Smoke test for Vacuum Leak

[hsingh419]

Hey guys..I'm getting the infamous right/left bank running lean on my 2000 Explorer. So I ran a smoke test to see if there was a vacuum leak. The upper intake manifold is def leaking in one spot so I guess I'm replacing the gasket for that for sure. I also saw smoke coming out of the "knob" on the IAC and the bottom half of the EGR valve. Is this normal? Maybe the EGR valve is stuck open? My truck is otherwise running perfectly...but getting the P0171/P0174 codes.

Thanks in advance!

 

[hsingh419]

Anybody?..lol..

 

[Scout3]

hsingh419,
Don't have too much info for you but I have a question. Did you do your own smoke test or did you have it done? If you did it yourself, could you explain how you did it? I have been trying to come up with some way for the home mechanic to do this. I have read where some people have used a fog machine with good results. They way engines and controls rely on vacuum, I am suprised someone has not come out with a relatively cheap smoke machine for the home mechanic. I believe that some EGR valves will leak like that due to the way they are made now. Thanks.

Ed

 

[hsingh419]

hsingh419,
Don't have too much info for you but I have a question. Did you do your own smoke test or did you have it done? If you did it yourself, could you explain how you did it? I have been trying to come up with some way for the home mechanic to do this. I have read where some people have used a fog machine with good results. They way engines and controls rely on vacuum, I am suprised someone has not come out with a relatively cheap smoke machine for the home mechanic. I believe that some EGR valves will leak like that due to the way they are made now. Thanks.

Ed

No problem man. I followed the directions here:
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/081547.html

and here is the album from my facebook for the one I made (its just a lil' different):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2353856&id=36621529&l=43b79fa50c

worked great!!..and its cheap!!

 

[joshuatbird]

hsingh419,
Don't have too much info for you but I have a question. Did you do your own smoke test or did you have it done? If you did it yourself, could you explain how you did it? I have been trying to come up with some way for the home mechanic to do this. I have read where some people have used a fog machine with good results. They way engines and controls rely on vacuum, I am suprised someone has not come out with a relatively cheap smoke machine for the home mechanic. I believe that some EGR valves will leak like that due to the way they are made now. Thanks.

Ed

this home made smoke machine is very cheap and I had half of the stuff already. It worked! You can use baby oil too and get it at most dollar stores. Make sure the sock is really soaked and you bury the saudering iron needle into the sock. You'll see what I mean. I used an inertube inlet instead of a pencap for a perfect seal. Best to run the test in the dark under white led light, its hard to trace it in sunlight. The plastic tubing is sold at hardware stores by the foot for like 50 cents per, and is size 1/4" and saudering irons are $7.00 at Walmart. You can get the hose clamps at any hardware store for very cheap too. Let me know if you have more questions about it.