I was just wondering if anyone has built a sensor on their 6 port actuators that could trigger an indicator showing if the 5,6 ports are working? I was thinking about it, and it seems like it would not be too hard to build. It could trigger a light or indicator or something in the cockpit that would light up when the ports open up. It would let you know immediately if your ports stopped working. Has anyone done this? I did a search and got nothing.

 

Yep, I have the link somewhere.... have to look for it.

He did it for the VDI as well.

I know somebody has the pics.... they LIM was all painted red, as was the actuators.

 

Or save yourself the trouble- disconnect the port air supply for a day or two until you get a feel for how she performs without the ports operating, then reconnect them. Unless you have nerve damage in your ***, you'll feel the difference.

Having said all that, if your factory alarm has been kaput since before you were born, the microswitches in the doors for the lock assy's make excellent position switches (free spare parts)

 

I bought the car about 6 months ago, and so i dont really know what it is supposed to feel like when the ports dont open. Right now, it looks like one is stuck closed and the other is either working or stuck open. Anyway i think it would be cool to have an LED or something go off on your dash when you push it past 4k or so, and the ports open up. Passengers would be like, "whats that?" and ill say, "oh that just the auxillary intake ports kicking in" =)
or i guess you can use it as a shift light...

 

you wouldnt want to use it as a shift light... because you are just then entering your powerband... if you shifted everytime the ports opened you would be slow... i e. shifting around 4 k every time.... but your right about just having it there so you know they are functional

 

Ive done it, get a small light bulp, put one side to power, and run the gorund side out of the cabin to the 6-ports. I used a stiff audio wire,.. just tape it to the actuator and bend it so it touched the actuator arm when fully open, bingo your done, toke me about 3 minutes.

 

You don't need any extra hardware to do this. All you do is wire two LED's in parallel with the 6PI and VDI solenoids, and they'll light up whenever the ECU activates them. You don't even have to do anything at the engine bay, it can all be done from the ECU. This is for S5 only of course.

 

Thats the best minimod I've heard about for this car for a long long time, love the part where you tell the passenger that the aux ports are kickin in

Like NZ said, its not to hard.

 

The difference between the setup I've seen, and NZ's suggestion.... is simply wiring a LED into the solenoid, only tells you that the solenoid is open. Using the window handle switch like Wayne said actually gives you positive feed back that there was physical movement at the ports/VDI.

 

On a series five.....if at idle you jumpered 12v and a ground to the solenoid that operates them, and they open when you do that......then there'd be no reason to not believe a LED attached to the output wiring at the ECU when it lit up, as described by the NZ.

 

bumping this so that poor red neck looks for that write up

 

You would definitely know if only one was open. Mine got stuck that way shortly after I got it and anywhere over 4000 rpm it felt like the entire car was going to shake itself apart.
Patrick