Gunson's Gastester exhaust analyser - worth buying?

[72BLUE]

I fancy one of these, anyone know:

1) the 'history' of the different models/incarnations? I have seen them in 3 body colours, green, yellow and black and with different switch layouts. I have also seen ref to a 'mk 2' version.

2) Are they troublesome/temperamental in use?

3) has anyone got a good 2nd hand one for sale?


Cheers
Keith

[Andrew S]

Hi Keith

I bought the green gunson model with the digital reading and found it to be great. It has always read 0.5% under the MOT test. Easy to use but advice is not to have the engine running too long as it needs fresh air to recalibrate and if you are not running the engine outside and say with a cross wind, the unit is unable to findfresh air.


Andrew

[72BLUE]

Hi Keith

I bought the green gunson model with the digital reading and found it to be great. It has always read 0.5% under the MOT test. Easy to use but advice is not to have the engine running too long as it needs fresh air to recalibrate and if you are not running the engine outside and say with a cross wind, the unit is unable to findfresh air.


Andrew

Thanks Andrew, approx when did you buy it (new?)

Edit: thanks to your post I now realise that the yellow bodied flavour have a needle type gauge and the green bodied have a digital gauge. Looks like the black bodied is the current version of the green one?

Keith

[Andrew S]

I bougt it 18mths ago online as it was cheaper than Halfrauds.

[martin]

I've got one Keith, as long as you stick rigidly to the instructions, they're accurate and robust. Worth the price. Martin.

[72BLUE]

I've got one Keith, as long as you stick rigidly to the instructions, they're accurate and robust. Worth the price. Martin.

Cheers Martin, I have just found this on Honest John: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/po...ex.htm?t=40704

"The old Gunsons, mk1 & 2, actually used to measure CO2 and by calibration to the CO2 in normal air would give an approximation of the CO in the exhaust gas. This method is barely more accurate than the previous diy method of looking at the exhaust pipe, black = rich, white = weak. A museum might be interested in aquiring it! Actually I've also got a Mk2 at the back of the garage but it hasn't been used for 20 years.

The later Gunsons, with digital display, actually measure CO so they can be useful."

It seeems like the yellow type mk 2's are to be avoided then. Just looked on Halfords and the digital green bodied are still for sale there at just under £80. The same looking model in black though seem to be £20 to £30 more on ebay? Are the Halfords greenies old stock and the new model is the black one?


Keith

[grumpy2]

I have the green digital model. Had it for years, always been reliable and never failed an mot on emissions.

[72BLUE]

I bougt it 18mths ago online as it was cheaper than Halfrauds.

Martin, they are just under £80 at Halfrauds now, where did you get yours from?

Cheers
Keith

[milothedog]

Kieth,

see if you can get a Halfords trade card of find someone local with one and you should get a further discount on it.

here is a link;

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_14552_productId_565661_langId_-1_categoryId_173018

Ian

[72BLUE]

Thanks Ian, food for thought...........

[martin]

Martin, they are just under £80 at Halfrauds now, where did you get yours from?

Cheers
Keith

Not too sure, my lovely Wife bought it for me as a pressy.

[72BLUE]

Hey Hey! Get in! Not quite as good as beating the Baggies away yesterday (no change there then) I have just won a boxed digital green one, only used once, of the bay for £31 including the post.

Thanks to all for the help and advice!

Cheers
Keith

[GDPR]

I had 2 of the late model ones earlier this year - neither lasted through a single Stag tune-up before the exhaust gas heat caused the pulse pump to die and fall off. Think the supplied pipes are just too short, so the gas is just too hot for the daft foam sticky pads that they use to attach the pump to the main case.

Also, never buy one from Amazon, as you are not entitled to any tech support from Gunson.

Wouldn't give another house room.....

[72BLUE]

[QUOTE=kryten;205933] Also, never buy one from Amazon, as you are not entitled to any tech support from Gunson. QUOTE]


I did read a comment re this on the Amazon site, was it you?

Cheers
Keith

[Andy Rundell]

Also, never buy one from Amazon, as you are not entitled to any tech support from Gunson.

That is odd....... seems like a very poor deal for the consumer when Gunson and Amazon struck the distribution deal :/
........ Andy