Vacuum Pump

While vacuum pumps are essential to the workings of diesel and hybrid engines, they can also boost performance in petrol engines. Installing the right vacuum pump with a product from our range can significantly improve your cars response and efficiency. Vacuum pumps draw out the gas molecules from a sealed chamber to create a vacuum. The pressure of the vacuum is then used to power a wide variety of systems and devices depending on the make and model of your vehicle. In diesel and hybrid engines, the vacuum pump is solely responsible for supplying a vital vacuum to the brake servo a feature that isn't needed in petrol engines. Despite this, vacuum pumps are still useful in some petrol-powered vehicles as they increase hydraulic support for the brakes. They can also be used to power the motors that control the air flow in car ventilation systems, the throttle driver in cruise control systems and even the central locking system. Whether responsible for your brakes or your security, a reliable vacuum pump is essential and should be immediately replaced if malfunctioning.

The Vacuum Pump is a device that helps enhance the effects of the hydraulic braking system in cars as a supplement to the primary braking mechanism. Each time you push the brake pedal, the force transfers to a rod. This rod passes through the brake booster and reaches the master cylinder. The pressure from the rod activates the master cylinder piston and works on the hydraulic braking systems. The Vacuum Pump chamber contains a vacuum the engine creates. This chamber has two sections, separated vertically by way of a rubber diaphragm. When the brake pedal pushes the rod, a small amount of air is let into the chamber on the brake pedal side through a valve that also seals off the vacuum. This air pressure on one side of the diaphragm helps enhance the force of the brake. However, in case of cars that have turbo charging or use diesel as fuel, the engine does not create the necessary vacuum. Thus, they need an additional brake booster vacuum pump to draw out the air and create the vacuum needed for the brake booster to function. Vehicles that typically run in locations of high altitude also need a brake booster vacuum pump. The brake booster vacuum pump reduces dependency on the engine for the vacuum and can work independently of it. This device uses an electrical control circuit to work. It activates with a signal from the brake booster vacuum sensor that monitors the levels of the vacuum in the brake booster. The brake booster vacuum pump should be able to maintain up to 18 of vacuum for the brake booster to be effective. If you notice that the pedal has slipped to the floor of the car and you hear a hissing sound, this could be an indication of a leak in the air line or pump to the brake booster vacuum pump.

Vacuum pump in the Opel Vectra B (in red) In many cases, vacuum pumps are located directly on the cylinder head, and are driven by the camshaft. Due to these interfaces, the engine repairer should have an elementary knowledge of vacuum pumps. Vacuum pumps are used in motor vehicles in which the necessary vacuum cannot be generated in the intake manifold. These are direct injection engines, turbo engines and engines with variable valve timing, for example. The increasing number of pneumatic actuators can also render the use of a vacuum pump necessary. With pneumatic devices, high actuating forces can be achieved in a small installation space. Brake boosters, secondary air valves, EGR valves, switched intake manifolds, turbocharger control and comfort devices are just some examples.

This pressure is used to power multiple belts and pulleys ranging from alternators to AC units but is released thanks to the use of a vacuum pump. A diesel engine on the other hand relies on vacuum pumps to provide power for other systems, most notably the brake system and in many cases, the air conditioning system.

Poor fuel efficiency. When a vacuum leak exists, it's most commonly caused by vacuum hoses that are broken, have faulty connections or the vacuum pump is not in operation.

Brake pedal hard to press.
Leaking oil under the side of the engine.
Delayed brake response.
Excessive pressure is needed to make the brake respond A hissing sound when you press the brake pedal.
Brake pedal slips to the floor of the car when the engine is running, and the car is stationary.
Braking becomes especially difficult in heavy traffic areas when the brakes need to be applied in quick succession.
Air conditioning not working.

Vacuum leaks in today's computer-controlled engines can cause very serious engine damage. Because the vacuum leak pulls in outside air, immediately the fuel air ratio is altered to a lean condition. The lean air fuel condition is picked up by the exhaust oxygen sensors who, in turn, report this to the computer.

Sometimes, the worst part of getting your car fixed is having to bring it to the garage. We are therefore happy to offer our customers a free collection and delivery service If you prearrange a collection, we will pick your car up from your home or place of work and drive it to our premises, carry out all the necessary work (having consulted you) and deliver it back to you at the end of the day.

We are able to tow, jump start or repair your vehicle if you are experiencing problems or broken down for a small fee. If we can't sadly start your vehicle, we can contact a local recovery firm to collect your vehicle for a very competitive price.

Don't want to waste your day off?
You don't have the time to take your car in for a service or repairs?
Have you got problems with getting to and from the garage?

Here at Car Services in Reading, we believe that we offer a valuable product with our Free Collection and Delivery Service, we can collect either from your place of work or from your home address. If you are unsure about whether the address you are considering having your vehicle collected from is not within our range, then please do contact us.

Car Services in Reading operate a fleet of pool cars with a dedicated driver, so wherever we are collecting from, we need to be able to leave one of our pool vehicles either in your work car park / parking space, or if in a residential area, we would need to be able to leave our car either at your house or on the road with a permit if required. We would be grateful if you could bear this in mind when booking to use our free Collection and delivery service