Rebel Gear

Ultrasonic Cleaner

Carb spray only goes so far — when passages are gummed up solid, this little beast does the heavy lifting.

This unit has saved more carbs than I can count. Drop the carb body in warm water with a splash of Simple Green, hit the timer, and watch the varnish and crud shake loose. It makes other peoples’ trash useable again, since many folks would rather buy new. What is trash to them, is a treasure to me.

It’s a must-have if you’re working on motorcycle carburetors. I run a 10 Litre unit — good for one or two carbs at a time. If I were to buy another, I’d upgrade to a 15 or 20 Litre model so I could do more work in a single shot.

• Why I use it: Reaches passages carb spray can’t touch.
• What it’s good for: Motorcycle carbs, small engine carbs, chainsaw carbs, and shop parts.
• Pro tip: Blow out with compressed air after the bath to dry every passage.

Compression Tester

No sense rebuilding carbs if the engine itself is shot — compression is the first test in any resurrection.

Before diving too far into a motorcycle resurrection, you want to make sure the engine has even compression across all cylinders. An engine that’s been sitting can be prone to sticky or burnt valves, and gummed-up or stuck piston rings. This unit does the trick — and with a universal fit, it’s easy to use on bikes, small engines, and even cars.

• Why I use it: Saves hours of wasted time — If the engine is sick, reassess the rebuild
• What it’s good for: Motorcycles, small engines, cars, or anything with spark plugs.
• Pro tip: Check compression cold first, then warm once you’ve got it running, to spot sticky valves.

Ignition Spark Tester

Old-school way to test spark? Ground the plug and crank it over — simple, but one slip and you’re liable to get your ass whipped with a zap. A spark tester saves you the shock and gives you a clear view of what’s happening in the ignition system.

• Why I use it: Quick, safe way to confirm spark without risking a jolt.
• What it’s good for: Motorcycles, lawn mowers, chainsaws, snow blowers — anything with a plug wire.
• Pro tip: Dim the shop lights and you’ll see the spark jump clear through the tester window.

Carburetor Sync Gauges

One carb out of sync and the whole bike runs like a sack of hammers — a good set of sync gauges brings every cylinder back in line.

I’ve been down this road — the first cheap set I bought went straight back. One gauge just spun until it didn’t spin anymore. Lesson learned: spend a little more and get a decent set. These tools need to be calibrated before you use them, not just “out of the box.” Too many DIY guys skip that step, get garbage results, and blame the tool.

• Why I use it: Balances carbs so your engine runs smooth across all cylinders.
• What to watch for: Calibrate every gauge before you start — don’t assume they’re ready.
• Pro tip: If one gauge reads way off, swap it around to confirm before you start chasing phantom carb problems.
• Also, find your base carb. the one that all others get synced to, and work from there

12V Car Battery & Alternator Tester

Batteries don’t lie — but shops sometimes do. That’s why I keep a tester handy to double-check what they tell me.

I bought a Mac Tools battery tester years ago, but could I find the damn thing when I needed it? Nope. I just wanted something cheap that would do the job, so I grabbed this little unit to check the status of a motorcycle battery — which, as suspected, was ready for replacement.

The last time I got an oil change, the shop told me my car battery was down to about 400 CCAs. I used this tester to confirm, and sure enough, they were right on the money. Later, I found my old Mac Tools unit and did a side-by-side. Across different batteries, the readings were within 5% — that’s pretty damn fair for a budget tool.

• Why I use it: Quick check on CCAs and alternator status without hauling out pro gear.
• What it’s good for: Motorcycle batteries, car batteries, side-by-side rigs, or anything 12V.
• Pro tip: Use it as a sanity check when the shop tells you your battery is toast — this little guy keeps them honest.

Best part? The thing only set me back $19
And if you grab one through this link, the commission I get won’t buy me a coffee either… but it helps keep the Rebel shop lights on.