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Spent $260 on a smoke machine to chase a vacuum leak and a $12 can of starting fluid did the same job
I work at a shop in Tucson and last month I bought a $260 smoke machine because everyone on the forums acts like you can't find a vacuum leak without one. Used it on a 2004 Silverado with a rough idle, pumped smoke for 20 minutes, saw nothing. Grabbed a $12 can of starting fluid, sprayed the intake gasket area, idle jumped right up. Leak found in 90 seconds. I'm not saying smoke machines are junk, they work great for EVAP stuff and hard to reach spots. But for basic intake leaks the old starting fluid trick still wins and I burned most of a Saturday on the fancy tool first. My lead tech just laughed and said he hasn't touched his smoker in two years. Curious if other guys around here still reach for the can first or if I'm just behind the times.
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kelly_nelson9519d ago
I swore by my smoker for years after watching a guy at a shop in Phoenix find a cracked intake in like two minutes with one. Then last winter I spent 45 minutes fogging a 5.3 and saw nothing, sprayed carb cleaner at the throttle body and the idle about jumped off the mounts. Now the can comes out first on anything with a rough idle and the smoker only shows up when the leak is hiding somewhere stupid.
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