Applying SQ5 exhaust valve wiring harness and MMI control to Q5 3.0T

[ckamps]

I swapped out the 3.0T resonators with a pair of same from SQ5 along with the SQ5 valence. I love the sound, buy my SO does not. Consequently, I am looking to obtain and install the wiring harness for SQ5 valved exhaust to the 3.0T so that we can choose to have the valves open or closed.

Does anyone know if this is feasible?

Does the harness hook up to the electronics in the rear of the car?

Would I be able to enable the feature in the MMI?

I'd hate to have to revert to stock...

[MagnaFlow]

We arent too sure about the MMI, but on other cars with active exhausts, the valving control has to be coded into the ecu, which the dealer wont do since you did not pay for a model that has it. Hopefully someone else who has attempted this can chime in.

[BarryT82]

There's a retrofit kit available but it's very expensive. You can probably code it with VCDS.

[ckamps]

Went to the dealer and bought several female plugs and associated wires to fit the stock SQ5 actuators. These are three-wire plugs, but the role of the wires is not clear to me. Ideally, I'd be able to hook them up to a switch in the cabin that I could flip to either open or close the flaps as desired.

The service tech said that when working with a three-wire plug, the outer two leads are typically power and ground while the inner lead might be a control.

I tried to do some simple tests by providing 12 volts to various combinations of the two of the three wires, but I have not gotten the motor to move.

Anyone have an idea as to the role of each wire in the three-wire plug for the exhaust actuator motors?

[SQive]

I do know that they're normally open, requiring voltage to close. Why, I don't know, but if you look at them when the car's off, they're open. In fact, when I fire it up, it takes them a second or two to close. FWIW

[ckamps]

Next step is to apply 5V via a 12v -> 5v USB converter to middle contact to simulate the control signal from the ECU while 12v + ground to the outer contacts

[ckamps]

No luck on the bench test with 12v and 5v. Any idea as to how I can figure out how to trigger these actuator motors?

[tmoe]

No luck on the bench test with 12v and 5v. Any idea as to how I can figure out how to trigger these actuator motors?

i wonder if its like led dimming circuit which uses PWM to control?

[ckamps]

Stopped by my independent shop today and asked them about it. The head guy was nice enough to print the wiring diagram referenced below. The actuators are the two modules on the lower right.

It is clear that the middle terminal is the control wire.

Do any of the details in this diagram yield a clue about the nature of the control signal?

He suggested that I could pry apart the housings and bypass the internal circuit board. That might be my next step.

https://goo.gl/photos/wgsB32HiHRTr8GGW8

[ckamps]

i wonder if its like led dimming circuit which uses PWM to control?

That seems to make sense. See the wiring diagram in my other post.

[SQive]

So...is it like an amp, with + and - connections, activated by the control wire?

[hc_TK]

Unfortunately its not that easy as to supply 5v on the control line.
I't at work, so im not able to post pictures, but there is a lot of good info in the link below.
audirevolution. net/forum/index.php?topic=2123.170 (remove the spacing)

The control line is using PWM-signal, so you need a signal from the ECU/ECM to activate the flap.

[ckamps]

Remus Electronic Sound Control

I found a potential solution in the form of the parts used in the Remus Electronic Sound Control product:

https://www.remus.eu/powersound

It appears that this product uses the same electric motor actuators that are used in recent Audis. I have an inquiry out to both Remus HQ and Remus US to see if I can order individual replacement parts including:
- controller
- remote fobs
- wiring harness

i.e. minus exhaust and minus the motors

It looks like the controller, remote fob, power wiring and cables for two actuators are available as part number STE 0004. Perhaps for ~$400 USD.

https://www.remus.eu/remus-sound-controller.html





The main benefit of this approach is that it doesn't tie into the OEM ECU and is a standalone unit with several preset positions in addition to fully open and fully closed. The wireless control via the fobs would be very useful as well.

Milltek Valvesonic

Another potential option is Milltek's Valvesonic technology, but it appears that their blackbox is intended to hook into the OEM ECU. However, it appears that their solution for Audi is compatible with the Audi actuators.

http://www.valvesonic.com/what.is.valvesonic.cfm

Detailed Description of Actuator Operation

See pages 78 and 79 for detailed from 4.0L V8 Audi self-study guide:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...lf%20study.pdf

A nice exploded view of the actuator:



Attribution to another person's post of the self-study guide:

http://www.audiworld.com/forums/s6-c...-flap-2847697/

[ckamps]

I confirmed with Remus USA that their system will work in this example. It runs $400 USD including shipping within the continental US. I might take the plunge later this week.

We offer two types one for the single side and one for the dual. I gave you info for the dual sided set up. We offer Universal Exhaust systems as either a single or a dual and the controls for both so this one will be for the dual. You would require part number STE 0004. Hope that helps.

[tmoe]

I confirmed with Remus USA that their system will work in this example. It runs $400 USD including shipping within the continental US. I might take the plunge later this week.

That seems like a really good deal to get com

[ckamps]

Ordered the Remus STE 0004 today. Should have it installed next week.

[TJay74]

Why not just open the stock actuator up, remove the planetary gear and make it to where the valves are always open?

[SQive]

Why not just open the stock actuator up, remove the planetary gear and make it to where the valves are always open?

What???
That defeats the whole purpose of having them, which is what the OP wants.

[ckamps]

Why not just open the stock actuator up, remove the planetary gear and make it to where the valves are always open?

If you want them normally open, you don't even need to do that. All you do is leave the actuators disconnected and they remain in the open position.

But as SQive mentioned, that's not what I need to do. In our Q5 where we don't have the SQ5's wiring and potentially ECU support for the actuators, I need/want to have the option to open and close them at will. My SO will have them closed and I'll open them up on-demand. The Remus solution is ideal for us (assuming it works as advertised) and provides more control than the SQ5 OEM integration.

[colby7]

I'm curious how this install went. OP, did it satisfy your needs?