Automotive Stethoscope
By J.R. Bluett
DIY mechanics dread hearing that mysterious beep, whine, grind, ping, or squeal. Over a year ago we posted about how a simple stethoscope has saved us hours of time and significant cash outlay in the Toolmonger shop. Performance Tool (a subsidiary of Wilmar) makes an automotive stethoscope with a long probe on it, a style that reader Trevor D recommended as being far preferable to the doctors’ kind.
It could save your day by identifying just which part is making that sound you can’t quite remember being there before. Street pricing is about $9.
Automotive Stethoscope [CarParts.com]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] [What's This?]
July 8th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Normal price at HF is $5.99.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41966
I think it’s $2.99 in the latest sale flyer I got
July 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am
For the hard-core Dealmonger (or Cheapskate-toolmonger!), HF also has one of these (for a whopping $5.99! #41966-5VGA), as well as a ‘Digital’ version (29.99)… Also handy for quite a few other things around the house / shop! I’ve used them for everything from listening for leaky pipes after fixing cast-iron / copper plumbing issues, quickly pinpointing failing relays on a PCB (without a DMM… don’t ask!), as well as countless other things. Definitely a far under-utilized low-cost tool!
July 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
These are ideal for troubleshooting odd knocks or tapping on motorcycle engines. Very handy items to have around.
July 9th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Another vote for the HF version… I have it and it does the job.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Same here. I picked mine up on sale from HF a while back for $2.99.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Great for finding noises if the noise is present when car is not moving. Chassis ears are good for when the car only makes noise wile driving.