Hey just to throw this out there.

2010 with 85k miles. I noticed a bit of slight maybe leakage around the vacuum pump so had an excuse to replace the vacuum pump. I read the horror stories about cam lockup so wanted to preventively replace it anyways. When I took the pump out and rotated it, it seemed to be full of oil.

I didn’t have any error codes or known issues with the car and I can’t believe what a difference it has made!


Before I always would immediately put the car into sport mode because the drive mode had slow sort of odd pedal response in regular drive off the line. Now even in regular Drive I get snappy immediate throttle response off the line. No delay! I’m also getting much more power and response all through out. Regular mode feels how sport used to. Someone could convince me I had tuned the car. I’ve only had the car for 10k miles so didn’t have a frame of reference for what it was supposed to feel like and it was already plenty fun to drive. I think I am getting turbo help much faster and in lower rpms.

Anyone have any insight why the vacuum pump has made such a difference? I’m guessing the old pump wasn’t pulling enough vacuum to properly engage the turbo? But why would I feel it from a standstill on the throttle? Turbo hasn’t wound up anyways so does the vacuum effect other basic functions of the motor? Before if I wasn’t in sport it was almost like the engine bogged at the very first part of the pedal push or it just wouldn’t quite start to move until the pedal went a little further. Hard to describe but I’ve seen other people describe the same thing out of sport mode.

Definitely give some consideration to replacing the vacuum pump! It was an easy quick cheap diy.

Any insights appreciated.

 

The vacuum pump closes the waste gate. If your pump was failing, and not providing enough vacuum to close the waste gate fully or quick enough, throttle response could suffer. That could be the reasoning behind your seat of the pants feelings after replacing it.