Bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle to Rick’s Auto Center right away if you suspect the engine has a vacuum leak. The following five things are signs of a vacuum leak. If you notice any of these problems with your automobile, head to our shop as soon as possible to have the leaking vacuum hose replaced.
1. Poor Engine Performance
The reason why it’s important to replace the leaking vacuum hose ASAP is that your engine will suffer from poor performance when it has a vacuum leak. The vacuum leak fills the engine with air and causes problems with combustion. When the engine is unable to produce combustion efficiently, it will have problems producing power. In other words, it will lag and sputter.
2. Reduction in the Fuel Economy
To add salt to the wound, the sputtering engine is going to reduce your automobile’s fuel economy because the engine will use up excess fuel to try to produce power. It’s important to replace the leaking vacuum hose so it stops filling the engine with air and affecting its performance. This is the only way you can get the best gas mileage out of your automobile.
3. High and/or Erratic RPMs
If you are concerned that your engine has a vacuum leak, take a quick glance at your tachometer while you are driving. If the needle is registering unusually high RPMs, you have a steady vacuum leak coming out of a hole in the vacuum hose. This causes the RPMs to spike. If the tachometer needle is bouncing up and down, you have an unsteady vacuum leak.
4. Malfunctioning Components
The reason why the vacuum pressure is pushed through hoses in your engine is that it is used to help provide power to engine components. For example, the power steering pump is attached to the accessory belt and uses vacuum pressure for its power. As such, you may have malfunctioning components, such as problems with your steering, if the engine has a vacuum leak.
5. Strange Sounds in the Engine
Finally, the vacuum leak will cause your engine to make strange noises. The noise is actually coming from the leaking hose, and it may sound like hissing if the vacuum leak isn’t that bad. If the vacuum hose has a severe leak, it will make suction noises.
Call Rick’s Auto Center in Hamden, CT, today to schedule an appointment for a vacuum hose inspection.
