I came across an article that talked about "smoke testing" the vacuum system on a car. I never heard of that! I googled it, and came across these ideas/suggestions.
This is definitely something I want to do on my MK III. I know I still have some leaks somewhere, I just need to find them!
Has anyone done this before?
If so, how did you do it?
Where can I buy a "smoke machine"?
Here's the stuff I found:
There is a "back yard mechanic technique". I did it to find my exhaust leak and later a vacuum leak. I went to a party shop and bought a Party Smoke machine for $29.99.
This is one, but it is more expensive:
http://www.diamondlakerental.com/images/FogMachine.jpg
I put a Rubber hose on it and then reduced or increase it to the size of the orifice I was testing. In this case an exhaust. I ran the smoke through the tail pipe and voilla! smoke came out of my exhaust donut location, not the exhaust manifold (like I expected). The fog juice runs about $8 a quart and lasts a while. This fog machine is even fun to have around for holloween. And this stuff runs on the same fog stuff that the expensive machines use!
To find a vacuum leak, just make sure the car is not running and hook it into the intake manifold (I used the intake manifold vacuum connector that goes to brake booster, it is usually a pretty good size.) Blast the smoke thru and you will see it come out of the leaking hose!
For an even more backyard way(and this is for a vacuum leak) is to run the car and use an unlit propane/butane torch. When the vacuum sucks it up you will hear an audible increase in the vehicles rpms and can "pinpoint" leaks that way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfiQ7qWiG-M
This is definitely something I want to do on my MK III. I know I still have some leaks somewhere, I just need to find them!
Has anyone done this before?
If so, how did you do it?
Where can I buy a "smoke machine"?
Here's the stuff I found:
There is a "back yard mechanic technique". I did it to find my exhaust leak and later a vacuum leak. I went to a party shop and bought a Party Smoke machine for $29.99.
This is one, but it is more expensive:
http://www.diamondlakerental.com/images/FogMachine.jpg
I put a Rubber hose on it and then reduced or increase it to the size of the orifice I was testing. In this case an exhaust. I ran the smoke through the tail pipe and voilla! smoke came out of my exhaust donut location, not the exhaust manifold (like I expected). The fog juice runs about $8 a quart and lasts a while. This fog machine is even fun to have around for holloween. And this stuff runs on the same fog stuff that the expensive machines use!
To find a vacuum leak, just make sure the car is not running and hook it into the intake manifold (I used the intake manifold vacuum connector that goes to brake booster, it is usually a pretty good size.) Blast the smoke thru and you will see it come out of the leaking hose!
For an even more backyard way(and this is for a vacuum leak) is to run the car and use an unlit propane/butane torch. When the vacuum sucks it up you will hear an audible increase in the vehicles rpms and can "pinpoint" leaks that way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfiQ7qWiG-M
