smoke test for exhaust leaks?

[Hiitman]

a guy on dsmlink mentioned doing a smoke test and found an exhaust leak at his dp. anyone know of the process that he was talking about?

 

[romeen]

Running a can of Seafoam through your intake manifold (for purpose of cleaning the IM and combustion chambers) has a side effect of producing quite a bit of smoke. This smoke will find its way out of even the most minute of exhaust leaks and is probably the best way (that I know of at least) to help indentify/locate them.

I can't say for sure that this is what your friend did but the basic principle is still the same. You can do a search on Seafoam for more info.

 

[spyderturbo007]

Some garages have a special smoke machine that runs off your 12v battery and hooks up to an air compressor. You clamp this rubber plug on the tailpipe and pump in smoke under pressure. It's how I found the leak in my flex section. No wonder my AFR's are all messed up.

 

[DSMunknown]

I'll support Romeen's suggestion for a cheap alternative. Just remember you'll need an extra body to put in the Sea Foam while you lay on your back. But if you wish to pay someone else to do it for you, then Nate's suggestion is the way to go.

If you want to try Nate's suggestion for yourself, you can probably make a big boost leak tester and put it over your tailpipe. And you would also have to incorporate a gauge somewhere in there to read the pressure, and to see if you're losing air somewhere. Then just break out the soapy water and throw it on suspected areas.

 

[Hiitman]

thats exactly what i was thinking a big boost leak tester on the tailpipe. jw tho if that was safe. i guess only a couple of lbs would be ok.

 

[Cs4g63]

There is an exhaust shop in town here that the guy checks for leaks by running a torch along the exhaust while the car is running while on a hoist. Something about what it does to the flame is the way he knows if there is a leak. Im not sure but I believe it was that it would make the flame jump around from the air coming out from the leak.

 

[fallenauthority]

There is an exhaust shop in town here that the guy checks for leaks by running a torch along the exhaust while the car is running while on a hoist. Something about what it does to the flame is the way he knows if there is a leak. Im not sure but I believe it was that it would make the flame jump around from the air coming out from the leak.

The flame would die down a bit when brought to an exhaust leak cause the exhaust is carbon dioxide, flames need oxygen to burn, carbon dioxide is a biproduct of combustion, meaning it cant fuel a fire. thats how you can use a torch to find leaks.

 

[Hiitman]

i was thinking of making an exhaust leak tester similar to a boost leak tester (cap with a valve) to mount onto the end of my muffler. anyone ever try this and if so does it work well?

 

[Boosted98gsx]

or you could turn your car on and listen?

 

[donswan]

Many muffler shops will just put your car on a lift and do a look, listen and feel. They feel for air that is escaping out out area's that it's not suspose to be coming out of.

 

[chico904]

Just have someone cover your exhaust with something, a rag, a board.etc... and then go around and check for leaks. A leak will be very obvious.