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View Full Version : What are theses two things? on a 2.8 30v..



builditup
11-10-2011, 10:16 AM
ok so I did a sea foam treatment on my 2000 A4 2.8 30v and saw these two "things" and the nobs twist. I'm not sure what they do but would like to see if anyone else knows? also in the second picture the hose leaks oil not bad but real slow and i just put wire ties on it but also would like to know where this is going? thanks for the help and i hope this isn't a dumb question.

builditup
11-10-2011, 10:17 AM
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm88/phoebehayes/motor1.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm88/phoebehayes/motor2.jpg

Mad Cow
11-10-2011, 10:32 AM
In the first pic you're looking at what are essentially valves, I forget the correct terminology but they open and close based on an electrical input to operate vacuum-powered stuff. The 2 twistable things are just caps, leave them on. In the second pic I would assume it's some sort of oil line but I don't remember anything like that in my car. Looks like you badly need to replace your vacuum lines and crankcase vent lines (the plastic lines wrapped in electrical tape in the bottom of your second pic).

builditup
11-10-2011, 10:39 AM
yea i twisted the knob but put it right back and yes the vent line is all kinds of jacked up! iv called a few places looking for one but im just going to replace it with a nice new hose. The vent line is only cracked in two places but i covered the whole thing in tape thinking it may help it from cracking more.. thanks for the help and info

walky_talky20
11-10-2011, 11:00 AM
The 2 "things" are known as solenoid valves. They control vacuum supply to different items. Specifically, the left one controls the "Intake Manifold Tuning" changeover system (IMT). That is your "active intake" system which changes the effective length of the intake runners based on RPM and load basically to give more low end torque and upper end horsepower. The right one is for the Secondary Air Injection system. It is responsible for supplying vacuum signal which opens and closes the combi valves.

The little "knobs" are actually filters. When the vacuum is no longer needed (solenoid is then closed), fresh air must be drawn in to dissipate it. So, literally, fresh air is sucked into the system to fill the 'vacuum'. So those "vent" ports on the solenoids must be filtered so contaminants don't muck up the works. Yes, that's a technical term.


The hose on the left which you've lovingly zip-tied (that's cute) is the high pressure line from the power steering pump to the steering rack. I say "cute" because that line operates at several hundred PSI, and no zip tie is going to help it. But it's the thought that counts, really.

As for the PCV system, that system of plastic flex hoses is known for cracking pretty badly and is quite expensive. I really wouldn't worry about replacing it, though. Sealing it up with tape is an excellent fix in my opinion. Especially if you get it done before the entire thing crumbles to bits - which it looks like you've done. As long as the thing isn't clogged, you're good to go and it isn't hurting anything to leave it as is. At the shop we usually patch them up with rubber hose between the remaining good sections.

Any other questions? lol.

Mad Cow
11-10-2011, 11:19 AM
I've noticed that sealing up PCV lines with tape is really only a short term solution, eventually some air will get it and mix with oil vapours which makes a nasty yellow sludge that clogs up everything.

walky_talky20
11-10-2011, 11:26 AM
^But he taped it up *good*, Yo!

Yes, probably right. Some rubber hose (or the legit factory replacement piece) is certainly a better solution. I don't think fresh air would really cause sludge problems, though. That would be a huge issue for anybody who vents their engine to atmosphere. Lots of short trips resulting in moisture in the crankcase along with a poor flowing vent system would be a more likely cause, IMO. I think the OP's solution should hold up for quite a while unless the tape melts or something.

Justin@FCP
11-10-2011, 11:31 AM
These are 2 things you might want to consider looking into, especially the vacuum hose:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/fcp-product-photography-us/public/assets/products/34291/product/078103224R.jpg?1297966119 (http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-volkswagen-engine-crankcase-breather-hose-078103224r) http://s3.amazonaws.com/fcp-product-photography-us/public/assets/products/38425/product/N203532.jpg?1311094918 (http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/braided-fuel-vacuum-hose-35mm-od-x-20mm-id)
(Click the pics to follow the links.)

Vacuum lines are wicked easy to replace, and I'd recommend having you do those as soon as you can. The ones on my A4 looked exactly like yours a couple weeks ago, and they were in sad shape!

builditup
11-10-2011, 01:06 PM
[QUOTE=walky_talky20;7017903]^But he taped it up *good*, Yo!

^^^haha yea its taped up good but to justin@fcp thanks for the link to the hoses i was just going to replace it with some ruber hose but this looks to be a better way to go. and for the power steering hose, do you think some hose clamps will hold it? i used the zip ties cause i had no clue what it was....thought it would help haha[az]

walky_talky20
11-10-2011, 01:24 PM
Justin, I didn't realize that thing was available aftermarket. I'm officially changing my recommendation to "you should change that breather hose". lol.

The PS hose is probably leaking at the joints (crimps) on the ends. You can try to clamp it, but to really fix the leak you may need to replace it. If it's just a slow leak, I wouldn't worry about it too much unless it gets worse, or is making a huge mess.

Justin@FCP
11-23-2011, 07:02 AM
Justin, I didn't realize that thing was available aftermarket. I'm officially changing my recommendation to "you should change that breather hose". lol.

Last night changed the breather hose on my 2001.5 VW Passat, 2.8 ATQ. Took a few pictures to show why it may not be a bad thing to change:
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_204523-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_220946-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_221050-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_211739-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_211722-1-1.jpg

There was no external damage to the breather hose, but I decided better to be safe than sorry, and just swap it out. It took me about 40 minutes to swap everything, and definitely worth doing after I saw what the inside of the hose looked like! [:D]

walky_talky20
11-23-2011, 08:18 AM
Justin, that's nasty. Nobody wants to see that. [>_<]

j/k. Thanks for the pics. How many miles?

Justin@FCP
11-23-2011, 10:47 AM
Figured with a few pictures, it might make a few people aware of some things that may need attention on our engines. I should put a warning before the pictures, sorry! [>_<]

I'm just about to hit 189k miles this weekend. I'm the 2nd owner, I asked the PO if he had changed it before, and he could not remember.

revolution337
11-23-2011, 04:02 PM
Last night changed the breather hose on my 2001.5 VW Passat, 2.8 ATQ. Took a few pictures to show why it may not be a bad thing to change:
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_204523-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_220946-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_221050-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_211739-1.jpg http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab323/jnukis/VW/Forum%20Posting%20VW%20Audi/IMG_20111122_211722-1-1.jpg

There was no external damage to the breather hose, but I decided better to be safe than sorry, and just swap it out. It took me about 40 minutes to swap everything, and definitely worth doing after I saw what the inside of the hose looked like! [:D]

My buddy and I just changed out that same hose on his B5 passat 2.8 and it looked WORSE than those pics lol. it was cracked where it runs across the intake manifold. once we got it off and looked in the hose, the inside was almost completely blocked off with that oil/sludge/water/sasquatch feces. whatamess