what is the best or just one in general for checking for a vaccum leak? ideas please..

 

an easy way to check for vacuum leaks is to take a can of carb cleaner, or anything else that will burn, and spray a bit on the area you think is leaking while the engine is running. if its leaking the rpms will rise, if not you now have one spot eliminated. be careful near the exhaust of course. sounds questionable but works pretty darn good

 

Buy a cheap vacuum gauge. T into any vac line. At idle you should pull about 20" of vacuum. Anything less indicates a vacuum leak somewhere.

 

Use a Smoke Machine. Quick, safe and you do it with the vehicle not running.
I like it also because it is very easy to find the little leaks like intake gaskets that only leak when cold.

 

what is a smoke machine? and when you say cold are you meaning like when you first crank the car? cause everytime i crank it when the car has cooled off i get a code 33 and the car acts like a carb car when you have to "clear" it up

 

A "Smoke" Machine is normally used for finding evap leaks but it can be used of other purposes. It takes oil that is stored in the machine and dumps it on a hot motor to create smoke the smoke is then released through a line routed to what ever your checking, it harmless and can help fine pinhole leaks that wouldn't be visible.

 

where do you get em at?

 

To be honest i have not seen the sold in stores... only dealers and independent shops would have something like that. Estimated cost of the one at my dealership is 3k

 

lol guess ill have to try the carb cleaner