Intake Manifold Flap fixed but......

2006 New Beetle TDI BEW engine, 72, 000 miles.

I ordered a new Intake Manifold Flap and put it on. I took the old one off and the flap seemed to be working just fine. I didn't pry off the back cover just in case I want to reuse as a get me home. With just a couple of tools one could be done in about 10 minutes on the side of the road.
Now here is the problem. I used my OBD and checked everything when I still had the supposedly bad one on and after doing a reset and cleaning it (Flap Motor), everything checked out fine. Then the engine check light would come on in a couple of days. The one thing I noticed is what I call a pulsing I had my wife step on the accelerator and I could watch the flap go up and down as if it was letting air in and out. When all was closed up I could still here it pulsate. It doesn't do it if you step on it or back off. Looking at it with the hose off, step on it, it opens to let air in back off it closes to reduce air causing a breaking or back down. I think that is all normal except the pulsing when driving at a steady speed. Say I'm driving in 5th gear at 65 mph you can hear it opening and closing. There is no difference in RPM, no surging, no fuel or power loss. This was also checked with the OBD.
Now I put in the new one and it's louder and I can hear it even more. The check engine light has not gone on but it has only been a day. I checked all fuses and tested voltage to the flap motor and it was at 13 or better with the engine running and no fluctuation in current to create a pulse.
Is this the way it's suppose to operate. I never noticed it before and I'm wondering if I just started noticing it because of the original diagnosis and changing out the flap motor. And, there are no error codes on the OBD. The only other thing I thought it might be is the MAP sensor but that should show a code if it’s bad, I would think.

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Max

Honestly, a VAG-com is in your future. Generic OBD scanners are nowhere NEAR capable. With VCDS (new VAG-com name) you can run output tests on all kinds of things to make sure they're working properly. I believe this intake manifold flap is among them, if not I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will correct me.

Seriously, get the VCDS and you won't regret it. Sell whatever OBD thingy you're using cause on Euro cars it's pretty useless.

Thanks, I will look into one.

Where is the best place to purchase a VAG-Com? I don't want to spend thousands just want to be able to check out my Bug. I looked at the Ross site, will the $229.00 (least expensive) one do the job? Looks like just the cable and you download the Software to your Laptop and go from there.
Or does one have to buy the top of the line?
I did have the Car in a repair shop with the top of the line VAG-Com and they couldn't find anything wrong either. So I don't want to just through money at this. Something is causing the problem which I think eventually will burn out the flap motor. Or start giving me a engine fault code again. Could be like some of my other cars that I just drove with the fault light on until something went.

The $229 version will work perfectly.

If the Check Engine Light (aka CEL or MIL) is on, then there will be a code you can find with a VCDS. If the shop couldn't find a code, what were they using? Was it a dealer or independent shop?

I agree, the $229 version will work perfectly fine on your car. I paid $249 for mine about 4 years ago and it has paid me back twice already.

Having VCDS, not only can you check for CEL codes that are VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda specific, but you can access most of the modules in the car such as ABS brakes, Airbags, Central Locking, Immobilizer, Instrument cluster, and a lot of other ones. You can check for codes in all of these modules, many of which will never trip a CEL if there's a fault.

You can also run output tests on a host of electric switches and gizmos and that will help narrow down certain problems; a generic OBD scanner is horribly inadequate in this regard. It may clear engine CELs, but it won't give you VW specific info and the ability to test certain parts.

Get the real deal from Ross-Tech, you'll be glad you did. Avoid fleabay for cheap counterfeits that aren't worth your time.

i replaced the intake flap in my 2006 JETTA TDI and it seems to be doing the same pulsing that is described above. After i put the sensor on do i have to have a VAG-COM to restore the basic settings? or should the new intake flap be good to go after just plugging it in. if i am doing 45 the rpm's bounce back and forth 50 rpm's.

MAX_S,

Did you ever resolve your issue with the intake flag?