manipulate tip with light, about 1/8" diameter, and about 1/2" or so will bend more than 90° and swivel as desired. But I can't afford it myself, nor can my A&P. Quote
RobertGary1 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Posted January 19, 2015 I have a cheap (under $100). One it works sometimes and I borrow one others. Mine can get grainy and is b&w. Quote
kmyfm20s Posted January 19, 2015 Report Posted January 19, 2015 I bought a cheap and inexpensive intraoral dental camera on eBay. Resolution is fantastic and can see the valve faces and cylinder walls. I can't see the tops of the Pistons. I think it cost $79 and it is USB to my laptop. I use it every oil charge when I rotate the spark plugs. 1 Quote
isaacpr7 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Posted January 20, 2015 I bought a cheap and inexpensive intraoral dental camera on eBay. Resolution is fantastic and can see the valve faces and cylinder walls. I can't see the tops of the Pistons. I think it cost $79 and it is USB to my laptop. I use it every oil charge when I rotate the spark plugs. What make and model did you buy? I have the harborfreight but I can only see the top of the cylinders and walls with it. Quote
kmyfm20s Posted January 20, 2015 Report Posted January 20, 2015 These are a couple images I have taken with the camera. I will get the info off the camera and post it. 1 Quote
kmyfm20s Posted January 20, 2015 Report Posted January 20, 2015 I bought it off EBay and it was under $100. It is a tight thought the spark plug hole as you can see the scratches and the side of it. I'm going to round off the corners a little to make it easier to maneuver. You need to put the camera in the hole opposite of the valve you want to image. You can also take video if you want. There are some blind spot do to the ability of positioning but overall I'm very happy with it. Quote
isaacpr7 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Posted January 20, 2015 I bought it off EBay and it was under $100. It is a tight thought the spark plug hole as you can see the scratches and the side of it. I'm going to round off the corners a little to make it easier to maneuver. You need to put the camera in the hole opposite of the valve you want to image. You can also take video if you want. There are some blind spot do to the ability of positioning but overall I'm very happy with it. image.jpg Thanks for the info. I'm getting one Quote
22 others Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 What about one of these? It's currently on sale for about half off due to a sears sale. Amazon Link. Just trying to help another CB out... Quote
22 others Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 Nevermind. All the $75 ones sold out. What about one of these? It's currently on sale for about half off due to a sears sale. Amazon Link. Just trying to help another CB out... Quote
chrisk Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 I bought it off EBay and it was under $100. It is a tight thought the spark plug hole as you can see the scratches and the side of it. I'm going to round off the corners a little to make it easier to maneuver. You need to put the camera in the hole opposite of the valve you want to image. You can also take video if you want. There are some blind spot do to the ability of positioning but overall I'm very happy with it. image.jpg I have a similar camera and am very happy with it, but the software was a bit odd. I've used it to look all around the outside of the engine and examine the injectors for leaking. I bought it with the intent to look at the valves, but have yet to do so. And when you rotate your spark plugs, do you use new gaskets? I recall reading some time back that the old ones could be renewed by annealing. Not that they are expensive... On the other hand, I need to remember to order a box of them. Quote
kmyfm20s Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 The software is a little funny and I always kind of have to refigure it out each time I use it. The Image quality and utility of it is very impressive though. I do put new gaskets it each time. I just bought 2 bags of 200 so I didn't have to ever think about it again. Quote
isaacpr7 Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 Just got mine in the mail a few days ago and it works like a champ. I cannot believe how crisp the image is for a 34 dollar (shipping included) camera and only took 10 days to get to my house from China. Look it up on ebay: 2015 version CMOS CCD Dynamic 4 Mega Pixels Dental Intraoral Intra Oral Camera USB 2.0 CE approved 1 Quote
mike_elliott Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 Just got mine in the mail a few days ago and it works like a champ. I cannot believe how crisp the image is for a 34 dollar (shipping included) camera and only took 10 days to get to my house from China. Look it up on ebay: 2015 version CMOS CCD Dynamic 4 Mega Pixels Dental Intraoral Intra Oral Camera USB 2.0 CE approved I got one a few years ago and it works great. Caution not to scrape plastic off the camera when you shove it in the cylinders and manipulate it for a good look at those exhaust valves, however. Great piece of mind to know what shape those valves and cyl walls are in for under $50 Quote
mike_elliott Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 The software is a little funny and I always kind of have to refigure it out each time I use it. The Image quality and utility of it is very impressive though. I do put new gaskets it each time. I just bought 2 bags of 200 so I didn't have to ever think about it again. Im a real member of the CB club, as I have a couple doz extra that I anneal and reuse. I think I used the $ I would have spent on the gasgets last year at SunNFun to buy a fellow mooney owner a beer. (price of entry to SunNFun when meeting up with fellow Mooney owners, right BobB?) Quote
isaacpr7 Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 I got one a few years ago and it works great. Caution not to scrape plastic off the camera when you shove it in the cylinders and manipulate it for a good look at those exhaust valves, however. Great piece of mind to know what shape those valves and cyl walls are in for under $50 Good advice Mike. I am thinking about cutting around the base of the plastic carefully and exposing the inner circuit board or strip, then covering the whole thing with heat shrink tubing to reduce the diameter of the tool Quote
mike_elliott Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 I was thinking of something of the same, using uhmw anti chafe tape Quote
MB65E Posted February 7, 2015 Report Posted February 7, 2015 I was impressed recently with the $150 one at harbor freight. I had to look at something on a B55. Flexible boom but probably unable to see the valves. For the valves I have a simple one from Hawkeye that has a 90° mirror on it. It's a little pricy and won't record a photo, but provides a clear reflection. The optics in most mirrors are off unless the mirror is of higher quality. A few years ago, I had access to an Elmo pencil cam. I'd attach it to a fiber rod and could see anything I wanted. I like all of the simpler solutions others have made. -Matt Quote
cnoe Posted March 9, 2015 Report Posted March 9, 2015 Add my vote for the Ebay dental camera. I used a razor blade to scrape the four corner-edges down 1/16"-1/8" or so and it fits easily into the plug holes. The bottom holes gave me a better look at the entire valve face as the top hole put the camera a little closer than needed. All I'm looking for is that the valve faces are somewhat even in appearance (like a pizza) without any hot spots or edge discoloration. See an example below. This is a great inexpensive means of heading off valve failure; I plan to have a look at every oil change. The one thing I did see (that's no big deal) is excess lead deposits likely due to being run rich. I'm going to blame the previous owner as I'm usually LOP and I lean aggressively on the ground. I may start keeping it more lean on approaches now too after seeing the deposits. Cnoe 2 Quote
Steve65E-NC Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Posted March 10, 2015 CNOE: Looks interesting. How about a brand, model number, price, etc . Thanks Quote
mike_elliott Posted March 10, 2015 Report Posted March 10, 2015 CNOE: Looks interesting. How about a brand, model number, price, etc . Thanks This will work.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Dental-Intraoral-Intra-Oral-Camera-USB-Dynamic-4-Mega-Pixels-LED-Software-/141222017513?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e17cf9e9 Quote
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