Vacuum issues?

The 1996 Fleetwood has developed interesting symptoms just today:

1. Momentary loss of power, bucking at highway speeds, low engine load, flat ground, mild acceleration. Seems to run OK at wide open throttle.
2. Blast of hot air irregularly from dash vents while AC is running.
3. Loss of power assist in power steering when starting after engine off for a few minutes, and then PS returns to normal.

Is this likely related to a major vacuum leak, or crapped out booster. Where should I start?

Vacuum leak shouldn't have anything to do with the steering...?

Indirect effect on PS due to staggering/stalling engine, perhaps? That particular symptom only happened once on the way home, and the engine nearly stalled out immediately after the engine started. Symptoms 1 and 2 above are consistent, and are getting worse. CEL came on a few minutes ago.

If it will sit there and idle, maybe spray something combustible (ether, carb cleaner, etc) around all the vacuum hoses and anywhere there could be a leak. If you're careful/methodical about it you can isolate even the smallest vacuum leak this way. If you just fire hose the top of the engine and it does not speed up or run differently, you don't have a vacuum leak .

Dave have you had a chance to scan the CEL codes? The drivability issues could be caused by low fuel pressure, bad or malfunctioning EGR...plugged catalytic. Easy enough to check for a vacuum leak as explained above. The blast of warm air with the AC on is not something I have ever encountered.

My first guess would be a fuel pump issue.

Tom

Car is now at the shop. Too many balls in the air for the next two weeks to work on it. Fuel pump seems to be leading in the PM and forum list of suspects.