Re: Measuring tight clearances

[Dan Brideau <dan@hobbyetc.com>]

You can use solder for really small things like this.  Plastigauge is a 
real thing, and you should be able to find it.

Just squash the solder, take it out and put your favorite measuring tool on it.

We use this method to measure the head clearance on model car engines.

Dan Brideau
http://www.hobbyetc.com/scirocco/





Dan At 04:35 PM 4/12/00 -0500, Aaron Ness wrote:
>How do you measure tight clearances accurately?  I have an old Clymer manual
>for my Bug (it covers '61-74, so I assume it's from '74 or '75) that talks
>about using Plastigage to measure bearing clearances, etc., but I've never
>seen the stuff.  I've never really looked very hard, but I kind of assumed
>it was obsolete or something.
>
>The reason I'm asking is totally not car-related, but I was hoping someone
>would be able to suggest something based on what they have used on engines.
>I work in an injection molding operation where we deal with tiny molds, and
>I have a flash problem with one of the molds.  I have two stepped surfaces
>that are supposed to seal, and one step is not sealing.  I'm measuring the
>clearance with a piece of 0.01mm shim stock (which is pretty thin -
>0.0004").  I don't have anything thinner than that, and even that can't get
>into both of the places I'm trying to measure due to accessibility issues.
>
>Is there something readily available that I can just sort of smash in there
>and measure the thickness?
>
>I apologize for the lack of automotive content, but incidentally, this mold
>makes the knob that operates the driver's power window in a Toyota - the one
>that says "AUTO", so I guess there is some automotive content.  I'm just
>hoping for a suggestion that can carry over from their engine building
>expertise.
>
>TIA!
>Aaron
>'84 Scirocco - Woo-hoo!
>'70 Bug - hibernating
>'87 Nissan truck - Soon to be for sale
>'87 Jeep Cherokee 4.0
>
>
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