TrevorAustin

My mechanic did a scan for me and gave me some fault codes as I finish sorting this vehicle out, all seems to be working fine but there are some issues so I'm going to try and address them one by one;

First an engine issue;
1 Fault Found:
19591 - Intake Manifold Runner Control
P3135 - 000 - Lower Stop not Reached
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 651 /min
Torque: 89.7 Nm
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Voltage: 14.52 V
Duty Cycle: 89.2 %
Duty Cycle: 20.9 %
Duty Cycle: 0.4 %
Temperature: 54.0°C

Readiness: 0 0 1 1 1

From what research I've done this is a swirl flap issue but not seen one with as low a value as 0.4% in the third measurement. Anybody anything else to add? Thinking I'll probabl6y get a dselete done, although it looks like there is a £100 repair kit per bank from a Polish company.

TrevorAustin

So I took my engine cover off and it is clear what is wrong. There is a motor to control a long plastic arm with little ***** on connectors that go on to sockets on the flap swivels. All but one had fallen out so the motor was over extended and the flaps aren't even being touched. I guess either the socket has stretched or the ball has eroded to allow it to drop out. If I put them back in it works fine manually buy falls out again, so for now I have wedged some metal strips down the back of the arm to hold it in place and could improve it more by making some sort of u washer to place behind the flap so let's stopping them moving in.
There is a repair from a polish company for £100 that is exactly these parts so I guess a common problem, so if my bodge doesn't work I'll have to try that next. A lot cheaper than a delete.

MP4.2+6.0

You may have only found the symptom, not the true problem. Yes, the arms do break, and sometimes come undone. Gruvenparts is the oft go to aftermarket supplier; dealer doesn't sell as a piece part AFAIK.

BUT, the issue may be that the internal flaps in the intake that this system controls are jammed or binding. Hence why the arms come off or break. Check them carefully--both sides of the intake. That is, the metal part where the ball is and the arm connects. It is like a sets of ginormous throttle plates inside and they swivel on little bearings that freeze up over the years.. All you can do is try to put some penetrant on and work (rotate) back and forth manually. Bearings are "sealed" though, so it won't have much effect most likely. Moving it back and forth a bunch of times may help some, but likely only for a limited time. Unfortunately if they are beyond hope, really stuck or broken internally, you have to replace the whole intake manifold for $$$$. Since the issue is common, most in junkyards (not sold with a whole motor) have already been bought up. Been there, (not) done that. If you just dynamite/jury rig/disconnect, sort of the same as carrying around a trunk/boot full of concrete. That is, the system directly improves motor torque in various parts of the RPM range.

Search for more info if needed. Posted on a fair # of times over the years.

TrevorAustin

Thanks for that info, they actually all move really easily with a thin screwdriver just flicking them form side to side, and when held in place the resistance feels identical on both driver and passenger side, it might not be identical, but definitely feels it, its done 130000 I guess what has happened is one popped out, then that pit more play and pressure on the other so they all went.
But they definitely aren't stiff right now, very easy to move, hope that's how they stay
Ebay item 112257636797 is what I'm looking at as that ball and socket is exactly what is worn.
Do you know how the arm and Little sockets are held on to the flap? I'm guessing some sort of central Allan or torx keyed screw?

MP4.2+6.0

I don't know the D3 parts exactly. I had same type of system on my 2000 A6 4.2. IIRC they may have just been a pressure fit using a small internal circclip type ring in the receiving side.

See Gruven parts instructions here: http://www.gruvenparts.com/content/P...e_Link_DIY.pdf

BTW, to the EBay idea, here is literally the first review on their site:

cardinalfan

Trevor,
Would you mind sharing some pics of your modification? Wove love to see what you did so I can do the same.

TrevorAustin

Problem is gruven parts don't do the repair for my engine, it is a 4.0 v8 but its a diesel not petrol and look nothing like those parts, mine looks exactly like the ebay part.
There doesn't appear to be anybody else doing a repair kit for the 4.0 diesel I've spent days searching.

TrevorAustin

Oh its nothing impressive, it's pieces of a computer server rack rail, broken to length to fit behind the control arm, because it is concave the arm is pushed across slightly and slides up and down the groove, had to do it in two pieces due to a metallic lump. They aren't even fitted just the shape means they stay in place I'll get a pic next time I take the engine cover off.