Vacuum Leak

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George T

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Allright, I feel really dumb asking this...since I believe I should know this.

I have a 2004 ST 4x4, and I want to check if my ST has a small vacuum leak. But I dont know where to look for the leak. Don D. mentioned, in another post, to look for the vacuum elbow by the throttle body. But im not sure what that looks like and dont know how to do the test either.

So can someone please help me out? If you can just take one of my pictures and draw an arrow to the vacuum line or location where I should look for a leak, that would really help.



[Broken External Image]:



[Broken External Image]:



Thank you so much in advance,

George T.

 
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George if you look at the second picture it's under the rad hose and you have to take off the plastic cover. This link should help.

This should do it
 
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Mike Y,

That link does not really help me, well it does but not in this situation:lol: Im pretty sure you meant to post another link.

So is it under the throttle body cover(4.0 cover)?
 
Cool, thanks that works.

So, I've heard that i have to cover something with my hand to check if it is leaking? Does anyone know anything about this?
 
I checked the elbow,and it is soft and doesnt seem to be cracked. Is there anywhere else I should look?



Thanks,

George T.
 
A couple of reasons, Don D. suggested it, in the post linked. And I figured that could be a problem, and my acceleration is not that great either. I mean I guess its allright, but sometimes I really have to get on it to keep up with traffic.

Another reason is my front 4 vents dont work...I can hear air blowing, but it never comes out. I dont know if that is the same vacuum as the vacuum for the engine.



So yea, those are my reasons. But again, Im not sure if im right or wrong about it.
 
George, the elbow almost ALWAYS cracks on the bottom and you cannot see it until you remove it.



Also, if it is too soft, it is collapsing and creating other issues...
 
Coastie, is it hard to remove. I was looking at it, and I couldnt figure out how to do it. Do I have to remove it in order to see the cracks or can I maybe feel the cracks with my hand?

How do I test if it is too soft? Start the engine and see if it collapses? Or how?



Thanks,

George T.
 
It is not hard to remove and you can take a look at it by pulling the radiator line back and seeing how it looks...



-Sorry about the late reply just read the other posts... my trac averaged around 19 w/ the v6 but it was a 4x2 and I live in FL which is flat so maybe that is what is to be expected.



I know this is a rough map... I would take a picture myself to show you but I now have the V8 hehehe...:rolleyes:

[Broken External Image]:



-This vacuum line itself is unique if I remember correctly because at the back (and I believe front) connections to the upper air intake manifold are heated by little loops of a metal radiator lines. (just at the connections to the air intake. I was always curious to why that is.



hope it helps :banana:

-Don D.
 
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Keep rubbing it in Don. Yea, I lifted up the radiator hose, and looked under there. I found the elbow and the line. I felt the elbow and it seemed soft. But as Coastie pointed out, it might be too soft and/or there might be a crack under it. So I will try to take it off and see how it looks. I just dont know if I have to disconnect somewhere the line in the back of the engine bay as well as the front(where the elbow is at)? Or just the front?
 
nope I did not when I replaced it. In fact when I did mine I simply went to good ol' "Advance Auto parts" and took the elbow off and found a replacement at the store. Advance is great for a lot of small stuff like that.

-Don D.

you can kinda see the line as it wraps around... you can see my fix kinda in this shot. I used a hard plastic elbow with two small sections of vacuum tube to make it work.

[Broken External Image]:
 
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What is the wrong with the vacuum on the left side? Was it leaking as well? Or what kind of trouble did it give you?



Thanks again,

George T.

 
I had rough idle/lean mixture and then (eventually) the fuel door open light came on... It was replaced and that resolved the problem. On the v8 I had trouble with the fitting for the plenum (upper air intake).

When I first replaced the outer casing was cracked and the inside was lined with plastic that got sucked flat when the car was running.



It dose not seem to be a common problem, just something I ran into and its easy to investigate. soapy water would show any problems.



It just seems to me that without a CEL and with the 2-3mpg loss you have experienced with no apparent change in driving conditions that a vacuum line is the culprit.



However my experience is limited... so take it with a grain of salt as they say.

-Don D.



 

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