KV6 Idle Solenoid

Tatts · 9th January 2009, 10:56

Just been to give the car it's weekly check & fired it up.

What a racket. I thought the inlet manifold was kaput, but the tap tap tap tap is coming from the Idle Solenoid.

What does this thing do & what do they cost for a replacement?

Thanks

SD1too · 10th January 2009, 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatts

... the tap tap tap tap is coming from the Idle Solenoid. What does this thing do...

It's full title is idle air control (IAC) valve stepper motor. It is controlled by the Engine Control Module and adjusts the amount of air by-passing the throttle plate to maintain the correct idle speed.

MG Rover says that if it fails any of the following may be observed:

Low or high idle speed.
Engine stalls.
Difficult starting.
Idle speed in default condition.

From your description it sounds as if it is being continuously driven, hence the tapping sound. Is your idle speed stable? If so, maybe something else is causing the engine to run erratically and the stepper motor is compensating for this.

Simon.

JohnDotCom · 10th January 2009, 13:48

Can't help on price or availability as Part not recognised,
Might be called something completely different though on EPC

stocktake · 10th January 2009, 14:22

There is one in the breakers near me

still on manifold ( no Vis motors on it though) Manifold seems a good one, Arm is not loose.

Departed · 10th January 2009, 14:56

If it's the same as mine, which also frigthened me yesterday, then it's the purge solenoid, not the idle valve, which incidentally is a stepper motor and shouldn't make a noise. It's mounted on the manifold just behind the idle stepper which is in the throttle body.

I think it sounds bad because it's so cold. That was my theory anyway!

Tatts · 10th January 2009, 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD1too

It's full title is idle air control (IAC) valve stepper motor. It is controlled by the Engine Control Module and adjusts the amount of air by-passing the throttle plate to maintain the correct idle speed.

MG Rover says that if it fails any of the following may be observed:

Low or high idle speed.
Engine stalls.
Difficult starting.
Idle speed in default condition.

From your description it sounds as if it is being continuously driven, hence the tapping sound. Is your idle speed stable? If so, maybe something else is causing the engine to run erratically and the stepper motor is compensating for this.

Simon.

Tickover is pretty stable, apart from very occasional slight surges.

The tapping stops when the engine is warm or is revved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stocktake

There is one in the breakers near me

still on manifold ( no Vis motors on it though) Manifold seems a good one, Arm is not loose.

Toying with the idea of biting the bullet & buying a new inlet manifold; some days the car flies, others it's lethargic. Weird.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowedb

If it's the same as mine, which also frigthened me yesterday, then it's the purge solenoid, not the idle valve, which incidentally is a stepper motor and shouldn't make a noise. It's mounted on the manifold just behind the idle stepper which is in the throttle body.

I think it sounds bad because it's so cold. That was my theory anyway!

Like I said above, it mainly happens when the engine is cold, but it's definately the idle solenoid, when I touched it, I could feel it working in time to the tapping sound.

Departed · 10th January 2009, 16:02

Mmm. Odd. The idle stepper is basically a motor turning a screw thread which winds the valve open and closed. So I wouldn't expect it to click unless its constantly hitting then end of it's travel.

The purge solenoid is mounted very close to it and the vibration would probably transfer.

Are we talking about the same parts? Just want to make sure we aren't talking at cross purposes.

This is the idle stepper motor (marked A):

And the purge solenoid is the bit in this picture on the right of the manifold, with the orange cap on it (again marked A).

Tatts · 10th January 2009, 16:30

Thanks for your input...

It's the bit shown below, marked Idle Solenoid. Bit with the electrical connector.

Departed · 10th January 2009, 16:52

Yes, same as mine then, but I'm pretty sure that's the purge solenoid valve. The idle valve is a stepper motor and that can't work with only two wires.

So don't worry about the rattle, they all do it.

Tatts · 10th January 2009, 16:56

Thats magic, thanks Duncan!

9th January 2009, 10:56	#1
Tatts This is my second home MG6 TL Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tarn Posts: 5,269 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 37 Posts	KV6 Idle Solenoid Just been to give the car it's weekly check & fired it up. What a racket. I thought the inlet manifold was kaput, but the tap tap tap tap is coming from the Idle Solenoid. What does this thing do & what do they cost for a replacement? Thanks __________________ http://www.wcgsig.com/115562.gif

10th January 2009, 14:22	#4
stocktake Vis Whiz Rover 75 2.5 auto Saloon Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: LEEDS Posts: 20,593 Thanks: 2,057 Thanked 3,056 Times in 1,621 Posts	There is one in the breakers near me still on manifold ( no Vis motors on it though) Manifold seems a good one, Arm is not loose. __________________ Dave... Lost a few stones and a Gall Bladder and part of a bile duct and all of my dignity in the suppository incident

10th January 2009, 16:30	#8
Tatts This is my second home MG6 TL Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tarn Posts: 5,269 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 37 Posts	Thanks for your input... It's the bit shown below, marked Idle Solenoid. Bit with the electrical connector. __________________ http://www.wcgsig.com/115562.gif

10th January 2009, 16:56	#10
Tatts This is my second home MG6 TL Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tarn Posts: 5,269 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 37 Posts	Thats magic, thanks Duncan! __________________ http://www.wcgsig.com/115562.gif

10th January 2009, 13:48	#3
JohnDotCom * Rover 75 FaceLift Tourer CDTi 170BHP Auto ConnSE 2005 Model Starlight Silver Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Abergele Posts: 28,735 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Can't help on price or availability as Part not recognised, Might be called something completely different though on EPC

10th January 2009, 14:56	#5
Departed Retired -- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: -- Posts: 3,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	If it's the same as mine, which also frigthened me yesterday, then it's the purge solenoid, not the idle valve, which incidentally is a stepper motor and shouldn't make a noise. It's mounted on the manifold just behind the idle stepper which is in the throttle body. I think it sounds bad because it's so cold. That was my theory anyway!

10th January 2009, 16:02	#7
Departed Retired -- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: -- Posts: 3,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Mmm. Odd. The idle stepper is basically a motor turning a screw thread which winds the valve open and closed. So I wouldn't expect it to click unless its constantly hitting then end of it's travel. The purge solenoid is mounted very close to it and the vibration would probably transfer. Are we talking about the same parts? Just want to make sure we aren't talking at cross purposes. This is the idle stepper motor (marked A): And the purge solenoid is the bit in this picture on the right of the manifold, with the orange cap on it (again marked A).

10th January 2009, 16:52	#9
Departed Retired -- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: -- Posts: 3,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Yes, same as mine then, but I'm pretty sure that's the purge solenoid valve. The idle valve is a stepper motor and that can't work with only two wires. So don't worry about the rattle, they all do it.