PSA: check that secondary air injection pump!
03-25-2007, 02:20 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,006
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PSA: check that secondary air injection pump!
You might be able to fix it in place, before it gets bad enough to require removing it...
While changing the oil today, I noticed that several of the rivets that hold the 2 halves of the air pump body together were in the process of disintegrating.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-problem.jpg">
The heads had separated from the rivet body, probably from vibration when the pump runs, allowing the halves of the air pump to begin to separate. Three were shot. Here's a closeup
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-closeup.jpg">
I pushed the rivets out of the housing by inserting a sheet metal screw from the broken side and pushing a bit... the rivets emerged from the other side enabling me to pry them out. The rivets are the same diameter as #8 screws. I found 1.5" stainless steel replacements at Home Desperate; they fit perfectly.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Rivet-screw.jpg">
I was able to replace the 2 lower rivets... using a bit of Loc-tite. There's still a broken one but it's too hard to reach. Hopefully this will keep the pump body together, reducing stress on the other rivets. Here's a pic, once repaired.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-fixed.jpg">
Stupid cost-cutting measure... the screw & nut option would only cost a few cents more than the rivets during manufacture, but if the rivets fail, it costs like $400-600 in labor and parts to replace the air pump.
Anyway, take a peek next time you're poking around down there. Save the money for mods.
~john
While changing the oil today, I noticed that several of the rivets that hold the 2 halves of the air pump body together were in the process of disintegrating.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-problem.jpg">
The heads had separated from the rivet body, probably from vibration when the pump runs, allowing the halves of the air pump to begin to separate. Three were shot. Here's a closeup
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-closeup.jpg">
I pushed the rivets out of the housing by inserting a sheet metal screw from the broken side and pushing a bit... the rivets emerged from the other side enabling me to pry them out. The rivets are the same diameter as #8 screws. I found 1.5" stainless steel replacements at Home Desperate; they fit perfectly.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Rivet-screw.jpg">
I was able to replace the 2 lower rivets... using a bit of Loc-tite. There's still a broken one but it's too hard to reach. Hopefully this will keep the pump body together, reducing stress on the other rivets. Here's a pic, once repaired.
<img src="http://www.neiu.edu/~jrhoeppe/Pump-fixed.jpg">
Stupid cost-cutting measure... the screw & nut option would only cost a few cents more than the rivets during manufacture, but if the rivets fail, it costs like $400-600 in labor and parts to replace the air pump.
Anyway, take a peek next time you're poking around down there. Save the money for mods.
~john
03-25-2007, 04:04 PM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,006
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tight packaging strengthens the case for 10k oil drain intervals ;)
51k miles on my TT, all in the Chicago area (hence the salt stains on many of the underhood bit).
I don't know when the rivets started coming loose.. . although I had noticed the air pump seeming noiser this winter when starting up in the morning.
I don't know when the rivets started coming loose.. . although I had noticed the air pump seeming noiser this winter when starting up in the morning.
Trending Topics
03-25-2007, 11:10 PM
#9
AudiWorld Super User
been there >>
<img src="http://www.squarewave.com/army/andrew/ttstuff/air_pump-001.jpg"><ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1574799.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/msgs/1574799.phtml</a</li></ul>
03-26-2007, 03:49 AM
#10
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,006
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
no CEL, but it was louder on startup... hoping to head off the CEL experience
my daughter's A4 has a persistent CEL that has been linked to the air injection system though, so that's the next patient I treat.
