Want to own a cheap smoke machine?

[ExpressAutoCare]

I have been working on the exact same machine in my free time for a little while now. The only thing I have been trying to work out is the fact that the machine spits a little hot liquid (fog juice) at the end of the outlet hose. I built an inline orifice to atomize the little bit of liquid that spits, It definitely helped but still spits a little. I put a second orifice at the end of the hose, and as long as it is it is just vented to the outside air it doesnt spit any liquid. I think as soon as the hose is hooked to car the fog is going to condense a little and you will get a little liquid along with the smoke. I don't think the little bit of liquid should pose any kind of a hazard or detriment to any of a cars systems though, even the evap system. I will say that finding a 1/4" Y fitting is tough. I found it a better solution to place the T fitting so that the regulator & outlet are @ a 90 degree angle to the tube coming out of the machine. Dialed the pressure regulator down to about 1 psi (for evap systems), the machine pump put out up to 15 psi, so it over comes the air pressure.

 

[Dallus]

I know this is kinda resurrecting a semi dead topic but....

Would it be possible to attach a regulator downstream of the "T" portion and attach a hose and plug it into the EVAP port? Then set the regulator to ~1 psi and diagnose away?? I know this may be a difficult feat as regulators are inaccurate at best at those low pressures but if you set it once, you'll never have to mess with it. Just add a quick connect to the end of the "T" and you can have a straight vac leak hose, or an EVAP hose. Just an idea...may or may not work.

 

[socialladder]

This is ingenious. Would you like to sell a finished product? I am interested.

 

[smogtech]

Correct me If Im wrong but it looks like part of the vapor in this smoke machine is oxygen. You definitely would not want to use it for evap testing. Gas in a gas tank is not combustible because it is too rich a mixture to create any kind of chemical reaction, but once you add oxygen in there it starts moving towards a a/f ratio that is combustible; sounds dangerous to me.

Smoke machines made for evap testing use an inert gas such as nitrogen as to not cause such an issue.

but this inexpensive machine can be used to search for vaccum and exhaust leaks safely.

 

[ptschram]

Correct me If Im wrong but it looks like part of the vapor in this smoke machine is oxygen. You definitely would not want to use it for evap testing. Gas in a gas tank is not combustible because it is too rich a mixture to create any kind of chemical reaction, but once you add oxygen in there it starts moving towards a a/f ratio that is combustible; sounds dangerous to me.

Smoke machines made for evap testing use an inert gas such as nitrogen as to not cause such an issue.

but this inexpensive machine can be used to search for vaccum and exhaust leaks safely.

Replace the compressed air with nitrogen, carbon dioxide, tri-mix, etc. and Bob's your Uncle.

 

[chevy3755]

thanks for sharing...........

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

This is ingenious. Would you like to sell a finished product? I am interested.

No need, they are very easy to make.

 

[oldgoaly]

The mini-fogger is on sale for 19.99 with free delivery on amazon, also on ebay buy it now. mine is on it's way.... tt

 

[dan1120]

John, have you made any changes to the design lately? This is pure genious and a great setup for finding intake leaks. Do you still use this setup to help diagnose vacuum leaks? Its so cheap and simple I will definitely have to make one if you still think its a good tool.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

John, have you made any changes to the design lately? This is pure genious and a great setup for finding intake leaks. Do you still use this setup to help diagnose vacuum leaks? Its so cheap and simple I will definitely have to make one if you still think its a good tool.

I have been slacking on updating my threads (been busy.)

I did go with a different machine; the new one heats up faster, but the results are still the same between the current unit and the previous.

I use it quite often, works great.

I will try to make a new video soon.

 

[les_garten]

I have been slacking on updating my threads (been busy.)

I did go with a different machine; the new one heats up faster, but the results are still the same between the current unit and the previous.

I use it quite often, works great.

I will try to make a new video soon.

Absolutely awesome stuff here! Can you post a link to the machine you are using now? I just found this thread and am nutz to make one of these up!

I had to find a vacuum link on my LandCruiser earlier this year and used Mapp gas to find it, but this would have been better methinks.

 

[williaty]

Damn. The machine is up to $40 on Amazon now

 

[oldgoaly]

on ebay too! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Venue-Ultra...669?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5eb0cb25 same price 19.99 w/shipping.

John, the 1st version works but slow in heating up? should work fine for the occasional use? Thanks for sharing! tt

 

[mikeceli]

"Mechanic named John, what did you brass cap, with pinhole, that was on the smoke machine output?

Delete it or attach it on the end of the extension pipe(where the hose attaches)/

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

"Mechanic named John, what did you brass cap, with pinhole, that was on the smoke machine output?

Delete it or attach it on the end of the extension pipe(where the hose attaches)/

Delete it.

 

[mikeceli]

Thanks John.

I attached the pin-holed brass cap to the hose end, of the 4' 1/4 extension pipe.

I hooked the machine up to a 318 V8, and made a vacuum leak nearby, and the smoke did not exit the leak. I figured it was because I was not adding regulated compressed air.

I will remove the pin-holed cap AND add some compressed air and try it again.

I am trying to confirm a suspected vacuum leak at the bottom of the intake manifold gasket.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Thanks John.

I attached the pin-holed brass cap to the hose end, of the 4' 1/4 extension pipe.

I hooked the machine up to a 318 V8, and made a vacuum leak nearby, and the smoke did not exit the leak. I figured it was because I was not adding regulated compressed air.

I will remove the pin-holed cap AND add some compressed air and try it again.

I am trying to confirm a suspected vacuum leak at the bottom of the intake manifold gasket.

Yeah you will need air, it should work fine.

Make sure you can regulate the pressure, start at 2psi, and go up gradually if you need to.

 

[Techniker]

Guess I really need to make one now for a suspected vacuum leak. I've been meaning to make one for a while now, but I have been waiting for updates on this project.

What size fog machine did you end up getting?

 

[gnx547]

Replace the compressed air with nitrogen, carbon dioxide, tri-mix, etc. and Bob's your Uncle.

Have you done that to your smoke machine yet?

 

[Karnage]

I read the first few pages of this thread and thought this was a piss take. Then I realized it is a serious thread.

FYI
Small self contained vac leak detector, works on carb or efi cars, no need to disconnect anything, nor block anything

 

[homesale]

Do you spray the WD40 and get a surge in the idle? Is that how you find the vacuum leak?

The WD40 can says CAUTION: FLAMMABLE on it. Any chance you will get flames with a hot engine?

 

[blarf]

I read the first few pages of this thread and thought this was a piss take. Then I realized it is a serious thread.

FYI
Small self contained vac leak detector, works on carb or efi cars, no need to disconnect anything, nor block anything

 

[Karnage]

Yes, spray a very light mist on manifold surfaces, hose joints etc, the engine will "pick up". Sure there is probably a chance, I can't say I've heard of anyone having a fire from it. You could probably use diesel/kerosene based degrease if you were that concerned.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I might use this for the future need, great thread.

 

[mikeceli]

I purchased the "DJ" smoke machine and built it as "Joe" did.

Unfortunatly, it is not reliably revieling vacuum leaks.

I suspect my 83 Chrysler 318 V8 has an intake manifold vaccum leak(at the bottom of the intake port, where it's inaccessible). I attached the smoke output hose to the power brake fitting , on the intake manifold. I was looking for smoke in the crankcase, with negative results. I tried this w/ no metered compressed air and approx. 10psi air. No luck.

When I created a leak, to test the smoke machine's ability to diagonse, nothing came out of the created leak.

Any ideas? I'd hate to R&R the mainfold gasket, if it's not leaking!

 

[mikeceli]

PROBLEM SOLVED

Apparently my machine came w/ "low hanging" smoke. new fluid f/ American DJ and it works fine!

 

[Caleb T]

That is awesome! Mind if I use your idea at some point??

 

[mikeceli]

That is awesome! Mind if I use your idea at some point??

OP Mechanic named joe, gets the credit for the conversion, not me.

 

[Techniker]

I was thinking about potential improvements for this smoke machine. I'm thinking about creating a venturi entrainment device (known as an "injector" or "ejector") and connecting it with the smoke machine as the feed source since someone mentioned earlier that smoke machines suffer more from a lack of volume than a lack of pressure. This is essentially like someone also mentioned earlier about using an HVLP gun and using the smoke machine as the feed or even similar to what Joe here has with his T connection fitting, except the smoke machine is in the middle of the T.

I'm wondering if there really would be much more benefit to going with a higher power smoke machine- if I could forego using the external air source I would prefer it.

-Techniker

 

[SeatMech99]

Would like to know what vac line do you recommend for the test on a 99 F-150. Also I can't seem to get the smoke to last very long so I tried baby oil but not much for smoke. Don't think it gets hot enough, any recommendations?

 

[JTG]

Do you think this setup will work to find an intake or head gasket leak?

 

[les_garten]

Do you think this setup will work to find an intake or head gasket leak?

Intake yeah, head gasket, no.

If you got a head gasket leak that this will find, you'd have already found it.

 

[Skin]

Do you spray the WD40 and get a surge in the idle? Is that how you find the vacuum leak?

The WD40 can says CAUTION: FLAMMABLE on it. Any chance you will get flames with a hot engine?

I know this is an old post, just wanted to mention WD40 hasnt been flammable for years. Use injector/carb cleaner to check for leaks.

Do you think this setup will work to find an intake or head gasket leak?

Depending on where the head gasket is leaking they make cheap kits that attach to the radiator that react to the combustion gasses. You could also look for bubbles. If you think its a cylinder->cylinder leak do a compression test and you should find which ones are down. Obviously they'd be next to eachother.

 

[JTG]

Intake yeah, head gasket, no.

If you got a head gasket leak that this will find, you'd have already found it.

I have an oil leak somewhere. I took it to a local place, he said he smoke tested it and saw it was a head gasket and said the job wasn't worth doing on this vehicle, wanted to charge over $4k. If I'm going to break the engine down and do it myself I want to confirm where the leak actually is located. It's a very slow leak and it's somewhere in the rear of the engine. I was to remove the oil fill cap and hook this up to it.

 

[Bennylava]

Very nice I would like to do this as well. Is there any way that a UV dye could safely be used? Seems like that would help out a lot.

 

[Ken81590]

Awesome creativity!

 

[Raymon]

hey dude I was thinking the same Idea of converting my fog machine into a smoke evap leak deatecter. But ill give you all the credit for making and creating yours first, so i took the liberity of using your recipe of the parts you have listed and made my own,and behold it work bad ***. Of course by a professional smoke machine has its advantage with other stuff it comes with for that high of a price, but for what im gona use it for is just evap leaks on the motors.

 

[Raymon]

Hey will baby oil work on a fog machine,i have one bottle left of fog juice and one of cleaning solution. i know baby oil can be used on the profisional type smoke machines.

 

[Raymon]

will baby oil work on a fog machine?I converted mine to a smoke machine like u did. and it does work like a charm.

 

[ndoran]

if you use baby oil in a fog machine you can expect the heater to clog, I own a theatre lighting rental business as a sideline and I have repaired many professional fog machines - the most common problem is a blocked heater. If you use the wrong fog juice or hazer fluid it is a very short time to faoilure and heaters are expensive starting at $90 and up. The cheap fog machines are intended to be thrown away when the fail. Also every manufacturer cautions about using anything except the correct juice. There are also health issues around using oils in these machines.

You can buy fog juice with different "hang times" which is simply the amount of time it remains visible in the air. the longer the hang time the better for fault finding. You should be able to find this stuff on the shelf at your local audio or theatre rental company.