Foxwell ST201 Automotive Smoke Machine Review: A Good Deal?

Patiently, my friend explained, giving a summary of what would happen and, generally, what I would get at the end of the day. He wrapped up, looking at me like some grade kid.

“A smoke machine is your best bet, Throttle; you can’t figure out an EVAP leak that stubborn on your own.”

I thanked him – and continued to do what I believed would give me answers: I traced hoses manually, changed piping, tapped others – before it painfully became obvious that I needed a smoke machine.

Since a friend had used – and highly recommended the Foxwell ST201, it was my first point of call. Today’s review is the outcome of using the smoke machine for months now, consistently.

However, before I share my story, here’s what the Foxwell ST201 automotive smoke machine looks like, on Amazon.’

My Story & How I Came About a Smoke Machine

I’ve always been an auto DIY mechanic – as far back as I can remember. However, though I was too scared to fix my car directly for several years, I always told the mechanic how things should be done, and never once did we meet failure.

One day, after a challenging incident, it occurred to me that, perhaps, I could fix my vehicle better than my local mechanic. So, what exactly was I paying for?

I bought the Haynes workshop manual of my make and model and the rest, they say, is history.

However, there was something that I soon met that challenged my decision to go DIY: I discovered that on acceleration, my daily driver made some noises – akin to leaking air.

The noises were happening around the intake. I removed the system, checked carefully, and discovered nothing. It continued – and I was pissed off.

My trusted glove box code reader always indicated that I had a small leak in the system (the stubborn P0456). However, like all code readers and scanners, this machine wasn’t specific and I kept proceeding in a trial-and-error manner.

Then, it struck me (after a close friend brought the issue up): why not get a smoke machine, hook it to the EVAP system, and see what pops up?

I did – and didn’t stop at one. I got both the Foxwell NT201 and 203 – which became the basis for this comparison.

Like a movie, I saw, crystal clear, where the challenge was coming from: the manifold gasket was missing and the folk who worked the vehicle before it came to me (it was bought used) simply used some black gum to get sealing there.

This was how I landed not one – but two smoke machines!

Foxwell ST201 Review: First Impression and What’s in the Box

The Foxwell ST201 shipped to my address in a handy, biodegradable pack. The unit appeared smaller than I had imagined (don’t mind me, I didn’t pay attention to the sizing on Amazon).

The smaller-than-expected size was a plus, however: the unit remained easy to use and importantly, store away, after use.

The pack itself had the automotive smoke machine, a user guide, an assortment of smoke adapters – including a funnel (for carefully pouring in the smoke oil), a hook for threading and hanging the unit up (during work or storage), an alligator power adapter (to take 12v power from the starter battery to the unit itself) and a smoke adapter that channeled smoke from the machine to wherever it was needed.

The unit was solid to the feel, and that impression had not been eroded. It remains to be seen, however, how long it will last but for the months I’ve been using it, it hasn’t given me any cause for concern or any apprehension regarding its overall quality.

Functions & Abilities

The Foxwell ST201 automotive smoke machine is at its heart a basic smoke machine with a pump. Capable of pumping out smoke and channeling same to where a leak will indicate failure, it does little else.

You take the ST201 out, pour some smoke oil into it, connect it to the starter battery, connect the smoke line, and power on the unit.

It takes some seconds before the unit’s power begins to manifest, and smoke can be channeled to the desired place.

It’s as simple and as straightforward as that.

Other Notable Functions & Features

Besides being able to simply serve as an automotive smoke machine and direct smoke where it’s needed for testing, the Foxwell ST201 has a feature worth clearly stating: it comes with an inbuilt pump that fires off the generated smoke without the need for an external pump.

What this means is simple and quite straight to the point: once you have this unit around, you don’t need to bother with any other pump to make sure that the generated smoke reaches where you intend for it to reach.

While this appears to be common sense, many of its direct competitors aren’t designed in this way, giving the unit an ultimate edge in the process.

Foxwell ST201 Vehicle Compatibility

Since I got the Foxwell ST201 (which is just under a year now), I’ve been testing it across several cars, trucks, and just about anything that needs to be tested with an automotive smoke machine.

Frankly, the unit has exceeded my wildest expectations as there has never been an instance that it has failed to carry out its intended task.

The major reason for this is the wild array of adapters that has seen me still trying to figure out what to do with most of the options.

For the ST201 smoke machine, if you have a legitimate need to test any component on a vehicle (no matter the vehicle or its class), it’s going to serve without any challenges.

Limitations

That the Foxwell ST201 smoke machine is powerful and brilliantly serves in an array of instances isn’t debatable. However, it isn’t all glorious. The unit has its limitations that are worthy of note, if you’re considering it.

1. No Auto Shut Off

You read the title correctly: there’s no auto shut-off feature. If you’re using the ST201, you’ll have to remember to manually switch it off.

Granted, the machine is rated to work (within safe limits) for about ten (10) minutes – after which it may go bunkers.

If you love your unit, you’ll have to remember this and power it off occasionally while using it, especially if you fathom that you’ll be needing it for more than ten minutes at a stretch.

It’s not a deal breaker, but if you frequently forget things…

2. The Smoke Machine Has an Initial Delay

Upon powering the smoke machine, you’ll have to wait for a few seconds right up to a minute (and in some cases, beyond) to get it to output reasonable smoke to carry out your ‘smoking’ tasks.

This, in my opinion, is reasonable, especially when one considers the fact that the unit takes a variety of oils (to produce smoke) and these oils are each formulated differently.

However, if you’re very busy or generally, lack patience, this is one thing to consider. To its credit, however, when it starts bringing up smoke, it does so in a truly impressive manner.

Alternatives to Consider

Consider the Shop Series Plus smoke machine from AutoLine Pro if you’re looking for something made in the US and are desirous of supporting a small Los Angeles family business.

However, don’t let the ‘small’ or ‘family’ in the description lead you astray: the Shop Series Plus is as capable as they come, has a built-in pump, and importantly, features an all-metal design, wrapping it up with competitive pricing.

The best part? You also get OEM-approved smoke oil so you don’t get stared at when you request baby oil at the store 🙂

If you’re looking for an automotive smoke machine that produces smoke instantly (or near instantly), the Solary SD301 is a great option to consider.

With it, you’re assured of all the good things the Foxwell ST201 offers (including an internal pump, a lightweight reality, hanger, and baby oil use in place of automotive smoke machine oil).

The Solary SD301 also retails around the same price point as the Foxwell ST201; you won’t be spending more, essentially.

However, if you’ve come to love Foxwell and prefer to buy from the company, the Foxwell ST203 smoke machine is also another alternative worth looking at.

The unit produces much more smoke than the entry-level 201, has a leak size detector that informs you, reliably of the leak size, has a pressure gauge, and importantly, has the option of smoke or air-only output.

The air-only output mode allows for safely testing components that are sensitive to smoke.

Though significantly more expensive than the ST201, the ST203 is worth every penny paid extra over the base ST201.

Should You Buy the Foxwell ST201?

Yes – without thinking twice.

Unless you truly need the auto shutoff function, which the Foxwell ST201 lacks (I don’t need it myself), and need your smoke generated immediately (I’m a mechanic – we all have patience, especially when the wait is mere seconds), then, there isn’t a strong case against the ST201.

The price and product are right; the features are just what is needed without any extras, and the unit itself is versatile; so versatile it is that I’m still figuring out how and where to use a legion of accessories the smoke machine came with.

Click here to check out the Foxwell ST201 on Amazon and decide for yourself.

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