Funny... but not so funny!

[SeanyK]

Hey folks!

So I decided to give the SAI removal a go yesterday.

Couldn't for the life of me, get to the 3rd (top) nut that holds the SAI pump to the bracket as there was not enough space for the ratchet to turn to loosen it.

Sod it, I thought, i'll remove the bracket and worry about that later... Turns out, I didn't have the correct allen key! I bought a draper box of every sort of allen, star, hex keys, did it have the one I needed no!

So, as the day was heading for a failure! I decided to do the top part of the job, removing the valve attached to the block, putting the forge blanking plate over, job done...

I then chopped down the plastic pipes from the SAI and thought sod it, i'll get the local mechanic to just remove it, after all, it's disconnected so its effectively bypassed, I just need it removed physically from the car.

Well... Myself and friend had a stupid idea...Why not remove the pipe that is next to the SAI under the car, and force the SAI out...

Good idea... if it was coolant.

It wasn't!!! It was Power steering fluid! lol! All over the place!

I shoulda known but there you go!

Handy, as I don't have any spare!

Anyway! So the car was grounded last night as with no fluid it wouldn't be a good idea!

Just after starting the car up and letting it run to temp to get the coolant level correct again (after changing the SAI pump you loose coolant as per guide) I could hear a hissing sound...

Moved a vacuum hose near the N112... Voila... A split right down it!!! THAT WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING MY EML LIGHT!!!

After all that!!! OK so it's good to have bypassed the SAI, but had I known it was the above I probably wouldn't have done the SAI bypass just yet!

Car is now in the local garage getting a drink of power steering fluid and having the SAI and bracket taken off.

Anyway, moral of the story! Even if you've replaced EVERY vacuum pipe... Never think they don't break up / crack!

PS> Also did my friends the same, and no EML from him, even with the SAI disconnected and no resistors.

 

[kyle'87]

Nice work dude, I really want to do this but only thing stopping me is exactly getting that 3rd bolt out

 

[SeanyK]

Hey mate, yea it's a nightmare to get any sort of leverage on that bolt, even with an extension the SAI Pump is stopping any sort of turning.


I'll find out later how the mechanic local to me did it in the end, I did say to him to use any means neccasary as I don't want the SAI afterward!

A quick short term idea, which *nearly* worked, was to dremel through the bracket, then dremel through the other end of the bracket, and let the pump drop out through the gap.

If we'd have got that far, i'd have probably pulled the SAI so the 3rd bolt just broke off, as they are rusty anyway.

Nearly did that... But our dremel blade was too short to cut all the way through! Got 3/4 through the bracket though! So close...So far!

Actually... You could probably dremel the 3rd bolt off as well...

 

[kyle'87]

Hey mate, yea it's a nightmare to get any sort of leverage on that bolt, even with an extension the SAI Pump is stopping any sort of turning.


I'll find out later how the mechanic local to me did it in the end, I did say to him to use any means neccasary as I don't want the SAI afterward!

A quick short term idea, which *nearly* worked, was to dremel through the bracket, then dremel through the other end of the bracket, and let the pump drop out through the gap.

If we'd have got that far, i'd have probably pulled the SAI so the 3rd bolt just broke off, as they are rusty anyway.

Nearly did that... But our dremel blade was too short to cut all the way through! Got 3/4 through the bracket though! So close...So far!

Actually... You could probably dremel the 3rd bolt off as well...

I've got a dremel so this may be an option, but still find out how the mechanic gets it off will try anything when it comes to it bar thermite

 

[p34ch3y]

I've got a dremel so this may be an option, but still find out how the mechanic gets it off will try anything when it comes to it bar thermite

lol im with you

 

[Mat]

i really need to remove my SAI too

 

[SeanyK]

Just picked car up, looks so much better under the engine bay without those stupid black plastic hoses!

Turns out the mechanic just cut the bracket to push the pump out of the way to be able to get to the other bolts.

As others have said in the past, changing the oil filter will be so much easier now!

 

[dave_6]

lol that bolt is such a pain in the arse!!!

me and my mate kind of got fed up and ended up getting the angle grinder out to cut the bracket away a bit so we could bend it enough to squeeze the pump out!

Fingers crossed the EML doesnt come back on.... or not for a while anyway!

have you kept the parts anyway, the pump and the pipes?

 

[cuprachrissy]

i just used a hammer and smashed it out

 

[SeanyK]

LOL! @ Cuprachrissy! Thats the spirit!!! I would have done that but my car wasnt jacked up high enough and i'd probably end up hitting myself! lol!

Dave> I didn't keep it, I saw it on the floor in the garage and told them to skip it, i'd cut half the pipes off anyway! I definately don't wanna be putting it back on the the car again!
What you did sounds exactly what the mechanic did with regards to bending the bracket after cutting it.

 

[s1l3nc3r]

had an interesting time with it then mate...

havent got my blanking plate yet but can you just remove everything else except the valve on the block to just get it out of the way..??

I want to just go ahead and rip out everything that has been done here but i think i will get myself the resistors sorted out before that then just get with butchering everything hannibal style
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3111538

 

[SeanyK]

Hi mate, I guess you could just unplug the SAI electical connector and unplug the black hoses but then you'd have to unplug them from the valve on the block as well.

Prob not worth doing, other way round if you had the blanking plate, you can do all the top work in 20 mins tops, unplug the SAI and leave it dangling there til you can be bothered to take it off.

I got my blanking plate from Forge, top service arrived next day!

 

[s1l3nc3r]

may aswell wait till i get the blanking plate then...off to get my resistors today to compleate my n112 job...

and getting a cam cover and inlet mani gasket because they are going black very soon...

 

[SeanyK]

Well that didn't last long before the EML showed up

I'll have to order a resistor!

 

[dave_6]

I've got a resistor in but the EML has came back twice now, 5 days between each time

Hoping to sell up in the next few months aswell so not 100% what i'll do yet

 

[Tiz Cupra]

Where did you get the resistors from?

 

[SeanyK]

There must be a way of stopping the EML coming on for the SAI being disconnected.

(Apart from taking the bulb out lol)

 

[krisbutler02]

can it be mapped/vag com'd out ?

 

[s1l3nc3r]

I read about this problem when i was looking about at some other threads if its the incorect flow problem that brings up the EML from what i remember there was talk that it could be down to the fact that the ECU is expecting to see the air from the SAI on to the CAT when its cold etc but obviously doesnt see it anymore which is why the EML comes on even if you have put the resistor in place as its not getting this flow of air or somthing along those lines made sence when i read it though...

 

[dave_6]

Any luck with yours Seany or you still getting the EML every now and again...?

just cleared mine this morning after washing it at 8:30am lol sad, i'll see how long it takes to come back on

There must be a way of stopping the EML coming on for the SAI being disconnected.

(Apart from taking the bulb out lol)