vacuum leaks

erworm

Any trick for this.With engine running It is
difficult to hear vacuum leak.Must be some type of
device used to pick this up.Thought of a listening
device or something else the pro,s use

alcan

Use a piece of heater hose or garden hose with one end against your ear. Move the other end around the engine it'll work like a stethescope. Also handy for finding noisy bearings in rotating parts like alternators, idler pulleys, etc.

cookie22

I use a 36" x1/2in dowel rod . It's solid and you can hear everything in that motor.

alcan

Yep, a dowel, long screwdriver, or socket extension works well where you can make contact with the suspect component but for some idler pulleys etc. where you can't touch the part when it's turning, or are just trying to locate the general area of the noise the hose works well. My stethescope has a long probe but I sometimes have to remove it and just use the hose to the earpieces.

johnmwalker

I drive a 1984 Oldsmobile delta 88, recently I am able to drive down the road with my foot off the gas pedal at about 50mph. Why would this be so? Also, when I am stopped at traffic signals, I like to put the car in neutral to save wear and tear on the transmission. When I do that it revs. very fast.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

alcan

I'm not sure of the high idle problem, but shifting an auto trans into neutral at traffic lights absolutely will NOT extend it's life. Forward clutch wear occurs as it engages (shifting into any forward gear), so you're actually reducing it's service life by cycling it off and on at lights, and shifting into gear with a very high idle speed is about the worst thing you can do to it.

adc100

Pretty much out of control for you, I'd say. Look at the obvious. Is the Idle stop hanging up? Is the vacuum line to this stop to allow idle speed to drop slowly for air polution control. How about leaking injectors. Try some good injector cleaners. Better get it under control quickly.

amgeneralowner

John Walker:
My suggestion is to take off the plates, scrape the stickers and speed by a trooper in a school zone. Give the trooper a hard time. Let em impound the car and have it sold at auction. Buy a used VW from a close friend. Results? Your vacuum problem solved!