Automotive "smoke" machine (leak detection)

[alepkowski]

Haven’t checked that yet. Notice that it usually cranks best when the engine is cold and less well as the engine warms up. Does anyone have access to Shopkey?

[MadScists]

I’m thinking that there might be a couple separate issues going on.

@alepkowski

Checked the pressure on the fuel rail with a rental test gauge and readings looked normal. After that used some injector cleaner products in the gas tank which led to a big improvement in the startup time, but still not completely normal.

I agree that this might be an indicator of a dirty tank / fuel pump sock / filter.
What were the reading on the fuel pressure test? You said normal, but not what the readings were.

There’s also the possibility that you could have an issue with your EGR valve, map sensor or throttle body position sensor. All three can cause long and sometimes no starts.

@alepkowski

P219A comes and goes. Emissions readiness monitors reset to “not ready” everytime i turn off the engine, which is abnormal

This feels like there might be a short in the 02 wiring somewhere.
I was chasing that same problem in one of my trucks and come to find out a rock or something had hit the O2 sensor plug and damaged it just enough that the connection was loose and intermittent even when the plug itself was fully seated.

But of course, those are just a couple of numerous possibilities going with what information we have.

Have you plugged this into the Diagnostics tablet and run a full Diagnostics to see if it’s reporting any other errors that wouldn’t trigger a check engine light?

[alepkowski]

Fuel pressure gauge showed about 60psi at idle
Im not an expert on that tablet but in my brief use it showed basically the same things my wifi based ELM scanner showed. Didn’t find any additional information though i didn’t dig very far.

[MadScists]

Ok, what make, model and motor?

[alepkowski]

2012 Chevy Express 1500 4.3L V6 Base model, RWD

[rniess]

@pudnocker

I own one of those smoke machines, and had it at the space for a while until someone connected it to a vacuum line and it crushed the can. Let me know if you want to borrow it.

If you still have this and are still willing to lend it, I’d love to borrow it for a day! Or I can meet you at DMS sometime to use it with you. Trying to find an Evap leak on my 2005 Buick Century.

[rniess]

I gave up trying to find a smoke test machine to borrow. And I didn’t want to use a hand pump and burning plant matter stick as a work-around. So I bought a cheap smoke test machine. More than I wanted to spend, but cheaper than what a shop would charge me to diagnose my evap leak. Assuming it works, I’m open to lending it out if others here need one.

[garrethw]

Hi - you don’t know me from Adam, but I just joined and have a large Evap system leak on one of my cars.

If you’re open to lending a smoke machine to total strangers, I’d love to borrow it. I could contribute to smoke juice, good karma and such.

Cheers

[rniess]

Hi there! Yep, I am still open to lending it out. I’ll DM you.