Hi,
I have searched the forums and only solution I could find was to replace the whole muffler (including the exhaust valves). Other say you should be happy that the valves are open all the time, but the F-Type will then fail the legal road test in a few months. So this needs to be fixed.
It's an 2016 F-Type R with a vacuum pump. No more warranty, German car. Both valves are stuck open. I can't move them by hand. I tried with PTFE spray at the actuator but since both valves fail at the same time I do not believe it is the actuator or anything related to the muffler. I suspect it is the vacuum pump.
I had the check engine light popping up some weeks ago and it disappeared. Checked the failure code today and the engine light was related to O2 sensors (P0420 and P0430). It said it was historic, not permanent.
I am not driving the F-Type that often, sometimes it is not used for 3 weeks or so. Usually I drive in dynamic mode only. However I realized the valves are stuck open when I switched off dynamic mode. They simply do not close anymore

Could the open valves be related to O2 sensor issue? The error is cleared now but valves stay open.
Is there any way to check the vacuum pump? Or anything else that could be checked? Any suggestions?

Thanks
Chris

 

The vacuum pump is powered via fuse F43, under the passenger (US) footwell. Mine is noisy (as are the valves), so it's easy to tell when it's working. Valves are open 100% of the time with F43 removed or blown (or a failed vacuum pump.) There's a TSB to remove the vacuum pump and run vacuum lines back from the engine instead.

The valves have strong springs, but you should still be able to move them with your hands.

 

Stuck open exhaust valves. Get the owners manual and find out what fuse handles the exhaust valves. If that fuse is blown or removed, the valves are “fail safe” open. I’d check that first, easy to do. Several owners have simply removed the fuse to get a stronger exhaust note.

 

Hey,
I forgot to mention that checking fuse f43 was the first thing I did. The fuse looks good and was in the correct spot. Valves are still open. I did not look up fuse f15 yet, not sure if that is relevant for my 2016.

I am just curious if it could have to do with P0420 and P0430, or is it just a coincidence that this happened at kind of the same time and I am looking and two completely separate issues?

thanks
Chris

 

I had one valve stuck open. The garage soaked the valve, and kept re spraying, for hours while gently manipulating to free it up. In other words, it wasn't a mechanical/electrical fault as such, just stuck! They freed it, and works fine now.

 

I wasn't able to proceed, but another thing that jumped into my eye is that the active exhaust button becomes active automatically when starting the engine. So it realizes the valves are open

 

Is that because you're in dynamic mode and you haven't had the software update that disables it at each restart? I don't think the switch monitors the state of the valves, just sets the circuitry to enable them to open.

 

Nope, afaik the dynamic mode disables after 6 hours not using the car. I was definitely not in dynamic mode.
Dynamic mode is "off", active exhaust is "off", when starting the car dynamic mode stays "off" but active exhaust button comes "on". For that reason I believe it must be either the vacuum pump having issues or a control module. Can't find anything about it.
If the valves are stuck, how would the car know that the valves are open and switch active exhaust to "on". It is something else causing the issue.
Chris

 

So this is the Info I found regarding the functionality of the active exhaust vacuum pump functionality:
So the valves close via command of the ECM. I suspect it is somewhere between the ECM, the solenoid valve or the reservoir. Will see if I can check that someday next week.
If anybody can guide me through that I would really appreciate it.
thanks
Chris

 

Hello everyone,
If I take out the F43 fuse, is the flap always open as far as it is during a cold start? My cat sounds mega with a cold start, but as soon as I shift into gear, it becomes significantly quieter! Does that also work with the R AWD MY 2017? Do I get other problems, error codes, etc.? Or does the car just get louder and the flap control already? Thank you for this assessment ...
BR
Andi

 

Hi Andi
You are hijacking my thread
As far as I understand f43 only works until MY16. I have read threads where pulling that fuse immediately threw errors on later cars since the vacuum for the valves is coming from the engine and not from a vacuum pump anymore. You might want to try, and once you get errors just put it back in. Someone might correct me
Chris

 

If you're in dynamic mode the noise shouldn't decrease when you put it in gear, th valves should stay open all the time (subject to any MY-specific software updates that may have been made). With dynamic off, the valves will close when you shift into gear because it follows the engine revs - viz. don't open until 4,000 rpm.

 

Doesn't noise just decrease when you put it in gear as revs drop (so less noise)? That's why when I start early morning I immediately put it in reverse as it quiets down the startup roar...

 

Hi,

before this gets too much off topic, let me explain to you what I did to make the valves open and close again.

First of all, it was the valves that were really stuck, and I was able to free them.

I initially expected the vacuum pump or the solenoid to be the root cause of the issue. However, when I removed the left rear wheel and the cover I did not find a pump as you can see in the picture below. Then I focused on the valves again.
As I mentioned before, my F-Type is a 2016, and it turned out is has no vacuum pump.


There is no vacuum pump!

I tried to use Ballistol PTFE and Ballistol Universal Oil the other days, however, I could not even move the valves by hand.

Now what I used was WD40 and a wooden stick.
I sprayed WD 40 on the actuator and into the exhaust at the valves directly.
Be careful, and don't do that with a hot exhaust!!! And yes I know WD40 is not the best to use, but apparently it supported in freeing up the stuck valves. I just need to find a way to get rid of it now.

Then I used the wooden stick (wood to avoid damage in the exhaust) which I put into the exhaust right up to the valves and gently tried to move the valve. DO NOT USE BRUTE FORCE HERE!
It just took a short moment, then the valves could be to moved!

Now I need to get rid of the WD40 and spray proper spray on the actuator. I also need to find a way to clean the exhaust from inside, maybe a long brush, to remove the carbon that build up there, and maybe even spray the valves in the exhaust. Just need to think about heat resistance, I do not want to spray anything in there that will start burning once the exhaust is hot.

I can now freely move the valves with either the stick in the exhaust, or by hand with the actuator. A first test drive proved that my work was successful, valves open and close as expected.

To end up with a good result, I will continue spraying PTFE on the actuator. I might even try to move the valves from inside the exhaust a few more times. Plus I will try to clean the inside of the exhaust.

I uploaded two videos to youtube where I explained what I did:


keep on PTFE-spraying
Chris

 

Good work!

 

Potential thread hijack here, but have any of you noticed the exhaust the exhaust valve opening (by itself) on cold starts, like 10-30 seconds into the warm-up cycle when the RPMs are still elevated? The exhaust switch light doesn't come on or anything, but the exhaust definitely suddenly gets louder by itself (not sure if that is a telltale sign of a failing valve or solenoid or spring or what). And if you drive off in that "mode" the drone is actually worse than with exhaust in Dynamic (open) mode (almost like a 3rd mode that is not normally selectable?). But if you press the exhaust switch, it "wakes" up and fixes itself again. Anybody ever experience that before?

 

This is normal behavior. The valves are vacuum activated and are always "open" on start-up until enough vacuum pressure comes online to close them. So they will be louder on initial start-up and then they close.

 

I think I may not be describing the situation properly. I'm talking about them getting even louder than at start-up (louder than even Dynamic mode, like there is some kind of additional bypass or by "open" Jaguar is really only opening it 75% of the way, but in these rare cases it sometimes goes all the way to 100%). Unless you are saying it takes a few seconds to build up vacuum? But then why does the exhaust not get louder 95% of the time? Thank you for the reply btw, just trying to understand how the system works. Here's a different way to describe what I am observing:

90% of the time, start car in Comfort mode = exhaust normal dB
5% of the time, start car in Dynamic or with exhaust on/open = exhaust at louder dB
5% of the time, start car in Comfort mode and after a few seconds, exhaust will change tone by itself and get immediately louder, to an excessive dB (louder than Dynamic) with lots more drone once you start driving.

 

I think "normal behaviour" varies wildy depending on the MY and what software updates have been performed. The newer models do seem to deviate more in their behaviour from the previously accepted norm.

 

Hi Suboshi,

I am facing the same issue as yours, my 2016 R Active exhaust is stuck at open. Did you manage to fix your issue?

My car is out of warranty and I have a service scheduled next week. I suspect the dealer will suggest replacing the muffler.