Can we talk about using old-school feeler gauges vs. digital calipers for valve adjustments?

I used to swear by my digital calipers for everything, even valve lash on my old Chevy 350. But after a job in Austin last month where the battery died mid-check, I grabbed a set of feeler gauges I hadn't touched in years. I mean, the digital stuff is precise, but those gauges forced me to actually feel the drag and I caught a tight spot I would have missed. Am I the only one who thinks we rely too much on electronics for basic clearances?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt_green20d ago

Feeler gauges never need a firmware update.

willow73219d ago

Remember when some car companies tried putting sensors in place of oil dipsticks? I read a forum where a guy's sensor failed and the car's computer just said "oil level ok" until the engine seized. A simple metal dipstick would have shown it was empty. Sometimes the old way is just more reliable because there's less to go wrong.