Tried a cheap fuel pressure tester from Harbor Freight and it read 10 psi low the whole time

Spent two hours diagnosing a no-start on a 2012 F-150 because that $30 gauge said I had 55 psi at the rail. Borrowed a Snap-On from the next bay and got 65 psi right on the money - how many of you guys have been burned by budget diagnostic tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

miller.rowan15h ago

I used to be the guy who swore by cheap tools, thinking they were good enough for weekend wrenching. But man, this story hits home because I had a similar thing happen with a budget multimeter that gave me weird voltage readings on a crank sensor. It sat on my shelf for months before I finally borrowed a Fluke and realized my readings were all over the place. Now I'm way more careful about buying test equipment, especially stuff that affects fuel or electrical diagnostics. Lesson learned the hard way, just like you did with that pressure gauge.

-1

sandra_bennett5914h ago

Whoa wait, @miller.rowan your cheap gauge was that far off?

wyatt_mitchell2610h ago

Man a bad multimeter will waste more time than it saves you money every single time. Cheap gauges and meters just lie to your face and make you chase problems that don't exist. I watched a buddy swap out three good crank sensors because his cheap meter was showing bad resistance. Fixed it right up with a decent fluke and never looked back. Buy once cry once on test equipment, that's the only way to go.