Testing for a Vacuum leak p-0171

DaleGrib

DaleGrib

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I am gonna test for a vacuum leak for my p-0171 code but wanted to ask if spraying all the lines and such with brake parts cleaner would give the same results as using starter fluid or card cleaner? I was thinking brake parts cleaner so it might be so harmful on the plastic hoses and rubber on the motor. Or would I be better off doing the old cheap cigar smoke test? I was gonna test for a leak and if no leaks I was gonna replace the upstream 02 sensor on bank 1 since the cat was very bad. I know typically 02 sensors throw their own codes but I know the downstream sensor was bad before and it threw no codes. I have also cleaned the MAF several times and that never helped. So if I find no leaks I would be leaning more towards a bad 02 sensor or possibly bad MAF.
 
I like smoke. Fluid can miss a spot or area that you don't notice. Smoke goes everywhere and doesn't make a mess plus it's an excuse to light up.

Where are you in NC? I'm in Raleigh.
 
Jtown said:
I like smoke. Fluid can miss a spot or area that you don't notice. Smoke goes everywhere and doesn't make a mess plus it's an excuse to light up.

Where are you in NC? I'm in Raleigh.
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Near Wilmington.

Does anyone know the best line to blow the smoke into ?
 
DaleGrib said:
Yeah I knew that lol I was just wondering which was the best one to use.
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Any that attach after the throttle plate should be good, and one much the same as the other. The PCV line comes to mind for me.
 
joegr said:
Any that attach after the throttle plate should be good, and one much the same as the other. The PCV line comes to mind for me.
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I hope it's not a leak with any of these lines they are getting harder to find. What happens when you can't find the replacement is there any kits to make replacement lines? Or would I be SOL
 
You see the vacuum black plastic hose/line on the cold air inlet pipe just left of the T-stat housing? It’s running up to the intake on the left I would start with that hose first ....

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DaleGrib said:
Yeah I knew that lol I was just wondering which was the best one to use.
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Have you tried to modify the hose ...Otherwise check out Craigslist for people parting out a 1st Gen ...
 
AmsterDutch said:
View attachment 828571376 View attachment 828571375 View attachment 828571374
Maybe something like this would surfice
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Yeah in the future that would be great but I was able to order a replacement hose since I finally found one. That was the only one I was worried about finding. And the used ones at the junk yard were in bad shape in general so I wanted to go with a new one. And the clamp I used could very well be the cause of my p0171 code I hope I can get that lucky.
 
DaleGrib said:
Yeah in the future that would be great but I was able to order a replacement hose since I finally found one. That was the only one I was worried about finding. And the used ones at the junk yard were in bad shape in general so I wanted to go with a new one. And the clamp I used could very well be the cause of my p0171 code I hope I can get that lucky.
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Good to hear...
 
I tested today and I did not see a bit of smoke coming out of anywhere. So I will try again tomorrow, but so far nothing! So I went ahead and ordered the 02 sensor socket since I have a brand new 02 sensor sitting in a box. If nothing else will change it out to rule that possibility out. Since the cat was really bad on that side of the car before I changed it out I can't rule out a bad 02 sensor on the upstream. I have already replaced the downstream on bank 1 so might as well change out upstream since I have the spare sensor sitting around. I even tried spraying the crap out of the one vacuum line that has the clamp and did not get any change it the motor.

Edit: Just to clarify I did the smoke test and the carb cleaner methods. I even sprayed the hoses on the back of the motor and did not notice any change. I might still change them out since you can get two hoses from autozone for like $12 that are a lot stronger than the old stock ones.
 
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Dale, I hear ya on these parts. I just snapped the crankcase ventilation tube changing the VGC. There must be a secret to removing these.

Getting hard to replace and they are brittle as all heck. Every one of the push pin retaining supports attached to a line by tape, fractures to hell if you have to remove them. Guess they can be replaced but the corrugated lines are a challenge.
 
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