Inlet manifold Vacuum actuatr replacement without removing manifold. Took 45 minutes!

Sponcom

Member
Hi All

My A2 1.6 FSI suffered the common broken plastic rod on the vacuum actuator. After an unsuccessful attempt to fix the plastic pushrod with chemical metal I eventually went to Audi an bought a new one.

I managed to fit the new actuator without removing the inlet manifold or removing the engine mount. Just remove the top part of the cam cover to give you some access. The problem with fitting the actuator is that there is no room to slot the end through the hole in the flap/potentiometer mechanism and this is why you have to remove the manifold.

I cut off the piece of plastic that slots through the flap mechanism with a hacksaw whilst holing the rod in a vice (the ends are a bit fragile) and then drilled a 5mm hole in the end. I then tapped this out to 6mm thread. I then fitted the new actuator and popped a 10mm stainless socket headed bolt through the flap mechanism and screwed in into the actuator rod. I used a bit of threadlock a bit of threadlock so it wont budge.

I cleared the codes and it has been perfect for a week now. Took me 45 minutes and saved several hundred pounds in labour costs!

If you want a bit more access or need to replace the potentiometer then you can support the engine with a jack underneath, remove the drivers side engine mount (16mm bolts) and pull the engine toward the front of the car.

I hope this helps people. It seems to me with this simple modification to the actuator there is absolutely no need to remove the manifold!

I'll try and take some pics next week showing the modification in situe.


Cheers

Paul
 
Last edited:
Actuator was £89 from adui parts department in Tetbury so £102 or so for the part.

Really annoying when all that breaks is the plastic rod snaps where the rod becomes narrower and thinner at the bottom. I also spread alittle bit of chemical metal into the 'grooves' on the new one as it is not a solid piece of plastic. Hopfully it will stop the new one breaking.

One thing I recommend is Wynns spray. You spray it into the throttle body and on my A2 it released the manifold flap that was sticking and resulted in the broken actuator rod in the first place.
 
Back
Top