SOLVED RS2 with stuck temp regulator flap

["Pantelis Giamarellos" <pantg@otenet.gr>]

Listers Hi from Greece,

Thanks to everybody who has taken the time and made the effort to provide me
with their input regarding the as it turned out stuck motor on the
temprerature regulator flap servomotor in my car.

The on board diagnostic of the climate control (similar to the A4) was
giving me 8.5 and 8.7 codes meaning that the above stated motor was either
sporadic open or blocked.

Most of the listers suggested clearing the electrical contact, something
which I did but unfortunately with no result.

After this attempt the only resort was to take the facia parts apart
(glovebox, central tunnel, gearbox covers which sounds worst than it
actually is) This procedure takes approximately 1 hour and you need a flat
and a Philips screwdriver, a ratchet with 6mm, 8mm and 13mm nut heads and
very thin fingers (which I do not have so I cut myself several times)
After taking apart the facia parts you have to remove the vent ducts to the
front and rear footwells and then you  locate the stuck servomotor unit
which is the one closest to the engine firewall connected to the climate
control ECU with a black connector clip.
The AUDI parts servomotor has the number 8a1 820 511A and costs around 180
US$ plus tax at 18%.
The BOSCH corresponding part has the number 0132 801 029 and costs 60US$
plus tax at 18% (1/3 of the AUDI price)

Before resorting to the BOSCH parts bin I decided to take the servomotor
apart and try to fix it myself. Being an remote control modeler I have good
experience with servomotors but any one with at least a thumb and one finger
in this hand can do this.
All that was needed was a number 10Tx (star) head nut, liberal amounts of
electrical contacts cleaner and a Swiss Army Knife tweezers (other tweezers
will do too)
You remove the six Tx (star) screws, remove the electrical motor (7 volts
BOSCH one), remove the small "carbon" pieces giving power to the motor
pinion, spray lots of cleaner, rub the pinion contacts and "carbon" pieces,
spray again, put the carbons back secure them with the tiny coils that keep
them in place.
Check the motor to see that it is working now, put it back into the
servomotor housing, check it again giving 7 to 9 Volts of current to the
white and brown wires and changing polarity in order to change full locks to
either direction.
Close the servomotor's cover and put it back to the car.
1 hour, lots of cursing and finger bruising later you will have a nice
working temperature regulating flap motor working for less than 10US$ (cost
of the contact cleaner spray and you have it for other occasions too)

I used my CarComp VWTool to erase the fault codes on the climate control's
diagnostics and I now have a perfect running system.

Thanks again to all listers who assisted.
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On another (but related) point while being at the BOSCH parts store I was
able to check their prices against some AUDI ones.
BOSCH beats AUDI by 1/2 or even 2/3 on most parts.
Only exception was the spark plugs (special Platinum 4) which had the exact
same price.

BOSCH has introduced their own branded brake pads in Greece and they also
cost 1/3 of the AUDI price

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Regards from Greece,
Pantelis

P.S. For those of you (Europeans mainly) who worry about the situation in
the Balkans
Do not listen to what CNN says about the Balkans crisis.
As long as US is only bombing and is not sending troops there is no problem
for anyone apart from those poor Serbs who have to suffer because of the
pride of their leader.
Who is right and who is not  and why human and ethnic minority rights are
protected only on selected occasions and not everywhere and everytime (see
Nigeria, Somalia and the Kurds) is another point for discussion though.

Lets hope that piece will be restored and that no more people will not have
to die from either side.