How To Clean Aac Valve?

[ToF]

My idle in my 32 has been a bit wierd at times so I've decided I want to clean out the AAC valve. I haven't take it off yet but while I'm here I thought I might ask for some info.

I just want to know what I should expect when I take it off the plenum and how to actually clean it properly.

Also, after I clean it and put it back on, is there an idle screw or something I can adjust my base idle with.

Thanks

[33SOM]

First time ive said this. Use the search

[ToF]

Haha, I usually tell that to others with common questions like my own, but I have tried searching and couldn't find anything relevant... or maybe my searching skills just suck.

[mass_iv]

yeh i wouldnt mind knowing exactly wat to do wen cleaning the AAC valve also... and yep search was of no help to me either...

[blind_elk]

...or maybe my searching skills just suck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seems the search engine does a bit of sucking of its own as well.

1. Remove electrical plug

2. Remove big hose.

3. Remove 4 x 10mm head bolts

4. Carefully remove AAC from manifold. Gasket may be a bit stuck.

5. Remove 2 Phillips head screws. Pull body away.

Can't remember exactly from here, other than its pretty self-evident what goes where. Spray heaps of Car-B-Clean down all the channels and holes. Blow dry.

As they say in the classics, replacement is a reverse of removal. Might need a tad of silicone sealant on the mounting face to the manifold.

There is a screw in the base for adjusting the base setting.

[ToF]

Thanks blind_elk

[TokyoTaxi]

I've had the AAC valve off, apart and back together and I learned a few things ( the hard way ). Firstly, if you pull it apart, don't MODIFY anything !! If you pull it apart completely, clean it all up and put it back together EXACTLY the way it was. Also, it's not the easiest thing to get apart and back together so I would suggest grabbing one from a wreckers and doing all the work on "it". Then if all goes well you can just swap units over and then clean up your old one and sell it

Firstly, take the solenoid valve off ( and the o-ring ) and put them aside. Now, when you look at the valve body, you will see a big blob of like hard wax. If you carefully remove that wax stuff, underneath you find a big brass screw / blank. Clean all the wax stuff out INCLUDING the stuff in the thread ( very important ). VERY carefully remove that screw, counting exactly how many full turns you get before it comes out ( cause that's how many turns you gotta do when you put it back it ). Once that's out, the valve and spring will fall out and you can clean them ( and the inner body area ) completely. DO NOT stretch the spring when cleaning it !! Once all that is clean, re-asseble it all with a tiny drop of low strength locktite on the thread.

Once you've put that big screw back in, you can remove the smaller screw next to the big one ( making sure you count the turns again ) and clean all that up and re-assemble.

Just clean the solenoid with electrical cleaner / solvent and then re-install it ( making sure you put the o-ring back on with a little vaso or rubber grease).

Make sure the gasket is OK ( if not, make a new one out of gasket paper ) and re-install the valve and off you go !!

If you've made a mistake, you'll know about it pretty fast

[ToF]

Nah, I didn't clean it that thoroughly. I just took off the soleniod and then sprayed carby cleaner around everywhere to get the carbon deposits off. I managed to clean every hole pretty well without disassembling it more.

[mass_iv]

hey ToF did it make a diff to ur cars performance? as in have u noticed any changes?

[ToF]

Mmmm, didn't make any difference to performance but idle correction was a bit more responsive after I readjusted the idle. It used to take a while for the valve to correct the idle after switching on the A/C or whatever, but after I readjusted the idle it seems to be more quicker so I guess the cleaning did do something?

Either way, it's not a very hard task so it's just good to clean things out given that they are 15 years old.

Edited February 24, 2006 by ToF

[mass_iv]

yeh cool... might do it, how ever i think my probs are caused because of my BOV...

[ToF]

Go for it, just don't blame me if something goes wrong!

Tip, when you take off the valve from the intake plenum, be careful, try to keep the gasket in one piece. Mine was stuck on the plenum in perfect condition so I didn't have to replace mine.