I have been over and over the ins and outs of the flappy but I am still not sure if mine is working. I put a test light on the leads and it will light up at startup and it will blink at just over 4000rpm. Just a blink though so it is not enough to open it. I guess it is something in the brain. I have vaccum and I can force it to open with the car running and applying power to the actuater. Is it just not staying on because there is no load on the engine. The car does feel underpowered at high rpm so I think it is just not working. I might try just forcing vaccum to it all the time. I know I will likely lose a little down low but it has plenty of power up to 4000rpm.

 

I took the car for a drive after bypassing the actuator with a straight to vaccum for the flappy and it seemed like what I expected. I think I lost a little down low but it felt better up high. Maybe it was just a placebo effect since that is what I was expecting but I do not think so.

 

To definitively test mine I rigged a test light, and stuck the bulb just under the driver's side wiper. Took it out and floored it. Did the tape test first for start-up.

 

great tip, thank you

 

Bump for any ideas on why the flappy signal would flash for a split second and then go out right away.

 

read page 26: http://members.rennlist.org/worf928/...Inspection.pdf

 

Or, short story: it's based on RPM and load. If you just rev up the engine in neutral, it's only supposed to blip. If you put it on a dyno and rev it up, it should stay engaged.

If you're testing it without a dyno, you should check that it blips (the actual flap, not just the electrical signal), by removing the cap and marking the shaft with a marker, so you can see it move. Assuming it does blip above 3500 or so, next step would be to verify, power off, that when you apply vacuum to the actuator line with a Mity-vac or somesuch, it actuates the flap and holds it in place (no leak).

 

prior to any flappy testing you need to verify that the rest of the HVAC system is leak free or simply cap it off so the HVAC system is isolated
If you dont have a good vacuum source then you wont have good flappy operation

 

I actually do have a leak in the havc system so I have it blocked off. I do have enough vaccum to power it when I bypass it so I think if I do have a problem it is electrical. It worries me tha the blip is so short. I just do see how it could ever have time for the vaccum to open anything. I just can not get anything to move with the tape method. Is there anything that could be causing such a short blink instead of steady operation. Maybe a bad hall sensor or something giving the brain a bad signal and causing it to go into limp mode.

 

Here is a question on the tape method. I have tried both to the same effect but why can't you just move the rpms up using the throttle linkage under the hood. That way you can just see the flappy. Is there a reason you need to use the accelarotor foot pedal?

 

Yes, you can use the throttle linkage on the intake manifold to rev the engine and check for momentary actuation of the tuning flap.

 

That is what I figured on the throttle. I am still lost as to why my flappy does not stay on. It sounds like a lot of you just throttle it up and see it work. With the little fraction blip I get at 4000rpm it is not enough time for the vaccum to open it.

 

To see the flappy really work, you need some way of observing its position when driving. If you then get the rpm up to around 5000rpm and can then modulate the throttle you will see it on steady with high loads and off when foot is off the gas.

Trying to get it to stay on with the car stationary doesn't happen. A quick "flash" is all you can expect...

 

Even if it was enough time for the vacuum to open it - it would just close again after the vacuum goes away... The vacuum just bleeds off whenever the vacuum solenoid valve is inactive.

Alan

 

For god's sake, just rig the light and go for a drive. As I suggested previously.
It is load and RPM sensitive, and you'll chicken out in the garage with the car stationary....BTDT.