Your car, truck, or utility vehicle has a combustion engine. The combustion engine produces vacuum pressure. This pressure is used throughout the engine to power components such as the power steering pump. The vacuum pressure is routed through vacuum hoses. If any of these hoses spring a leak, CAR FIX in Maryville advises that you may start to have problems with some of your vehicle’s components as well as the additional issues listed below.
Engine Performance Lag
When the vacuum hose begins to leak the vacuum pressure, the engine fills with air. Unfortunately, this excess air can also fill the combustion chamber and cause the engine to become fuel-starved. When this happens, you will notice a lag in your engine performance as well as in your vehicle’s acceleration. In severe cases, your engine may stall because it is filled with too much air and does not have enough gasoline or diesel fuel to maintain combustion.
High/Erratic Engine Idle
Another sign that one of the vacuum hoses in your engine is leaking is high or erratic engine idling. You will see this sign on your tachometer. If the needle is constantly registering RPMs that are higher than normal, or if the needle is bouncing up and down, this is an indication that the engine is getting spurts of air coming out of a leaking vacuum hose. Unfortunately, the engine’s RPMs will be off until you have the vacuum leak fixed. We can do that here at our auto shop in Maryville.
Suction or Hissing Sounds
Sometimes, there is an audible indication that the engine has a vacuum leak. When small amounts of vacuum pressure are leaking out of the vacuum hoses, the hoses will make hissing sounds. If the vacuum leak is a large one, the hose will make a suction sound. If you hear hissing or suction coming from the engine, one of the vacuum hoses is leaking. Replacing the leaking hose will resolve the strange noises.
Check Engine Warning
Finally, the above symptoms of an engine vacuum leak will be accompanied by a dashboard warning light. Specifically, the engine control module will turn on the check engine light to let you know there is a problem with the engine. In this case, one of the vacuum hoses is leaking and the engine is filling with air.
Call CAR FIX in Maryville, TN, today if your vehicle is acting as if it has a vacuum leak. We will find the leak and replace the hose.
