Infamous vacuum leak SES codes

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Meestahbig

Can someone recommend me a specific smoke machine? Seems like a lot of chinese junk and homemade. Like the guy using a cigar. Lol. I get it, but yeah, that's not for me.

I bought this one about two years ago. The price has gone up about $40. It's a good machine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Meestahbig]

What about the Stinger pro 2 smoke machine. Good Amazon reviews. I think I connect my air compressor to it.

[bcredliner]

I made my own based on this video. Works great. Have used it many times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_duzsaZxI

[upallnight]

You can smoke a car with a cigar like Scotty Kilmer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMok2y05jNE&vl=nl

Depending on the cigar it can be a cheap fix or expensive fix.

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

I made my own based on this video. Works great. Have used it many times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_duzsaZxI

Bookmarked that one. 50sKid always has good stuff. I'll make one like that whenever I actually need a smoke machine. I have most of the parts laying around my garage already waiting for this moment , including that spare propane regulator I've been hanging onto for some reason.

I've been planning to make one for a while now, and thought when I got the P0171 and P0174 on my 3.0i that I'd finally be able to do it. Unfortunately , I easily found a clear 1" tear in the lower intake boot and was able to solve the problem by just replacing that (BTW, it was a genuine BMW boot put on by the PO's dealer about 25k miles prior to failure).

Even if you don't want to build your own, that video, starting around 12:30 shows him using it on his M54 engine, with some possibly good info on using any smoke tester on these E53s.

And here's a 50sKid video where he talks specifically about leak hunting for the P0171 and P0174 codes on a M54, which may hopefully at least partially apply to the V8s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3encrkBsss0


Some comments for @Meestahbig:

• It sounds like your problem is intermittent. That might give you some clues on where to look for it, and also means it may be tougher to find, even with a smoke machine if the leak (if it is a leak) is somehow sealed up when you do the test.
  
• The fact that you get both of those codes coming and going at the same time suggests that the problem is affecting both banks equally, so it would not be likely that it's the O2 sensors. Also if that means it is upstream enough to isolate where the leak is (am not so familiar with the V8s), it might help the search.
  
• Don't assume that just because something is new that it is good. Although if you replaced something and there was no change at all before vs. after, that's probably safe to assume it was not the problem to begin with and the replacement has no problem either.
  

[Meestahbig]

Thank you for taking the time to write that up. Those comments are helpful and I learned a few things. Much appreciated.

My CCV "stuff" is on the way... I think it's worthwhile taking my time and having the experience of removing the intake manifold. The CCV swap is easy from there.

I'm also going to replace all the vacuum hoses.

Car will be like new, lol.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by upallnight

You can smoke a car with a cigar like Scotty Kilmer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMok2y05jNE&vl=nl

Depending on the cigar it can be a cheap fix or expensive fix.

I tried the cigar method. I got sick and didn't find the leak.

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

I tried the cigar method. I got sick and didn't find the leak.

And for me, it will be easier to find the few parts from the 50sKid video that I don't already have than it would be to track down a cigar.

[c-bass]

Originally Posted by Meestahbig

Thank you for taking the time to write that up. Those comments are helpful and I learned a few things. Much appreciated.

My CCV "stuff" is on the way... I think it's worthwhile taking my time and having the experience of removing the intake manifold. The CCV swap is easy from there.

I'm also going to replace all the vacuum hoses.

Car will be like new, lol.

I agree and fully support your line of thinking about replacing the end of line parts.

I would like to point out that you can 100% replace the CCV without having to remove the intake manifold if you're sacrificing the old CCV.

Breaking apart the old brittle plastic hoses won't be difficult and the new ones will have enough give to snake everything in without fear of damage.

Make sure you lube the o rings so everything snaps together properly. Nothing worse than having to take everything apart because something popped off.

Since you're replacing all the brittle stuff don't forget there is usually a couple rubber caps where you could attach vaccuum hoses in the back of the intake manifold on the right hand side if you're looking at the engine. Those have a tendency of cracking and it's very difficult to tell unless you pull them off. You can reach back there relatively easily to check.

Arrows 1 and 2

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

I tried the cigar method. I got sick and didn't find the leak.

Not a Cigar smoker.