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Word to those wiser, to make vacuum line repair "easier" use copper nickel brake lines, much easier to form. However, if one likes to be mentally, physically and psychologically challenged use the steel lines.
Regrettably on 04 's there are two 8 mm lines that run on the left side of the engine to the turbo solenoid controls above the transmission that become fragile and leak. They are close to the block and run through the abyss. Their fragility is revealed at metal contact ends. There are little brass ferrules inside some of the lines that go into rubber hose fittings. These brass ferrules cause the lines to crack. Of course there are the pressed metal to plastic connections with no clamps that also crack. Replacing the whole line is better than splicing. The plastic lines are degraded to the point that heat and vibration will fracture the material. Bend a piece what happens, snap. When new they would kink.
Agreed and encouraged, smoke test from many different spots. There is also a vacuum connection behind the steering fluid reservoir to check. An inspection camera can be fished down the back of the engine from on top to check the junction above the transmission.
So I haven't had the car that long but is my believe the previous owner did not know about the issue. 2006 Bentley Continental GT approx 26,000 miles! So after a long hunt I decided to purchase this car because of it being super clean, clearly kept in a garage it's life, clean Carfax/service history no paint work,and it was a 06 that Should Not have splitting hose issue.... Wrong! starting I n the middle of fall time I first noticed that I pulled the car out of the garage and let it run while locked up the home occasionally it idled a touch strange. No check eng light and no other issues running. I Initially brushed it off as bad gas from a recent road trip. Then I thought it might be a possible battery issue so I swapped and put in brand-new batteries with a tender, then cane the dreaded check engine light. I purchased a rosstech cable and started down the rabbit hole. I replace both temperature senders with VW OE as one was slightly suspicious and they were inexpnsive, & coming from Audi cars I know they failrandomly and can cause odd things. But that wasent the issue. I kept getting misfire and lean bank codes for bank 1 and 1-6 cylinders. But the car ran good & it was rare for it to stumble at idle, no check engine lights. But I still knew something just wasent right. So I decided to do a smoke test. Right off the bat I knew where this was going. After pulling the driver side wheel and inner fender to gain access to the vacuum pump and reservoir I went to go pull the mainline and it was split at the end connecting to the T at the reservoir! Why do you immediate thought was cool I found it let's hope nothing else is got cracks !! Yeah right!! I almost immediately found2 more cracks at the larger plastic hoses that lead to the manifold! Then smoke coming from behind the steering rack on the passenger side! I got a inspection mirror in there and can see the hex nut looking T and the hard plastic 3/16~ line was split by at least a inch! It came off as soon as I touched it. So it looks like my low miles super clean car I paid a little extra for wasent the car I was hoping for... But she is gonna be the car!! Lol
So engine out time! I needs lift!! So I ordered my lift and I'm picking it up today. Gonna install it over the next couple of days. Then it's time to drop the engine. I have read over johnnys gt rebuild and Zoas "Pulleed my engine" thread.
I have done engine work and removals before it's just been a while lol.
The Plan... Pull the engine and replace all plastic hard lines with steel and rubber ends. Like John did on the YouTube videos. John or anybody that has pulled one before, if your out there can I pick your brain for a few minutes over the phone?? Lol
I am Not going to be changing the starter. I know it's a risk, but with the low miles and being well kept I believe it's a worthwhile risk. I think I'm going to Change the O2 sensors though. Input??
Questions I have...
Where is the best place to get O2 sensors? Specifically please. What should I be looking for as far as OE equivalent. Please give suggestions.
Where do I get the "cloth rubber hoses" and what sizes so I can order them now... for my connection ends? Where do I get the factory style crimp clamps? Amazon one I initially see saw BMW...
those that have done this any odd tools? I have the double square bit set already from my Audi days..
Oil dipstick tube??
Anything else while I have the engine out??
Yes I'm going to photo and document the repair. Hopefully it will help someone out later
that at is amazing that there are some ppl that are willingly taking engines out of their Bentley’s in their garages. Just blowing my mind.
I definitely have a vacuum leak, every time I touch brake pedal I hear pump go on. And it idles ruff in the morning during warm up (seems to run fine as it hits 200f) And triggers check engine light some time. My question is... How did u perform a smoke test. What equipment did u use. Where did u attached it to. Can u explain the process. Thank you.
Bottom line on a 2005 replace all the vacuum lines. There's a series of lines behind the steering rack that control the EVAP system and the power brake assist. Then there are the two 8 mm lines that run down the back of the engine to the infamous above the transmission vacuum lines. Only replacing the one that's currently leaking will lead to pulling the engine again. Than again to fix the next one that's leaking and to pull it for the next one that's leaking etc. How much is in your wallet???
By the way one vacuum leak test is if the pump runs every time pressing the brakes. Another indication is while going up a hill the pump cycles.
Go back to archival postings there are articles on how to do the vacuum smoke test. Honestly the next step is to start looking for an independent shop to replace the vacuum lines with metal.
Last edited by 1eapplebaum; 03-15-2019 at 07:35 AM.
Slightly to noticeable unstable idle. The idle speed goes up and down. Left side driver side (US) vacuum pump cycles while braking and accelerating. A worsening condition can set trouble codes such as engine misfire, lean condition, intake manifold vacuum leak for example or none at all. One way to check, if possible scan or have someone scan IM readiness. Readiness is the system checking that all monitors meet EPA. A vacuum leak would prohibit all systems passing. This is different than scanning for trouble codes. States that monitor emissions their tests would detect a vacuum leak. The last point is a contributor to early Bentleys' failed emissions. The other method is a smoke test.
Perhaps describe the symptoms of the 06? An ECU scan would be good as well using vcds.
Last edited by 1eapplebaum; 06-23-2019 at 01:08 PM.
Hello everyone, I received a PM today from a member starting to diagnose a possible vac line issue. It has been a while since I have been on here and I see several new threads on the vac line problems. And I can’t hardly believe my old thread found him somehow. But as a update I still have my 06 Gt and the repair is still holding up fine.
I think I’m going to see how many pictures I still have of the repair and see if I can make a new cleaner thread since there’s a lot of info in this thread that doesn’t really need to be there if your chasing down a issue or trying to get a idea of how to do a possible repair, or why it costs what it does. Any interest in a new cleaner thread?
Adrenalinejunky that would be brilliant, I think this is one of the biggest worries most owners have.
I‘ve got a 2004 GT, I’ve owned it for 16 months and have driven it 6000 miles, it hasn’t missed a beat, I’ve had Parking Brake issues but nothing else, I love this car.
I do believe I’ve got a Vacuum problem as from day one I’ve noticed a slight hissing noise coming from the middle of the dash, it’s only there when I press the accelerator and is coming from the centre of the rear of the engine, the car idles perfectly with no warning lights and runs perfectly, I’ve tried pumping the brake pedal but the pump runs and then goes back to normal.
I've not smoke tested the lines yet and I think I’m just going to let it develop, but input and advice from Guys like yourself who have tackled this issue is invaluable.
One of the best upgrades I’ve carried out is to replace the Steering Wheel with a new 3 spoke one, it has transformed the car and really looks great.
I finally got around to making a smoke tester last week (oily rag in a sealed biscuit tin with hoses connected and a blow lamp on the bottom) and as I suspected, it showed a leak on the bulkhead to the left of centre (looking in the engine bay from the front of the car). I am lucky that my car is the later design, so no hoses on top of the transmission, and it could only be the T piece where the centre vacuum connection on the manifold runs down to the bulkhead pipe.
I've been thinking about the job for a while now and really didn't like the idea of pulling the steering rack outside on my driveway with the car up on axle stands, so I came up with another solution. Having looked at the vacuum pipe parts drawings on the Scuderia web page for an 06 car, I saw that there are only 2 connections into the bulkhead pipe behind the steering rack. The centre one (where the leak is) and a second connection at the right hand side (vac pump side) right next to the end of the steering rack. I decided that if I could maintain the connections, there was no need to have a pipe along the bulkhead, so I should be able to run a new pipe on a different route. The centre connection is easy, I can see the other end of the pipe where is connects to the manifold (around about point 24 on the parts picture), and the other connection is just about visible through the hole in the wheel arch where the track rod end sticks through.
So I ran a new copper pipe from the vacuum pump down the back of the wheel arch, across the front sub-frame cross member and up into the other wheel arch. I fitted rubber hose connections between the pipe on the sub-frame and the pipe on the bodywork to allow for the movement in the rubber sub-frame mounts.
To make the connections, I gripped the rubber hose with a long pair of forceps, cut the end from the old bulkhead connection. I fitted a T in the new pipe in the vacuum pump wheel arch and ran the pipe from the T through the steering rack aperture, and connected it to the rubber hose hels by the forceps (this was fiddly as heck, but not as fiddly as pulling the steering rack out). On the other side of the car (where the bulkhead pipe emerges and connects to the vacuum pipe which operates the exhaust flaps) I fitted another T and connected one pipe to the exhaust flaps, and led the oter connection up into the scuttle behind the engine, then across to the centre where I disconnected the old manifold/bulkhead pipe hose and connected it to my new pipe.
Hey presto, it works! Took me about 3 hours, but has transformed the car. Pictures to follow
Last edited by Stevieshutts; 06-28-2020 at 05:21 PM.
Reason: Picture won't show from clipboard
This is the vacuum pump side wheel arch.
1 is the new pipe connecting to hose I disconnected from the bulkhead pipe T. This was the fiddly bit and a bit nerve racking cutting the end off the rubber hose - once this was done I was committed to finishing the job or removing the rack o replace the bulkhead pipe.
2 is the new pipe running down to the subframe to cross the car
3 is the rubber hose I fitted to allow for movement of the subframe
4 is a test point I installed (hadn't planned to, but I cut the pipe too short and I only had T connectors )
The other wheel arch
5 is the new pipe coming up from the subframe cross member
6 is another flexi joint rubber hose
7 is connection into the existing rearward running pipe (for the exhaust flaps)
8 is the pipe running up into the scuttle via the screenwash filler hose cut out hole
In the engine room,
9 is the new pipe from the scuttle
10 is the disconnected top end of the hose which runs down to the centre bulkhead pipe connection
11 is the new connection
The old bulkhead pipe is still in place, but disconnected at both ends, and completely bypassed by the new pipe.
If you're going to have a go at this, make absolutely certain you know where the connections are before you start. There are several variants to the bulkhead pipework. The earlier cars appear to have a centre connection, and another one to the left of it, not at the vac pump end like mine (this may in fact be easier to work with because there is a removable plate in the non vac pump wheel arch which gives more access around the end of the steering rack).
This is the vacuum pump side wheel arch.
1 is the new pipe connecting to hose I disconnected from the bulkhead pipe T. This was the fiddly bit and a bit nerve racking cutting the end off the rubber hose - once this was done I was committed to finishing the job or removing the rack o replace the bulkhead pipe.
2 is the new pipe running down to the subframe to cross the car
3 is the rubber hose I fitted to allow for movement of the subframe
4 is a test point I installed (hadn't planned to, but I cut the pipe too short and I only had T connectors )
The other wheel arch
5 is the new pipe coming up from the subframe cross member
6 is another flexi joint rubber hose
7 is connection into the existing rearward running pipe (for the exhaust flaps)
8 is the pipe running up into the scuttle via the screenwash filler hose cut out hole
In the engine room,
9 is the new pipe from the scuttle
10 is the disconnected top end of the hose which runs down to the centre bulkhead pipe connection
11 is the new connection
The old bulkhead pipe is still in place, but disconnected at both ends, and completely bypassed by the new pipe.
If you're going to have a go at this, make absolutely certain you know where the connections are before you start. There are several variants to the bulkhead pipework. The earlier cars appear to have a centre connection, and another one to the left of it, not at the vac pump end like mine (this may in fact be easier to work with because there is a removable plate in the non vac pump wheel arch which gives more access around the end of the steering rack).
02-16-2019, 09:58 AM
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