TIL those cheap infrared thermometers are actually worth having around the shop

I always figured they were just a gimmick for home cooks, but my buddy in Toledo used his to spot a dragging brake caliper I missed. He just pointed it at each rotor after a test drive... the hot one told the whole story. What other quick diagnostic tricks am I sleeping on?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas8622mo ago

My uncle in Dayton showed me that trick with a bad wheel bearing last year, same basic idea. I keep a cheap laser temp gun in my toolbox now for checking tire temps after a drive, it shows if your alignment is off. A stethoscope from the drug store is great for finding noisy lifters or a bad pulley without taking everything apart. What's the most surprising thing you've found with that temp gun?

daniels422mo ago

Found a dragging brake caliper on my wife's car that way, the rotor was over 100 degrees hotter than the others. It was barely noticeable when driving, just a slight pull. That little gun saved me from a real headache down the road.

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king.river26d ago

Dragging calipers are the classic find, but I've used mine to diagnose a failing AC compressor clutch too. Just shot the front of the compressor pulley after running the AC for a bit, one side was way hotter than the other. Also great for checking if a catalytic converter is clogged, the inlet pipe will be scorching hot while the outlet stays cool. You ever use it to find an exhaust leak before it gets really loud?