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Since I needed to open up my VAM to repair a busted temp sensor I decided to snap a few pics. This may have been covered many times before, but I have been reading a few threads of people with flat spots that could be caused by the VAM. This could save $90 if you have the nerve to open a VAM up.
1. Pry open the plastic VAM cover. It helps to run an exacto knife under the lip and some light persuasion with a flat blade screwdriver. The cover is only glued down.
Here is what it looks like after the cover is removed
1.jpg
2. Remove the connector by removing the 4 phillips screws, two white wires, one black wire (not found on the small vam). Mark all wire locations for reassembly.
2.jpg
3.Remove the contact arm. You can mark its position, but you will need to adjust it after reassemble anyway.
3.jpg
4. At this point you can remove the circuit board and replace if yours is worn out. I found that the large and small vam use very similar boards.
4.jpg
5. If the board looks to be in good condition you can clean all the contacts on the board and swing arm with an eraser..lightly. Dirty contacts could lead to breaks in vam voltage causing flat spots.
5.jpg
6. Reinstall swing arm. Use the screw for adjustment. Set to where you removed it for now.
6.jpg
7. Install connector and wires to how is was before removing.
7.jpg
8. Install plastic cover loosely for now and reconnect to the wiring harness. Turn the key to KOEO, wait for 10 seconds then take a reading. Clip your positive probe of you volt meter to the W/B wire and the negative volt meter wire to the B/W wire. You should see .25V @ zero sweep of the vane. Move the vane smooth to wide open and you should see 4.5 volts. At no time should your volt meter drop to zero while you are sweeping the vane. If it does you board is dirty or worn out. If you need to adjust the arm be sure to turn the key off and remove the connector before moving the arm.
9. Glue plastic cover back on and reinstall vam.
If you need to replace the VAT sensor you will need to dremel off the studs holding it on. I harvested parts from a small vam and reinstalled the VAT with epoxy.
Hope this saves some people some cash.
1. Pry open the plastic VAM cover. It helps to run an exacto knife under the lip and some light persuasion with a flat blade screwdriver. The cover is only glued down.
Here is what it looks like after the cover is removed
1.jpg
2. Remove the connector by removing the 4 phillips screws, two white wires, one black wire (not found on the small vam). Mark all wire locations for reassembly.
2.jpg
3.Remove the contact arm. You can mark its position, but you will need to adjust it after reassemble anyway.
3.jpg
4. At this point you can remove the circuit board and replace if yours is worn out. I found that the large and small vam use very similar boards.
4.jpg
5. If the board looks to be in good condition you can clean all the contacts on the board and swing arm with an eraser..lightly. Dirty contacts could lead to breaks in vam voltage causing flat spots.
5.jpg
6. Reinstall swing arm. Use the screw for adjustment. Set to where you removed it for now.
6.jpg
7. Install connector and wires to how is was before removing.
7.jpg
8. Install plastic cover loosely for now and reconnect to the wiring harness. Turn the key to KOEO, wait for 10 seconds then take a reading. Clip your positive probe of you volt meter to the W/B wire and the negative volt meter wire to the B/W wire. You should see .25V @ zero sweep of the vane. Move the vane smooth to wide open and you should see 4.5 volts. At no time should your volt meter drop to zero while you are sweeping the vane. If it does you board is dirty or worn out. If you need to adjust the arm be sure to turn the key off and remove the connector before moving the arm.
9. Glue plastic cover back on and reinstall vam.
If you need to replace the VAT sensor you will need to dremel off the studs holding it on. I harvested parts from a small vam and reinstalled the VAT with epoxy.
Hope this saves some people some cash.
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