Mk2 Turbo

[jbgt2]

Hi all,

 

Was trying to verify the mpg for the galaxy (1.9 TDi) after buying one recently. As the dash diesel gauge edged towards the red the light came on while going up a hill - only 1 mile from service station. Anyway the power dropped from the engine because diesel low i thought. So put 10 in and all was fine. Next week powerloss returned and has done on a few occasions since (every few days). Switch off and back on all OK for a while.

 

1. Sounds like the start of Turbo problem?

2. A diesel filter change required? How many filters are on the car - just one in the engine compartment? Is there one in the diesel tank? etc etc

3. Something else?

 

Bit concerned as a friend has a Mk2 1.9 TDi she had same prob and needed new turbo and engine as she drove it without getting it sorted quick enough.

 

Guidance appreciated.

 

John

[tim-spam]

Sounds like the turbo vanes are sticking. You may be able to live with it for a while by avoiding engine speed above around 2500rpm, especially with a cold engine on cold, damp days. A good long motorway run may also improve it for a while.

 

However, you will need to remove the turbo sooner or later to clean and free up the VNT mechanism - there are several good threads on this. As an alternative, if the turbo is in good condition apart from a coked up VNT mechanism, Midland Turbos in Nottingham will do you an exchange unit for around

[jbgt2]

Sounds like the turbo vanes are sticking. You may be able to live with it for a while by avoiding engine speed above around 2500rpm, especially with a cold engine on cold, damp days. A good long motorway run may also improve it for a while.

 

However, you will need to remove the turbo sooner or later to clean and free up the VNT mechanism - there are several good threads on this. As an alternative, if the turbo is in good condition apart from a coked up VNT mechanism, Midland Turbos in Nottingham will do you an exchange unit for around

[Mirez]

I wouldn't be in a hurry to strip down the turbo, less still to replace it! Sticking vanes is ever so common and symptomatic of short trips / town driving. You need to "exercise" the turbo and you'll be fine however there are two important notes:

 

Firstly, you need to have a good cam belt on there. If its due a replacement then get it replaced first!

Secondly, ensure its fully warm - this is typically a good 20 minute drive. Coolant temperature is irrelevant here as its oil temp that

[chrispb123456]

Excellent post Mark, does them good to clear out the soot. :)

[jbgt2]

thats the reply i was looking for instead of paying out for a new / recon turbo. Will give it welly as suggested and report bakc if it doesn't resolve for more ideas.

 

What makes the vains stick anyway - town driving and low revs?

 

Thanks guys (for now anyway) ;-)

[jbgt2]

thanks mirez just re read your post and saw the answers are already there - too many distractions with the kids :

[gregers]

yep a good old fashioned Italian tune up,works wonders for the car,but not for anyone following you,lol

[hehdiddlydo]

yep a good old fashioned Italian tune up,works wonders for the car,but not for anyone following you,lol

 

 

I hear what you're saying and as I've heard this before and read it in the handbook I know it to be good advice. Can't help but think that we buy these Galaxy's for several reasons and one being MPG. Kind of makes a mockery if they're designed to be razzed every couple of months over (25 miles I seem to recall) in as low a gear as possible in order for the turbo to be happy. Or am I alone in thinking this?

[tim-spam]

If the VNT is well coked up, this method simply won't work, and there is the possibility of turbo failure due to it being oversped before tripping into limp mode. However, this is a problem that some have lived with for some years, but for a permanent, reliable cure, de-coking the VNT is the best method - the car will run better too, as boost control will be much more accurate. Remember, each time it trips into limp mode, the turbo has been oversped beyond its design limits.

[jbgt2]

So when the turbo is being oversped if I simply switch off the engine an restart it again this will limit the damage until it is fixed - correct?

 

Thx for all the helpful feedback

[tim-spam]

Not exactly. Tripping into limp mode is designed to prevent immediate catastrophic failure of the turbocharger by limiting the amount of overspeed. It is not designed to protect it against repeated overspeed events and is really a warning that the problem should be fixed.

 

The most dangerous time is if you accelerate quickly away in first gear (especially if the engine is still cold), when the turbo can be oversped considerably before the ECU trips into limp mode. If you are only experiencing this occassionally, the chances are that you can continue like this for some considerable time, but you really should plan to fix it - the car will run so much better afterwards that this alone will justify doing it.

[Willie Krashitt]

As had been said on many occasions on this forum (don't people ever search?) if it is only going into limp home infrequently, then a couple of tankfuls of premium diesel (optimax/vPower etc) or adding some high detergent additive (eg. millers) can really make a difference. The detergent additives don't just work on the way in, but all through the system, even after being burnt.

A lot cheaper and less messy than taking the turbo off.

Obviously won't work if vanes are stuck solid.

 

George.

[jbgt2]

OK been giving the vehicle wellie in 2nd and 3rd yet the problem is still intermittant :-(

 

So gonna try more wellie with detergent as suggested.

 

If this fails how long should the removal of the turbo, its clean down and refit take - time wise including going indoors for plasters because no doubt if it's ford its a b*tch. Oh and is the VNT part of the turbo? hmm wa exactly is a VNT?

[gregers]

If this fails how long should the removal of the turbo, its clean down and refit take - time wise including going indoors for plasters because no doubt if it's ford its a b*tch. Oh and is the VNT part of the turbo? hmm wa exactly is a VNT?

 

its a vw,so it might be both hands that need the plasters :o

[jbgt2]

Better get an extra pack of elastoplast, butterfly stitches and bandages LOL :o

[jbgt2]

thanks mirez just re read your post and saw the answers are already there - too many distractions with the kids :

[jbgt2]

thanks mirez just re read your post and saw the answers are already there - too many distractions with the kids :

[tim-spam]

For a reliable, long term cure, you'd better plan on a turbo de-coke. There are quite a few pieces to take off, but the job really is not too difficult - if you take it off from below, there are less pieces to remove. As I said before, if you don't fancy stripping the turbo yourself, Midland Turbos will supply an exchange unit for around

[jbgt2]

For a reliable, long term cure, you'd better plan on a turbo de-coke. There are quite a few pieces to take off, but the job really is not too difficult - if you take it off from below, there are less pieces to remove. As I said before, if you don't fancy stripping the turbo yourself, Midland Turbos will supply an exchange unit for around

[Guest muckybucket]

Did you get your Galaxy sorted? I have similar problems...

[xavier]

Probably. It's a common problem. There's an excellent thread on strip down and de-coke in the FAQ (one of the first couple of sticky posts in the technical section). If you have a look down through some previous posts there's also info on using innotec to clean and free up the VNT mechanism, I did this and it freed off a completely siezed VNT mechanism, it's not great but was dropping into limp mode at 2200 RPM on steep hills, it's now back to dropping into limp if I really boot it.