Make Your Own Vacuum Leak Smoke Tester?

[cornflakes2]

I've been watching a lot of videos on DIY vacuum leak smokers ($15-$40).
The main oil they all use to create the smoke is mineral oil (or baby oil).

My question is, can you use a different oil other than mineral oil? I'm not sure what the smoking point of
mineral oil is, but if there is a lower smoking point oil, could that be used instead of mineral oil?

Or is mineral oil safer to use (maybe it doesn't pose any risk or danger to your intake tubes, hoses, etc)?

The reason I ask is because you have to use a soldering iron to heat the wick/oil to create the smoke but in
order to use a soldering iron, you'd have to have access to an AC outlet. Since I don't have one (no garage),
I can only do it outside in some public open space. I was thinking of alternative ideas to create the smoke
such as heating the glass jar over a candle (less power, but that's why I'm looking for a lower smoking point oil
if there is one), or a portable butane stove, or small blow torch.

I recall when cooking with coconut oil, the kitchen would get completely smoked up because coconut oil smokes
at a very low temperature compared to other cooking oils. I just don't know if using coconut oil smoke vs mineral oil smoke
poses any risks to your vacuum lines, hoses etc....my guess is that coconut oil smoke may leave an oily / sticky residue
inside the hoses and possibly the MAF sensor or other O2 sensors that mineral oil doesn't? I'm not sure.

[227bhp]

What about the stuff they used to pump out across disco dance floors?

[Stegel]

Re the suggestion of dance floor fog machines, they do use baby oil. I made a smoke tester using a cheap eBay fog machine and instructions on a MB forum. Obviously it uses mains power, and compressed air, so isn’t going to help the OP.

[227bhp]

Then the OP must take up smoking, a big fat Havana should do the job.

[NDNDNDND]

I made a DIY smoke tester using an old syrup tin. I made two holes in the lid, in one I shoved a piece of transparent tubing and in the other I glued the valve from a bicycle inner tube. For smoke, you can buy smoke test cubes. I just lit one and then dropped it into the tin and closed the lid. I then connected a bicycle pump to the inner tube valve and used that to pump smoke into the intake via the PCV connection on the carb. The smoke test cube did leave a brown residue though, and although it didn't seem to affect anything, this was on a carburetted car without MAF sensors etc and with a 'wet' intake that would clean itself. I sprayed carb cleaner into the intake with the engine running afterwards to help clean it out. I did find my vacuum leak though!

[cornflakes2]

thanks for the replies. Hmmm...yes fog maker like in theater plays would be great but again, need a main power somewhere.
Smoke test cubes? I haven't thought of that one yet. I will look around and see if I can find any that don't look harmful to the engine.
Yes, I have heard about cigar method...I think Scotty Kilmer did that in one of his videos. I do not smoke, so that option is out
or could I use one of those vapes???

[227bhp]

I like the vapes idea, some of those put out huge clouds of something

[steveo3002]

how about using a 12v soldering iron

[cornflakes2]

227bhp said:

I like the vapes idea, some of those put out huge clouds of something

agreed! Yes, they do! Has anyone ever tried it to do a vacuum leak test? Am I onto something here? Maybe I should make a youtube video
using this method...I could make quite a lot of money if it goes viral

[GreenV8S]

A 12V soldering iron would avoid the power supply problems and leave you with a known good, simple solution.

[cornflakes2]

GreenV8S said:

A 12V soldering iron would avoid the power supply problems and leave you with a known good, simple solution.

I decided to just purchase a vape pen ($20) starter kit with no nicotine e-liquid. Total came to $25. After watching a bunch of videos on it,
I'm eager to try that out!

[227bhp]

You've got me thinking now, I wonder if I could make something for use in the workshop. I have a mate who uses these things and I also have a small motor with a vac pump on the end, I wonder if it would be easy to pipe one to the other and blow it in?

[Penelope Stopit]

Marijuana gives good smoke