Vacuum solenoid valve

[earendil]

Hello,

Due to vacuum leaks I have pulled out the plenum and traced the leaks to the T-connectors at the vacuum check valves (will resolve one way or another).

However when checking the vacuum solenoid valve I observe the following behaveour which I am not sure is abequate:

At the side towards the vacuum reservoir it holds vacuum perfectly (as expected.. it is closed afterall).
At the other side it breathes freely from the filter end (sponge), but then I remove the filter and block the opening it sill slowly looses the vacuum.

1. Should it hold no vacuum at the driver's side connector (as mounted) and take air freely from the filter??
2. Is it a problem that it looses vacuum albeit slow when I block the filter end?
3. If it requires replacement - is there a substitute part from another (EU) brand car as I am in Bulgaria and would not want to wait a long time for the part, as the car is disasembled at an open parking and it will soon become too cold to work on it.. Would prefer to assemble it in the next few days.

Thanks