There are many things that can affect how well your vehicle accelerates. One of those things is a vacuum leak in the engine. Vacuum pressure is transported throughout the engine in hoses that are designed to withstand the pressure. This being said, the vacuum hoses can spring leaks. When they do, you may start to have problems with some of your vehicle’s components, such as the power steering pump. Shums Auto Repair advises that you may also notice the following signs of a vacuum leak.
Engine Performance Trouble
If your acceleration is slow to respond, it’s possible that the vacuum leak is filling your engine with air. When there is too much air in the engine, it becomes fuel-starved. This excess air and lack of fuel cause your acceleration to lag and problems with your engine’s performance. For example, your engine may sputter and stall frequently if it does not have enough fuel to maintain combustion. You will notice the engine hiccupping and sputtering particularly when you are driving at higher speeds.
High or Sporadic RPMs
Another thing that happens when you have a leaking vacuum hose in the engine is a problem with the engine’s revolutions-per-minute. The excess air can cause the RPMs to increase. If you have a steady vacuum leak, you will notice that the RPMs are too high consistently. If you have vacuum pressure leaking out of the hoses in spurts, your tachometer needle will bounce up and down erratically. This is an indication that the vacuum leak is affecting the RPMs while your engine is running.
Hissing or Suction Sounds
Hissing sounds coming from the engine often accompany a vacuum hose leak. If the leak is severe, you will hear a sound that reminds you of the hose on your household vacuum cleaner. Any time you hear a strange noise coming from your engine, bring your vehicle to our shop. Sometimes, a noise can signal a serious problem that will cause further engine damage if it is not addressed right away.
Check Engine Warning
Finally, because your engine is having problems due to the vacuum leak, system sensors will send error codes to the engine control module. When this happens, the engine control module tries to resolve the problem itself. It can’t in the case of a vacuum leak, so it will turn on the check engine light.
Shums Auto Repair in Philadelphia, PA, is here to help, so give us a call today if you suspect your car’s engine has a vacuum leak.
