Before I have my 603 engine torn apart (to replace the #2 piston) I'd like to borescope that cylinder, make sure the walls aren't too badly scored to hone. However, none of the local mechanics here in Santa Rosa has access to a borescope. The "tool rental" section of this forum doesn't list one. Anyone in the Northern California area know of a shop that has or can borrow/rent one? It would be worth traveling to get to such a place (the car is drivable) rather than to pull the head and then discover that the engine is toast.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

San Diego rental?

http://www.global-integrated.com/index.htm

Some leads? Nor Cal suppliers?

http://www.thomasnet.com/nsearch.html?cov=CN&what=Borescopes&heading=7003205&navsec=prodsearch

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

how would one use one on a IDI motor?
I suppose you could pull the PC's but that SURE is a lot of work... less than pulling head though I guess.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Somewhere I have a scope that was designed for um... other purposes...
If I can find the thing, and if it works, you can borrow it.

Real problem is, I have *no* idea where it is...
-nB

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'83 300D Turbo
Current: ???K mi - 19.2mpg -> 17.4mpg -> 22.9mpg ---> ODO Died
bought at: 233.8K mi - 10MPG For $1.00
3.5 cylinders work: 320 320 100 340 280
Got insurance? FarmersReallySucks.Com

Harbor Freight sells one I think.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=borescope&Submit=Go

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

You have to pull the injector and the glow plug, then the prechamber. Yes, less work than pulling the head.

Thanks for the leads. The San Diego rental place looks interesting. I have emailed them for their terms, i.e., how do they determine the number of days? If it's door-to-door on their end, it could get expensive. Even with overnight shipping (another expense!) it would be three days on their end. That would more than triple (counting the shipping) the cost of a single-day rental: $275 times 3 plus about $30 each way for overnight shipping is over $800 and if you get the camera option ($75/day) the total is $1100! I'll post here the results when they get back to me.

[edit] OK, they don't consider "in-transit" to be rental days but they do have a 1.5 day minimum, so if they ship on a Tuesday, you get the borescope on Wednesday and do your inspection and ship at the end of the day so they get it back on Thursday, you are charged 1-1/2 days ($412.50) plus FedEx Standard each way ($30-50 each way depending on whether you have an account that gets you cheaper rates). Approximately $500! If you want the camera option (might be nice to have pictures) that's another $112.50. [/edit]

The Harbor Freight scopes are (of course) the cheapies that many stores sell. I have not used one but people who have say they're not very good. Still, I'd like to have one for myself.

This is definitely a situation in which you get what you pay for. Aside from wanting a good image, the borescope must be able to go into the cylinder and twist from side to side so you can inspect the sidewalls.

So I'd still prefer to borrow or rent one locally or travel to a shop that can do the job for me.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Update: local dealer (Smothers European) has a borescope. They estimate a couple of hours of shop time to pull the prechamber (if the glow plug isn't frozen) and check the # cylinder for scoring. Haven't decided to let them go ahead yet but it's the best offer I've had yet.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

For two hours shop labor you could easily purchase the tool.....if you were of a mind to check it yourself.

Or buy it and tell your indy you'll give him the tool if he checks it for you at no cost. Get some brownie points and future credits.....

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Rigid seesnake here for $210. has a .7" tip? will it fit?
I checked one out @ the local welding supply house, pretty good graphics.

do you have tools to remove the PC?

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.