All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

On 12/15/2017 10:14 AM, Arthur Wood wrote:
All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2XYORX

Cheers

Phil Hobbs
--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
https://hobbs-eo.com

Arthur Wood posted for all of us...



All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

From reading replies you don't any research on anything before posting, then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?

--
Tekkie

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 1:52:36 PM UTC-5, Tekkie® wrote:
then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?


Very probably.

Horatio Alger
Norman Spruance
John Harmon
Frank Bacon
Frank Baron

All come to mind. All of them not half-bad mechanics with a fascination with Harbor Freight tools. However, it is that lacking half that is most likely to kill someone. I sincerely hope that this BMW never sees a public road again, for that reason.

I once stated that I would never drive a BMW. There are two reasons why:

Reason 1: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style...t-on-road-poll

Reason 2: BMWs are wanna be cars. They wanna be a Porsche, they wanna be a Mercedes, but achieve neither status.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

On 12/15/2017 02:18 PM, wrote:
On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 1:52:36 PM UTC-5, Tekkie® wrote:
then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?


Very probably.

Horatio Alger
Norman Spruance
John Harmon
Frank Bacon
Frank Baron

All come to mind. All of them not half-bad mechanics with a fascination with Harbor Freight tools. However, it is that lacking half that is most likely to kill someone. I sincerely hope that this BMW never sees a public road again, for that reason.

I once stated that I would never drive a BMW. There are two reasons why:

Reason 1: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style...t-on-road-poll

Reason 2: BMWs are wanna be cars. They wanna be a Porsche, they wanna be a Mercedes, but achieve neither status.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA


In the US new BMWs are a semiotic signal by nouveau riche whackoffs to
other nouveau riche whackoffs that they've achieved whackoff status.

Old BMWs usually have their windows tinted, fart-can exhaust installed,
and a big wing put on the back and are driven by kiddos who wanna look
flush. Those are on the road until they're wrecked or the repair
estimate for their first major mechanical issue comes in. Usually
doesn't take long.

On 12/15/2017 02:18 PM, wrote:
On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 1:52:36 PM UTC-5, Tekkie® wrote:
then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?


Very probably.

Horatio Alger
Norman Spruance
John Harmon
Frank Bacon
Frank Baron

All come to mind. All of them not half-bad mechanics with a fascination with Harbor Freight tools. However, it is that lacking half that is most likely to kill someone. I sincerely hope that this BMW never sees a public road again, for that reason.

I once stated that I would never drive a BMW. There are two reasons why:

Reason 1: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style...t-on-road-poll

Reason 2: BMWs are wanna be cars. They wanna be a Porsche, they wanna be a Mercedes, but achieve neither status.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA


It's not that BMWs are bad cars, exactly, it's just that for people who
actually care about luxury and/or performance vs. brand bling there are
better cars available in just about every segment from other marques,
for similar prices

On 15/12/17 19:18, wrote:
I once stated that I would never drive a BMW. There are two reasons why:

Reason 1: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style..
That's a trash UK newspaper website fishing with link bait.

A supporting quote from National Enquirer on your side of the pond would
carry the same weight ...

--
Adrian C

https://jalopnik.com/science-confirm...wor-1120783177

http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/10/20/wh...hated-so-much/

http://theweek.com/articles/461073/n...-biggest-jerks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lweAnuETK0M

http://www.bankrate.com/financing/ca...are-the-worst/

No shortage of supporting evidence.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

On Mon, 18 Dec 2017 08:29:33 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

https://jalopnik.com/science-confirm...wor-1120783177

http://www.bmwblog.com/2015/10/20/wh...hated-so-much/

http://theweek.com/articles/461073/n...-biggest-jerks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lweAnuETK0M

http://www.bankrate.com/financing/ca...are-the-worst/

No shortage of supporting evidence.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
Where I live has the highest concentration versus population of Prius
cars in the USA. At least it did a while back. So even though
population density here is low I still see a lot of Prius models. And
boy do they tend to drive slow.
When they first came out a friend of mine bought one and he showed
me how you could use the display in real time to modify your driving
technique to attain the best fuel economy. So I took his car out for a
spin on some deserted back roads and had some fun getting the best
fuel economy. Part of that means accelerating slowly and driving
slowly.
I'm on an island and lots of drivers think they can drive as slow
as they want on 55 MPH roads because "This ain't the mainland, so slow
down". Prius drivers seem to have really taken this attitude to heart.
Lots of the time there will be a twenty or more car line going 40 MPH
on the highway with either a Prius or an old pickup in front. Lately I
have been seeing more of the former. GRRR.
Eric

On 18/12/17 16:29, wrote:
https://jalopnik.com/science-confirms-...

.... that the language of advertising bait exists and works.

--
Adrian C

On Fri, 15 Dec 2017 13:52:41 -0500, Tekkie®
wrote:

Arthur Wood posted for all of us...



All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

From reading replies you don't any research on anything before posting, then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?
You thinking the same guy that argued about tire mounting and
ballancing???

My thought too. Mabee his twin brother from a different mother???

You thinking the same guy that argued about tire mounting and
ballancing???

My thought too. Mabee his twin brother from a different mother???

I would be surprised if there were a mother involved in either case.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Clare Snyder posted for all of us...



On Fri, 15 Dec 2017 13:52:41 -0500, Tekkie®
wrote:
You thinking the same guy that argued about tire mounting and
ballancing???

My thought too. Mabee his twin brother from a different mother???

Yup

--
Tekkie

Arthur Wood wrote:
All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.


First lose the glow plug, more smoke = more surface area for the oil to
cook on.
I built a paint can unit as a demo, generates a LOT of smoke, more than
my Snap-On unit does.

Used nichrome wire wrapped around fiberglass tiki wicks. Wound a total
of 4 coils. Two are in series and then those are in parallel with the
other 2, gives you a LOT of surface area and uses under 12 amps of 12
volt current.

Next a common propane regulator. You do not want high PSI in the system,
REAL easy to damage parts that cannot handle pressure. The propane
regulator can take 90-200 psi and drop it to under 1/2 psi (11-12 inches
of water column, OEM smoke machine standard is no higher than 13 in/wc)

Made an air bar that puts the air out in a nice even ring.

Made a low pressure check valve on the output, that way you can shut
down the machine with it attached and it won't pull fuel vapor back in.

And a flow meter and adjustable flow so you can tell what is actually
going on.

Basically a home built version of a red line unit.

--
Steve W.

"First lose the glow plug, more smoke = more surface area for the oil to
cook on."

I saw o mention of it being a diesel. If the OP doesn't know or lacks the presence of mind to include that information I give the **** up. Take it to someone who knows what they're doing then.

There is no accounting for stupidity though, you know you ask many people if they bought or leased their new of fairly new car they actually don't know. Yes, even though I walk through the valley of stupidity that one took me slightly aback... I mean seriously, don't LET them people try to change their own tire.

A better way to detect intake leaks is to disconnect the IAC once the idle has settled down and watch the RPMs as you spray ether on the suspected leaks.

Remember to reset the computer after such a test or it will throw a code and probably a light.

Any smoke the engine can burn it will burn. If it can't burn it you put the catalytic convertor at risk, and they are still expensive on some cars. I know some are as cheap as like $40 for an economy car but that ain't what you got here. For performance cars it can run over $1,000.

So use the ether, I would say. (starting fluid that is)

On Fri, 15 Dec 2017 15:14:22 -0000 (UTC), Arthur Wood
wrote:


All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

Find a few hippies and buy them a couple ounces of marijuana. There will
be lots of smoke...... LOL

You cant rent smoke machines like bands use on stage, at a music store
or theatrical supplies place. PRobably wont cost all that much to rent
for a few hours....

I thought I would let this fester for a bit in the hopes that our multiple personality cretin might actually try something and, thereby, learn something. No such luck.

a) Anyone actually considered the essential idiocy of using a smoke machine to find a vacuum leak?
b) And, once past that hurdle, running the same in a partially enclosed space for 30 minutes?
c) And once past that second hurdle, actually determining anything useful?

Anyone who has ever worked in or watched from the side-lines in a professional shop, or listened to Car Talk, Car Pro or any of several similar options knows how to find a vacuum leak, quickly, accurately and with a minimum of mess.

All it takes is a propane torch, a soft rubber hose, and a narrow metal nozzle.

Connect the hose to the torch nozzle such that the propane is directed into the hose.
Put a small metal tube at the end of the rubber hose to direct the propane into a small area.
Turn the torch on low (don't light it, of course). Run the nozzle all over the various potential locations while the vehicle is running.
The engine will rev when it sucks the propane into the vacuum leak.
Mark with keel, turn off torch.
Done.

And, one is not releasing sufficient propane as to worry about fire or explosions, using a tool probably right at hand.

Guys and gals, this is pretty basic automotive diagnostics. Why re-invent the wheel using some claptrap kludge of dubious utility?

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

"I thought I would let this fester for a bit..."

Sounds like my method but with propane. One note though, sometimes the idle control is so good it will not rev up. That is why I disconnect the IAC. Sets a code but gives a more conclusive indication.

And the smoke can damage the catalytic convertor. His money, and not like a $46 one either. High performance foreign catalytic convertors are expensive.

On Friday, December 22, 2017 at 7:01:47 PM UTC-5, wrote:
And the smoke can damage the catalytic convertor. His money, and not like a $46 one either. High performance foreign catalytic convertors are expensive.

Anything that keeps it off the road is good. But, what are the odds that there is nothing but a bit of pipe where the converter should be?

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA