Dipstick "Test?"

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privatei.com>]

Someone posted something about a "dipstick test" in regard to vacuum
leaks; I know that pulling the dipstick out of a 5kt motor will cause
a vacuum leak, but should the car _stall_ or just run rough?  

My 87 5kcsq wagon has a(many?) vacuum leaks; it is hard to start,
there is one mystery vacuum line that is not connected to anything -
it comes from the vacuum regulator/plastic thing that connects to the
airflow boot, runs around behind the fuel distriutor, terminates by
the p-side headlight.  

>From the diagram on sjm's page, this line should go to the carbon
canister under the fender - I am putting the car on a lift tonight to
try to figure it out(the line is plugged temporarily, but whatever it
should be connected to is open).  

I suspect my dipstick is leaking, too - the rubber seal on the
dipstick handle is old and flat, looks like an old(smaller) injector
o-ring seal.  Are replacements available for the dipstick?

Valve cover gasket - mine does not leak oil currently, but it seems
plausible to me that the front side of the gasket could be dry and
leaky(air), while not leaking oil onto the sparkplug side of the head.
Seem reasonable?  I'm picking up a gasket tonight to replace, just in
case.  

Car runs fine once running, but I need to track down the vacuum leaks
it has - primary suspect is the carbon canister/mystery hose.
Secondary is valve cover gasket - but I don't know if the car can leak
air but not oil at the VC.  Third is dipstick.  I have replaced the
injector o-ring seals, boot from distributor to throttlebody, made
sure the vacuum lines below the boot are good(they should be replaced
out of principle, but they do not appear to be leaky).  

Any thoughts?  Other common v-leak suspects?


Iain