Identify both sections before using the result
A repair-order note that says only "the feeler gauge fits" leaves several questions unanswered. Which blade or section fitted? What thickness and units were marked? Where was it checked, and what did the other section do?
As an equipment example, Lisle's 68150 Go-No-Go Feeler Gauge uses stepped blades and lists separate low and high values. One listed pair is .014 and .016 inch. Those are values for that blade pair, not a clearance specification for the vehicle in your bay. The step between them is not automatically the vehicle's permitted tolerance.
Identify the actual gauge and read its markings. Keep a stepped blade distinct from a single-thickness leaf or a different gauge design. Do not decide its identity from a similar-looking product photograph.
Match the check to the applicable requirement
Retrieve the current procedure for the exact component and configuration. Preserve the required clearance, units, measurement location, assembly position and temperature condition when the procedure specifies them. Record any preparation or access requirement that affects the check.
Then establish whether the selected pair can answer that requirement. A convenient blade pair is not evidence that its two sizes correspond to the required boundaries. If the method or specification is missing, label the disposition unresolved instead of converting "fits" into "within specification."
Use the specified gauge type and fit method. Do not force a section that will not enter, change the component position to obtain a preferred result, or substitute an improvised clearance adjustment for a measurement.
Keep the fit observations separate from an exact dimension
Consider a fictional record using the listed .014/.016-inch pair: the technician records that the thinner section entered using the applicable method and the thicker section did not enter. Retain both statements with the location and conditions.
That record does not establish an exact .015-inch clearance. The middle of the two nominal thicknesses is an arithmetic midpoint, not another measurement. Nor does the pair alone prove that the vehicle meets its service requirement. Tool condition, the prescribed method and the actual acceptance criterion still matter.
If both sections enter, or neither enters, write that observation without guessing a gap value. Retrieve the next check permitted by the applicable procedure. A blocked approach, uncertain alignment or damaged blade should be resolved before the fit is used to support an adjustment or repair decision.
Check the blade and the approach
Bernstein's 7-515 feeler-gauge guidance advises keeping the gauge and part stable and straight, avoiding tilt, checking for damage and removing contamination. These are useful equipment-care considerations; that product's own reference conditions and tolerance table do not replace a vehicle procedure.
Record a damaged, contaminated or unreadable blade as a tool question. Follow the gauge's care instructions and use suitable equipment for the required check. Do not alter a blade to make it pass or silently treat an uncertain tool as a new reference.
Build a record another technician can repeat
Use the paired-thickness and fit record to retain:
- Gauge identification, blade identification, low thickness, high thickness and units.
- Component location and the applicable procedure and revision.
- Required conditions and the actual conditions observed.
- The thinner-section and thicker-section results, recorded separately.
- Tool or access limitations, the source-backed disposition and the next unresolved check.
Keep any later check as a separate entry. If the tool, component position or conditions changed, identify that change rather than overwriting the first observation. The worksheet is an original recording aid, not a calibration certificate or a vehicle clearance specification.
Clear evidence handoffs also matter during electrical and network diagnosis. Request STEP access to discuss your shop's diagnostic workflow and availability. This guide does not claim STEP measures gaps, approves mechanical clearances or supplies the required vehicle procedure.