aNUT
Vendor , w/Business number
I've been hanging out at TDIFest the last couple days and seen some really cool cars. Many of them are modified, and that's super cool, but the one common trend is that there seems to be some lack of understanding regarding what all those pesky vacuum hoses do. This is a refresher so hopefully next year, I don't see any golf 'Ts' in people's cars!
First; some basic info; here's what the ports on the vacuum solenoids do.
The solenoids in our cars look like the ones above. There is the 2 port type, and the 3 port type. In either case, the purpose of the device is to take a signal from the ECU and either allow or not allow vacuum to pass to the device.
All of them have a port for unregulated vacuum. Sometimes they're labled; sometimes they're not. The unregulated vacuum port should be attached (sometimes through a series of Ts or Ys) to the big black vacuum tube that's connected to the vacuum pump and the brake booster. These are labled VAC in my picture.
All of them have a port for regulated vacuum. Sometimes they're labled; sometimes they're not. The regulated vacuum port should be attached to whatever device the solenoid is controlling. These are labled OUT in my picture.
On the 3 port type of solenoid, the port closest to the connector is not labled. This port is the vent port. It allows air back to the device it's controlling to relieve the vacuum. This port is usually connected to the airbox. This is good, because that means it won't allow dirt to enter the solenoid or the device it's controlling. This is bad because if there's lots of vacuum in the airbox (from a clogged snow screen) the device it's controlling won't be able to vent its vacuum. If we're talking about an N75 that controls the turbo, it won't be able to open up the vanes and will cause overboost.
So here's how to route your vacuum lines; depending on your state of mods, so we don't have more hoses (and hence more potential leaks) than necessary. Also it will keep the engine bay looking cleaner.
If the car is a stock ALH it should look like this:
Now for the modified cars:
If the car is an ALH an EGR delete, we only need vacuum hoses going to the N75(Turbo), vacuum reservoir, and the N239(ASV) and should appear as below.
If the car is an ALH with a Race Pipe or a BEW with an EGR delete, we only need vacuum lines going to the N75 and vacuum reservoir and should appear as below.
The solenoids I've cut out of the diagram and routing diagram don't need hoses, (and certainly not golf Ts stuffed into them) but they may still need to be plugged into the wiring harness so the ECU doesn't throw any fault codes. Your tuner may be able to set up your file so they don't need to be plugged in, but you'll have to ask.
First; some basic info; here's what the ports on the vacuum solenoids do.
The solenoids in our cars look like the ones above. There is the 2 port type, and the 3 port type. In either case, the purpose of the device is to take a signal from the ECU and either allow or not allow vacuum to pass to the device.
All of them have a port for unregulated vacuum. Sometimes they're labled; sometimes they're not. The unregulated vacuum port should be attached (sometimes through a series of Ts or Ys) to the big black vacuum tube that's connected to the vacuum pump and the brake booster. These are labled VAC in my picture.
All of them have a port for regulated vacuum. Sometimes they're labled; sometimes they're not. The regulated vacuum port should be attached to whatever device the solenoid is controlling. These are labled OUT in my picture.
On the 3 port type of solenoid, the port closest to the connector is not labled. This port is the vent port. It allows air back to the device it's controlling to relieve the vacuum. This port is usually connected to the airbox. This is good, because that means it won't allow dirt to enter the solenoid or the device it's controlling. This is bad because if there's lots of vacuum in the airbox (from a clogged snow screen) the device it's controlling won't be able to vent its vacuum. If we're talking about an N75 that controls the turbo, it won't be able to open up the vanes and will cause overboost.
So here's how to route your vacuum lines; depending on your state of mods, so we don't have more hoses (and hence more potential leaks) than necessary. Also it will keep the engine bay looking cleaner.
If the car is a stock ALH it should look like this:
Now for the modified cars:
If the car is an ALH an EGR delete, we only need vacuum hoses going to the N75(Turbo), vacuum reservoir, and the N239(ASV) and should appear as below.
If the car is an ALH with a Race Pipe or a BEW with an EGR delete, we only need vacuum lines going to the N75 and vacuum reservoir and should appear as below.
The solenoids I've cut out of the diagram and routing diagram don't need hoses, (and certainly not golf Ts stuffed into them) but they may still need to be plugged into the wiring harness so the ECU doesn't throw any fault codes. Your tuner may be able to set up your file so they don't need to be plugged in, but you'll have to ask.
