What is an Air Assist Solenoid?

KeithRS · 04-13-2001, 09:24 PM

I had the check engine light come on (~6500 miles) the other day, and the dealer says the "Air Assist Solenoid" is bad. Good thing it is under warranty.

I haven't looked too closely at the stock intake, but does that choose between hot and cool air?

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munkis · 04-14-2001, 01:18 PM

never heard of it, but then again I dont work for Subaru. It sounds like it would have something to do with the emission system,

Cars have air pumps that feed air to the cataltic conversters, to help warm them up in the morning, or cool them down in stop and go traffic, this "air assist solenoid" may control the air flow to the catalytic converters. All a soleniod is is a switch so to say, that opens and closes. Your fuel injectors are solenionds, when they open they allow fuel to pass through, and when they close no fuel. Same thing that this air assist soleniond would do if its what I think it is, open allows air to pass through to the cats, and closed cuts off the air flow to the cats.

Just a guess, if it really bothers you to know what does just ask the dealer, im sure they will be more then happy to explain it to you.

Jay McDade
Auto Tech--Lincoln/Mercury/Jaguar
www.hometown.aol.com/impreza25rs2000

tulit · 04-14-2001, 01:24 PM

Possible it may also be on the TB? It has a small bypass on the throttle body to let more air into the engine at idle during warmup, hence the higher idle. Kind of the same "idea" as a choke on a car equipped with a carb.

munkis · 04-14-2001, 01:52 PM

Tulit you are describing what I know as an IAC valve. Idle Air Control Valve, In my experience with Fords, it will not throw a code, they usually get clogged and stick, cause the car to start for a second, then die. I wish I worked for Subaru hehe

What was your problem, CE light? Any symptoms?

Jay McDade

KeithRS · 04-14-2001, 05:45 PM

Thanks for the replies.

McDade, I don't have any symptoms (other than the CE light), so I am imagining that it is something pretty trivial. I am not really worried about it because I haven't heard anybody mention problems with the part before (a search came up null).

The dealer is going to replace it under warranty when they get the part in, but for now the mechanic said he just reset the ECU. The light went off after the reset, and hasn't come back on yet (this was a couple of says ago).

munkis · 04-14-2001, 06:45 PM

When you go in to get the part replaced could you find out what it is and what it does, im just curious to know what it is.

Thanks

Jay McDade

kaos200 · 04-14-2001, 08:35 PM

The air assist is air injected in the side of the fuel injectors for better atomization of fuel and therefore better emissions, I have heard of the solenoids going bad on a few local imprezas so don't worry about it..
By the way it is only equipped on 2000 and 2001 cars...

Penphoe · 05-08-2001, 06:09 PM

Thought I"d bring this thread back to the top. My MY00 RS threw a CE last nite on my way home from work. I was driving pretty fast on the highway (around 100km/h) and when I glanced down at my dash, there was the bright and ugly CE light staring me in my face.

My car drove fine, no problems, no power loss, nothing. When I started my car this morning, it was fine too, no rough idle, no hint of any problem except for the CE lite.

Well, today, I brought it in to get the code pulled, and it was the code for this "Air Assist Solenoid" - error code P1445. The mechanic asked me if my car idled roughly or if there were any problems. There were none. He reset the ECU code and I was on my way home.

The long and the short of it, is for some unknown reason my ECU threw the CE. I guess for a moment, the solenoid wasn't working properly and the ECU freaked. I'll keep my eyes open for any problems that may arise.

Oh yeah, I've got about 33,000km on my car right now.

LaterZ!
Darren!!

[edit - fergot to put down my mileage]

[This message has been edited by Penphoe (edited May 08, 2001).]

KeithRS · 05-08-2001, 10:22 PM

Well, I went in to get it replaced and the service people told me that the distribution center sent the wrong part, but that my car was part of the o2 sensor recall and they had one for me. Kind of funny because I didn't get the letter and I checked at my.subaru.com, but what the heck.

When I got home I checked my mail and found a letter saying my o2 sensor had been recalled...

My car is still running fine without the CE light, but I should be getting it replaced this Saturday. I will post if I can squeeze any interesting information from the service people.

04-13-2001, 09:24 PM	#1
KeithRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 3436 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Bongistan Vehicle: 1987 Rockhopper Yellow	What is an Air Assist Solenoid? I had the check engine light come on (~6500 miles) the other day, and the dealer says the "Air Assist Solenoid" is bad. Good thing it is under warranty. I haven't looked too closely at the stock intake, but does that choose between hot and cool air? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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04-14-2001, 01:18 PM	#2
munkis Scooby Guru Member#: 1847 Join Date: Jul 2000 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: brokenmotorsports.com Vehicle: Team Broken: V6 GF rallyarmor.com	never heard of it, but then again I dont work for Subaru. It sounds like it would have something to do with the emission system, Cars have air pumps that feed air to the cataltic conversters, to help warm them up in the morning, or cool them down in stop and go traffic, this "air assist solenoid" may control the air flow to the catalytic converters. All a soleniod is is a switch so to say, that opens and closes. Your fuel injectors are solenionds, when they open they allow fuel to pass through, and when they close no fuel. Same thing that this air assist soleniond would do if its what I think it is, open allows air to pass through to the cats, and closed cuts off the air flow to the cats. Just a guess, if it really bothers you to know what does just ask the dealer, im sure they will be more then happy to explain it to you. Jay McDade Auto Tech--Lincoln/Mercury/Jaguar www.hometown.aol.com/impreza25rs2000

04-14-2001, 01:24 PM	#3
tulit Scooby Specialist Member#: 338 Join Date: Sep 1999 Chapter/Region: E. Canada Location: Toronto Vehicle: 09 STi White	Possible it may also be on the TB? It has a small bypass on the throttle body to let more air into the engine at idle during warmup, hence the higher idle. Kind of the same "idea" as a choke on a car equipped with a carb.

04-14-2001, 01:52 PM	#4
munkis Scooby Guru Member#: 1847 Join Date: Jul 2000 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: brokenmotorsports.com Vehicle: Team Broken: V6 GF rallyarmor.com	Tulit you are describing what I know as an IAC valve. Idle Air Control Valve, In my experience with Fords, it will not throw a code, they usually get clogged and stick, cause the car to start for a second, then die. I wish I worked for Subaru hehe What was your problem, CE light? Any symptoms? Jay McDade

04-14-2001, 05:45 PM	#5
KeithRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 3436 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Bongistan Vehicle: 1987 Rockhopper Yellow	Thanks for the replies. McDade, I don't have any symptoms (other than the CE light), so I am imagining that it is something pretty trivial. I am not really worried about it because I haven't heard anybody mention problems with the part before (a search came up null). The dealer is going to replace it under warranty when they get the part in, but for now the mechanic said he just reset the ECU. The light went off after the reset, and hasn't come back on yet (this was a couple of says ago).

04-14-2001, 06:45 PM	#6
munkis Scooby Guru Member#: 1847 Join Date: Jul 2000 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: brokenmotorsports.com Vehicle: Team Broken: V6 GF rallyarmor.com	When you go in to get the part replaced could you find out what it is and what it does, im just curious to know what it is. Thanks Jay McDade

04-14-2001, 08:35 PM	#7
kaos200 Scooby Guru Member#: 2692 Join Date: Oct 2000 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: SoCal & TX	The air assist is air injected in the side of the fuel injectors for better atomization of fuel and therefore better emissions, I have heard of the solenoids going bad on a few local imprezas so don't worry about it.. By the way it is only equipped on 2000 and 2001 cars...

05-08-2001, 06:09 PM	#8
Penphoe Friendly Neighbourhood Moderator Member#: 269 Join Date: Sep 1999 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada Vehicle: 2005 ABP LGT LTD BP6 00 Impreza RS GM6 RIP	Thought I"d bring this thread back to the top. My MY00 RS threw a CE last nite on my way home from work. I was driving pretty fast on the highway (around 100km/h) and when I glanced down at my dash, there was the bright and ugly CE light staring me in my face. My car drove fine, no problems, no power loss, nothing. When I started my car this morning, it was fine too, no rough idle, no hint of any problem except for the CE lite. Well, today, I brought it in to get the code pulled, and it was the code for this "Air Assist Solenoid" - error code P1445. The mechanic asked me if my car idled roughly or if there were any problems. There were none. He reset the ECU code and I was on my way home. The long and the short of it, is for some unknown reason my ECU threw the CE. I guess for a moment, the solenoid wasn't working properly and the ECU freaked. I'll keep my eyes open for any problems that may arise. Oh yeah, I've got about 33,000km on my car right now. LaterZ! Darren!! [edit - fergot to put down my mileage] [This message has been edited by Penphoe (edited May 08, 2001).]

05-08-2001, 10:22 PM	#9
KeithRS Scooby Newbie Member#: 3436 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Bongistan Vehicle: 1987 Rockhopper Yellow	Well, I went in to get it replaced and the service people told me that the distribution center sent the wrong part, but that my car was part of the o2 sensor recall and they had one for me. Kind of funny because I didn't get the letter and I checked at my.subaru.com, but what the heck. When I got home I checked my mail and found a letter saying my o2 sensor had been recalled... My car is still running fine without the CE light, but I should be getting it replaced this Saturday. I will post if I can squeeze any interesting information from the service people.