Smoke Machine Substitute?

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Think I need one, so thinking about quick/dirty improvisations.

How about steam? Easier to generate and self-pressurising. Maybe less visible.

Main risk I can think of would be condensation pooling in a cylinder giving hydro-lock damage.

There's also corrosion potential if I didn't get the thing running in a reasonable time and it sat with condensation in it, but then there's always a bit of blowby condensate anyway.
 
What are you using it for?

Dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) in water makes nice fog. In a container with a short hose makes a small stream of fog.
 
I use this.

Highly visible, mucho smoke in any color you want. Ive stuck it up exhaust pipes, intakes, cooling systems and it has always done the job for me. All three times.
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Easy peasy leak detection at a fraction of the price. Best of all, you've got a nice show for the trick or treaters come Halloween time (assuming there is beggars night in Taiwan).

The fog juice is glycol based so not a big concern for residue or corrosion.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Not sure where I'd score dry ice.

I'm about 7,500 miles from the nearest Harbour Freight, but I do have a hand pump for an inflatable boat.

Hair dryer?

Had thought of cigar as a possible smoke-source but hadn't thought of e-cigs.

I've also seen party foggers here, though I'm not sure where I'd buy or borrow one. Will ask around.

Failing those options, I'm thinking I might be able to use my motorcycle exhaust, dribbling a bit of 2-stroke into the air intake.

I do have a 2-stroke motorcycle but it isn't currently running, and when it was I did quite a lot of work to try and cut-down its smoking.

And I just did quite a lot of work to clean tar out of my carburettor, and now I might be getting it to smoke cigars.

Oh the ironies.
 
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Originally Posted By: Garak
An ancient mechanic in the city here used to do the cigar thing all the time.
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I don't think he was capable of working on a car without one hanging from his mouth.


Yeh. Ex-GF's uncle would have made a pretty good smoke machine substitute, but, not coincidentally, he isn't around any more.
 
I rigged mine from an empty metal gallon paint can with lid, incense/firework punks, silicone tubing and an old aquarium pump. Worked great. Saved LOTS of time.
 
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