A4 B5 throttle body reset problem with VAG

[adrianwillis]

Hi,
Hopefully someone out there will have the answer to my problem...
I have a 1996 A4 B5 that's got the poor idle problem, accompanied by hesitation on acceleration (more often than not).
Having read numerous posts I bought a 3rd party interface from ecutools.com and have used VAG 409.1 to obtain a few fault codes. I then decided to clean my throttle body...which I did today (surprisingly dirty) and in the process discovered the engine breather pipe (the plastic moulding) had fractured. I bought and fitted a new one today as well.
I reassembled the throttle body and hoses etc and then tried to perform adjustment of the throttle body using VAG-COM.
However, when I follow the procedure suggested on VAG's website I get a momentary green light ( "run" is displayed in green lettering, along with values in the other 3 rectangles) but after a split second I get the message "error, 098 not available" (or very similar). I can hear the throttle body whirring away for about 10 seconds before it stops and moves back to the idle position (it doesn't seem to move more than a few millimetres during the whole process)
When I then look at basic settings the word "error" appears in the rectangle to do with throttle body.
My error code is as follows:
17967 - throttle valve control part (j338) : Fault in basic settings
p1559 - 35-00 - -
Am I doing something wrong?
Does my car have a further fault that wasn't there this morning?
Is my VAG software not working properly?
Perhaps I can't reset the throttle body on my car?
By the way, I have tried other methods of adjusting the throttle body...opening the bonnet and the driver's door and turning on the ignition while humming Deutschland Uber Ales and VAG tells me it's still got this 17967 fault...the car drives far better now than it did yesterday and idles quite smoothly, albeit at about 900rpm. It doesn't hesitate at all now either...so I'm fairly happy but I know there's still a problem.
Can anyone shed some light on this please?????

[Col]

If you are getting a fault code on the throttle body itself that is why it cannot perform the alignment.

Try clearing the fault code and then doing the alignment.

Does sound like you might need a new throttle body.

[Longman]

I tend to agree, you have got to be really careful with the TB when you clean it.

Try the above, clearing the code and then try and re-align. But if the code comes back, I would say its time for a new one.

Did you use anything to clean it? WD40 or Carb Cleaner? I use WD40 and that seems to be ok, cleans all the crud off and means you don't have to do too much fiddling with the butterfly valve.

Hope this helps.

[adrianwillis]

Thanks for your replies.
I used spray type carb cleaner and I also removed the butterfly so that I could get the whole thing spotless. This fault wasn't present on VAG before I cleaned it so am I to assume that some carb cleaner has found its way into the electrics of the TB? If so it may dry out and recover???
I wondered if I might have a broken wire somewhere near to the electrical plug that is giving the problem...do you recommend a way of testing this...I have a digital volt meter.
The strange thing is that the car is running so much better now than it did...it hasn't hesitated once on acceleration and it is a joy to drive again.
I think I might leave it a few days and try adjusting the TB again. I tried clearing the fault code many times yesterday but it reappears almost immediately.
If I do need a new TB can you recommend somewhere where I can get one at a reasonable price?
Cheers.

[Longman]

I guess its possible that you have damaged something when you took the TB apart.

It might be worth having a look at the electrics, seeing if its ok but I think its the servo that controls the valve that might be broken or damaged.

Have a look in output tests in the engine controller, see if any of them include the TB (Although you will only get the same error as you have during the reset)

You could do a run and measure the TB angle (Block 003, column 3 on a 1.8T engine). That might show any problems with how the valve is or isn't working....

I am not sure where you would go for this.... GSF??

Or here:

https://sslrelay.com/s74326199.onean...dex.shopscript

[smokey0123]

I would try clearing the adaptation values by going into in Adaptation and clicking save in channel 00, then clear all the faults that will clear and try re-aligning the TB again.

[adrianwillis]

Thank you Longman and Smokey0123 for your replies.
I can remember seeing a TB angle value in VAG-COM before I removed the TB for cleaning...I'll have another look later on today if I get time and let you know what I find.
I tried clearing the adaptation values yesterday in the way that Smokey0123 suggests but that didn't make any difference.
Having Googled "Throttle body Audi A4" I see there are a few alternatives available...there is one on Ebay for under £100 delivered that is reconditioned and offers a 2 year warranty and you send your failed part back to them afterwards for reconditioning. Do you have any thoughts/knowledge about these?
Thanks again guys for your very knowledgeable and fast replies...I'm somewhat stumped as to how I might have damaged the TB because I was so careful with it (or so I thought)
Cheers!

[adrianwillis]

I managed to do some VAG-Com testing last night.
Group 098 displayed the following:
Throttle Value Pot Voltage 4.4V
Throttle Drive Pot Voltage 3.72V
Operation Status Idle
Adaptation Status ERROR

I looked at group 003 but that gave me spurious readings for throttle angle.

I think I found throttle angle in group 010 - at idle (840rpm) the throttle angle (TA) fluctuated between -2 and -3, then I increased revs to 2K and the TA climbed slowly to 10, went back to idle and the TA dropped back to 0 after about a minute.
Interestingly, while the car was running at idle the engine speed % value kept increasing every few seconds although the engine speed remained constant at 840rpm.

I tried resetting the fault code but it kept coming back after a split second, and I also tried to do a TB adjustment but there was no change there either.

So it looks as though something in the electrical part of the TB has stopped functioning correctly but strangely enough the car runs and performs fine.

Given that I'm strapped for cash at the moment will it do any harm to live with this condition? What is the result of not fixing this problem...would it be poorer fuel consumption, unacceptably high exhaust emissions, sudden breakdown?...I'd value some advice on this please.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers

[Longman]

I am not really sure whether it would hurt if you where to carry on driving, however, I wouldn't rule out a sudden break down.

Perhaps, if there is a problem with it, it the ECU could be running the Trottle Body in a safe mode with basic settings, which would account for the car running ok now.

However, you won't get so good fuel efficiency or full power in safe mode.

Just a thought really, not 100% on this I am afraid.

[adrianwillis]

Thanks Longman

Are the electrics in the TB complicated...where can you buy a new "servo that operates the valve" in the TB...I assume you must be able to get these things because there are a couple of companies that make a living from reconditioning TB's.

Any ideas??