using a fog machine to detect intake leaks.

[Chrischeezer]

Hey guys,
I was wondering if any of you guys ever used a party fog machine as a intake leak tester?

Normal automotive evap tester/smoke machines are 500+ dollars.
I was thinking about getting a mini fog machine ( $35) make some hose to transfer the "fog" to my charge pipe and intake system.

I can't really see the harm, i think it will be great alternative and a smoke machine is a great tool to have. I've used a real evap leak tester on a few cars about 2 years ago, every car had about 5 -10 small leaks. The real evap testers have a slow/controlled dispersal of smoke, the fog machines are a bit quicker, also i believe a different type of "smoke" solution is used between the two.
So....Any ideas on this, or has anyone does this before?

[Dousan_PG]

you have this many leaks?
i worry for the rest of your cars problems!

[johngriff]

No harm in doing this, and it is an invaluable tool.

Probably every car on the board should have this test done, you would be surprised!

[Chrischeezer]

Originally Posted by Dousan_PG

you have this many leaks?
i worry for the rest of your cars problems!

... wow, hostile much? i forgot the level of your perfection I'm so sorry
yep, looks like i have some serious problems here... what a mess...



anyways.... its not really for my car,
I work on many different cars, having a tool like this is very effective. If you've ever used one before you would understand.
If you never smoked your set-up before I guarantee you'll find multiple leaks.

[vboy720]

so sexy....

anyways, how do you do the smoke test? diy? pics?

[Chrischeezer]

Originally Posted by vboy720

so sexy....

anyways, how do you do the smoke test? diy? pics?

thanx

It's just like a boost leak test...
only not much pressure is used, smoke will fill up your motor, intake system, all vac lines and charge piping and puff out of the slightest little leak.

[TrIpLe "D"]

Smoke thats a good idea

[azndoc]

Or you could turn on the car.

Brake cleaner.

[miggypq21]

Turn your car on, spray some carb and choke cleaner in the areas you might think are leaking.

Any change in idle usually indicates you have a leak in the are you sprayed

[undesiredshoe]

But then there are some leaks that only leak under boost.

[DreamN]

^ bingo.

Sounds like a great idea. I'm interested in how you make such a setup work. Once you figure it out I'd really like it if you post a "How To" on it.

[Chrischeezer]

smoke machine is 10x more effective

you'll find leaks you never thought you had.

when i used the evap/smoke machine my friends evo
we smoked it after we found a intake manifold leak w/ brake cleaner just to double check, found a leaking brake booster, turbo, bov and boost gauge! ( these were all very small leaks, but they add up)

Originally Posted by undesiredshoe

But then there are some leaks that only leak under boost.

interesting, maybe doing a boost leak check quickly after smoking it.

[don_bagz]

Originally Posted by miggypq21

Turn your car on, spray some carb and choke cleaner in the areas you might think are leaking.

Any change in idle usually indicates you have a leak in the are you sprayed

purpose of the smoke is to find out leaks in area's you dont think might have a leak or a place you would over look.. what you mentioned should be the next step.

[Team DET]

hmmmm i have a fog machine but it only comes out for halloween lol.. lmk how it goes

[soreballz]

I threw a fog machine in the trash recently... dammit. I need to do this to my car.

[ericcastro]

Originally Posted by azndoc

Or you could turn on the car.

Brake cleaner.

Originally Posted by miggypq21

Turn your car on, spray some carb and choke cleaner in the areas you might think are leaking.

Any change in idle usually indicates you have a leak in the are you sprayed

Originally Posted by soreballz

I threw a fog machine in the trash recently... dammit. I need to do this to my car.

Thats cause the party's over.......fucking zoo is closed Ray.


Those fog machines use some real oily shit, just so you know. And the cheaper they are, the more oil residue they spit out.
As in, the floor under them becomes a slip hazard.
So your choice if you wanna coat your intake with that stuff.

BTW, they dont really push too hard, so they may not have enough pressure to find your leaks.

[Jakob]

what i use is super simple.
you take a wheel valve (i didnt use such a fancy one)


and a thick plastic cup:


drill a hole in the cup, push the valve through the hole so it is INSIDE the cup and the you cut the cup but leave a 1inch lip.

et voila:

super small super handy and super simple plus its cheap!!! you can use an air compressor or a manual pump and listen carefully

[GSXRJJordan]

Good idea, but doesn't produce enough pressure to really test under boost. I'd be VERY surprised if you generated over 1 psi with a 'party' smoke machine.

Eric has a good point about the residue, but it'll burn off at any rate. Not the biggest concern.

I've used the same thing as "da russian one" - used a cap to some spray bottle that happened to be the exact size of my T28 turbo outlet, and pressurized it to a few pounds with a bike pump. Shows you real quick where the leaks are - would be better if I'd have had a compressor.

[Chrischeezer]

Evap testers produce zero pressure, the smoke puffs out really slow. but still very effective. maybe performing a boost leak test in conjunction with smoking it will have the best result.

Originally Posted by ericcastro

Those fog machines use some real oily shit, just so you know. And the cheaper they are, the more oil residue they spit out.
As in, the floor under them becomes a slip hazard.
So your choice if you wanna coat your intake with that stuff.

BTW, they dont really push too hard, so they may not have enough pressure to find your leaks.

sounds like you have some experience with fog machines, could you recommend a brand? (something cheep and small?)
What chemical is used to produce the "smoke"?

[DALAZ_68]

well why not puff smoke into the intake while the TB is open, then shoot high pressure air thru the TB...wouldnt that work?

[ixfxi]

Originally Posted by Chrischeezer

... wow, hostile much? i forgot the level of your perfection I'm so sorry
yep, looks like i have some serious problems here... what a mess...

what an embarrassing engine bay


its a good thing you're confident and dont need to post pics of your car to support your lack of manhood

:-)

[SILVIA_KIDs14.5]

Originally Posted by ixfxi

what an embarrassing engine bay


its a good thing you're confident and dont need to post pics of your car to support your lack of manhood

:-)

you don't got anything better to do than hate on someone who has a cleaner engine bay than yours dude get a life seriously

[slider2828]

Yeah I wonder about those smog machines, but I think da_russians boost leak thing is awesome..... Then maybe just use a cigarette and blow smoke on some couplers... .hahaha it might work hahahah

[Chrischeezer]

Originally Posted by SILVIA_KIDs14.5

you don't got anything better to do than hate on someone who has a cleaner engine bay than yours dude get a life seriously

dude... don't exert a stitch of effort in defense (greatly appreciated though)

his build is here..


mine is here

[Jakob]

lol you guys do get sarcasm do you? there is a reason he posted a smiley at the end....

[Slip&Sliden 240]

I use an item I built like da_russian_one but once I get up to 25psi, I spray every coupler with a spray bottle filled with soapy water. Bubbles baby bubbles if there is a leak. Easy, effective, and no wasted money on a fog machine.

[YoungGun]

My step dad's shop uses something like this, we used it on my exhaust and I have a shit ton of leaks.

Its basically like a fog machine but smaller and you put a rubber funnel on the nozel and stick it either on the tail pipe or idk where you would do it for the intake.

It also uses baby oil, don't know if you wanna be putting that fog juice through your engine.

[Chrischeezer]

Originally Posted by YoungGun

My step dad's shop uses something like this, we used it on my exhaust and I have a shit ton of leaks.

Its basically like a fog machine but smaller and you put a rubber funnel on the nozel and stick it either on the tail pipe or idk where you would do it for the intake.

It also uses baby oil, don't know if you wanna be putting that fog juice through your engine.

yeah thats the one i used, found leaks all over intake manifolds, sensors and vac lines
ask him how much that machine was...
I'm buying a smoke machine right now ($39.00), they also sell a solution that is a water derivative that evaporates with no oil.

[slider2828]

Just you guys know for a fact, worm gears leak period for couplers. I got about .5 psi more just buy using all T-bolts.... Just to add a fact

[ericcastro]

Originally Posted by Chrischeezer

sounds like you have some experience with fog machines, could you recommend a brand? (something cheep and small?)
What chemical is used to produce the "smoke"?

anything that is cheap usually isnt that great. Movies and such use higher end stuff that tends to be dryer and hangs around alot longer before it disapates.

If your gonna do it, then i would just get the cheapest possable and a good amount of liquid..
Try and smoke up the intake area in question really good, then try to get pressure in it somehow to get the smoke to actually come out the leaks. Maybe the cheap bike pump idea.

then crank up the smoke in the garage, turn all the car lights on and put some on the ground, then take a cool pic for us