Many older automobiles develop vacuum leaks from the vacuum hoses. These hoses push the vacuum created by the engine’s combustion throughout the engine so it can be used as a power source. York Tire & Auto Service lists the symptoms of a vacuum leak below so you have the knowledge you need to bring your vehicle into our shop if you suspect there is a problem. A vacuum leak is more annoying than it is harmful, but a serious vacuum leak will cause serious engine trouble.
The Check Engine Light Comes On
One of the first signs you’ll get if your car, truck, crossover, or SUV has a vacuum leak is a check engine dashboard warning. When the vacuum pressure begins to leak out of the hoses, it introduces excess air into your vehicle’s engine. This causes an imbalance in the air and fuel mixture that your car’s engine relies on for combustion. Once the engine control unit is told there is too much air in the engine, it will turn on the check engine light to alert you of the problem.
Your Engine Is Sputtering and Stalling
Another problem caused by too much air is sputtering and stalling. The more air in the combustion chamber the less room for fuel, and your vehicle’s engine will be starved for diesel fuel or gasoline. Once this happens your engine’s performance is affected. As the vehicle struggles to produce the power that you need as you press down on the accelerator, the engine will hiccup and sputter and might even stall if the air level in the combustion chamber is extremely high.
Your RPMs Are Too High When You’re Idling
You might see this problem being reflected on your tachometer. Look at this gauge while you are sitting at an idle to see the RPMs that are being registered. If the RPMs seem too high for your vehicle’s idle, it could be that you have a vacuum leak that is pushing excess air into the engine. If the vacuum leak is releasing the air in spurts, you may notice that your tachometer needle jumps up and down.
You Can Hear Sucking Sounds Coming From the Engine
Finally, you can often hear an engine vacuum leak because it sounds like the sucking you hear from a vacuum hose. You may also hear hissing or squealing depending on the size of the vacuum leak. It’s important to have any strange sounds coming from your engine investigated as soon as possible to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong.
York Tire & Auto Service in Red Lion, PA, is the best auto service shop for the job. We will find your engine’s vacuum leak and fix it.
