[busboy4]

[quote=stuartnh]Thanks BusBoy4 for all your help. My 01 seems to be the same as yours. I have a few questions if you don't mind.
Can you reach the hose at the vacuum tank without taking too much apart behind the strut from under the hood or is this done under the dash (the tank end)?
>>>The vacuum tank on my van is on the engine side of the firewall. I would suspect yours is there too. On my van I followed a Red semi-rigid appx. 1/8" diameter vacuum hose up to the check valve which was located just next to the vacuum tank. From the vacuum tank to the interior, the line was black.

I don't know the names of each part, when you say control valve, is this the selector switch that has max ac, defrost, heat, vent and the others on it and that's all vacuum controled?
>>>Yes. I read on this forum where a guy was having similar trouble and he changed the interior panel. He had a later model like yours.

Just so I am looking at the right item. How could I test it?
I am going to use my brothers vacuum pump, I plan on checking to see if the system holds presure by removing the line at the manifold, would this be a good idea? Should it hold presure? Maybe I could hear a leak with the motor and fan off.

>>> I think using a hand vacuum pump is a great plan. I used it to put vacuum on the system, and also test available vacuum. You should have around 13 "/hg vacuum at the vacuum block under the dash above the accelerator - the line from under the hood should have vacuum at that point with the engine running. On my van, that block was easily recognizable - the multi-colored lines from the individual vacuum motors all connected there. I was able to open that connection, and then using the attachments for my vacuum pump (specifically the needle nosed type) either pull a vacuum on a specific line, or measure available vacuum such as from the engine. If you can pull a vacuum at that point on the line which runs from the engine (the one you followed before) it should hold. That would test the line from there to the tank, the tank itself and the check valve. If it holds, your problem is between the engine and the tank, or between the connector block and (or at) the panel switch unit.

Let us know what you find
Happy hunting. let us know what you find