A stubborn Ford F-150 taught me a new way to find vacuum leaks

For years, I'd just spray carb cleaner around the intake and listen for the engine to surge. Last week, a 2015 F-150 with a rough idle wouldn't show up with that method. A tech I know told me to use a smoke machine, which I borrowed from the shop down the street. I hooked it up, and within two minutes, I saw a tiny plume of smoke from a cracked PCV hose elbow I never would have found. Anyone else switch to smoke testing for those hard-to-find leaks?

3 comments

3 Comments

erickelly9d agoMost Upvoted

So the carb cleaner method just gave up on that truck, huh? Guess it decided to retire early.

sarahpark9d ago

Yeah, that's rough. @erickelly, did it just stop working all at once or was it a slow death? I've seen some older trucks where the cleaner can't even touch the gunk built up over years.

emma4558d ago

My buddy's truck did that to him too, @erickelly.