How to fix a leaking car vacuum system
Leaking of the vacuum system on a car will greatly affect the vehicle's ability to operate.
What is a car vacuum system?
Engine vacuum system is an important concept because the engine needs the right amount of air and fuel to run smoothly.
The vacuum system involved in the operation of the internal combustion engine in a car is a sophisticated, complex part that helps the car run. In other words, the car engine works like a giant air pump.
The vacuum system controls the internal combustion engine and its efficiency has a direct impact on the performance of the engine. Therefore, if you want your car to run well, you must know how to maintain it properly.
What is a vacuum leak?
A vacuum leak occurs when extra air is pumped into an internal combustion engine, and this extra air is not detected by the engine computer - the part that calculates the ideal amount of fuel to pump into the engine - thus creating a fuel mixture,
As a result, the engine will not work properly and will stall.
An unbalanced ratio of air and fuel in the engine can cause the following consequences:
Check Engine light is on on the dashboard
Increased emissions: An engine with too much air will burn hotter thus producing more oxide emissions.
More fuel efficient than normal: With too much air, the engine control unit will try to compensate by adding more fuel to the air-fuel mixture, resulting in the vehicle consuming more fuel.
Stagnant Engine
Engine idles faster than normal
Engine idle unevenly
Poor acceleration
How to fix a vacuum leak
Fixing a vacuum leak is fairly simple. You simply replace any damaged hoses or tubes — the most common causes of vacuum leaks. In some cases, if one end of the vacuum hose is damaged, you can cut off up to half an inch and re-connect the hose.
A temporary repair before replacement is to wrap thick, stiff duct tape around the damaged pipe to limit leakage.
You can drive a car with a vacuum leak for a while. However, vacuum leaks cause the engine to overheat, increasing engine temperature and thus accelerating the deterioration of rubber and plastic parts, such as hoses and vacuum tubes.
Therefore, it is advisable to check for vacuum leaks and fix them as soon as possible. Especially if the leak occurs in the brake booster, it needs to be fixed before driving.
