Cheap smoke machine for EVAP codes

[HaroRider]

Can anyone reccomend one? I just got an EVAP code on my daily driver and would like to try to diagnose it.

I have found larger leaks in the past, but this one is not as large. I can not justify spending $1,000 on one as I am not a professional.

 

[LXCam]

I can't think of the brand I bought. But it was one of those $40 units that are all over eBay and it's worked fine and paid for its self a few times over. There's two minor downsides to these smaller units. First is making adapters which can easily be felt with by donating a heavy rubber glove and a couple band clamps too. And second is the duty cycle, they can only produce X amount of smoke before it shuts off and you'll need to wait. If I were to do it over I'd opt for a larger unit. But considering this one has found more than a few leaks over the last few years I'll just stick with it for now. Spending 700-1000 on a dedicated automotive one doesn't make much sense when you can hodgepodge one together for under a hundy.

 

[danieldd]

A cigar.

I know that sounds a little crazy, but it works. We used to have a Supercharged Buick that threw a code and I couldn't figure out what it was and I didn't have a fancy smoke machine, so I tried to rig one up with Dry Ice.

That one failed miserably. Next I tried a cigar. I don't smoke and I about gagged on the taste (and no, I did not inhale), but it found my problem. Turned out to be a leaking fuel injector o-ring.

Try the Swisher Sweets. You can get one for less than a dollar and then spend another couple of bucks for some mouth wash!

 

[LXCam]

Here's what I bought. But I'd opt for the $100 one next time. It's a 1500cfm model. I just noticed one for 70 that does 4000cfm which I think would be a better way to go.

http://www.wwbw.com/Chauvet-DJ-Hurr...currency=usd&gclid=CNuU-NPV09ICFQ54fgodw78L9Q

 

[dclassical]

A friend of mine built one that was quite cheap and worked well. He used an empty, clean paint can (1 gallon I believe). Then use a wire wrapped around a wick, used baby oil (I believe) on the wick. So this would produce smoke when electricity would flow. Then he used some regulated compressed air (I want to say he used a low psi gas regulator but I am not sure anymore) and voila. Worked quite well.

 

[Eslader]

A cigar.

This is the easiest and cheapest answer, even if you include the absolutely necessary mouthwash.

 

[redmondjp]

This is the easiest and cheapest answer, even if you include the absolutely necessary mouthwash.

You can also do the same with a cigarette. Several years ago, my mechanic friend got the recipe for an "engine bong" off of a mechanic's forum (iatn.net):

A cigarette fits into a 1/4" copper compression fitting with a hose ****** on the other side of it. You then add one of those rubber squeeze bulbs as used on a marine fuel hose and a couple of automotive vacuum check valves, one on each side of the bulb. Add vacuum hose and adapter fittings as necessary.

You 'smoke' the cigarette by squeezing the bulb which pumps the smoke into a vacuum port on the engine. It works very well, but you'll be amazed at how fast the cigarettes burn!

 

[engineer2]

You could also use 134a and a refrigerant leak detector as long as it's not done on a running engine.