How To Use Smoke To Find a Vacuum Leak
The engine of your car takes in air and mixes it with fuel, which then gets compressed and ignited to generate the power that runs your vehicle. The engine draws in air through a partially closed butterfly-shaped valve, which creates a vacuum in the intake manifold. That vacuum is used to control a variety of different functions that can all be disrupted by air leaks. One of the easiest ways to detect an air leak in your vehicle is by using smoke.
The Smoke Machine
Professional smoke machines pump a thick white smoke into the intake system and vacuum lines of your vehicle. You can then watch for puffs of smoke in your engine compartment to locate places where the air is leaking out. This process can also be used to find exhaust leaks. Similar equipment is available to use the smoke method to find leaks in other types of …
