Fitted a new one last week (horrid job), but thought all was well until midweek and a orange warning light came on (engine electronics). I don't have a code reader (am waiting for a Shark STS unit which i hope will do the job), but having replaced the air pump last week it led to the obvious conclusion that it was to do with this.

Anyway, i found the connector into the pump had caused the pump pins to bend back and hence were clearly not mated with the connector. So i restraightened them and fiddled and tried, and tried and tried, but for reasons i cannot fathom, the connector doesn't seem to mate with the two pump pins. In addition the fatter air hose that it doesn't click on to the pump and just pulls on and off with the slightest of pull. The plastic circle clip this on the end all seems intact, so after wasting a couple of hours and very cheesed off.

I also ran the car cold with the fatter hose off and no air was flowing through it. I presume if the pump was working i would feel some air flow??? I guess this is what is causing the engine light. I cannot really hear to whirring either.

Can anyone suggest the easiest route to try and get the connector mated properly to the pump? I know i can rip the whole lot out which is probably what i should have done first time, but having gone this far would like to just get it working. :'( It did cross my mind whether the pump was not quite the right part for the VRS as there are lots of very similar design, but it had the same part number as the one i took off and was genuine VW.

I guess the hose is ok as it is, but i know something isn't right as it was originally a sod to pull off. I read somewhere that the hose ends have sealing rings in them, which i do not have, but that doesn't explain why i cannot reattach them.

Yeah, you're right about the airflow. You should be able to hear it and feel it when the pump is running. If the pump is not working propely, the ecu will see this and put the engine management light on, storing a fault code. Something like SAI Pump: Incorrect flow detected.

Have you definately got the hoses the right way round? The one from the air filter goes to the middle.

Yes, hoses are different sizes and so impossible to mix up and i didn't switch ends around. Air box end has remain connected throughout. :'(

After more messing about, i decided that it was no longer worth the effort and have decided to remove the secondary air pump altogether, following some decent guides already written up on the forum.

Ordered my Forge blanking plate and have already ripped out the hoses. Pump removal following at the coming weekend and the EGR valve once blanking plate sent. However a few q's have arisen, not really covered in the posts i have found:

1. What's the best option for sealing/blanking off the hole in the air box?

2. When starting from cold there was some loud air chugging out from the EGR hose pipe (that would have gone into the air pump if i hadn't already removed most of the hose). After several seconds it then stopped. What was that?

3. What is the best option for sealing off the pipe you remove from the back of the EGR?

Thanks

On some old volvo v70's i seem to remember they had similar setup with pipe coming off airbox to air pump but they didnt all have it, some just had a rubber bung on airbox and i think its about the same size, ill have a look 2moro see if you can buy it seperate, if you can and it fits ill get part number off for it

Thanks. So far i've seen these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KITCHEN-CABINET-35MM-HINGE-HOLE-COVER-CAP-WHITE-QTY-10-/220722941895?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_KitchenFurniture_EH&hash=item33641ccfc7

which are cheap and seem the right diamter at 35mm. With a bit of silicon seal all around i guess it will be as good as anything. You can get these in other colours, so black would be better.

I've black taped mine up and it's fine

Cheaper still, thanks , what did you do with the pipe off the back of the EGR?

The one towered the back of the engine? By the tip pipe? Icut it back and fitted a bung so it's out of sight.

The rest of the pipework has been removed along with the n249, n112