I'm going to try to fix the hood louver solenoid. It would only move about 1/4" instead of its full travel and it was not enough to open the flap. I opened it up and it looks as if the wire coating burned off the wires, shorting them.

Where can I get replacement solid copper wire?Also, it looks like the solenoid has a diode of some type. What is it for? I might want to replace that too.

 

You can get magnet wire at the local RadioShack.

The diode is a "flyback protection diode" used to protect the ECM when the solenoid is de-energized. You can probably get a replacement at the same RadioShack.

Be sure to count the turns on the magnet wire. The electrical properties will change if either the # of turns, length of coil, or total radius is different, so try to use the same diameter of wire as well. If you take it with you when you go shopping, the salesperson SHOULD(some of them aren't too bright) be able to hook you up well.

If you want to learn about electricity, http://www.electronics-tutorials.com...lectronics.htm is the best place I've found.

 

Thanks of the info. If I measure the length of the wire when i unwind it and then get the same gauge wire of the same length, can I just wind it around the tube until it runs out? Wont this provide the same number of turns?

 

I bought three 50-foot spools of 21 gauge magnet wire at Fry's for $3 each (Radio Shack only had a 40 foot spool along with 2 other gauge spools for $5). I unwound the old wire (about 525 turns) and wound the new wire (splicing twice). At first it worked the same as the old burned out wire, but then I wound most of the wire towards the side of the solenoid with the plunger coming out and it now moves more. Not all the way, but more than before.

Does the solenoid need to push all the way for the flap to open completely? Night now it pushes about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way.