Finding Discovery 3 Air Suspension Leaks: Let the Smoke Do the Work

Hunting down a small air suspension leak on a Discovery 3 is usually a slow game of bubbles—spraying soapy water over lines, fittings, and airbags, then watching for tiny bubbles. It works… eventually. But it’s tedious, easy to miss, and can test your patience.

I’m taking a different approach: using an automotive smoke machine. Instead of trying to find the leak, I’m letting the leak find me. By pumping smoke into the compressor air intake, any leak instantly reveals itself with a plume of smoke. It’s fast, visual, and satisfying.

A few important notes for safety and effectiveness:

• The smoke is baby oil-based (or mineral oil-based), which is generally safe for rubber, plastic, and metal components.
• The compressor in the Discovery 3 has drier beads inside. Short diagnostic runs with smoke won’t harm them, but avoid prolonged exposure—don’t run the system for hours with smoke flowing.
• Keep the system at normal pressure; smoke will naturally follow airflow and escape from leaks.
• Work in a ventilated area—you want to see the smoke clearly, not inhale it.

Once the leak is located, fixing or resealing the component is straightforward. For anyone frustrated with the traditional bubble method, this approach is a game-changer: the leak literally points itself out.