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Your engine is the best source for vacuum when testing the vacuum systems in your car. If the engine is not operational, then the best approach is to get a hand-held vacuum pump. However, with the hand pump, you can only check ONE component or ONE section of line at a time. You don't have enough vacuum capacity for doing more with that device.
For doing any vacuum system testing, you also need a couple of hand squeeze clamps which can be used to squeeze rubber vacuum line to seal it off when testing one section of it. If your engine is operational, you need the clamps and some rubber caps and hose plugs, as well.
I use a harber freight a/c vacuum pump with a hose barb fitting. $80 on sale.
Using an electric vacuum pump and also a gauge plumbed into the line allows me to verify that I am able to get the system to HOLD vacuum as it was designed. This has saved me major hassle when I can see that some of the vacuum storage tanks on the wiper door cars are bad and have splits in the steel and the system can not hold pressure.
The hand held vacuum pumps are okay for some tests...but when I go in and check the system..the electric pump is the only way for me to do it due to I can easily find vacuum leaks with the engine not running.