How To Find A Vacuum Leak

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How To Find A Vacuum Leak - EricTheCarGuy

Рет қаралды 5,699,213

Күн бұрын

Vacuum leaks are one of the biggest causes of engine performance problems. This video is pretty straight forward in it's approach to finding a vacuum leak. On thing I might mention is that not all vacuum leaks are at the engine. Some HVAC systems run on engine vacuum and can cause a leak under the dash in some cases. I've even seen vacuum operated door locks. Just be sure to be careful spraying flammable stuff on a hot engine, you don't want to take one problem and make it a whole lot worse. You can also use a spray bottle with water to do this same test. It may not be as effective, but you don't have to worry about spraying a flammable substance on a hot engine.
For more information on diagnosing engine performance issues, check out this article I wrote.
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Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. EricTheCarGuy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. EricTheCarGuy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not EricTheCarGuy.

Пікірлер: 2 000

@88KeysIdaho 3 жыл бұрын

This is the first video about finding a vacuum, where THEY ACTUALLY FOUND A VACUUM LEAK! Very helpful to hear the engine difference, not just hear to squirt stuff all over, with no effect on the car's idle. Thanks !!

@stephenhudson7488 5 жыл бұрын

I just saw your post on 11/17/2018. Here is an OLD SCHOOL check for you. I saw many variations before computers were used in cars. We would put a piece of cardboard over the fan (they were all belt and pulley then) to limit the fan blowing air back on the engine. Then we would take a couple of long straws and tape them together. Then we would light a cigar (smart people did this away form flammable liquids and washed their hands first to get chemicals off). We would hold a puff from the cigar, and using a flashlight, we would blow a little smoke around gently and look to see if it got sucked in somewhere. I actually saw a rig that used a smoker from bee keeping used that way . It had a little hose coming off of it and the guy had a piece of coat hanger wire taped to the hose. You need to know we had vacuum manifolds in those days, engine vacuum advanced the distributor timing for the engine, and where there are wiring harnesses and sensors today, we had vacuum lines run every damned place. In the 70's and 80's we had both, and was that ever a pain. Some of the hoses looked like wires and were made of brittle plastic. Some of the wires looked like hoses, and sometimes the wires and the hoses were run together as a bundle under wire wraps or friction tape. Yes, I have a therapist.

@private1712 3 жыл бұрын

So basically block the fan use a vape to avoid risk of spark and flames and blow a cloud

@Crt5 6 ай бұрын

@@private1712great idea

@Millerlifechic 5 ай бұрын

Nice detailed explanation. I can totally get a visual of what you are explaining. Thanks for the tips old timer!!

@shotguncamaro1214 2 жыл бұрын

Eric, being a car guy and drag racer for over 50 years. One of the safer ways is to use a spray bottle with water. Instead of the engine speeding up when you find a leak, it will slow down, (and NOT catch on fire if it backfires) which they can do.

@matexf4c 2 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was thinking of doing glad I saw this!!!!

@mikeypotts4732 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@richardrussell4065 2 жыл бұрын

Will be trying this

@richardw6592 2 жыл бұрын

To his credit, he abundantly overstated the potential for fire 🔥

@mikekmalick 2 жыл бұрын

I would rather listen to a guy who has Drag raced for 50+ years and says to use something that is safe! Water what a concept! Duh.

@T1GEVERETT 2 жыл бұрын

11 years later and this video is still helping people. I have a vacuum leak in my car that I cant find by ear so this helps tremendously

@daddyosink4413 2 жыл бұрын

Right? I've been chasing an issue in my 96 silverado for weeks now, needed to come back and figure out what I was not doing.

@richard1835 Жыл бұрын

I was working on a Silverado about 3 years ago and I sprayed some brake cleaner to the rear of the intake manifold while the engine was running and accidentaly hit the exhaust system and poff it caught and I scrambled for the fire extinguisher. It was out in second and I had to repair part of the wiring harness. That was it. So if you think you know it all and nothing bad can happen to you while working on a vehicle you are mistaken. In every situation working on any vehicle we must use caution. Thank you Eric for the vaccuum leak video which is part of my engine diagnostics KZfaq folder. I only save the best of the best videos and this one is one of my favorites. Thank you.

@tanchelm 3 ай бұрын

Bad things can always happen when working on vehicle... My story is when I've replaced the brake rotors and pads, all nice and good, been satisfied of the job I've done, guess what? The last caliper guide pin bolt thread was stripped... Only today I've fixed after I ordered from ebay x2 brand new pins... Shit happens.

@timerickson2141 6 жыл бұрын

Back in the day I was a fleet mechanic for a large logging COMPANY. Students from a well known trade school 6,week prior to completing the program they would spend a week in a actual shop with mechanics. I would get like 6 at a time. Anyway I was checking for a vacuum leak in a crew bus (Dodge van) I use water in a spray bottle. Spray the area you can see the water get sucked in at the leak the engine idle will also stumble when the leak is found . The students asked me why I didn't use carb cleaner . I explained the thing about fire but also as a kid my cousin was a firefighter told a story about a mechanic checking for a vacuum leak where somehow the can of carb cleaner exploded in the mechanics hand. He lost fingers from his burns. Their teacher taught them to use carb cleaner. Anyhow a couple years later one of those students came to visit me. He wore those gloves that burn Victims wear and a hood over his face. He told me when the can exploded in his hands he thought of our talk. I to used carb cleaner rarely. In the field if water wasn't available. But not since then. WATER IN A SPRAY BOTTLE. DOESN'T EXPLODE IT DOESN'T CAUSE FIRES ITS CHEAP AND SAFE

@JaHm3sZ 5 жыл бұрын

I have a Subaru. Can I use my vape? Serious question. Lolol

@genesssisss 5 жыл бұрын

Lol I use febreze

@johnf.hebert1409 5 жыл бұрын

what about soapy water?

@TheSatan222 5 жыл бұрын

Water into an engine... doesnt sound smart

@deeeznutz27 5 жыл бұрын

@@TheSatan222 truth

@Peteyjames 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Note to anyone thinking about using WD40 to detect a vacuum leak... DON'T DO IT, it will leave a total mess on your engine and be a pain in the butt for future repairs.

@bogartin4561ify 9 жыл бұрын

This guy needs more subscribers and likes... he's the best at showing first hand and he's just an awesome mechanic thumbs up to eric

@charlesmaclelland891 3 жыл бұрын

You think this guy made it yet?

@hasanjamshaid899 2 жыл бұрын

He's absolutely the best

@evanwilson9925 2 жыл бұрын

This is so amazing! I've been a shade tree mechanic since I was a kid. I basically just learn everything as I go. In fact, I'd even so far as estimate the 30-% +/- of the money I spend on every project is on oopsies and lesson learn. But for vacuum leaks I've always had to pay someone to smoke test it for me. Using your method I just found it in 5 minutes!

@ericthecarguy 12 жыл бұрын

@tec68421 Interesting I've never heard of that. You can also use soapy water and pressurize the intake or use smoke to help you find leaks like this. Thanks for your comment.

@douglasmaclean5836 Жыл бұрын

Eric the madman I love it I'm battling a Volvo.... I can hardly wait for her to freak out when the whole thing goes up in flames and she gets to finally get a new non-premium burning econobox.... And I keep this awesome Volvo all to myself... You are a great American 👍🍁🥞🪓🇨🇦😎

@plantbasedprepper 7 жыл бұрын

All my wife heard was I get lots of questions about performance issues LOL We got a good laugh because she had no idea what I was watching! ha ha ha

@oiyabastard7275 6 жыл бұрын

Raw Roy. shows where her heads at

@_DixonCider 6 жыл бұрын

My wife walked in from the other room to comment on his "performance issues." What a pervert.

@motionless8513 6 жыл бұрын

😂😂

@siphilipe 6 жыл бұрын

It's so simple for them. Wife or any female, she hands keys to a mechanic guy, straight to waiting room (of course iphone handy), when a job done, swipes a card and just leaves. By the way, most of them don't know how to open a hood.

@swadeozzy6430 6 жыл бұрын

That's why I don't do house work. She works in the house and I work on the house. She drives the car to the store and I work on it. She's never taken interest or the initiative to study how to fix things and I've never done the same with house work. I'm keeping my balls in my court.

@akawireguy1197 10 жыл бұрын

Another useful method is to take a pair of needle nose pliers and just go around and gently pinch off vacuum lines. If you hear a change in idle speed you know you just changed the fuel air ratio. I have found many vacuum leaks this way. This method works very well on older vehicles; I don't know if there would be any conflict on today's more sophisticated engines and systems.

@Rtb323 Жыл бұрын

Where do u pinch the line exactly? at the very end where the boot is ? Thanks.

@joshuaodom1883 8 жыл бұрын

I brought my van into a shop once with a vacuum leak, and was told I had a blown head gasket...tip, shops are crooked, fix yourself at a 99% savings.

@michaelblake9110 8 жыл бұрын

+Joshua Odom Damn right bro

@geekybench 8 жыл бұрын

Honestly, I'm afraid of handing my car over to shops.

@SangheiliSpecOp 8 жыл бұрын

I have 6 thousand dollars worth of mods on my Mustang and I never once took it to a shop. I spent countless hours on my car but everything was done right, I didn’t have to pay anything for labor, and I know a great deal more about every inch of my car c:

@WhiteSpookShow 7 жыл бұрын

i got a pro charged street fox and will not take it any where for any thing unless I plan to stay with it

@KeepoHdee 7 жыл бұрын

When I got my mustang I got lazy and didnt want to figure out a wiring problem so I took it to a shop so they would find it I didnt have to deal with it they charged me 80 bucks to just check fuses and replace a part that wasnt broken then found out the switch (brake switch) wasnt getting any power so they told me come back tomorrow we'll finish it, so Im like ok and when I bring it the next day they wanted to charge me 80 bucks AGAIN to "find the problem" they are all scammers same when I wanted my power steering fixed different shops but still idiots kept replacing shit that wasnt broken NEVER AGAIN. That same day I told them fuck you went home and fixed the brake switch in like 15 min.

@karlbuglione2444 9 жыл бұрын

Hi Eric, just wanted to say thanks for all the posts. Although I have been working on my own vehicles for over 25 years, I always learn some new diagnostic approach or easier way of removing or installing a part. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, its invaluable. Great vid and piece of info.

@long33444 6 жыл бұрын

F150 intank vacuum hose hookup 4.2

@LewisJohnsonIII Жыл бұрын

I like how he talks clear, concise, and not in a rush. Very detailed and the why of each step. Jolly good.

@samjohnson466 10 жыл бұрын

If you have a distributor be careful not to spray near it's base, they typically aren't sealed well. The carb cleaner mist will enter the cap and ignite, the cap will explode like a bomb. I exploded one on my Ford Ranger, I was wearing safety glasses and sustained no serious shrapnel injuries.

@nicholas8479 6 жыл бұрын

I noticed my distributor cap was missing a seal and had a gap, maybe 1/32 inch wide in some places, so I decided to order a new gasket before proceeding with this test. I was concerned about the very issue you described.

@samjohnson466 4 жыл бұрын

The vacuum advance slider was sticky. I'm not sure what the "dizzy" means. Obviously it was a mistake, no call to get all knowing about it.

@samjohnson466 4 жыл бұрын

@x4prilsF00Lx I wasn't following these instructions of the video, this was 30 years ago. You are a troll. Just a heads up you are what is wrong with comment section.

@ptoughneigh854 4 жыл бұрын

x4prilsF00Lx Why are you getting so worked up with the guy over an accident on his behalf? We learn by making mistakes, and I’m sure he learned from that mistake. You don’t need to practically call him a dumbass for doing it. don’t intentionally try to make people feel stupid, as that’s just not right.

@charliedee9276 3 жыл бұрын

@Cayde Is Clutch My dizzy has a vacuum line running to it...

@loganmilam4065 4 жыл бұрын

10 years old and still helping people out, guess it's time to fix my old 3800 shes starting to run like garbage. Thanks for the awesome video and video's you're still making man

@Pigeoning 3 жыл бұрын

10 years? This was the first vid I found of Eric's.

@kylemc8851 10 жыл бұрын

I have been having trouble with my 03 GMC Sonoma at time stalling and the worst time trying to figure out why, until I finally ran across this video, thank you, and thank you again!!

@markmartin1280 2 жыл бұрын

I took my car to a shop and they couldn't find the leak, watched your video and in less than a min I found the leak myself!!! Thanks so much... Happy Happy Happy.....

@cooljess76 12 жыл бұрын

Hey Eric, I recommend using brake/parts cleaner instead of carb cleaner for a couple reasons. First and most importantly, brake cleaner doesn't dry and crack plastic and rubber parts as badly. And second, brake cleaner tends to evaporate quicker as it's not as oily as carb cleaner. I never really considered the risk of a fire, but will use caution from now on.

@giiodude Жыл бұрын

I’m actually about to test his method out, thanks for the tip. My engine is hiccuping and sluggish. I had 2 cracked intake tubes so I swapped them out for some aftermarket ones. It fixed the problem on top of a spark and boot change. I put some vp racing fuel additive and now my check engine light won’t go away. I going to check for leaks first to make sure that’s the issue and then most likely swap out my stock exhaust for a test pipe set up.

@luxinterior3085 Жыл бұрын

They also have non-flammable brake cleaner as well.

@ericthecarguy 13 жыл бұрын

@KABOOOOOOM1 Well first only spray a little at a time in the suspected area, don't soak an area down. They actually make a spray to help find leaks that's nonflammable, I think STP makes it, if you were planning on soaking something down that's the way I would go but honestly you don't need much to help you find a leak.

@DawnBriarDev 2 жыл бұрын

Eric, I know this video is old so maybe you are no longer notified of comments. But I've recently discovered through other mechanics online an easy way to build a smoke machine for around $20 (I had to spend $50 due to PVC prices during COVID being sky high right now and a lack of other suitable containers.) But regardless, it was a very cheap and very simple investment for me to make. You may want to check those out and see if you'd be interested in trying a DIY smoke machine yourself to recommend it to your viewers or not. I watch a lot of mechanics online. But I initially broke the learning barrier by watching you, and to this day if I need to learn something, you're my first choice. If you don't have it, or it doesn't solve my needs, I'll look at a few others before doing a general search. But I feel this compliment is relevant in that, well, you don't have a video on a topic a lot of people probably have interest in: Are DIY smoke machines any good? My personal opinion: Yes. As good as something I'd spend $700 on for testing leaks in intake and exhaust. And a lot lighter and easier to lug around.

@carlgradolph9676 Жыл бұрын

Nice work, bro! It's rare to find a mechanic who not only understands an issue and knows how to fix (or at least detect) it, but also knows how to explain that issue, which you have done.... Looks like I need to go buy some carb cleaner (and a fire extinguisher!) for my 2000 F-150 that not only idles rough, but also emits a high-pitched whistling noise while the engine is running. Thanks much for making and posting this video, which has earned you one new subscriber.

@iamburl2667 Жыл бұрын

Eric, alot of respect to you, your style teaching and extreme knowledge I say THANK YOU SIR FOR FILMING THESE VIDEOS

@dablifenowife4223 7 жыл бұрын

thank you bro, I was about to dump my cj7 motor cuz I thought it was shit, but nope just 4 vacume leaks,

@Pjay318 11 жыл бұрын

@EricTheCarGuy this entire month I've been trying to figure out my misfires; ive changed coil, sparks, even ignitor. everyone's been telling me to do a compression test and mechanics are trying to hella charge me a lot of money, this video helped me out ALOT you have no idea. Found the leak at the fuel injector at cylinder 1. THANK YOU for such detailed videos.

@Legacy690 8 жыл бұрын

I have 1993 silverado with a 5.7 tbi. The truck has a choppy idle after it warms up. It runs smooth when you first start it but after it warms up and the rpms drop down to around 1000rpms it will bounce up to about 1200 rpms then down and up after about 3 sec in between for a few mins then it will drop down to around 500 rpms and bounce between 500 and 700 rpms. Other than the idle the truck seems to run good, good throttle response no missing above idle. It does smell as if it runs a little rich. I have another truck that use to be my uncles and doesn't run that has the same engine I borrowed the iac valve, map sensor and temp sensor and It didn't seem to change a thing. I have also not been able to find any vacume leaks nor do I have a service engine light on and I have had it scaned registered nothing. The engine was change by the last owner he said the engine had around 80 to 100k miles. I have noticed that I have an oil leak in the back of the engine not sure if it is coming from the distributor or the intake, I don't think it is the valve cover I had removed it and the gasket looked good, I have also replaced the oil postion swith so it's not that. I dont think i left anything out ,So I'm not sure what's wrong with it any help would be great. I also forgot to state that after it warmeds up and idling around 500 if I put it under a load say turning the steering wheel or turning the ac on where the compressor kicks on it will bog down some time stalling. This is a manual transmission truck if that helps considering it may act differently because I have to rev my engine unlike an auto

@WeAreUnity. 5 жыл бұрын

I have been watching your videos for years, thank you very much Eric for your fun, thorough, and professional videos!!

@ericthecarguy 12 жыл бұрын

@SporadicPoetry The first step with performance issues is always to check for codes first, if you don't have any check your tune up parts but as you suggest it's also a good idea to check for vacuum leaks.

@preciousbanda7212 2 ай бұрын

@helenforsythe2421 8 жыл бұрын

I have a 94 f150 xlt 5.0 30, she has close to 200 thousand miles on her.. I am fixing what the previous owner did not want to put a few bucks out on. Also learning about vehicles in the process. I had a few error codes on it, did the blinking cel light , 311 and 332, and cleared it by tracing vacuum hoses and finding one that was broken.I put a quick fix on it for now,duct tape, until i find the correct od/id silicone hose to run all new lines. I did get rid of the check engine light and she runs alot better. I want to thank eric the car guy and all of the people here who have posted similar issues and giving me an idea of what to check. Too bad Ford doesnt make a kit for vacuum hose replacement, they could make a few bucks on all of the trucks still running up and down the road.

@tonyisgro6576 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric I changed my plugs and cleaned the throttle body - Both needed to be done anyway but they weren’t the problem - this was - really appreciate the help!!

@stevencooper4888 9 жыл бұрын

"If you don't have a fire extinguisher, it's a bad day." XD You're a genius. I'm glad I found your videos.

@doug960 11 жыл бұрын

I'm diggin his Steve McQueen Bullit Mustang sound effect for the opening scene. Pretty distinct recording.

@PartyWolf36790 5 ай бұрын

Would a vaccum leak cause the car to have hiccups? It seems my car has lik hiccups when letting off the gas and last I heard was a suction sound when the car was running and the sound came from underneath the motor/ car . My rp would jolt down and come back up at its steady rpm. Feels like a misfire but no codes. Unknown issue I just drive around with been through 4 different mechanics.

@nomebear 2 жыл бұрын

I found a white plastic vacuum line that was disconnected after noticing the transmissions shifting hard, and the smell of rich gasoline when cold. Where it was supposed to be connected was hard to find, it was feeling under a manifold where I found a short rubber hose connection sticking out of the manifold. Amazing how much better they run when the vacuum leaks are fixed.

@marvmiller1708 4 жыл бұрын

Eric I hope you know how valuable you are to dyi guys like me. You are awesome!

@heartlineeducation5913 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this... Guy at shop said I can use wd-40 for this.... do you agree? thanks!

@treyslay3974 2 жыл бұрын

I watched yo videos while in prison I learned a lot @ tha end of my 11yr bid that I missed out on u also got a bunch of certificates completing Q&A thanks Eric 💪💪😜🚗🚘🚦🛣⛽

@jaidank 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric, Great video! Hope to try this on my son's car which is showing these symptoms and throws 'lean' codes. Will check filter and state of MAF as well as long term fuel trim first. Cheers!

@r.d.ontheroad-1094 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks, and great promo for the Fire Extinguisher! I almost lost my motor home the day I picked up, because I didn't have a big extinguisher with me, Rick

@Peppermint1 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip. Good to remember that carburetor cleaner can also ignite on a hot engine - so better on a cold engine, and it's also harmful to breath so spray away from you and not on a flat surface so it doesn't rebound back to you (some have powerful jets)

@Yodumeee 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah he said that

@MichaelOfficer274 11 жыл бұрын

Dude, you just got my sub! I have a 99 Cherokee making a noise I think is the water pump. Recently got major idle issues. May be vacuum leak - thanks

@laprepper 7 жыл бұрын

Bro, this video is going to help me fix a problem that my car has had forever! I went through 3 sensors already, then found out that my car (most cars) want BOTH 02 sensors replaced at the same time? My next "to do" items are 1) vacuum leak check 2) Replace older B1S1 sensor with an identical kwiksen one 3) If problem persists, new fuel filter 4) If problem persists but without codes, 6 new plugs 5) Fuel treatment 6) Oil change 7) Prayer! FWIW - I went from 02 codes, to misfire codes, to running lean code right now P0174. My car can't make up its mind as far as WTF is wrong! If only I would have gone the extra mile to look up all this fuel trim nonsense earlier... I'm subscribing and giving you thumbs up! :)

@samsnead7 8 жыл бұрын

Great video eric! Thanks for being professional and not using profanity.

@stanmcdonald-authorofuserr7172 7 жыл бұрын

This guy is the best there is.

@baldy194859 7 жыл бұрын

Scotty Kilmer is good too !

@nitekroller 7 жыл бұрын

scotty kilmer is just annoying

@Extraxi274 5 жыл бұрын

Saved me today man thanks for the video 9 years later

@andrewmurabito5013 7 жыл бұрын

My bro, I think you have saved me a lot of money and enabled me to learn a highly useful skil all the while. Hope to buy you a beer someday and say thank you.

@ddd228 8 жыл бұрын

Do NOT use an ABC fire extinguisher. It will make a terrible,horrible mess if you have to use it.Get a CO 2 one or Halon. You will thank me later. The propane method will still cause a fire. Stay away from the distributor,if you have one on your engine. Alternator,too. They both produce sparks. EGR is a common vacuum leak point.

@RPMX4 8 жыл бұрын

HALON???!! Never. In a confined space, it could kill you. Only CO2.

@omegaseamaster1550 7 жыл бұрын

RPMX4 Co2 will kill you as well if you use it Ina confined space silly boys. Halon is killer for the Nozone layer I mean earths ozone... Sorry, that's the Al Gore in me....or David Suzuki , yuck

@bobbyjohnnascar 8 жыл бұрын

Man you gotta start selling Eric the car guy t-shirts!!!!!!!!!!!

@null2846 7 жыл бұрын

I would wear them if his logo wasn't so terrible. I love his videos and I get he's not a graphic designer but... the letters are all smushed together and its italicized, with a amateurish glow on it. Seriously, I'm pretty sure there's tons of fans who would be willing to redesign his logo for free.

@jeffbanfieldsflwr3537 6 жыл бұрын

Bobby John he did, I have one!

@tgriffin6938 5 жыл бұрын

His shirts said "Eric The Car Guy teaches you how to set your car on fire!"

@Y2daT420 5 жыл бұрын

another good idea before trying this test is to view the motor running in the dark .. looking closely along the spark plug wires (if you car has them ) if old and cracked they can intermittently ark to the engine block (causes a misfire when this happens ) the ark will ignite any fuel source.. and is a great way to check plug wires . if u have misfires that come and go

@Kixtia013 2 жыл бұрын

It’s been more than a decade of knowledge sharing. Thanks, Eric.

@bilazaurus2759 8 жыл бұрын

Woah! You have a Reznor hardware. It's Trent Reznor's (NIN) dad stuff!

@ericthecarguy 12 жыл бұрын

@ObsessedWitGuitar EGR should not effect the idle unless it's stuck open, I would be looking for vacuum leaks before I looked to the EGR. You might consider posting this over at the ETCG forum for a more detailed answer.

@WorkingWithWimberley 5 жыл бұрын

Great video! I’m almost certain I have a vacuum leak in my 95 Cadillac Fleetwood with the LT1. It’s stalls at idle when the engine is warm, but starts right back up with no problems. I will be doing this test today.

@smokenbudesq 5 жыл бұрын

sounds like harness to coil pac

@WorkingWithWimberley 5 жыл бұрын

smokenbudesq Thanks for trying to help. It actually was a vacuum line. I have a video on my channel titled “LT1 Stalling Problem? Starts then Dies?” where I explain what it was and how I fixed it for a few dollars.

@mlp5376 10 жыл бұрын

I use a squirt bottle with plain tap water in it. If the water is sucked into the intake, the engine at least slows if not stalls. However, unlike the flammable fluid test, it is better for the engine to be at normal operating temperature when using water, since you will probably want to crank it back up to verify your results. If the engine is cold, it may have to spin a while before cranking after you've shot water into it. A warm engine will usually restart without much trouble. NOTE: On older engines, electrical components may not be water-tight. So, try to avoid wetting any wires during the test. Accidentally causing a short in an electrical component may give you the false impression that you've found your vacuum leak. Again, if the engine is warm and you do wet an electrical component, it will probably dry out faster and be ready to restart.

@firebladeflow 6 жыл бұрын

what you are suggesting here might ruin an engine, water is not compressible, if there is too much water going into a cylinder it might cause a catastrophic failure, so please dont use water! Propane is the best way to go!

@aboodmki3 6 жыл бұрын

firebladeflow No man he's right, in fact using fine sprays of water only (and I'm stressing on) 'only' on an engine that is @ operating temperature with the air-inlet is hot, the water will vaporize once it flow through the hot air-inlet & the tremendously hot cylinder heat it will actually clean off the (intake valves, cylinder head & the whole combustion chamber), raise the octane level of the fuel as it cool down the temperature of the combustion chamber thus making the fuel sustain much more compression before the spark-plugs ignites, so it will be impossible even for an engine that suffers from carbon buildup to pre-detente, improved performance & fuel consumption, elements any potential hot-spots, some race cars actually use it as a complete unit in the fuel system with even an independent small water pump and an actuator, some manufacturers had actually adopted this system on their production cars as Mercedes-Benz with their W211 not the newer naturally aspirated E63 but the older E55 AMG that comes with a supercharger had this system, also found in the Subaru Impreza WRX STI with a button on the dash control to spray the water into the intercooler, even in the aviation world they use water-methanol injection into the turbines to achieve shorter takeoff distances and was largely used by USN during WWII, you can point this if you saw either a turbofan or jet engined aircraft flying with a light black smoke trails coming out of the engines. So it's surprisingly a good method to use it if you want to find a vacuum-leak on a motor vehicle & clean your engine out in the same time, but be cautious not to perform it in an engine that is not at operating temperature, that's why I've stressed this out earlier because as you said before water is incompressible fluid and if the engine wasn't at operating temperature the water wouldn't vaporize as it flows through the air-intake and was poured with an excessive amounts it would be sucked into the combustion chamber as a water (liquid condition) and the the piston will bend itself once it hit it (IOW) hydro lock the engine.

@firebladeflow 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah you're right, off yourse it works, but the risk is just too high , especially if you do not know what you're doing. The water or meth injection like on the current bmw race models is a whole different story, there is a super fine adjusted system working, to use a safe amount.

@JM-yx1lm 6 жыл бұрын

firebladeflow oh bullshit.

@firebladeflow 6 жыл бұрын

don't call bullshit, just make a video spraying water into your running engine, I can't wait to see it!

@ericthecarguy 13 жыл бұрын

@Gmcsierra2500hd You might consider doing a compression or leak down test to determine if there is a mechanical issue with the engine. Make sure you pull and repair any check engine light codes first however. Lastly don't rule out a transmission issue if you find your engine is working properly.

@leethao9827 11 жыл бұрын

LOL i was looking for you for a while but now i remember your name Eric the car guy. Subscribed!!

@johnsmithnonya46 Жыл бұрын

A backup to the C02, while it might short a lot of things until it dries off, a garden hose is a fair substitute. Just make sure the fuse box and positive terminal are fairly covered. Great video. Appreciate that demonstration

@cruyeda 10 жыл бұрын

Some of you guys with idling problems, watch his video on curing Honda Idling problems. Also, on older cars, pre-72, if you car dies but will restart immediately, you might have a bad resistor in the ignition. My '65 Chevy used a resistor wire as part of the ignition. They quit making that wire so I had to use regular wire and add a ballast resistor to it.

@nagyba 10 жыл бұрын

Disconnect MAF sensor, block intake, - if it doesnt stall there is a leak! And you can hear the noise too... Safer, easier...

@gamepro9505 7 жыл бұрын

not all cars have a MAF sensor

@nitekroller 7 жыл бұрын

^^^^^ This! like my car i am working on at the moment

@torkdork69 7 жыл бұрын

B Nagy I came here to learn about leaks and thanks to your comment I think I have got what I was looking for.

@johnlacy3611 6 жыл бұрын

gamepro9505 map sensor or maf?

@gokermitsewerside358 6 жыл бұрын

So if u disconect maf sensor and block intake and car turns off there is no leak? Sorry for replying to an old ass coment just my 05 mustang has a rough idle and i was told i had an exhaust leak i tried what u said and my car turned off.

@Neoandrew12 10 жыл бұрын

You Sir are Epic! 2 issues solved from your vids now so I have subscribed! Many thanks!

@rong6299 6 жыл бұрын

Eric the Car Guy is really great, He explains things well.

@stevooliver3877 5 жыл бұрын

Funny most don't know about the vacuum leak till they change the air filter..car was running find with the stopped up filter cause air was limited..like most don't know about oil filter being clogged.. when that happens the oil filter is bypassed giving better gas mileage but oil is not filtered..common sense should tell you if your filter is filtering 99.5 % of debris it will be clogged pretty quick ..some oil will go 15k but that's with oil filter change at every 5k.. something to think about

@ForumWiedzy 11 жыл бұрын

what's the part that was leaking? Fuel Pressure Regulator? - Needs to be replaced and he just hisses? Please answer?

@joeydrumstix 3 жыл бұрын

The intake manifold gasket was the issue in this video

@tomchillen3039 2 жыл бұрын

Are you literate

@bigbitch420 2 жыл бұрын

@@tomchillen3039 very helpful comment

@thomaskriehn2869 2 жыл бұрын

@@bigbitch420 9a

@tomchillen3039 2 жыл бұрын

@@bigbitch420 thank you

@JustLacksZazz 11 жыл бұрын

Very helpful, thank you! My car has had a high pitched whistle for a long time. Recently it has been running quite hot and starts to shift hard after running for a while. I'm hoping I'm just running lean and a fix of the vacuum leak will solve the issue. Taking it in Monday. Cheers!

@17jackboi Жыл бұрын

Did it fix that problem Ik it’s been a while could be hard to remember 😄

@17jackboi Жыл бұрын

Did it fix that problem Ik it’s been a while could be hard to remember 😄

@JustLacksZazz350 Жыл бұрын

@@17jackboi that's a tough one 😅 it's very difficult to remember but I'm pretty sure it would up being another issue entirely. We wound up selling the car to a dealer in a trade shortly after the fix as it was not a good vehicle 😔 (responding from my other account)

@boerhoden5185 Жыл бұрын

If you answered, I would be very happy. I’m curious how the vacuum leaks hook up on my truck. I swapped the whole power train into an f250 xlt lariat. I did everything you showed. I changed 02 sensor, spark plugs, spark plug wires, coil, and distributor. Changed the fuel filter and I got my other map sensor from an 1991 f150 custom that’s the old sensor and cleaned it out. Everything is good, runs like crap. Can barely run on 500 rpm and will die. Used to run on 1.5rpm and would rough idle. Change the vacuum lines and it made it run on 500rpm. Have to give it gas to make it not die or it’ll just backfire. We took the smog pump and Emissions off and don’t know if I should hook some of the lines to vacuum lines so the Ecm knows it’s off and doesn’t read a false reading. The fuel pressure is really good, but it backfires still. I don’t know if I should change the vacuum lines for try to find vacuum leaks. The motor sat for 10 years and it sat out in the winter for a year before we got it into the other truck. Changed the water pump/oil pump. The intake valves could be rusted and stuck. I just don’t know. If anyone knows what it could be, I would be happy. Engine is a 1991 4.9l 300c i6 from a ford f-150 that is my grandpas old truck, I put it into a 1989 ford f-250 that had a 460 v8 in it. Your video makes me think it could be something simple, but very hard to figure out.

@FCT8306onTwoWheels 11 жыл бұрын

Great video EricTheCarGuy, I have a VW GTI 1.8t that has a hissing noise in the area of the intake near the diverter valve, I changed out a hose coming from the downpipe and coupled two autozone hoses together to connect to the diverter valve and since then have had boost issues and lack of torque. You will be the fifth mechanic buddy of mine to have explained to me how to use this method.

@eligiroir9770 5 жыл бұрын

1:33 decent fire extinguisher: $60 Large box of baking soda: $10

@tonehernandez5730 5 жыл бұрын

Smart man.

@johnwelk6675 4 жыл бұрын

Have fun cleaning all the baking soda off your engine bay lol. If you're doing something like this to your engine in your vehicle why would you cheap out with something that wasn't specifically made to put out a fire. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. I'd rather stand a good few feet away from the fire to put it out and hang over top and dump baking soda all over

@joeman543 10 жыл бұрын

So why do you need a hose with the propane tank? I understand it makes it easier to direct the propane but is there any necessity to the hose?

@michaelengle9062 9 жыл бұрын

joeman543 you're correct, just to direct the propane where you want it and still keep the valve under control

@brianschafer5188 9 жыл бұрын

Bg2

@DoctorD9111 Жыл бұрын

Nice! Glad to see someone that isn't afraid of taking a little risk to solve a problem. We used to use WD40, however I'm not sure it's still flammable. Keep up the good work Eric, and thanks for sharing.

@xXTECHxKNIGHTXx Жыл бұрын

Top search result when looking for a vacuum leaks! Can't believe it's been 12 years! viva la ETCG!

@jdmcarboy64 6 жыл бұрын

Vacuum leak will also cause a misfire for those who didn't know.

@deasttn 6 жыл бұрын

I have an Audi, so I know this to be true :-)

@jarodmorris611 5 жыл бұрын

I have a 1997 expedition and have a vacuum leak causing all kinds of codes to be thrown. Fuel bank 1 and fuel bank 2 are lean. Now, off to buy some cigars

@ACommenterOnYouTube 4 жыл бұрын

How ..??

@LSD97123 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much Eric, I'm having a vacuum leak on my 87 Corolla, and I can't find where the leak is. this was very helpful

@GeneHeim1 8 жыл бұрын

Some of us Eric, are older or have damaged their hearing. I myself cannot hear the high frequency hiss from a vacuum leak. There are probably ways to "detect" a chronic lean condition, then use a tachometer to detect small jumps in idle speeds. Using instruments because we damaged ourselves a little bit. Thanks for the advice on propane. A lot of us use it. I am not sure if MAPP gas or acetylene would work too. Fire extinguishers are cheaper than burning your place out. Been there, done that. :)

@mcbridemotorsports5788 4 жыл бұрын

Had the same symptoms on my 2000 Chevy Silverado 4x4. It would intermittently die and start back up. On HP Tuner's VCM I could see my LTFT were pegged at 25 and Vauum was low. Confirmed Vacuum with a mechanical gauge and used this same method to find and fix my vacuum leak at the IM. Come inside and this is the first video on my feed! haha EDIT: As a side note, I do usually use water in a spray bottle but I was coming up with nothing on this one. Sometimes you need something a little volatile! And I was out of propane lol

@davidle7063 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric. You always help me. I keep learning from you.

@karmicmessenger 8 жыл бұрын

I've always used this system to check for leaks and one time had a spark jump and the carb cleaner ignited. It is important to spray sparingly so even if it does ignite it won't burn long enough to cause damage. Fire extinguisher is not something you want to be looking for with a fire burning; keep it handy just in case.

@toddadams5010 5 жыл бұрын

You may be the internets best value

@ericthecarguy 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

@JackstandJohnny 9 жыл бұрын

Very helpful. Thank you for clearly instructing us on what to look for and how to diagnose this. I'm having a serious rich condition and misfire after installing an aftermarket electronic boost control solenoid and state 2 flash on my WRX and I'm hoping that I can reset my ECU and find a change now that I've rei stalled the factory bcs and flashed to my previous stage 2 tune. This has helped a lot. Thank you again!

@macstevens4547 10 жыл бұрын

I got a 1999 ford windstar 3.8 &the heat is not blowing hot try everything it blow just not hot what do I need 2 do fix it got 4 kids & it cold need your help so I know what 2 do so we can have some heat I know it got 2 be something iam looking over because everything is new that I put on what do you think I need 2 do help if you think you know something I can do

@jeffarnold1983 11 жыл бұрын

Hey Eric, love your videos. Could you make a video of a vacuum test and what to look for? A few of us still use carburetors and vacuum is very important for carb tuning and ignition timing. It also can tell you other things such as damaged valves. I'd just like to see you do a video on it.

@Yahs-our-El 2 жыл бұрын

We need more honest mechanics Like Eric

@gennnaveroski6576 5 жыл бұрын

THIS GIRL LEARNED A NEW TRICK TODAY THANKS

@davidwoog1838 8 жыл бұрын

will spraying the rubber hoses with carb cleaner eat them away?

@348frank348 8 жыл бұрын

no. the residue evaporates

@jamesringler987 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah carb cleaner destroys rubber o rings in seconds

@highwaystar8310 10 жыл бұрын

Don't spray around the coil and distributor!

@mattcasdorph 10 ай бұрын

Man, I cant tell you how long its been since I seen one of your videos. I need to subscribe 😂

@helenforsythe2421 8 жыл бұрын

add on to last post. I also replaced alternator, icm, new key ignition on column, put in an led dome light and cover. I have plenty of other sensors to do, one at a time to see how or if it affects the truck. And I have plans on either a new radio or an OEM like the one it came with.

@laynelandon3701 5 жыл бұрын

My wife has an 03 Mitsubishi Outlander with the 2.4, it has a rough choppy, loping idle that almost sounds similar to a big aftermarket cam, gets horrible gas mileage for a 4 cylinder. I have looked everywhere for a vacuum leak, I’ve even done the old smoke test and can’t find one. Changed spark plugs, wires, and coil packs, ran fuel system cleaner through several tanks and nothing seems to fix it. So I guess I’m just sort of stumped and tired of fooling with it lately, if anyone reads this and has more advice on what else to check it would be greatly appreciated.. ps it seems to run fine at highway speeds, just idles erratically.

@Live4Ibanez 5 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a vaccuum leak since at higher speeds, engine vaccuum drops much closer to atmospheric pressure, which would make it run very close to as before the problem started. Not familiar with that car at all but if that ignition job didn't solve it then you should investigate vacuum and the fuel system for sure. I'm surprised there aren't any codes being triggered by that?? (I'm no pro mechanic, just somebody who has read a shit ton of forums.) I'd steer you that direction (to forums). I'm sure somebody on a mitsubishi forum has mentioned a similar issue of a vacuum leak at least once. The trick is finding a forum post with closure. good luck with it.

@TheAgonzalez94 5 жыл бұрын

Could be gaskets on your intake manifold. Had similar issues with a 2000 nissan maxima, changed everything like you when in the end it was just gaskets.

@GodsendGru 5 жыл бұрын

Checked for the error codes? (if not get an OBD scanner ) Has it got a turbo? then Thoroughly check all the air intake rubber pipes... 1) Check all around INTERCOOLER PIPE TURBO / AIR HOSE 2) vacuum pipes 3) turo relates air intake pipes once mine had a small puncture in a small connector pipe that leads to turbo, could find only if you bend it & press it . so many mechanics failed to spot it! so s the case with intercooler hose of this 54 reg opel vectra

@omchunter6988 10 жыл бұрын

EricTheCarGuy is my idol lol. Love the vids man!

@matthall9070 9 жыл бұрын

I know just enough about mechanics to get myself in trouble. I watch these kinds of vids all the time and I gotta say that this guy is making good ones. Simple premise on this one but other's have taught me good

@bking8162 2 жыл бұрын

@Tony Scotty is the man! But he does talk to loud.. 😂

@Teknakill 2 жыл бұрын

Someone invent a smart phone ap to pick up high pitched sounds so I can wave my phone over the engine and it will change the screen color darker the more high pitch sounds it "hears". © I will gladly take royality for this idea.

@Leon-fo9mj 5 жыл бұрын

"i get a lot of questions about performance issues" haha most guys do at some point.! 😱😆

@sanchezbelui 10 жыл бұрын

the correct way is to use smoke machine (vacuum leak detector)!

@georgeforsyth5741 5 жыл бұрын

You can get a low cost smoke machine on Ebay for under $100 and you can do the test with engine off so air from fan will not be a problem. You can use it to test all kinds of leaks beside vacuum leaks. Cheaper that having a shop ripe you off.

@ObamaoZedong 5 жыл бұрын

@@georgeforsyth5741 or a cigar or incence stick

@coolimagine4096 5 жыл бұрын

AlexD 2

@ezwa9979 4 жыл бұрын

@@georgeforsyth5741 mAB I cNt a4d a cigR or stinkN incNs stik, wat aboOt a regUlR smOk?

@welz2002 3 жыл бұрын

Cheers Eric. Still going back to your old videos now 👍🏻

@travisvalentine8252 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric I'm going to try that on my 1988 Chevrolet C1500 2wd 5.7 engine. It has a high idle all day long

@baldy194859 7 жыл бұрын

`you can use water too ! just fill a squirt bottle up with water and spray around vacuum sources !

@ethannarrow5209 7 жыл бұрын

oh yeah and that would stall it. good idea, ill try that first. thanks!

@KeepoHdee 7 жыл бұрын

water in the engine is no good

@baldy194859 7 жыл бұрын

it won't hurt it using water ! all it will do is burn it out ! I used water several times and never hurt nothing !

@johnnyloveee 6 жыл бұрын

Keepo Hdee you'd have to dump a huge amount into the engine for it to kill the engine.

@purestress2 6 жыл бұрын

Lloyd Dailey you're correct! I do it all the time! It's best to do it while the engine is warm/hot.

@bwcurley 10 жыл бұрын

Can you use cigarette or cigar smoke and blow it into a vacuum line? Would this hurt anything?

@HeroofSomething 4 жыл бұрын

Did you try it? Would also like to know

@collinharrison1987 4 жыл бұрын

It won't hurt anything, but it is difficult because the spinning bits tend to make the area too windy unless your leak is severe.

@mrenormouscroc 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Bro, like your style, simple, direct, with a little humour

@ernestoponce6208 10 жыл бұрын

awesome video. i was always told "check for vacuum leaks" but i was never really sure how to go about doing this. Thanks for the help