Possible wastegate/turbo problem? Can you help?

[A3 Sheltie]

Hi, i was wonderin if somebody could help me out!
I have a Y reg A3 1.9 TDI and im havin problems with losing power. Once i get above 60 mph the car dies away and i lose what seems like the turbo. I have to switch the ignition off then on then she's good again. Along with that if im going up a hill and put the throttle half way then the car jumps a bit and makes a strange noise like a fan whirring. I've checked all air pipes and changed the MAF so its not that.

I got my car on a lift and noticed the wastegate was very stiff so i freed it up by working it up and down with a pair of pliers and squirting teflon on it until it was nice and free. It made a big difference, she ran a lot better but that whirring noise was still happening. Also once i freed up the wastegate i could take the car up to a good speed, although she still lost power when trying to go up a hill at high speed. Is it possible the wastegate needs changed or could it be somethin to do with the turbo?

Any help would be great, cheers!

 

[<tuffty/>]

The wastgate should be quite stiff tbh... have you had the car checked for fault codes? Almost sounds like limp mode....

Could also be the N75 valve but really need to get the codes checked to see whats happening.

Sounds like something is triggering 'soft limp' then by cycling the ignition it resets. Diesels run higher boost IIRC so maybe a boost leak but all conjecture until fault codes are checked tbh.

Also, try the diesel forum (http://audi-sport.net/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=28), the issues that trigger faults are different to that of petrol engines and most guys here run 1.8T's

<tuffty/>

 

[s3wil]

Is this the 110 or 130 BHP engine?

 

[Broken Byzan]

Its more likely sticky vanes in the turbo. The arm you worked is probably the variable vane actuator. What happens is they can coke up and become sticky.

If you google/Ebay innotec they do a cleaning kit that contains some heavy duty chemicals designed to dissilve the coke without leaving a residue.

You caan dismantle the turbo to do it, but it is a time consuming job and a bit fiddly. I am sure if you search variable vane turbo, you will find a "how to"

 

[A3 Sheltie]

Its a 110 bhp, and i've had it on a diagnostics machine but no codes came up. The engineer said that the turbo needed cleaned out but i hadnt ever heard of somebody cleaning out a turbo! i always thought if it was f'ed then it was f'ed.

So do you think i should look into cleaning out my turbo?

 

[Broken Byzan]

Yep !! Night and day difference, and sooooooo much cheaper too

 

[A3 Sheltie]

ok i've looked around and found a site on how to clean the turbo. still to find one with how to get the turbo off (with great difficulty i would imagine)

is this a common problem with variable vane turbos? i think i had 76,000 miles on the clock when it happened

 

[Broken Byzan]

Yeah its a very common thing on Tdi's. Use the innotec stuff, you dont need to completly remove then

 

[HTC]

Yup, you are overboosting. Stripping and cleaning will sort the problem out.

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/tdi-110-replacement-turbo-needed/49488/