Both actuators move the same by hand, and both rods going ino the manifold move equally.

I'll try running the air pump right to the inlet see what that does.

If not ill have to rip the manifold off and see about the air line that runs into the manifold

 

This is from memory, but the next time you take the front actuator off, look at it's mating surface and the hole the feeds air into the actuator. Now fully depress the rod on the actuator. While it's fully depressed, put your finger/thumb over the air feed hole on the actuator. Then let go of the rod on the actuator. If memory serves, the rod will stay fully depressed............until you let you finger/thumb off the air feed hole on it. That's from memory.

I wouldn't worry about only one actuator moving right now. Or to be on the safe side you could disarm the solenoid that feeds it so neither opens.

 

You already swapped actuators so that's not it. The attached jpg shows the hard feedline attached to the manifold and how it runs from the rear feed nipple to the front of the manifold to feed the front actuator.

Maybe, if practical, remove the front banjo bolt. Then put a piece of vacuum line on the feed nipple and blow into it. To see if the hardline is blocked? OR just remove the front actuator and put a piece of vacuum hose on the feed nipple and blow. To see if air comes out the hole in the mainfold that feeds the front actuator.

 

Good idea. I'll do that!

I can't wait to figure this out. I don't know how big of a difference this will make, never having working actuators before.

 

I'd guess the mating feed hole on the front actuator is blocked by???? gasket? RTV? Whatever. The one in yellow. The other one goes to nothing but a blank spot.

And remember both small holes in the actuator are tied to each other. So if one is leaking then the actuator won't work.

And for fun, I put a finger over both holes in the actuator while the rod was depressed. Let the rod go and it stayed in, until one or both holes were vented to atmosphere.

 

I tested both actuators by blocking one of the holes with my finger and blowing into the other. They both worked perfect.

1) I will take the front actuator off, check for blockages and blow throuhg the inlet pipe to see if air flows.

2) I'll hook up the air pump directly into the inlet pipe and see if that works?

I will report back with results.

 

SO this morning I go out to the car.

First thing I do is attach a vacuum hose and blow through it. To my surprise it doesn't build up pressure. Air Leak!

I put my fingers around different areas and find the source of the leak to be the rear bango bolt. The bolt is loose and I can tighten it by hand!

I tighten it up a bit with a wrench and SNAP!

Unfortuanely it's a holiday so I will be unable to get a new one until wednesday.

I hope this was the problem, I removed the snapped bolt and un-hooked the egr solenoid for the time being.

All I want to do is just feel the ports open! But that's the name of the game...

 

New bango bolts and copper washers installed. Still not holding air somewhere

I ordered the feed line, it's on back order from Japanland though.

I guess I will report back with results once this is replaced.

Yet another unfinished piece to add to the list of hesitations and remaining work to be done that I can't seem to find the source of the problem .

 

Well that is truly an odd thing to happen. You mean you put a hose on the inlet pipe for the actuators and blow, and you hear a leak even after you replaced the broken banjo bolt. Weird. No response needed, just typing. Strange.

I'd buy a cigar or cigarette and blow smoke into the pipe and see just where things are a leaking. One cigar or one cigarette will NOT harm you in any way, shape or form. humor

 

Cigarette?..can he use "Something Else"???..that way If Mark doesn't find the Problem,at least he would be Happy about it,Forget what the problem is,and go have a Grandslam Breakfast at IHOP!!!...Keep me up on the Info, Theory.heh..I'm Interested if I can do this when I get my N/A Out and start Tinkering with it..

 

The cigar is the option. No other method is allowed per the FSM. Ref the FSM trouble shooting section. Only filterless cigarettes or cigars allowed.

 

Well, if the FSM says so, might as well light up a stogie and see where the problem lies.

Long live the FSM!

 

So I go out to the car, and I test the system by blowing through the line. Now no pressure builds up at all, no idea why.

So I get out a cigar, and that cigar helped!

First it helped me identify an actuator gasket leak on the rear actuator. I just blew smoke through the vac line and it was coming from the bottom of the actuator gasket where of course there's isn't alot of holding power as the nuts applying pressure on the top and not below the gasket.

Now once I figured that out I just thought I woul check to make sure air gets to the second actuator. Behold, no air getting to second actuator!

Hopefully these are the only two things faulty with my system, bah. I need to jerry-rig a way to get air to that second actuator! Maybe I'll just trim that hard line below the manifold, and use a silicone vac line...

 

Complete success!

The pressure line between the first actuator and second actuator was clogged somehow.

So I took the dremel, cut off near the bango bolts, and just ran a silicone line between them.

Both actuators now work as they are suppose to with the RTek controlling them to open a ~3800.

Not the prettiest solution, but it works for now, I will replace that line when it comes in.

Note: AFR's went from 11.5-12 up to ~13 after these started working....

 

Glad you got it working. My problem was a leak where the hard line mated to the LIM.

If you plan on swapping on that S5 intake manifold, the EGR will have to be removed.

 

I'll be swapping the S5 intake on shortly. I'm currently gasket matching the manifolds.

To control the VDI, I'm just going to tee off the same airline for the 6PI, but use an rpm switch to control a second solenoid for the vdi.

I'l be removing the rat's nest and egr at the same time.

 

That's what my plan was as well. Good luck!