Rowley7

Hi all,I run an 07 Hawkeye WRX Type UK with PPP added a couple of years ago.The car has run superbly for the last 4 years until the engine fault light came on this weekend & has stayed on .I took it to my local Subaru garage who told me there is a fault showing in the Primary/Secondary air valves/pump area which helps with ignition below certain temperatures.I have never heard of this & would be grateful for some advice as they said the valves cost around £700 to replace if faulty.The car runs as normal otherwise.

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

Quite a lot of info already on here if you search. Had the same problem with my 06 Hawkeye WRX a year ago. Subaru wanted £1700 to fix the problem. There are 2 air valves, a 1 way valve and an air pump. Air valves are £300 each and the plastic pump is £700. The pump is easy to get out and change, but not the case for the air valves themselves as they are under the headers and require a lot of work to get them changed. Will cost you a lot in labour.

The system only runs for 10 seconds when the car is started from cold in the morning. It basically pumps fresh air into the exhaust so that the system has more air to “fool” the emissions. Completely useless system only required for some American markets where this is tested for. Not used in UK.

You can not just unplug the system unfortunately as one of the air valves has another sensor in it at the same time. Have to leave them electrically plugged in.

I ended up taking all the interconnecting pipes off, putting cosworth blanking plugs on the back of the heads where the feed pipes used to go in and then getting someone to map my car to ignore all the fault codes associated with the system, (20 something codes).

Also, the codes although they may point to a specific valve, will not nescessarily show the part at fault. That’s what mine had. Various error codes for the pump, but when tested pump works 100% ok. Normally one of the valves seizing up.

Good luck!

Andy

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

There is a way around , if you leave the servo 's & piping wich goes to the heads intact , but take the pump off & blank the feed with a bung this def works as have done before , as a quick fix before my engine was taken out & stripped anyway , you will also have to remove the top mount to disengage the servo's electrics - you will throw cel , so will need your mapper to remove but besides that it does work as a quick way of delete / also if you wish to go the correct way the cosworth blank plugs retail about £60 passenger side isnt a problem but driver side is a pain , it can be done but takes time ,

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

Can’t remove both wiring plugs going to both solenoid valves as there is a second sensor in one of the servo valves. Which ever has the bigger connector with more wires (drivers side from memory) you must keep plugged in otherwise it will cause other problems.

Not advised to blank off as above, read many other problems with not blanking off the pipes into the head. Rich @ FB Tuning has done it before by cutting the pipes into the heads, squashing them and braizing them shut instead of using the blanking plates. Is certainly best to close off the openings into the heads though rather than leaving them attached. If one of the solenoid valves sticks open then you could get heat transference back up the system. Quite a bit online about the problems with these mods.

The system is a complete pain though. Best getting rid of it and mapping error codes out in my opinion!

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Ov course doing it the correct way is a no brainer , but what other problems are you referring to ? Ie the servos are shut down , the pump removed , & hose blanked - no air is entering the system / we did my car this way firstly when it was running circa 360bhp & a trip to Harvey's were bob rawle mapped & removed the cel , took it down A68 hard ,, no probs whatsoever / I stand by what I see , what I have , what iv done !!!

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

When the secondary air system fails, more often than not its due to a seized solanoid valve. These can seize in the open position, or not fully closed. I read of issues where this had happened and even got enough heat out the system to burn the one way valve that's situated between the valves and pump.

I agree though, your way will work if you are sure the valves are closed.

All in all a pretty annoying stupid system. Lol

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

http://s633.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=9f16fa75.jpg

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Jst dug this pic out ( what a job ) using mobile app
You can see the pump blank off top right of picture next to tmic

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

Nice one!

Rowley7

Many thanks for the info guys.I am no mechanic but now understand a bit more about the valve problem,just love drivin Scoobys not taking them apart.Have taken the car to Pole Position in Wolverhampton who will now sort me out without having to take out a mortgage to replace the original parts

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Glad to help , they are a hindrance as brown pants said , if your mechanic is doin the job for you better to do the complete delete & remove all the junk from the car ( system) I think lateral sell the cosworth blanks , can't remember we're I purchased mine , I'm sure ive seen them on eBay . let us know how you get on
Regards

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

Got my cosworth blanks from eBay. They were around £50 from memory and arrived very fast. Lovely looking parts for something I'm never going to see again! Lol.

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Just checked
JW-Racing has the plugs in
0845 1232829

Rowley7

Just to update you,the pump not the valves was the problem,it had basically melted,completely u/s.Had the pump removed & hose blanked off with the offending error codes mapped out.Running as normal now with no issues.Can't believe Subaru charge £700 for a pointless crap plastic pump,thanks again for your help

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Glad you got sorted, the reason the pump melts is because the relay sticks in the fuse box and because the pump has run longer than the allotted 30 seconds it overheats and melts

BrownPantsRacing

iTrader: (6)

Good job. Glad you got it sorted. Pointless system!