Any of you have a infrared temperature gun? What do you like or not like about it? Thoughts on best one to buy for general use and van diagnostics? I don't care about being a few degrees off but would not want to be more than one or two if possible.

I've never tried one on a vehicle, but I've used them in a manufacturing setting and the one's I've used are extremely accurate. But the gauge is checking coolant temperature while the gun would be checking the surface temperature. I wouldn't expect the 2 to be very close to giving the same results.

I have a cheap Harbor Freight laser IR thermometer gun I use for diagnosing cooling system problems. I have never had it calibrated, but it is easy to use and is accurate enough for my purposes.

I have a raytek at least 12 years old.

Seems pretty accurate, unless the srfae is highy reflective.

it will read 122f on my aluminum radiator's top tank where a Ktype thermocouple taped to it will read 196f.

If I put a piece of black gaffers tape on the top tank and aim the IR gun there, it reads the 195+f.

They are useful for hunting for the highest temperature, just do not think that the laser pointer is where it is takng a precision reading of that red dot. It will average the temperture within a certain radius of that dot.

They are cheap enough now to be well worth having.

Thanks ya'll.

I have a Cornwell one and I use it at my job as a motorcycle mechanic. They've probably gotten better over the years but I wouldn't buy the absolute cheapest one, IMO.

I've got the Craftsman one.
Bought it to tune R/C car engines, but use it for all kinds of stuff.
Well worth the $50 or so bucks I spent on it.

Same here.