Update: I stopped using the smoke machine for EVAP leaks and bought a $180 ultrasonic detector

Grace Perry · 2026-09-25T10:00:04.000575+00:00

Honestly for like 12 years I chased EVAP leaks with a smoke machine and just eyeballed where it came out. Last spring a 2016 Civic came in with a P0456 that smoked clean three times and I pulled my hair out for two hours. My shop foreman handed me his ultrasonic setup, an $180 unit, and I found the bad purge valve seal in about 90 seconds because the pitch changed when I got near it. Now I barely touch the smoke machine unless it is a big obvious hose crack. Tbh the detector is not magic on windy days in the bay, you have to cup your hand around the probe and move slow, but it beats guessing. Anybody else switch over or am I late to this party?

Rigidtalk

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Update: I stopped using the smoke machine for EVAP leaks and bought a $180 ultrasonic detector | Auto Mechanics - Rigidtalk