Dropped $380 on a smoke machine for finding boost leaks, half the shop calls it cheating

Ruby Rivera · 2026-09-15T18:15:03.171973+00:00

I bought a $380 smoke machine for tracking down boost leaks on intercooler pipes, and it's cut my diag time on hard-to-find leaks down to about 10 minutes. Half the old guys at my shop say it's a crutch and you should be able to find leaks by ear, but the other half keeps borrowing mine. Where do you all land on smoke testers, worth the money or just covering up for lazy diag?

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Dropped $380 on a smoke machine for finding boost leaks, half the shop calls it cheating | Diesel Mechanics - Opinions Matter