Idle control valve?

[markyp2002]

Ok heres a good one for you:

Audi A3 1.8T 2001 AUM engine code.

Is the idle control valve part of the throttle body? Or is it a separate valve?

If its not, any ideas how much a new throttle body is? Or how much the control valve is.

Im getting erratic tick over on idling, ive changed the MAF 3 times now, this final one changed last night like for like. It definitely drives smoother but the idle speed is still pfft!

Help !

 

[shollis]

Hi

I have the same car and have had a similar problem with mine but changing the MAF seemed to cure it in the past.

I have a basic copy of VAG-COM that we can get some fault codes if you would like? Im from south Derbyshire but used to live in Sutton and still have family/friends there.

Cheers

Stephen

P.S. Which remap did you go for to get 206bhp?

 

[markyp2002]

Ive got VAGCOM aswell mate but thanks for the offer.

I cleared the engine codes last night after i changed the MAF and once cleared was when the erratic idling started and i mean really bad, but after driving for a few minutes the idle seemed to steady off but still a little jumpy, then after an hour engine light back on again.

Ill check again what it comes up as later and ill paste on here what it says, but its a pain in the ****!

 

[markyp2002]

Erk

Just phoned Audi and described the symptoms, he thinks it could be the Throttle Body sticking and "gunked" up as he put it.

Told me to try taking it off and cleaning, if this fails, gettin a new one which would set me back around £250!!!

Not a happy bunny

 

[jiffi77]

Had a similar problem with mine last year, cleaned the throttle body and it was like a different car, cost £2 for the gasket £4 for some carb cleaner, read somewhere that the 1.8T engines suffer from this and need doing quite often.

 

[Tallpaul]

DBW throttle doesn't have a seperate idle control as such...

Defo worth giving it a good clean as your first port of call. It's simple to do, just whip off the big black hose, undo 4 5mm (IIRC) allen bolts and carefully unplug the wiring loom. The throttle body comes away from the inlet manifold, if your carefull you don't even need to change the gasket, but for the sake of a couple of quid you might as well (Gasket Part # 028 129 748 - £1.68+VAT).

It's worth performing a throttle body alignment when you put it back together. You should disconnect -ve terminal from the battery before dismantling the TB, when you re-connect it, turn the ignition to on (but don't start the car) you'll hear a whirring a beeping from the TB that lasts about 30seconds, when this is finished start the car and let it idle for a few minutes. If the battery is disconnected for more than 5 mins, it'll also reset the ECU so take the car out for a quick blast to get the adaptations back.

When cleaning the TB, use the cleaner on a cloth and wipe the inside of the TB and the butterfly valve. Don't soak the TB in cleaner, it has been suggested that doing this can damage the mircroswitches/electronics of the DBW system (not sure how true that is tho...).

 

[markyp2002]

Lovely thanks guys, much appreciated help.

Ill whip it off sometime this week and give it a good scrubbing, hopefully it should make a hell of a difference.

Need to get it done before friday, got it booked in for Rolling Road at Midland VW so ill let you know how i get on

 

[shollis]

I had my throttle body de gunged when I first bought the car but the symptoms were hesitation under acceleration, not poor idling. Still worth cleaning it thoough.

Stephen

 

[markyp2002]

Ok

got her booked in for tomorrow for a complete degunking and complete throttle body re-alignment £55+VAT

Ill let you know how i get on!

 

[Tallpaul]

Ok

got her booked in for tomorrow for a complete degunking and complete throttle body re-alignment £55+VAT

Ill let you know how i get on!

christ you've just been ripped off.

 

[markyp2002]

err why?

this should be with a carburettor/injector clinic near me.

if you think i can get it done cheaper, point me in the right direction.

if i disconnect the battery, and do the re-alignment thingy you spoke of earlier, will this potentially cure the problem? is that what they are more or less likely to do tomorrow?

if it is ill cancel and do it myself

PS im new to this audi malarky, bare with me!

 

[Tallpaul]

Depends what they are going to do... Looks like they are charging you an hours labour, if all they plan to do is take off the throttle body, clean it and perform a throttle body alignment, then yes you can do it yourself.

I'm not sure what else they could do? Not within an hour anyway.

 

[markyp2002]

He mentioned something about resetting values or changing values or something.

All hooked up to a computer and adjusting that way, maybe its worth paying the pennies to get a good and thorough job done.

I guess, providing they get it running sweeter than sugar, i dont mind paying for it

 

[Tallpaul]

He mentioned something about resetting values or changing values or something.

All hooked up to a computer and adjusting that way, maybe its worth paying the pennies to get a good and thorough job done.

I guess, providing they get it running sweeter than sugar, i dont mind paying for it

An electronic throttle body alignment can be done via VAG-COM, the benefit is that his diagnostic equipment will give him a pass or fail result. The alignment itself is what occurs in the procedure mentioned above. You're pass/fail indication would be whether it makes any differance or not...

Bottom line (IMO) is that it is unlikely to be a fault with your throttle body. If it's dirty, it'll be obvious as soon as you remove it.

For the sake of £60 i'd give it a go myself and see if it helps.

Just because your dealer says that it's either a dirty TB or a faulty one doesn't mean that's the problem. A very small vacuum leak would also cause the same problems.

The fluctuation in valve angle on the throttle body can indicate the potential source of a problem...

This is the sort of fault you can spend a lot of money trying to fix and never resolve...

 

[markyp2002]

So what would you recommend? take it into a dealer and get it fully diagnosed?

or try the realignment bit myself just to see if it makes a tiny bit of difference, if it does then take it off clean it?

I would assume that if i did the realignment with the battery as u suggested before takin it off to clean it, if there was any problem with it, surely it would rectify my problem slightly? If it didnt then perhaps that isnt the cause?

 

[Tallpaul]

So what would you recommend? take it into a dealer and get it fully diagnosed?

or try the realignment bit myself just to see if it makes a tiny bit of difference, if it does then take it off clean it?

I would assume that if i did the realignment with the battery as u suggested before takin it off to clean it, if there was any problem with it, surely it would rectify my problem slightly? If it didnt then perhaps that isnt the cause?

the alignment is like a 'self-diagnostic' the motor in the TB will move the valve through all of its travel and check it can move freely. If it can then it 'passes' if it can't (like it's gunked up with dirt) it will 'fail' and probably throw a fault code.

I would take the throttle body off, clean it thoroughly. Perform the 'manual' throttle body alignment and run the car for a week or so and see if it's any differant. If it's still the same, try finding someone local with VAG-COM who will look at it for you and check for fault codes and can perform the 'electronic' TBA.

There's nothing wrong with going to a garage, saying you are being ripped off is probably a bit harsh... They are charging a fair-ish rate for the work they'd be doing, just i can do it myself... And so could anyone else if they wanted to