Need a smoke machine
 

Anyone have a good idea for making a smoke machine?

My car is 15 years old, and the buna is getting old and tired but they
don't make a single kit of all the rubber parts which would be the easy way
to avoid making my own smoke tools.

I keep getting a P0171/P0174 (bank 1 and 2 lean condition), which, for my
engine, almost always means a crack in the complex hoses, tubes, and pipes,
so I want to see if I can build my own smoke machine for about the cost of
one diagnostic test by the pros.

A single professional smoke test is about $150 based on a dozen calls today
(where most charge a flat diagnostic fee). And the dealer price for
replacing all the hoses is estimated at far more than that one test.

I don't want to debate those two points here though (the pro diagnostic or
replacing all the rubber) because my intent here is to ask for advice on
building my own smoke machine for about one hundred dollars.

Just generating smoke is easy with a diesel glow plug shoved into a paint
can with glycerin in it, but you have to generate dense smoke and you have
to pump it under a few psi through the engine hoses.

Have you built your own smoke machine for around $100 or less?
How did you do it?

Need a smoke machine
 

On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 11:03:44 AM UTC-4, Tomos Davies wrote:
Anyone have a good idea for making a smoke machine?

My car is 15 years old, and the buna is getting old and tired but they
don't make a single kit of all the rubber parts which would be the easy way
to avoid making my own smoke tools.

I keep getting a P0171/P0174 (bank 1 and 2 lean condition), which, for my
engine, almost always means a crack in the complex hoses, tubes, and pipes,
so I want to see if I can build my own smoke machine for about the cost of
one diagnostic test by the pros.

A single professional smoke test is about $150 based on a dozen calls today
(where most charge a flat diagnostic fee). And the dealer price for
replacing all the hoses is estimated at far more than that one test.

I don't want to debate those two points here though (the pro diagnostic or
replacing all the rubber) because my intent here is to ask for advice on
building my own smoke machine for about one hundred dollars.

Just generating smoke is easy with a diesel glow plug shoved into a paint
can with glycerin in it, but you have to generate dense smoke and you have
to pump it under a few psi through the engine hoses.

Have you built your own smoke machine for around $100 or less?
How did you do it?

There are a lot of videos on youtube that instructs in such a project. Smoke machines are extraordinarily handy in "smoking" out leaks.

My son's Jeep Grand Cherokee has about 300K miles on it and needed to pass emissions (which demands no CEL). My buddy has a pro machine and found seeping hoses, mostly around back near the tank. No smoking gun (yep) but a lot of tiny issues that an old high mileage vehicle will have.

Need a smoke machine
 

On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 11:03:44 AM UTC-4, Tomos Davies wrote:

Have you built your own smoke machine for around $100 or less?
How did you do it?

There are a bunch of sellers on ebay providing a pretty good device for $80 including freight. For the time and parts, you can't beat this. They also include a pressure regulator to make sure you don't blast anything in the evap system.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EVAP-Smoke-M...AOSw32lYvdZ C

Need a smoke machine
 

The troll is back.

Please do not feed the troll.

Need a smoke machine
 

On 28/04/2017 16:03, Tomos Davies wrote:
Anyone have a good idea for making a smoke machine?

My car is 15 years old, and the buna is getting old and tired but they
don't make a single kit of all the rubber parts which would be the easy way
to avoid making my own smoke tools.

I keep getting a P0171/P0174 (bank 1 and 2 lean condition), which, for my
engine, almost always means a crack in the complex hoses, tubes, and pipes,
so I want to see if I can build my own smoke machine for about the cost of
one diagnostic test by the pros.

A single professional smoke test is about $150 based on a dozen calls today
(where most charge a flat diagnostic fee). And the dealer price for
replacing all the hoses is estimated at far more than that one test.

I don't want to debate those two points here though (the pro diagnostic or
replacing all the rubber) because my intent here is to ask for advice on
building my own smoke machine for about one hundred dollars.

Just generating smoke is easy with a diesel glow plug shoved into a paint
can with glycerin in it, but you have to generate dense smoke and you have
to pump it under a few psi through the engine hoses.

Have you built your own smoke machine for around $100 or less?
How did you do it?


I often look on YouTube to find solutions!

Look here, Tomos! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP2ffBSD2A0

--
The only people who make a difference are the people who believe they can.

Need a smoke machine
 

Buy a special effects smoke machine like the ones that always go on
sale around Halloween and mash together some adapter fittings.
I bought one on Kijiji for something like $20 Canadian(including a
"bottle of smoke"


On Fri, 28 Apr 2017 15:03:41 -0000 (UTC), Tomos Davies
wrote:

Anyone have a good idea for making a smoke machine?

My car is 15 years old, and the buna is getting old and tired but they
don't make a single kit of all the rubber parts which would be the easy way
to avoid making my own smoke tools.

I keep getting a P0171/P0174 (bank 1 and 2 lean condition), which, for my
engine, almost always means a crack in the complex hoses, tubes, and pipes,
so I want to see if I can build my own smoke machine for about the cost of
one diagnostic test by the pros.

A single professional smoke test is about $150 based on a dozen calls today
(where most charge a flat diagnostic fee). And the dealer price for
replacing all the hoses is estimated at far more than that one test.

I don't want to debate those two points here though (the pro diagnostic or
replacing all the rubber) because my intent here is to ask for advice on
building my own smoke machine for about one hundred dollars.

Just generating smoke is easy with a diesel glow plug shoved into a paint
can with glycerin in it, but you have to generate dense smoke and you have
to pump it under a few psi through the engine hoses.

Have you built your own smoke machine for around $100 or less?
How did you do it?

Need a smoke machine
 

In , David B. suggested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP2ffBSD2A0

Nice link! Since I watched it, I'll summrize for those who didn't.

1 Paint can
2 Drill two 1/2-inch holes in the lid
3 Screw in male-threaded quick-connect for air hoses
4 RTV them or put a nut to prevent air leaks
5 3/8-inch tubing on the quick connect
6 Regulate air compressor to 2 to 5 psi to test for leaks
7 Wet half a rag with baby oil & place in the paint can
8 Light the top of the rag and cap the paint can
9 INLET is 2psi from the air compressor
10 OUTLET is 3/8-inch vinyl tubing filling with smoke

Then on the vehicle
11 Pull off the power brake vacuum hose from the manifold
12 Remove throttle body tube & block the throttle body
13 Connect to intake manifold where the brake booster went
14 Look for smoke!

The theory is that the fire can be kept going with the air coming in from
the compressor and the air pressure of 2psi will push the smoke through the
vehicle plumbing.

The caution is that most air compressors don't have a regulator that can go
that low reliably, and you don't want too much psi or you cause leaks.

I wonder if a diesel glow plug and hookup to the car battery will be better
for generating the smoke from the rag soaked in baby oil (he said mineral
oil is the same thing I think).

Need a smoke machine
 

In ,
suggested:

Buy a special effects smoke machine like the ones that always go on
sale around Halloween and mash together some adapter fittings.
I bought one on Kijiji for something like $20 Canadian(including a
"bottle of smoke"

They may work if they have about 2psi of air pressure (or if it can be
bottled somehow to leak 2psi through a 3/8ths inch vinyl hose.

Need a smoke machine
 

There's an easier way to find a vacuum leak.

Disconnect the throttle control motor and spray the hoses with ether, which is starting fluid. When the RPMs go up, there's your leak.

This will set a code so if it is OBD2 you'll need a method to reset it.

Need a smoke machine
 

On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 6:31:34 PM UTC-4, wrote:
There's an easier way to find a vacuum leak.

Disconnect the throttle control motor and spray the hoses with ether, which is starting fluid. When the RPMs go up, there's your leak.

This will set a code so if it is OBD2 you'll need a method to reset it.

Around the engine yes, but there are vacuum lines running all the way back to the gas tank. I had a small evap leak code on one of my cars and it was a bad gas cap. No propane or ether would induce an rpm change back there.

Need a smoke machine
 

On Fri, 28 Apr 2017 20:00:44 -0000 (UTC), Tomos Davies
wrote:

In , David B. suggested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP2ffBSD2A0

Nice link! Since I watched it, I'll summrize for those who didn't.

1 Paint can
2 Drill two 1/2-inch holes in the lid
3 Screw in male-threaded quick-connect for air hoses
4 RTV them or put a nut to prevent air leaks
5 3/8-inch tubing on the quick connect
6 Regulate air compressor to 2 to 5 psi to test for leaks
7 Wet half a rag with baby oil & place in the paint can
8 Light the top of the rag and cap the paint can
9 INLET is 2psi from the air compressor
10 OUTLET is 3/8-inch vinyl tubing filling with smoke

Then on the vehicle
11 Pull off the power brake vacuum hose from the manifold
12 Remove throttle body tube & block the throttle body
13 Connect to intake manifold where the brake booster went
14 Look for smoke!

The theory is that the fire can be kept going with the air coming in from
the compressor and the air pressure of 2psi will push the smoke through the
vehicle plumbing.

The caution is that most air compressors don't have a regulator that can go
that low reliably, and you don't want too much psi or you cause leaks.

I wonder if a diesel glow plug and hookup to the car battery will be better
for generating the smoke from the rag soaked in baby oil (he said mineral
oil is the same thing I think).
Use a propane regulator to regulate the pressure down to the 2psi
range., and yes, most baby oil is "mineral oil" and yes a deisel glow
plug can be used to make the smoke - just make sure it is a 12 volt
glow plug, not one that is connected in a series string.
I've got a fog machine - a little more elegany solution with less
danger and still to a degree DIY - and a lot cheaper than the "made
for the job" unit.

Need a smoke machine
 

On Fri, 28 Apr 2017 20:04:00 -0000 (UTC), Tomos Davies
wrote:

In ,
suggested:

Buy a special effects smoke machine like the ones that always go on
sale around Halloween and mash together some adapter fittings.
I bought one on Kijiji for something like $20 Canadian(including a
"bottle of smoke"

They may work if they have about 2psi of air pressure (or if it can be
bottled somehow to leak 2psi through a 3/8ths inch vinyl hose.
Not sure what the actual pressure is but it is enough to disburse the
smoke throughout the system and not enough to damage anytging -
particularly if you use a rubber glove as a "plug" on the intake
system.As long as you are not "given the finger" by the glove, the
pressure is safe - and you control it with the "trigger" button. I
have not made the custom adapter yet, but I plan on making a sort of
"heat exchanger" to fasten to the outlet to cool it before connecting
the hose. An aluminum or copper "pipe" with fins fastened or machined
on it.