DW12 Vac system Diagram Anyone?

[jonsowman]

Well done, I know it's a horrible job! Did you take it off complete with bracket? That makes it a tad easier but it's still a faff.

So how are the symptoms? Has the vac leak disappeared?

[gumby6371]

Yes Jon the complete bracket but it wasn't until I got the turbo and EGR pipes out of the way that I could actually see where the bracket bolted on!

Initially I swapped the bulkhead EV with one of the EGR EV's and got a permanent EML, swapped it back and no light
Will put it on Planet later if it stays dry and double check everything.

I noticed the EGR had only been blanked at the intake manifold and the pipe was solid with crap so I blanked both ends when I refitted it, I'm assuming the EGR was stuck open as I'm sure I was getting the occasional whiff of egg-sauce fumes.
That reminds me would an aluminium plate be strong enough to blank the intake manifold without the original pipe to hold it in place? If yes I'll dump the pipe next time I'm tinkering and leave the EGR to hold that blank in place.
Took her for a short test drive last night, lowish RPM's, to test the brakes were still working and boost kicked in and all was good. Brakes haven't improved but they aren't any worse either.

The vac pipe mods are pretty straightforward when you can see the circuit in the flesh so to speak.
2 outlets off the pump, 1 to the cylinder and 1 to dozers and associated anti pollution gubbins so I just chopped the pipe and blanked it.
Then track the middle and right EV pipes back, remove and blank where it T's into the circuit.
In total you only need to blank 2 pipes and you leave all the remaining restrictors as nature intended so 'shouldn't' be any issues there.

I did remove the redundant pipework and whilst doing that spotted a mahoosive split on the feed into the actuator EV which could well have caused all the problems but I'd already changed everything by then and was only visible if you stretched the pipe by the colour coding band
At least I had some spare vac pipe by then

[jonsowman]

Initially I swapped the bulkhead EV with one of the EGR EV's and got a permanent EML, swapped it back and no light

Which bulkhead EV do you mean? There are three on the bulkhead, left is turbo and middle is EGR valve.

I noticed the EGR had only been blanked at the intake manifold and the pipe was solid with crap so I blanked both ends when I refitted it, I'm assuming the EGR was stuck open as I'm sure I was getting the occasional whiff of egg-sauce fumes.
That reminds me would an aluminium plate be strong enough to blank the intake manifold without the original pipe to hold it in place? If yes I'll dump the pipe next time I'm tinkering and leave the EGR to hold that blank in place.

If it was properly stuck open it'd be much more than a whiff! I imagine it's either opening a tiny bit due to a weak return spring in the valve, or the copper gasket has given up and it's leaking there. Either way, remove the valve (disconnect it from the EGR cooler if yours has one) and then blank the EGR outlet properly (retain the gasket but use that silicone sealant stuff).

Al uses a 3mm steel plate for the EGR outlet, I wouldn't go for anything less really. Send him a message on the Coupe Club and he'll probably have a kit he can sell you. I bought a kit for £12, inc. inlet and outlet blanking plates plus bolts and washers.

I did remove the redundant pipework and whilst doing that spotted a mahoosive split on the feed into the actuator EV which could well have caused all the problems but I'd already changed everything by then and was only visible if you stretched the pipe by the colour coding band

Interesting, that would well have been the problem, or at least one of them.

Well done, sounds like great progress!

[gumby6371]

I tried the middle EGR EV, if I get the EML again I'll try the one on the right (gearbox side)

The copper washer/gasket looked pretty clean to be fare so I don't think it was leaking there. I used it again then blanking plate then EGR valve with high temp liquid gasket between each layer.

No cooler on mine to worry about, I think they stopped using them on later models from what I remember reading on Al's how-to.

I'll probably leave things as they are until I need to take the pipes off for another reason as its such a faff, I might see if he has any kits for sale in readiness.

Big thanks for all your advice and encouragement, its not a difficult job as such just a PITA gaining access.

For anyone wanting to do this job all I used was my half decent socket set (with Allen key, Torx and screwdriver bits) and a pair of pliers. (Torx bits only required if strut brace fitted as it needs to come off)
nearly forgot...plasters, lots of plasters, a deep radox bath and ralgex or deep heat for the following day!!!!