Laser temp gauges, what is it for?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 161
From: Las Vegas Nevada
St. Jude Donor '08
Laser temp gauges, what is it for?
I saw an advertisement in the paper from a local auto parts store selling one of those laser temp gauges. It says it is for automotive use, but exactly what would you measure with it and why?
Thanks,
Clayton from Las Vegas
Thanks,
Clayton from Las Vegas
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
Tires - Although the lazers don't work as well as probes for tires, you can measure the two outside edges and the center to determine if you're under or over inflated at the track. Rough measurement is 1 lb of air for every 5 degree difference.
Rotors - You can compare various pads, rotor types, and venting to see what's working for you.
Components - You can check the header pipes to see if one or more cylinders are running abnormally hot. If you have some baseline numbers, you can keep an eye on the differential, tranny, hubs, etc.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Saratoga Springs New York
I had an old dodge pickup that was running a little rough...I took the laser and hit each tube on the exhaust manifold...got one that was way cooler than the other 7....started there...bad plug wire ended up being the problem, but it gave me a good place to start...I work on Heavy Equipment/trucks also which use alot of Circut breaker type fuses...you can use the laser on the individual breakers to see which ones are heating up and causing a break in the system...hope this helps
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
You can also check the Before and After temps of your Cats and see if they are working properly!
You can check the temp of the Radiater hoses goin into and out of the radiater and the motor as well!
You can point it at your friends head and seeif he's running a temp too!
Thanks,Matt
You can check the temp of the Radiater hoses goin into and out of the radiater and the motor as well!
You can point it at your friends head and seeif he's running a temp too!
Thanks,Matt
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 8
From: Southwest Virginia
Also works good to tell when your steak and fries are ready!
I guess it would be automotive use if your grilling at the track!
The accurateness of those devices vary a lot. Specially with surface color. A mirror surface will give the worst errors. Optimally you want a flat black (or medium well) color for best accuracy. But for automotive use accuracy is normally not a big issue. Like said above in automotive use relative temperature is what your often looking for, like which header pipe (cylinder) is cold, exhaust a little hotter after the cats than before. Also in automotive use temperatures in the ball park are good enough, like "don't grab that brake rotor yet"!
BTW: It is not a laser temp gauge. They are really Infrared thermometers. Often called Laser temp gauges because of the laser which serves no other purpose than aiming.
I guess it would be automotive use if your grilling at the track!
The accurateness of those devices vary a lot. Specially with surface color. A mirror surface will give the worst errors. Optimally you want a flat black (or medium well) color for best accuracy. But for automotive use accuracy is normally not a big issue. Like said above in automotive use relative temperature is what your often looking for, like which header pipe (cylinder) is cold, exhaust a little hotter after the cats than before. Also in automotive use temperatures in the ball park are good enough, like "don't grab that brake rotor yet"!
BTW: It is not a laser temp gauge. They are really Infrared thermometers. Often called Laser temp gauges because of the laser which serves no other purpose than aiming.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
I just used my infrared thermometer to find out why my 1997 C5 LS1 was throwing codes and running rough. Checking the INTAKE manifold showed one runner much hotter than the others. I ended up pulling that plug and finding no compression. Broken valvespring and rocker. Thermometer told me where to start looking and saved me tons of time troubleshooting other things.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,267
Likes: 40
From: Phoenix AZ
Also works good to tell when your steak and fries are ready!
I guess it would be automotive use if your grilling at the track!
The accurateness of those devices vary a lot. Specially with surface color. A mirror surface will give the worst errors. Optimally you want a flat black (or medium well) color for best accuracy. But for automotive use accuracy is normally not a big issue. Like said above in automotive use relative temperature is what your often looking for, like which header pipe (cylinder) is cold, exhaust a little hotter after the cats than before. Also in automotive use temperatures in the ball park are good enough, like "don't grab that brake rotor yet"!
BTW: It is not a laser temp gauge. They are really Infrared thermometers. Often called Laser temp gauges because of the laser which serves no other purpose than aiming.
I guess it would be automotive use if your grilling at the track!
The accurateness of those devices vary a lot. Specially with surface color. A mirror surface will give the worst errors. Optimally you want a flat black (or medium well) color for best accuracy. But for automotive use accuracy is normally not a big issue. Like said above in automotive use relative temperature is what your often looking for, like which header pipe (cylinder) is cold, exhaust a little hotter after the cats than before. Also in automotive use temperatures in the ball park are good enough, like "don't grab that brake rotor yet"!
BTW: It is not a laser temp gauge. They are really Infrared thermometers. Often called Laser temp gauges because of the laser which serves no other purpose than aiming.
For accuracy you have to change the emissivity sensetivity setting according to what material and its reflectiveness, when you are trying to measure. Its usually in the manual. My old one just broke and I got a new Fluke 561 HVAC pro, on theBay for $90. Its sweeeeeet. http://us.fluke.com/usen/products/Fluke+561.htm
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 8
From: Southwest Virginia
But even without it I still know not to grab that approximately 174 degree brake rotor!That is a nice looking Fluke unit you got there!