Hi all, I was working on my car recently and decided to see if I could get the idle set properly. It was working ok, but would hunt just a bit. So I set the throttle discs to .002" at rest, both were less than that when I started. A .002 feeler would get stuck when I opened the throttle and slid the feeler stock in and then closed it they were tight on both sides. I adjusted it so I could feel it dragging. I started the car and it was idling around 1,000 warm. I started turning in the adjuster on the AAV. It came down to about 750, but the AAV is completely turned all the way in. That makes me think it is a bit tired. While I can live with it the way it is, about 1100 rpm on a cold start, and down to 750 when warm, I'd like to get it so the AAV has adjustment.
My question is do you need to drain the coolant before you remove it?

Thanks, Dave

 

Depends how old the coolant is you will lose some but if it is pretty old i.e more than a couple of years no sense denying yourself the joys of burping a V12.

There are different schools on whether you need the AAV or not, there are options to do away with it but I haven't, had my AAV rebuilt.

As far as the AAV goes make sure you use decent tools - the AAV bolts have been known to misbehave.

 

As long as you have no leaking hoses, and the radiator caps are on, you can remove the AAV no problem and no leaks.
The AAV bolts are torx-headed from memory and the steel they are made of is not that great, so they can sheer. If one does it is a pain as it has to be drilled out and the hole retapped, which may require the intakes off to get decent access.

 

Hi Chap

If I were you I would let well alone, as the Tickover that you have when either Cold or Warm sounds perfect to me

My Tickover from a Stone Cold Start up is 750 RPM and even when Warm its exactly the same but as my AAV would not adjust, I custom made some Air Restrictors that I squeezed into the Rubber Pipe that goes between the Air Box and the AAV (as my Tickover was too high at 1100 rpm when Cold)

The Tickover is Perfect now and as such I'm not going to touch it ever again

If you Snap those Bolts on the AAV then that is going to be your Summer ruined and so if I were you I'd put that Temptation right out of the way, as in my opinion, you are gaining nothing while at the same time taking an unnecessary risk

You can't improve on Perfection, so why try

 

Agreed, but I have never had a bolt there snap, maybe the Jag Gods luv me, I can live in hope, HA.

Also, being LHD, you will have all sorts of brake junk in the way, we dont.

It will need attention sooner or later, so your call.

Good luck.

 

Hello! I just pulled the AAV off my 1987 this morning, shipped it off to Jonas Loda in Lithuania for rebuilding. No real problem with removal, working space is a bit tight with the brake stuff in the way as Grant mentioned. I put some PB Blaster penetrant on the two screws about an hour prior to removing them, tapped on them for a bit to help penetration. Bolts came free pretty easily, and no coolant leakage at all. Piece of cake!
John