BASIC TRAINING

What do outer space and the intake manifold have lower pressure area and fills the cylinder. On a car-
in common? First, they both contain vacuum. Second, from the fuel bowl into the engine.
to most of us, they are mysterious, unexplored territory.
To explore space's vacuum, you need billions of dollars Interpreting Vacuum Readings
in equipment. To explore intake vacuum, all you need
is a pressure gauge! Remember these three basic guidelines:
• a fluctuating reading usually means that all
cylinders are not pumping equally;
What Is This Thing Called Vacuum? • a low-but-steady reading usually means the prob
lem is affecting all cylinders;
For our purposes, vacuum is any pressure less than • the range and the frequency of the fluctuation usual
atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is what ly tells you how severe the problem is.
the air around us exerts on us. At sea level, atmos The sample gauge readi ngs shown in this story are
pheric pressure is 14.7 PSI. Pressure greater than 14.7 manifold vacuum readings.
PSI is positive pressure. Pressure less than 14.7 PSI When you expose a manifold vacuum port, the
is negative pressure or vacuum. engine should speed up and/or idle roughly. Always
Whether you're studying automotive theory or check the fitting or port for carbon deposits before you
diagnosing real world problems, think of positive connect your gauge to it. A restricted port reduces the
pressure and negative pressure. Or, think of higher gauge's sensitivity and accuracy.
pressure and lower pressure. After all, every liquid and Pay attention to the location of the vacuum port too.
gas you deal with flows from a higher pressure point Usually, connecting the gauge to the most centrally
to a lower pressure point. located vacuum port will give you the most accurate
Basically, vacuum gauge readings tell you how well and most sensitive reading. Say you're testing a
a pump creates negative pressure. The pump we test straight six. Say the problem is in number one cylinder
most often is an air pump called an engine. The bet but your vacuum gauge is connected near number six.
ter the engine's rings and valves are sealing—and the Because the gauge is connected so far from number
more accurately they're timed to each other—the more one, its reading could appear to be normal or almost
negative pressure the engine pumps. normal in spite of the problem in number one!
The engine's intake stroke creates a lower pressure
area inside the cylinder. In a normally aspirated Back Up Your Findings!
engine, atmospheric pressure then pushes air into this
bureted engine, atmospheric pressure also pushes fuel The vacuum gauge is like any other piece of diag-
nostic equipment. The more often you use it, the bet with timing problems alone don't speed up and
ter you understand it. But although the vacuum gauge smooth out when you richen them!
is a great barometer for the engine's mechanical con Be careful here. On a feedback fuel system, the con
dition, you cannot live by it alone. trol computer may have already compensated for air
Suppose an engine's suffering from several mar leaks by richening the mixture. Unless you put the
ginal and/or major problems at the same time. This system into open loop, it will continue compensating
combination of problems can alter the accuracy of your for whatever rich or lean conditions it senses—includ
vacuum gauge diagnosis. Before you commit yourself, ing artificial enrichment!
always complete the rest of the steps in your engine
analysis—the ignition tests, timing checks, power The More Things Change . . .
balance test, etc.
You can also supplement a vacuum test with The typical computer-controlled fuel system de
logical follow-up tests. For example, a low and steady pends heavily on a sound engine and strong reliable
reading could be a big air leak or late ignition/valve vacuum signals. Therefore, vacuum readings are as
timing. All other things being equal, an engine with valuable today as they've ever been. Ask the techni
an air leak should respond to artificial enrichment cian who uses them. He'll say he can't work without
(choke the air intake or feed it propane). But engines them. Truth is, you can't either!
—By Dan Marinucci

Normal Cranking Vacuum Abnormal Cranking Vacuum

In order to start, an engine usually has to pump at least Cranking vacuum is healthy but it drops regularly and
one inch of vacuum. When cranking, a healthy engine rhythmically. There's a compression problem here.
will pump a fairly steady 3-6 inches. The more Every time the weak cylinder tries to fire, two things
vacuum the engine pumps, the quicker it'll start. The happen momentarily: the cranking speed increases
more cylinders the engine has, the stronger and and the vacuum decreases. A burned valve can make
steadier cranking vacuum tends to be. the needle drop regularly to zero vacuum.

Abnormal Cranking Vacuum Abnormal Cranking Vacuum

When the engine cranks erratically, the cranking Zero cranking vacuum? Before you go crazy looking
vacuum will also fluctuate erratically. Valve timing for monstrous air leaks, see if the throttle blade(s) are
problems (a belt or chain) are the most common cause sticking open. If they are, close them and retest. Unless
of erratic cranking vacuum and cranking speed. the throttle blade(s) are closed or nearly closed, some
However, the engine could also be so hot it's actually vacuum gauges may not respond very well to a crank
dieseling during cranking! ing vacuum test.
Normal Idle Vacuum Abnormal Idle Vacuum
On a normal engine, the idle vacuum should be a A steady, lower-than-normal reading can be a vacuum
steady reading between 17-21 in/Hg. Larger displace leak, an EGR leak, or an ignition/valve timing prob
ment engines tend to produce stronger idle vacuum lem. If it is a vacuum leak, artifically richening the
than smaller engines do. The better the rings and mixture will improve idle quality. Richening the mix
valves are sealing, the more vacuum the engine will ture does't help? Look elsewhere—continue following
pump. your diagnostic procedure.

Abnormal Idle and High-Speed Vacuum Abnormal Idle and High-Speed Vacuum
When the needle drops regularly and predictably at When the reading drops erratically and unpredictably
idle, one or more valves are leaking. During compres at idle, a valve or valves are sticking. The needle may
sion stroke, a burned intake valve allows positive not drop as much as it does when the valve is burned.
pressure pulses to enter the intake manifold. When If the valves are sticking, cooling the engine down or
you rev the engine, the reading doesn't stabilize. using a valve-freeing oil additive may temporarily
steady the vacuum reading.

Abnormal Idle and High-Speed Vacuum Abnormal Idle/Normal High-Speed Vacuum

When the reading fluctuates sharply between a nor Here, the needle slowly wanders back and forth be
mal and a very low reading, there may be a compres tween a normal reading and a slightly lower-than-
sion leak between adjacent cylinders. If so, these two normal reading. This floating reading tells you the car
cylinders will both show up weak on a cylinder buretor is out of adjustment.
balance test.
 Abnormal Idle/Abnormal High-Speed Vacuum Abnormal Idle/Normal High-Speed Vacuum
Weak valve springs make the needle flutter rapidly- At idle, the needle flutters rapidly over a wide area,
more rapidly when you rev the engine. Depending but the reading steadies when you rev the engine. This
upon RPM and spring condition, the needle may flut indicates badly worn valve guides. When the guides
ter irregularly. When weak/broken springs can no are this worn, the engine has a serious oil consump
longer close a valve, the reading will take on the tion problem.
pumping motion a burned valve creates.

Normal High-Speed Vacuum Comparing Vacuum Signals

At 2500 RPM in neutral, the reading should at least You can monitor a vacuum device and its vacuum
equal idle vacuum. Usually, vacuum at 2500 will be source simultaneously. For example, connect one
greater than idle vacuum. If vacuum at 2500 is less gauge to manifold vacuum and tee the other one into
than idle vacuum, disable the EGR system and retest. the tranny's vacuum modulator hose. If both readings
If the reading is still low, check for an exhaust don't react the same way during a road test, inspect
restriction. the modulator hose and its connections.

Road Testing With a Vacuum Gauge Choosing the Best Vacuum R)rt
Use your vacuum gauge on as many road tests as time Whenever possible, connect the gauge to a large, cen
allows. The more you use it, the quicker you'll learn trally located vacuum port. Be sure the port isn't
what "normal" readings are. With an exhaust restric loaded with carbon deposits! Depending upon engine
tion, under-load readings will all be lower than nor and intake design, where you connect the gauge can
mal and it will take very little throttle movement to make a big difference in the accuracy and sensitivity
drop the reading to zero. of the readings you get!