Code for intermittent intake manifold flap sensor for BOTH banks, no CEL,Flaps stuck?

[Blue AWD]

So I just picked up this RS4 with 100k miles on it. The original owner said it desperately needs a carbon clean, which I will be doing this weekend. Ive put about 400 miles on the car so far and love it. I have got a random EPC light come on twice, of which both times there was no CEL and after restarting the light never came back. I checked for codes and it came up with 2 codes for bank 1 and 2 intermittent intake manifold flap sensor. Sometimes when I will hit the accelerator the car will start to pull strong and few rpms later I can feel it flatten out. I attributed this to needing a carbon clean but now that I see the codes I wonder if something is going on with the flaps.

I would like to assume that both sensors wouldn't fail together and that this is just a sticky manifold flap situation and I plan to remove and clean them when I pull the manifold. Should I do the 034 linkage arms or just make sure not to break my stock one (haha)? Other than strength, is there any other benefits? I am also doing JHM spacers while in there if this makes any difference at all, along with sending my injectors out to be cleaned/flow matched.

Is there any way to visually inspect the flaps? When I look at them, one seems to be open more than the other and when I manually opened them, they made a creaky noise but seemed to operate fine.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[komseh]

It sounds like you have VCDS, so you can run the IM flap arm test: http://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?t=77235

You could have 1 or several problems inhibiting the flap movement:
Carbon buildup inhibiting flap rod movement
Wallowed out flap arms
Vacuum problem preventing IM flap solenoids from operating
The actual flap arm solenoids failing are the least likely culprit

Since you are doing the carbon clean it's a good time to inspect everything.

Actual position and expected position for the flap position sensors can be read via blocks 142 and 144. Closed position is 0% and open is 99.6%.

[Blue AWD]

Thanks. Will do.

[komseh]

If you get into a situation where you think it will be easier and/or less expensive to remove the flaps, JHM has an option to block the codes in their tune.

[mpdbrown]

after my carbon clean was done I was getting the EPC for my flaps being stuck open. Apparently a vacuum hose had cracked and was causing the flap failure...

[Ravage]

vacuum hose

+1. Had one slip off during reinstall of the manifold. Triggered both codes

[mpdbrown]

If you get into a situation where you think it will be easier and/or less expensive to remove the flaps, JHM has an option to block the codes in their tune.

FYI: There was a manifold in the classifieds a couple weeks ago when i had my issue. guy wanted $250 for it. had about 80K on it but was functional. But my problem was the vacuum line.