Auxiliary Air Valve

[wasted]

Bit stumped on what to do next with this.

The AAV on my Scala has been hissing when hot for some time now. The idle speed is hence a little high, and I've had to screw the idle adjust in all the way in order to get it to sit at around 1000rpm.

Last weekend I removed the AAV (with a lot of swearing at the upper hex bolt) and soaked it in carb cleaner overnight in an attempt to get things moving. Looking inside through the inlet, I could see a disk with a small triangular hole in it - this presumably is what lets the air through, and it then closes as the bimetallic strip inside heats up. However having soaked things, and refitted, I have the exact same problem.

First thought was that either the AAV is still knackered, or the electrical connection is faulty. However the connection seems to be providing a current - around 11.6V.

Now I was under the impression that the electrical connection to the AAV was there to make the bimetallic strip heat up during warm-up period; after that, the heat from the engine block would heat the bimetallic strip instead. So things seem to point to the AAV being at fault.

So... is the AAV totally nadgered? How can I make sure without getting a replacement?

[scirsteve]

Have you checked the hoses?
On mine (87 gtx) one of the hoses rubbed on the brake linkage and slowly sliced its way through on the underside.

I think the haynes manual has another way of testing the aav by detaching the electrical plug,
running the engine (when cold) then pinch the air intact duct to aav hose, the idle speed should drop.

Then repeat the test when the engine is at normal operating temp, (replace the electrical plug),
pinch the hose, the idle speed should remain unaltered.