Plug the leak, better economy

[scribble88]

Hey Paj peoples,

Thought now I am a senior member, I better do something helpful

I must preface this by saying I am a little ocd.

So a while a go I started a thread asking if the muffler could be the cause of my loss of power; here is the thread that talks about it: https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum...ad.php?t=52626

I received all kinds of great input, I ended up replacing my exhaust with a 3 inch one; which restored my power.

One of the suggestions was to check the vacuum pipes. I visually checked them, thought they were not the cause of my problem.

After I had replaced my exhaust, I still wasn't happy, my economy rate still wasn't what I thought it should be. In addition, the engine did not sound right. I put it down to my ocd, other forum members said I solved the issue, don't get too hung up.

Well, I kept reading posts similar to mine; one guy who gas fitter said he replaced all of his vacuum pipes to solve a low boost issue. He said that he applied soapy water to the old pipes to see if any leaks. The gas fitter forum member found a pin head size hole in one of the pipes; which when replaced fixed his issue.

So I decided that a visual inspection of my vacuum pipes was not good enough; I needed to check every pipe using his technique.

I did, using soapy water check all my vacuum pipes. Now one pipe I think I damaged pulling it off; however I found another pipe that had a crack at the end of the pipe.

I was still skeptical that the vacuum pipes could cause a big issue with the engine. Oh my goodness, I started the car, engine sounded better, economy up to 10.6km/L easily.

I have uploaded some photos, because; #1 I could not find any diagrams or photos, that showed me which pipes I should be looking at, I hope these help someone. #2 In case I missed any.

The photos kind of do a circuit, I hope it makes sense. The first photo is located on the driver's side of the engine bay; I cannot find out what the golden colour cylinder is called. It is attached to the exhaust manifold. The black rubber tubing is a vacuum hose, which you can see in photo 2 close up, further along the hose, as it passes under a bracket. Photo 3 sees the same hose bend up and backward into a solenoid I am guessing; underneath is a clear hose ( This is one I replaced, normally it would be black rubber too, however this is the only piping I could find this small ).

Photo 4 shows the pipe we just followed, and the clear pipe we are going to follow now. Photo 5 shows the clear pipe attaching to a metal pipe located at the front of the engine. Also note in photo 5, a black/brown rubber hose cable tied to the metal pipe, we will follow it as it goes, down under the intercooler pipe to the driver's side of the engine bay. Photo 6 shows the black/brown pipe, the cable tie, the slight twist in the pipe, it joins on another metal section of the same metal pipe at the front of the engine; the other end goes to the driver's side engine bay. Photo 7 shows the pipe I was just talking about going under the intercooler pipe to metal pipe on the driver's side engine bay; ( I had to take the airbox off to find where to pull it off ).

Ok photo 8, we jump over to the passenger side or intake exhaust side of the engine. You see two rubber pipes, we will follow the rear one first into photo 9 of another golden cylinder. Photo 10 shows both pipes from photo 8 bifurcate, to the right (left of car) to the golden cylinder in photo 9; the other to I think it is called the vacuum pump ( You can see two cable ties at the end of the tubing, before it goes into a silver cylinder )

Photo 11 we are looking at the intake manifold, you can see a black hose connected a metal pipe directly coming off the intake manifold. If you follow it up, it goes up near the fuel filter. Photo 12 is the same hose, just zoomed out a bit.

These are all the vacuum hoses I could find. Photo 1, this hose has been the cause of most problems for people, low boost; pin prick holes in it caused major issues. Photo 6, where I have cable tied it to metal tubing, can be cut by radiator fan, it's loose.

Ok, photo 1 is first top left, the go right for no. 2 etc, then next row down left to right, next row etc.

[green troll]

Very interesting. Good on you for working at it till you came up with a fix.
One question how does soapy water react under a vacuum. I know how it looks for a pressurised gas leak. (Bubbles) but interested about vacuum.

Side not I saw my best fuel economy today. Ballarat to Melbourne cbd 7.1.l/100 usual highway I see mid 8's to 9. City is 12 ish.
Towing van 15.5 average so far.

Thanks for posting that info mate.

[scribble88]

Hey green troll,

I removed the hose, had a container of soapy water I dipped most of the hose in, spreading the soapy water to the ends of the hose; trying not to get any soapy water inside the hose. I then stuck my finger over one end, blew into the pipe from the other, looked and listened for bubbles.

Not sure I would trust my self near the radiator fan, one of the pipes runs near it. Also, the potential to suck water into the system, probably is not the greatest thing. I am not sure how the gas fitter on this forum did it. The way I did it, was how I though he would do it; by removing them.

Tell you the truth, if I did it again, I would probably just buy a mitre of the correct size hose, replace them all.

Ok, maths is not my strong suit; I think 10.6km/L is the same as 9.43L/100km.

I think 2010 activ's must have different measurements to everyone else. I see people posting L/100km all the time. All I know is using the Pajero's display read outs I have gone from 9.8 to 10.3 km/L to 10.6km/L with ease.

I might tackle changing the in tank fuel filter next, I am coming up to 200,000. It just looks like a very fidly job; especially as the hole where the fuel pump sits is diagonally across from the top hole.

Then again, I have a tyre to replace as it has a slow leak, I think a squeaky front passenger suspension, electric drum brake on the trailer to replace. Money, money, money, how much for a kidney on the black market now days?

[geopaj]

Thanks- great thread & informative.

[Dicko1]

Sometimes being ocd is a blessing....

[Purdy]

Hey green troll,

I removed the hose, had a container of soapy water I dipped most of the hose in, spreading the soapy water to the ends of the hose; trying not to get any soapy water inside the hose. I then stuck my finger over one end, blew into the pipe from the other, looked and listened for bubbles.

Not sure I would trust my self near the radiator fan, one of the pipes runs near it. Also, the potential to suck water into the system, probably is not the greatest thing. I am not sure how the gas fitter on this forum did it. The way I did it, was how I though he would do it; by removing them.

Tell you the truth, if I did it again, I would probably just buy a mitre of the correct size hose, replace them all.

Ok, maths is not my strong suit; I think 10.6km/L is the same as 9.43L/100km.

I think 2010 activ's must have different measurements to everyone else. I see people posting L/100km all the time. All I know is using the Pajero's display read outs I have gone from 9.8 to 10.3 km/L to 10.6km/L with ease.

I might tackle changing the in tank fuel filter next, I am coming up to 200,000. It just looks like a very fidly job; especially as the hole where the fuel pump sits is diagonally across from the top hole.

Then again, I have a tyre to replace as it has a slow leak, I think a squeaky front passenger suspension, electric drum brake on the trailer to replace. Money, money, money, how much for a kidney on the black market now days?

Hi mate,
You can change the unit display for the average fuel use. You can change it to L/100 pretty easily. Manual has a big section on it. You can change nearly every setting on that display unit.

[jhale101]

Plug the leak

Hey Paj peoples,

Thought now I am a senior member, I better do something helpful

I must preface this by saying I am a little ocd.

So a while a go I started a thread asking if the muffler could be the cause of my loss of power; here is the thread that talks about it: https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum...ad.php?t=52626

I received all kinds of great input, I ended up replacing my exhaust with a 3 inch one; which restored my power.

One of the suggestions was to check the vacuum pipes. I visually checked them, thought they were not the cause of my problem.

After I had replaced my exhaust, I still wasn't happy, my economy rate still wasn't what I thought it should be. In addition, the engine did not sound right. I put it down to my ocd, other forum members said I solved the issue, don't get too hung up.

Well, I kept reading posts similar to mine; one guy who gas fitter said he replaced all of his vacuum pipes to solve a low boost issue. He said that he applied soapy water to the old pipes to see if any leaks. The gas fitter forum member found a pin head size hole in one of the pipes; which when replaced fixed his issue.

So I decided that a visual inspection of my vacuum pipes was not good enough; I needed to check every pipe using his technique.

I did, using soapy water check all my vacuum pipes. Now one pipe I think I damaged pulling it off; however I found another pipe that had a crack at the end of the pipe.

I was still skeptical that the vacuum pipes could cause a big issue with the engine. Oh my goodness, I started the car, engine sounded better, economy up to 10.6km/L easily.

I have uploaded some photos, because; #1 I could not find any diagrams or photos, that showed me which pipes I should be looking at, I hope these help someone. #2 In case I missed any.

The photos kind of do a circuit, I hope it makes sense. The first photo is located on the driver's side of the engine bay; I cannot find out what the golden colour cylinder is called. It is attached to the exhaust manifold. The black rubber tubing is a vacuum hose, which you can see in photo 2 close up, further along the hose, as it passes under a bracket. Photo 3 sees the same hose bend up and backward into a solenoid I am guessing; underneath is a clear hose ( This is one I replaced, normally it would be black rubber too, however this is the only piping I could find this small ).

Photo 4 shows the pipe we just followed, and the clear pipe we are going to follow now. Photo 5 shows the clear pipe attaching to a metal pipe located at the front of the engine. Also note in photo 5, a black/brown rubber hose cable tied to the metal pipe, we will follow it as it goes, down under the intercooler pipe to the driver's side of the engine bay. Photo 6 shows the black/brown pipe, the cable tie, the slight twist in the pipe, it joins on another metal section of the same metal pipe at the front of the engine; the other end goes to the driver's side engine bay. Photo 7 shows the pipe I was just talking about going under the intercooler pipe to metal pipe on the driver's side engine bay; ( I had to take the airbox off to find where to pull it off ).

Ok photo 8, we jump over to the passenger side or intake exhaust side of the engine. You see two rubber pipes, we will follow the rear one first into photo 9 of another golden cylinder. Photo 10 shows both pipes from photo 8 bifurcate, to the right (left of car) to the golden cylinder in photo 9; the other to I think it is called the vacuum pump ( You can see two cable ties at the end of the tubing, before it goes into a silver cylinder )

Photo 11 we are looking at the intake manifold, you can see a black hose connected a metal pipe directly coming off the intake manifold. If you follow it up, it goes up near the fuel filter. Photo 12 is the same hose, just zoomed out a bit.

These are all the vacuum hoses I could find. Photo 1, this hose has been the cause of most problems for people, low boost; pin prick holes in it caused major issues. Photo 6, where I have cable tied it to metal tubing, can be cut by radiator fan, it's loose.

Ok, photo 1 is first top left, the go right for no. 2 etc, then next row down left to right, next row etc.

Hi,
I have carried out the first 2 vacuume pipe changeovers thinking this may be my problem as well.
I don't believe it fixed my issue but you may be able to assist me being a bit "OCD" as you said so I reckon you may have an answer.
I can hear what sounds like a vacuum leak or air leak from the motor. I can't hear where exactly and when I read your post I thought 'yes" I have found the answer.
The noise seemed to have coincided with the fuel economy increasing from around 8 L /100 on a run to 10L/100.
I am sure it is an air leak and definitely coming from the engine as it goes when I put car in neutral when driving along.
Would appreciate any thoughts or ideas you may have.

PS what is the white valve thingo in the vacuum line in photo 3. Is it a one way valve?

[ticky]

Vacuum Leaks Suck!!

[scribble88]

Jhale101,

I replied to your pm in detail. Summary version. Check exhaust system first, cover with a 50:50 solution shampoo/conditioner over joints and suspect areas. Ensure vacuum pipes no pin point holes, and vacuum pipe joints sealed correctly use cable ties to ensure correct seal.