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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6304 Location: Derby
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:52 pm Post subject: Exhaust gas analyser |
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Does anyone else use one of these? I have recently bought this 'KAL equip' analyser and found it useful for use on the old cars. I was pleased to find that I had not been that far out using the old "hit and miss" method.
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2467 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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I have a selection of these, but no real idea whether any of them give a proper reading. I've got an ex-garage Sun DGA1800 (as used on MOT tests a few years ago), but that won't give a reading at all. My Gunson analysers don't behave the way they should during warm-up so I don't trust the figures they give, if they can be persuaded to settle on a figure and not just fluctuate wildly.
Last time I had an MOT issue I borrowed a gauge from a mate - even though it's not been calibrated in decades, it proved to be almost spot-on against the subsequent MOT test. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6304 Location: Derby
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mike. I have read varying reviews about the Gunson analysers but eventually opted for a used professional one. The problem as far as I can see is that the older ones like mine have no filters to capture the inevitable sooty particles. So far the KAL Equip (which I think is American) is working O.K. but quite how they work is a mystery to me. |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2467 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:17 am Post subject: |
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I think I'd be more fed up with the Gunsons had I bought them new at Halfords-style prices - both of mine were car boot sale bargains for a couple of pounds each.
The Sun one is much more impressive, but it's decided internally that the calibration has drifted too far to give a meaningful reading, so it shows no values. I called Snap-on to see what could be done, and the chap there said that their engineers don't have the types of gas required to calibrate such an old device any more. So any time soon it will have to go back to the scrap heap I got it off, unless anyone wants it for spares. But I've offered it in several places and had no interest. |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:47 am Post subject: |
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I have one of these that I bought for £10 at an auto jumble.
I found it pretty good for carb. balancing. Conveniently the SS has separate exhaust systems for the front three cylinders and back three cylinders.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6304 Location: Derby
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:55 am Post subject: |
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Looks like a bargain! |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4104 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:53 am Post subject: |
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The problem with the accuracy of the Gunson analysers is that calibration is achieved by measuring the CO2 contains of air in open atmosphere, this of course assumes that CO2 levels are the same everywhere and don't vary
Dave |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6304 Location: Derby
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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I think perhaps mine works in a similar way??
If you look at the photo of my hand held 'Kal' there is a black button and the words "set" and "control". With the device connected up to a battery the pump starts working and by turning the black button you can centralise the needle. Only when the engine is warm is the probe placed in the exhaust and the reading taken.
Mine does LPG as well as CO2 but how that can be adjusted (if needed)I don't know. I leave that to the experts because I seem to remember you need a license for fuel injected installations.? |
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Farmer John
Joined: 18 Feb 2010 Posts: 181 Location: Manawatu NZ
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 7:49 pm Post subject: Gas Analyser |
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There is an analyser in my shed that I dragged out to check the carbs on an SD1. The little bottle of gas for calibration was empty so I set it by trying one efi and one modern Japanese motor at idle. Assumed they would be at the very lean end of the idle mixture. That told me what I wanted to know.
John |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2467 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:27 am Post subject: |
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I was intending to do a similar thing with mine - get the car MOTed and get the emissions sheet from that, run my own tester on the same car and see if it gives roughly the same figures.
The emissions test is always the part of the MOT that I don't look forward to, as it's the only thing I can't check out myself before I take the car. Of course, I've another option now as the car is exempt. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6304 Location: Derby
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:41 am Post subject: |
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My P38 is on LPG and is never tested for emissions. I rely on the specialists who did the conversion to tune the system. That reminds me...I must book it in for a LPG check. |
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Phil - Nottingham
Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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I have a Gunson - since about 1990. It is a bit of faff to set up but is handy sometimes _________________ Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2 |
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Calum
Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Midgley, W Yorks
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Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2019 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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I've got an old 'Lantz Phelps' unit I found in a local antiques shop year ago cost me a tenner. It does work, and thankfully the original patent application is online so I could work out how to use it. Not sure how accurate it is however. Looks the part though! |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4104 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 12:04 am Post subject: |
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Quite often "accuracy" isn't critical its the ability to measure or detect "change" from a known good state...
Dave |
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