In trying to track down the reason why my Prius's ICE is starting/stopping roughly and an exhaust code, I'm looking at if there are leaks somewhere in the intake are or in the exhaust. I'm rather loathe to be spraying flamable liquids or using propane gas around the electric drive, and that wouldn't do any real good for the exhaust side anyway. I know that the pros will smoke the system to find where any air is getting out of what should be a sealed system, but looking it up these machines are WAY more expensive than they'd be worth to me.
Has anyone ever built or adapted a grassroots smoke machine to do the same thing on the cheap?
Clothes steamer? I remember this was the cheap option for DIY tint removal as well.
I think pimpm3 mentioned a home made smoke machine in the parking lot fiero build thread. Hopefully he will chime in.
I bought two cheap cigars to light and blow into brake booster hose. Might do it today actually.
What about a coffee can with smouldering burlap pressurized with a accordion-style raft pump? Some vac line and silicone sealant...
What about one of these things?
Fog machine
I never tried or seen one, so it might not work at all. But at $25, I'd give it a shot.
Raze
UltraDork
10/31/14 12:21 p.m.
Super easy, just use a compressor and seal off the open end, either tailpipe or intake and put some light pressure in there, keep the compressor far enough away and youll hear all your leaks...ask me how I know?
I've rigged up a novelty fog machine before. The trick is getting it to funnel down to a vacuum hose.
BTW- what's the fault code that is coming up?
Raze wrote:
Super easy, just use a compressor and seal off the open end, either tailpipe or intake and put some light pressure in there, keep the compressor far enough away and youll hear all your leaks...ask me how I know?
...And then put a little soapy water to "see" the leaks? Sounds like a winning idea!
Cone_Junkie wrote:
I've rigged up a novelty fog machine before. The trick is getting it to funnel down to a vacuum hose.
BTW- what's the fault code that is coming up?
The fault code of P0420- catalyst not operating to efficiency. The 'knee-jerk' answer to it is 'replace the cat', but if it's not really the issue- and at first blush the temperature plots from the cat seem to indicate it's still working- I'd rather knock out all the other possibilities before blowing the money on that since this is a car I'm fixing up to flip.
The engine stumbling/shuddering on start/stop (which, this being a Prius, it does OFTEN) isn't throwing any codes that I've seen but it's definitely noticeable and from what I've been told isn't normal as I'm told that the engine start and stop is usually unnoticeable (other than sound).
pimpm3
HalfDork
10/31/14 1:32 p.m.
I will upload how I made mine once I get to work, I went a little overboard but I can use the one I made the rest of my life. You basically need some hose, a paint can and a glow plug from a gm diesel plus some mineral oil...
Hal
SuperDork
10/31/14 6:02 p.m.
Ashyukun wrote:
The fault code of P0420- catalyst not operating to efficiency. The 'knee-jerk' answer to it is 'replace the cat', but if it's not really the issue- and at first blush the temperature plots from the cat seem to indicate it's still working- I'd rather knock out all the other possibilities before blowing the money on that since this is a car I'm fixing up to flip.
In my experience a P0420 code is caused by these in order:
- Failure of the last O2 sensor.
- Engine running rich.
- Failure of the cat.
with the first two occurring much more frequently than the third.
find a rental house and rent one. Any theatrical rental place will have them.
With the recent popularity of e-cigarettes I've been wondering if one could be adapted successfully. Seems like they're a little expensive and don't make much puff, though.
User f6sk rigged up a vacumm fogger with a cheap cigar, some hose, and a coffee can with a lid. Check it out here.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1988-isuzu-i-mark-turbo/84025/page9/#post1639345
68TR250
New Reader
10/31/14 9:33 p.m.
Check out Youtube - there are several Grassroots styles on there. I did like ebonyandivory suggested and got a couple cigars and blew smoke in some vacuum lines and have found one where the connector is slightly split. I'm going to pick up a replacement tomorrow and see if that takes care of the high idle on my Blazer.
if you wanted to rent a fogger for a day or two.. look in the yellow pages. I pulled this up with no effort at all. and it is in your area
Yellowpages
