DIY Stop using carb clean for vaccum leaks!! Here is a alternative

Originally Posted by Lemonsqr

They use commercially available smoke machines.

Correct we use comercial grade one that cost 2-3000. Thi was just a way for you guiys aas DIY to save some money and still be able to do things correctly

Originally Posted by jbeurotech

Correct we use comercial grade one that cost 2-3000. Thi was just a way for you guiys aas DIY to save some money and still be able to do things correctly

.... yeah, but why can't you just use Carb Cleaner? That's cheaper than ... Ooops, never mind!

Most of the newer car react to fast on small vacuum leaks and the carb clean method doesn't help to find the leak. really small leaks will not show up with carb clean hence the machine. If i could find every leak with carb clean Why would I spend all the money of a Professional smoke machine?

Originally Posted by jbeurotech

Most of the newer car react to fast on small vacuum leaks and the carb clean method doesn't help to find the leak. really small leaks will not show up with carb clean hence the machine. If i could find every leak with carb clean Why would I spend all the money of a Professional smoke machine?

I was just joking... In fact, I'm still dealing with a possible vacuum leak and haven't even tried carb cleaner because I read your posts wherein you said it doesnt work.

jeez i wish I would have built one of these when I was hunting for vacuum leaks on my volvo. so many tiny leaks, the propane did nothing...
good job on the easy to follow plan!

Originally Posted by CrashTest

jeez i wish I would have built one of these when I was hunting for vacuum leaks on my volvo. so many tiny leaks, the propane did nothing...
good job on the easy to follow plan!

Yeah, Volvos & Fords are known for their vacuum leaks... Google P0171 P0174 (Lean Bank 1 & 2... which most probably is a vacuum leak) and see how many Ford & Volvo search results you'll come up with.

I just threw P0171 & P0174 on my ZHP. THis sounds like a great way to check for vacuum leaks yourself, but I'm tired of dealing with my car and am letting a shop do it this time. On a side note/rant: They wanted $90 to read the code and diagnose it...I told them screw that...I have the codes here...find my vacuum leak

Originally Posted by initialandrew

I just threw P0171 & P0174 on my ZHP. THis sounds like a great way to check for vacuum leaks yourself, but I'm tired of dealing with my car and am letting a shop do it this time. On a side note/rant: They wanted $90 to read the code and diagnose it...I told them screw that...I have the codes here...find my vacuum leak

Would you be so kind as to come back and post where that leak, if any, was located? I would really appreciate it.

It sounds to me like your car is already at the dealer, if not... check out this thread: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=360230 to see if the boot/elbow is the culprit.

Or if you're not in the mood to read 13 pages then just go to this DIY...
http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/tubeelbow.php
Pretty simple, $15 to $20 for that part, a couple of scraped knuckles and its done.

Thanks in advance for the update.

has anyone made one of these yet?

Could this be used for a fuel tank leak as well as an engine leak ?

I have a hissing noise coming from the fuel rail/intake manifold area an am considering building one of these. How much current does the 12 volt source need for the glow plug to work? Has anyone else tried this?

can you let us know what you find with the hissing sound near rail. I have the same. I see no tubes there to check for leaks.

what if you disconnect the power to your idle speed control valve? the car won't correct for the propane, and you should hear changes in idle.

Top as this keeps coming up TEST DON"T REPALCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by jbeurotech

Top as this keeps coming up TEST DON"T REPALCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never 'Repalce' if I can help it.

Originally Posted by BarryR

Could this be used for a fuel tank leak as well as an engine leak ?

Yes it can

Guess I'm building one of these over the next couple of weeks... my '02 330i has been lighting up my SES light occasionally but it usually turns off (and doesn't store the code?) by the time I have my scanner handy. Yesterday I finally caught it (while I was driving down the interstate!) and it was P0174. I'm certain it's not the intake boots; I replaced those very recently as preventive maintenance.

Thankfully I have some glow plugs left over from my old Mercedes diesel. I think I have a 12V tire pump too, worst case scenario I'll rig it up to my little air compressor... I'll take some photos once it's working.

Following Seth's previously posted advice on lean-condition codes: Can the O2 sensor additive/multiplicative values be read by most OBDII scanners? I've misplaced the manual for my Innova brand scanner but can probably figure it out, IF that's something it can read. What should I be looking for?

[edit] Just read this in another thread:

Originally Posted by jbeurotech

Additive and multiplicative can only be read with better BMW equipment, however you can read short term and long term fuel trim which is close and can be used similarly

Any further details on how to do this, or what to look for? Most of my knowledge is in obsolete diesel engines with mechanical injection pumps.

Seth,

I too am getting P0171 & P0174. Have already inspected and re tightened all the intake hoses but no joy yet. I love the smoke machine idea (THANK YOU!). Since I already own an air compressor and an output regulator I'd rather not buy the tire pump. Can you suggest what PSI I should set the regulator for? Also, I'm guessing the right feed point for the pressurized smoke would be sealed into the intake hose just after the MAF. Is that right?

Thanks!

whats being used to hold these items together? Soft flex black pipe/drain, pvc, clear hose?

I got to make one of these, no shop around here has a smoke machine to use on my car...

this would have been great if it was a actual step by step DIY...that MS paint sketch doesn't help a retart like me