How To: Smoker - To Find Vacuum Leaks

[Josh]

My brother had issues with vacuum leaks on his jeep. He bought a prop smoke machine for 20$ off ebay. Worked great for him.

[jangell]

I did something similar with a fog machine, using a YouTube video as a guide. Worked pretty well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvjk4F9sRo8

-- Joe

[Farrar]

I did something similar using a cheap cigar.

[Rich_NYS]

Where do I connect to put the smoke into the system....right on the tube that comes off the air cleaner box?

[mluder]

Where do I connect to put the smoke into the system....right on the tube that comes off the air cleaner box?

Yep. You need to remove the air filter box and then seal up the fixture regulator opening. I used several layers of blue painters tape. Be thorough... my first attempt allowed air to escape and I though I had some massive leak in the mixture unit.
You then connect your smoke feeder hose to the hose coming out of the oil filler cap that was attached to the air box. You may also want to find a way to fix down the oil filler cap as it will want to pop out when you put pressure into the system.

Cheers
Steven

[mluder]

As this thread has popped up again I thought I'd better provide an update.

I smoke tested my engine a couple of weeks ago and the results were inconclusive. Mostly due to an issue with smoke generation.

I tried using an piece of charcoal briquette and heavy cardboard which would smolder but not ignite. The glass jar that I put it in inside the bucket got too hot a cracked but did not break.
At any rate... I got smoke but it would not sustain itself for an appreciable amount of time. Next test I think will be using some sort of oil and wick. I may try this weekend.

Stay tuned...

Cheers
Steven

[Bitsyncmaster]

I still like the smoke bomb idea (just make a jar with a hose). I would think you would get good pressure and I would just have that hosed to the nipple on the back of the intakes. You need to tape your intake plate closed and do the test at night with a flashlight in hand to find the leaks.

[DMC5180]

I still like the smoke bomb idea (just make a jar with a hose). I would think you would get good pressure and I would just have that hosed to the nipple on the back of the intakes. You need to tape your intake plate closed and do the test at night with a flashlight in hand to find the leaks.

It was only an idea that has yet to be tested. I did look up some YouTube videos to see what amount of smoke those smoke balls put out. It was pretty wimpy. Nothing like I remember as a kid 40 years ago. But if you were to use the jar as a reservoir and two hoses. You could blow into one hose and force the smoke out the other hose.

[Bitsyncmaster]

It was only an idea that has yet to be tested. I did look up some YouTube videos to see what amount of smoke those smoke balls put out. It was pretty wimpy. Nothing like I remember as a kid 40 years ago. But if you were to use the jar as a reservoir and two hoses. You could blow into one hose and force the smoke out the other hose.

I will look what can be bought this summer but I think you can get smoke bombs for radio controlled airplanes which may be larger than we need.

[Rich_NYS]

Thanks for the input...I used a cigar and blew smoke into it like a madman. I did consistently see smoke around the bottom of the black cylinder-looking thing with the electrical connector on top. It has a small 90-degree hose on the bottom that appeared to have smoke leaking from it. It seems like the clamps need to be tightened, but I first sprayed starting fluid & choke cleaner around it but it didn't make the engine race. I'll try tightening the clamps & see if that makes a difference.