Intake Manifold Flap Actuator, Cheap Fix

[geostar]

On my 2009 Jetta TDI, I started seeing a CEL with a P2015 code (Intake Manifold Flap Actuator, Circuit Range) about a year ago. After clearing it with VAG.com, it kept coming back. I ran it with the CEL for many months, but I needed an inspection sticker, so I needed to act on it.

I pulled the Intake Manifold Flap Actuator and bench tested it by applying voltage across the motor pins and the actuator arm moved appropriately. I was convinced that the motor and linkage was operating properly. Also, the linkage and the arm on the manifold operated smoothly, without any effort.

I plugged the actuator into its connector and laid it on the engine, without mounting it to the manifold, so that I could watch its operation with the car running. When I started the engine, it would move back and forth in some sort of hunting mode. Then it would throw a fault, stop moving, and the arm would go to its end of travel. This must be safe mode.

One in this safe mode, with the car still running, I could get normal operation, by clearing the fault and then manually moving the arm off its hard stop limit. Then it operated normally, and I could see the arm move as someone stepped on the accelerator pedal.
After doing some research and talking to a few mechanics, I learned that the actuator and intake manifold is sold as a system, and the actuator cannot be purchased alone. The part is dealer only and a mechanic quoted $1,000 for part and labor for installation. Ouch! Perhaps the system is in-separable because the actuator is calibrated for the actual mechanical flap movement. Our German friends are sometimes too precise.


Then I came across a most wonderful link:
https://sites.google.com/site/p2015fix/


This dude, had experienced the same problem and he attributed it to a linkage and flap system, that dimensionally changed in a way that caused the actuator/sensor to sense an out of range situation. Well, this brilliant man, found this out with trial and error and created a working fix by externally limiting the range of travel. My hero, and he saved me $$ and avoided an invasive procedure.

 

[geostar]

I added a tapped hole for a M4 screw. The screw length is 16 mm. The hex nut is used as a jam nut to lock the screw in place. The height of the screw head was trial and error and the position shown in this photo, worked for me.

My hero guy, inserted the screw from the opposite side so that the screw shank created the stop. I like his approach better, but it requires a longer screw, which I didn't have.

 

[flyboy320]

Great work geostar!

Here is another thread on this problem and a "kit" (thanks Jim) you can buy that does the same thing without having to remove the motor.

 

[ChrisVan]

I just did this myself the other day... worked perfectly.

Makes sense now why dealer replaces entire intake manifold and not just the flapper/controller box.

 

[Dieselgeek]

The only thing I wanted to mention is that the Google fix only works on one end of the travel of the V157 motor arm. The V157 motors usually get stuck on the distal end of travel when the butterflies are closed. Now, I know the Google fix seems to be working for those who drill and tap in the correct place but the CNC machined aluminum fix that me and my my machinist (with runonbeer's inspiration) came up with puts a hard stop on both ends of the V157 motor arm travel. The stops are positioned in exactly the same place as a brand new stock manifold. The Google fix still allows the mechanism to bump against the inadequate small plastic stop on the butterfly shaft which will likely result in the CEL again when too much range of motion is again achieved. Here is a picture showing the stock plastic stop mechanism that is used to limit throttle butterfly travel:

Here is my P2015 fix bracket:

 

[South Coast Guy]

Wasn't this covered under an extended warranty?

 

[geostar]

The intake flap is not covered under warranty. You may be confusing it with the Exhaust Flap, which is covered under warranty.

 

[Fixmy59bug]

Jim,

My buddy Norman in Long Beach, California recently ordered one of these from you. And it was a BRILLIANT solution to the problem.

He called me from the dealer service department ready to trade in his car because he was being quoted almost $1200 to replace the intake manifold because of the P2015 error.

I told him to order the bracket from you and I guaranteed him it would work.

Imagine my shock when he told me he installed the bracket and it did nothing. So I convinced him to drive 4 1/2 hours to Vegas and I would check things out. Using your video I was able to remove the intake flap and found the bracket was not properly installed. I don't think he was expecting the spring loaded tension on the arm when installing the bracket, so he didn't completely push it into place before tightening it down and it was a little cockeyed.

After properly installing the bracket and clearing the code, the motor started moving as expected and the check engine light has not come back on. He is excited to drive his car again. He was getting upset with little things going wrong (he's kind of a diva). Lol.

But your ingenuity saved him hundreds of dollars and we are both very grateful to DieselGeek for the fantastic products you guys offer and stand behind.

 

[Dieselgeek]

I'm so glad you got it fixed! I just wish that VW dealers would look into them rather than replacing manifolds for those who haven't googled the fix.

 

[Fixmy59bug]

Yeah... I know the feeling.

I have another question for ya. On the way home from Vegas, Norm's CEL came back on.

So without access to a VCDS I asked him to check the flap operation and he says it is still moving when it should.

He dropped by EuroCode tuning and they said it was an O2 sensor related code. Is it possible that driving it for a while with an inoperative flap caused the O2 sensor to foul? Or is there something else I should check?

I will probably be heading to So Cal in the next week or two and would like to get his CEL a off once and for all. I think He is starting to lose the spark of love for the TDI's.

 

[Dieselgeek]

I have not heard of O2 related codes popping up from other customers but I am curious about which exact code it was. Logically, it seems like other systems could be affected downstream of the cylinder head if the engine is not getting charged with air as the engineers intended it to. Beyond this thought I just don't know at this point.

 

[gte770m]

I'm so glad you got it fixed! I just wish that VW dealers would look into them rather than replacing manifolds for those who haven't googled the fix.

I watched your youtube video with instructions on how to install it. One question as I was watching it: Do you have to remove the motor to install the bracket? It looked to me like I could actually do this without removing it. The space may be a little tight, but not so tight that I couldn't get enough fingers in there to get it in and support it while I screw it in place. What do you think?

 

[Dieselgeek]

It is my overwhelming recommendation to do the repair exactly as the 8 1/2 minute video shows. Removing the flapper motor is by far the most highly correlated with a successful first attempt at fixing the issue. Not removing the motor is pretty highly correlated with doing the job over again by removing the motor. I did it the "right way" in less than 10 minutes so it won't take too much longer for you to do it your first time. I admit that I did have some practice.

 

[gte770m]

It is my overwhelming recommendation to do the repair exactly as the 8 1/2 minute video shows. Removing the flapper motor is by far the most highly correlated with a successful first attempt at fixing the issue. Not removing the motor is pretty highly correlated with doing the job over again by removing the motor. I did it the "right way" in less than 10 minutes so it won't take too much longer for you to do it your first time. I admit that I did have some practice.

I guess if you recommend it, then that's what I will do. Just curious, though, do you have any idea why the high rate of unsuccessful installation when not removing the motor? Just looking at the bracket, it fits very nicely, so one should be able to tell easily if the bracket wasn't properly positioned and screwed on.

 

[flyboy320]

FWIW I did the install without removing the motor. I wasn't to sure how to go about removing it (although I guess it is easy to do), so I just tried to put the bracket on with it in place. It did take a bit of messing with it for it to fit correctly without removing the motor.

 

[gte770m]

FWIW I did the install without removing the motor. I wasn't to sure how to go about removing it (although I guess it is easy to do), so I just tried to put the bracket on with it in place. It did take a bit of messing with it for it to fit correctly without removing the motor.

How long have you had it installed? I'm wondering about how well it holds up in the long run, although it may not matter much since I may have to sell it back in the next 2 years.

 

[Dieselgeek]

I think that when the motor arm pushes hard against my bracket with the motor on the manifold it is pretty easy to get it on incorrectly onto the aluminum nub. It will only work if it is placed only where it was designed to mount and if misaligned it doesn't work. The bracket is easy to install but a goodly portion of problems we see is where people have tried to install the bracket without removing the motor. Believe it or not, techs at shops are often the ones who try to do the job without removing the motor.

This fix will last forever. It just keeps the motor arm from travelling outside of the range it had when new.

 

[paperthin]

I just installed mine about a month ago . I wanted to do it without the motor off and ended up dropping it down below. Take the motor off, it is easy and install it. It cleared the 2015 code instantly. I appreciate how clever and simple this is.

 

[flyboy320]

How long have you had it installed? I'm wondering about how well it holds up in the long run, although it may not matter much since I may have to sell it back in the next 2 years.

I believe it's almost two years without any trouble. In fact I forgot it was installed, it's just an install and forget fix

 

[jetlagmech]

I installed mine without removing the motor. I put in place, looked it over, and removed several times to make sure I had it sitting just right. But what helped I think is little hands. I get called upon all the time at work to get into areas others claim not to fit. I have had it on for about 2-3 years now.

 

[gte770m]

Awesome. Thanks for your input, everyone. I will be installing mine today if the parts gets delivered today. I do have smaller than average hands, so maybe I can get by w/o removing it.

I do have one more question. does this issue cause any problem w/ performance of the car (mileage, torque/power, etc)? I mean I am going to try the fix anyway, but the light came on about a week ago, and I haven't really noticed any untoward effect when I drive. Thanks!

 

[gte770m]

I think that when the motor arm pushes hard against my bracket with the motor on the manifold it is pretty easy to get it on incorrectly onto the aluminum nub. It will only work if it is placed only where it was designed to mount and if misaligned it doesn't work. The bracket is easy to install but a goodly portion of problems we see is where people have tried to install the bracket without removing the motor. Believe it or not, techs at shops are often the ones who try to do the job without removing the motor.

This fix will last forever. It just keeps the motor arm from travelling outside of the range it had when new.

I just installed it, and you were right. There was no way I was going to be able to install this w/o taking the motor out. After trying to come up with a way to do just that for about 10 minutes, I gave up, and took the motor out to install it. I think the hardest part was trying to get the spring in right, which I was able to do eventually. It took about 35-40 minutes to finish the whole thing, which probably would have been a little shorter if I wasn't fumbling around trying to do it w/ the motor in place. And I have NEVER worked on a car before, so this wasn't that difficult, I guess.

We will see how this works out. Hopefully, it will allow me to drive this car for another couple years before I have to sell it back.