smoke machine

[stingray1966]

had a problem with my sons 02 grand cherokee with a code PO442 evaporative emission control system small leak
been looking all over the thing off and on for the last few days I gave up went to a buddys shop picked he's smoke machine
took me ten mins to find the problem It was a cracked vacuum hose for the purge valve on top of the gas tank To fix I had to drop the tank
There is NO way I would have ever found this with out this tool So I go and look for one and the one I just used is 1600 bucks
ARE THEY KIDDING ME Have looked all over and the cheapest i found was 950.00
In todays world this is a must have tool BUT there has to be a a good one at a affordable price

 

[wild cowboy]

there are good ones brand new on amazon for around $800 (such as the OTC), but they really don't go below that

some people have built decent ones themselves, it is a fair amount of work to build a great one, but the materials cost is low < $100

 

[dnschmidt]

The $1600 dollar ones are the ones that are capable of generating pressurized smoke meaning that they can be used on TURBO systems. Normal atmospheric pressure ones are about $800.

 

[wild cowboy]

nice smoke machine for $10
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvjk4F9sRo8


sophisticated DIY smoke machine with manometer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdL5UpKIxQ

 

[softailgarage]

paying a mechanic without one,at shop labor rate ($65.00 - $95.00 hour), how much do you think the bill would have come to? As a professional mechanic, where time is money, instead of spending 5 hours chasing down a vac leak, he gets it done in 10 min. and is able to move on to the next job. Yes, $1600.00 is a lot of money but to the professional mechanic that tool is not only valuable but essential. He's able to diagnose and repair the problem and not charge the customer $500.00 for it. Tech is happy, customer is (or should be) happy.

 

[msgtsmithret]

So many people complain that mechanics " charge too much" for diagnostics. I hope this sheds some light on why its expensive to diagnose vehicles. I've had a smoke machine for 3 years and am only just beginning to make a profit after paying for the machine. Its an indispensable tool but its expensive.

 

[stingray1966]

hey I am a professional mechanic retired now BUT I work on all of mine and my kids cars And I DO have a LOT of tool mostly snap on just not this one I will be on the hunt for one

 

[wild cowboy]

why is it that China can make something as complex as a DVD player or smartphone for $15, but something as low-tech and flimsy as a smoke machine still costs $800+

 

[Jeeper]

why is it that China can make something as complex as a DVD player or smartphone for $15, but something as low-tech and flimsy as a smoke machine still costs $800+

They make millions of dvd players and about 1000 smoke machines.

 

[cludwin]

Here is another way to smoke out the leak:

I figure you really can't go wrong with this technique worst case scenario you get a good excuse to smoke a cigar