Smoke testing exhaust for leaks

[signcrafter]

I need to do some exhaust work and I guess I'm being lazy but after watching a youtube video about smoke testing the exhaust system I thought this might be an easy way to find all leaks. I have a fog machine I made into a smoke tester for vacuum leaks and thinking about making a simple adapter to go onto the tailpipe to get smoke into the exhaust and find any leaks. I could probably just do a good inspection and find most issues but I thought a smoke test would be cheap and easy and would show any little pin holes I might miss just by looking at it. And since I already have the fog machine made up for smoke testing it would be another use for it.

Any thoughts on this good or bad? No way doing this can cause any harm is there? Guess my thought is it could find issues I might not see and can't really hurt so might as well give it a try.

 

[torqueman2002]

I use a shop vac to pressurize the exhaust system. Then listen/feel for leaks.

The GM techs at the proving ground in MI, use regulated shop air and a made to fit adapter that expands in the tail pipe.

 

[bcradio]

Sounds like a neat idea

 

[stearn786]

Our evap machine at work came with a cone for smoke testing exhaust systems. Worked pretty good the couple times I used it. I usually just start the car and plug the exhaust with something though, since it's a lot quicker.

 

[signcrafter]

Our evap machine at work came with a cone for smoke testing exhaust systems. Worked pretty good the couple times I used it. I usually just start the car and plug the exhaust with something though, since it's a lot quicker.

Is it pretty easy to see the leak just by plugging the exhaust? Can you see smoke coming out the leaks?

 

[Shadowdog500]

I've smoke tested exhausts for leaks on older vehicles by putting a squirt of oil in each cylinder. It really puts out smoke for a minute or so so don't do this inside.

This is an old timer trick, I didn't invent it myself.


Chris