Benny Bivens

Hey guys,

I know there are a lot of threads out there on the dreaded SAI pump system and it's various problems. I have yet to find someone posting a solution to their problem and I thought I might as well share.

I have a 1998 A4 30v 2.8 B5 platform. One day while driving I noticed what sounded to be like a turbo fan kick on which I don't have a turbo. Anyway, when I parked the car I heard this vaccum sound keep going on, the ever popular Secondary Air Intake pump, for like 30 seconds after I had turned the car off. Then when I had popped the hood to examine it kept sporadically turning on for like 2 second intervals. Thinking it would just turn off. After a week or so I woke up one morning and it had drained my battery. Please forgive me I'm usually DIY guy but was pinched for time/work constraints on this one. I put a new battery in it but left it un connected till the next morning to take it in. The indy shop said that the vac lines were either collapsed or rotted and they got replaced and then they said they had tested the pump and it appeared that it was fine and they "tested" the relay and said it was fine and could not replicate the problem. They concluded that it was the very expensive pump...So having little choice on my end I had it done. Picked it up drove it home and guess what happened? My little SAI pump turning on and going crazy after I turned my car off, again. Not to mention someone else going crazy too. Called the guy up and brought it back in the next day. Turns out the "testing" they did on the relay was only a visual inspection. They replaced the relay, no charge and it has fixed the problem. There you go, if you have a SAI going off when the car is turned off and it comes on intermittently afterwards and during driving with a P0411 code, check the relay that's the fix.

4Rings::G2 boosted::

those are 2 different things. Also, I have a better solution for problematic secondary air pump, remove it!

Benny Bivens

Sorry edited out the "fan" parts, this is the SAI, secondary air pump going off when the car is turned off. It turns out it is ia bad relay. Wouldn't hurt to have replaced the vac lines but I'm feeling burned that I had to have the pump replaced for maybe no apparent good reason since it wasn't the problem in this case. Everything's fine now that the relay to the SAI pump has been replaced. It does not kick on sporadically after the car is shut off anymore and is running normal.

Benny Bivens

Yeah, I guess I could remove the brand new one they put in and sell it to recoup some of the cost... Good idea. Too bad I didn't ask for the old one back, could have sold that one too cus it still works... I am having an off week.

Magnetoz

I think he means to completely remove the pump, since it doesn't do anything important.

Magnetoz

I can't remember where its at.. how did you block off the port on the engine? Did you ever come up with a solution for the CEL?

4Rings::G2 boosted::

<center><img src="http://tomasz.data2net.org/gallery-albums/album109/001_1.jpg"></center><p>you don't need the resistor pictured. For the CEL I had a chip burned with the SAI disabled. If you're interested email me, I can have one burned for you too.

LeftFrank

I have had a similar problem with a vacuum-sounding fan or pump going on and off after the engine is shut down - draining the battery. Originally I thought it was the auxiliary eletric fan, and so replaced the relay #219 in the ECU box. This only fixed it for about 2 weeks and then that sound is back while engine is off. I now have the car sitting in my driveway with the battery disconnected.

Do you remember the number or part # for the SAI relay? Is it in the ECU box?

Thanks.