Sonic testing

[475fetoploader]

I’m on a core buying kick. There seems to be slot of F.E. Engines and Parts on OfferUp locally right now. I would like to have a sonic tester, I can throw in the pickup to bring with me, when someone says they have a good bare block. I really like the Dakota, but I’m not spending $1,600.  I’m very leery of what I’d be getting on Amazon for $88.  Any experience with “Homeowner “ sonic testing would be much appreciated. 

[Tommy-T]

I have an Ebay $100 Chinese sonic checker and I think it's pretty accurate. I measure the distance between cylinders at the deck with calipers and if the sonic checker gives me the same reading I check the cylinder.
Repeat that process on all 8 cylinders.
I've said for years sonic checking is voodoo. But if you get repeatable numbers consistently, the checker has to be pretty close. Lots of shops give out impossible numbers though.

[410bruce]

I have the same one as Tommy-T and it has been accurate. Same deal here. Measure something you can measure with other means (I've used the China wall) and if it's the same, continue on. Mine has performed fine.

[thatdarncat]

We’ve actually covered this a couple times in the past, I put a link below to one thread, which includes how to shape the flat head on the inexpensive testers to a curve. I bought mine after I saw how well the one Jay bought worked. As has been pointed out, because you can ( and should ) test a section on the block you can take a measurement with a caliper or micrometer, it takes out the worry that you’re not getting an accurate measurement with the sonic tester. I’ve pointed out before, after getting my inexpensive tester I’ve double checked a couple blocks I previously had professionally tested by a local shop, and the results I got with my inexpensive tester were within about .000-.003 of the results the shop got. I thought that was excellent since although I knew the approximate places they tested I probably wasn’t always on the exact same spot.

Here’s the link:

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=5449.msg58366#msg58366

And here’s a link to a discussion about alternate testing fluids, for when the little bottle that comes with runs out.

 http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=9533.msg106805#msg106805