Car: 2004 Auto RX8 Grand touring package, 52K miles
This weekend I took it to a shop to put on the winter tires and replace the driver side sway bar end link. On my way home from the shop, after about 2 miles, check engine light came on. I checked it at autozone today, and it says the following:
P2070
Intake Manifold tuning valve stuck open bank 1
Probable cause:
1. Linkage stuck or broken
2. Mechanical condition
3. Intake Manifold tuning valve.

I have observed no change in car performance at all. I had decarb done this summer and spark plugs changed.

When auto zone guy checked the code, I think he might have reset it because I didn't see it on my way back home.

I have been reading the forum and it looks like people have noticed loss of power or have had to do decarb to fix this issue. However, I don't have any loss of power and I just had the decarb done.

So, what could be the issue?
Could the mechanic have screwed something while changing the sway bar end link?
Since the light is now reset, should it come back on if I don't get it fixed within a day or two?

 

That code is for the SSV stuck open.
The valve uses an impact switch to tell the PCM that its open/closed.
Its possible that the switch itself just stuck momentarily and you may not see it again.
Or the switch can be going bad.
We also can't rule out the valve itself actually sticking.
I would give it a few days and see if it returns.

 

Are you implying that the light should have come right back on if I still had the problem?

If the valve is really sticky, if the switch is bad, or if the solenoid is going bad, what damage can this do to the car?

 

Most likely.

Unfortunately, the symptoms are similar to others we encounter.
The last few times I've worked on an RX8 with a truly stuck SSV valve, the guy mentioned that the car had a difficult time maintaining idle when the RPMs dropped and the car wanted to stall.

 

I haven't noticed any hardship in maintaining idle and the car hasn't tried to stall yet. Last time I had the stalling problem was this summer when I found that I did need to replace the spark plugs after 5 yrs. :D I have my fingers crossed and hoping that the problem was momentary.

I did check out your video where you have the engine out of the car. Is this valve something I could check myself easily, given that I don't know much about engines? I am searching the forum right now to see if there is any step by step instruction.

 

If you are referring to the video I made for testing the intake valves, you can easily test it yourself.
Though in that video I'm moving the SSV with my finger and in the car its difficult to reach with your finger since the ACV is in the way.
I just use a long screwdriver instead to move the valve... pressing on the same surface as I do in that video (which is the same surface that hits the impact switch).

 

Thanks Jon316G. Yes, it's the same video. As you mentioned in your other post, I can't see the switch in it. I am guessing I should be able to see it once I get to it? I will give it a shot this coming weekend if the light comes back on.

 

You can see the switch in this pic:

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Is it possible to have the SSV sticking and not have the cel (2070) go off?

 

You would think so, but when my friend had his valve stuck closed, he only received a SSV code once.
And he had the problem for a couple weeks before I could look at it and actually found the valve stuck.
So I can't say you will always get a CEL for a truly stuck SSV.
Though to be honest, he has a midpipe so he always has a CEL... so maybe he didn't realize the P2070 code right away.

 

I seem to be having a similar P2070 issue myself too. I took my car to the dealership to have CEL diagnosed and they charged me 114$ to run the tests and let me know that it has P2070 and quoted me 2700$ to replace the intake manifold since the stuck valve cannot be loosened. I showed them the service bulletin about P2070 where it talks about cleaning, he said after talking to the technician that because of the miles and they could not rotate the valve it is better to change the intake manifold. Apparently there is some plastic here that can be broken while trying to clean. I have seen the video that you guys have about fixing this and there is no way I can do this on my own. Is this something that I can take it to a reliable mechanic or some one knowledgeable in Portland/Seattle area to get this done. Also if I continue to run my car with the valve stuck will it degrade my engine. He mentioned something like it will affect the emission and performance. I have not noticed any impact on the performance. Will this have any effect on the long term ? CEL is not consistent though, some days it will come on and some days like today it does not. Also I noticed that you guys talk about going to Auto zone to get the CEL diagnosis. How much do they charge for that ?

Thanks for all the talented guys here willing to share the knowledge for rookies like me.

 

Auto zone did it for free for me. they reset the light after diagnosis and I never saw the light come back on. I have been driving fine all this time. I guess it might have been stuck open momentarily. I was planning on checking (or at least trying to check) it myself, but never got around it. Pepboys also check this light for free.

 

More like because the tech doesn't want to go through the trouble of cleaning it.
The tech is assuming that the only way to remove the valve is to remove the engine.
And he figures that since he has to pull the engine anyways, why not just replace the intake manifold instead of cleaning the valve.
What he doesn't realize is that you can remove and clean the valve without pulling the engine.

As I stated above... he doesn't know better.
Only plastic piece I can think of on the valve assembly is the wire harness for the impact switch.
I think he is just pulling **** out of his *** at this point.
Are you referring to this video I made?
http://www.vimeo.com/7093611
As long as they know the steps to get the valve out, sure they can do it.
But the question is do you trust them?
It might get to a point where its difficult to keep it from stalling (at least from my experience with a stuck SSV)
Hope you had boots on while walking through this field of bullshit.

 

Thanks for keeping me straight on some of the BS form teh dealers. I wish I knew about the autozone thing I would have saved 100$ for the diagnosis. I was talking about the same video..

Right now CEL is not on .. Is expected to come and go when there is a actual stuck valve ?? So there is a possibility of stalling i.e. hard to keep it idling but it should not degrade the engine in any ways right ??
If that is the case I will continue driving till i find a reliable help in Northwest area.. I should probably ask in the northwest forum..

Any other recommendations for me to watch out for to see if SSV is causing a problem or not ? Thanks again for all the info.

 

In my other video for troubleshooting the intake valves I show how to test the operation of the SSV.
http://www.vimeo.com/5353829

Now you can't move the valve with your finger like I do in that video, but you can use a long screwdriver to push on the same point.
Using the vacuum pump makes it easier, plus you're test the actuator also.
If the valve moves smoothly and without resistance (and the valve returns on its own), then I'm pretty sure your issue isn't the valve itself and could be the impact switch that tells the PCM when the valve is open and closed.
Which in that case everything will operate normally and you shouldn't have any noticeable issues.

 

wow jon, i dont know what i would do without your posts and knowledge. usually when i have an issue, your posts contain the answers. anyway...

i have a 2004 RX8 GT 6MT about 88,000 miles. dealer says i have had all the TSB's done....

i am having the same issue. i took my car to auto zone and got the same free diagnostic...CODE P2070.

the first time the CEL came on, i didnt notice a power loss. then within a few days, the CEL had turned on and off. about 4-5 days later, with the CEL off, i hit the gas hard while pulling onto the highway. the car felt like it had no power until 5k rpm and then it felt like a turbo kicked it and it roared to 8k like normal. when i shifted into second, and hit the gas (not floored), the engine cut out but did not die. i noticed one other time the engine did lose power above 5k. and my fuel economy is down to about 200 miles per tank (used to be about 250-280 per tank). i filled it up and was at 100 miles at a half tank and have not driven it since. because i have not had time to test any of the equipment. jon, i am watching your video's now.

PDXRX8
i do not know any good shops in the pdx area for RX8's. but i would not recommend ron tonkin in pdx because they told me this would be covered under warranty without me asking lol and i know it is not. since i told him my car has about 88k on it.

 

Thanks guys for the reply.. SO far in over a week the CEL has not come on again.. I am monitoring the engine feel and it has been good so far. No issues, I am hoping it has magically disappeared. Will give it another week or so.

Lol on Ron Tonkin. I go to Herzog Meier and they are the ones insisting on changing the whole thing and also said while we are at it change some moisture and filtration system for another 300

 

i have used herzog meire before. they did ok. but all i had them do was replace a taillight and a visor under warranty. lately i have been spending the majority of my little free time working on my gas powered rc truck lol...finally finished it though...maybe i should stop fixing my little truck and fix my life size car hahaha....

 

time to take it out and run the **** out of it....clear out some of that carbon..

 

Appreciate the kind words... but I'm just like everyone else who gets curious enough to tinker with stuff.

Since you've been reading my posts... I guess I don't need to tell you whats involved with troubleshooting your P2070
Feel free to ask any questions and let us know any updates.

And like 04RX8man mentioned, its always good to run the **** out of your car to clear carbon.

 

i'm going to drive it in the morning. poor thing has just been sitting there giving me sad eyes every morning. and yes JON i will be checking out very very soon.

 

With an SSV related issue I tend to check the components in the following order:
1) The valve itself (manually moving it).
2) The solenoid
3) The actuator
4) the impact switch

This should give you an idea on where to start if you continue having SSV related codes.

 

thanks

 

still havent had a chance to mess with my SSV valve...but i noticed when driving the car, keeping it under 4k rpm, it doesnt throw the CEL. does that mean the SSV doesnt do anything until 4k rpm? kind of like the vFlad? anyway...hoping to get into this weekend...any suggestions are welcome. feel free to PM me anytime...