130 HP Engine: Upgrade from 30 HP Now!

Hello!

My shitty VW still has 30 horsepower. Going downhill and with a good run, it can reach speeds of around 110 km/h. With that, I'm sure I can overtake quite a few Trabants with roof racks.
This is so frustrating! The car has only 6700 kilometers on it and is just 4 months old!!!
Since my VW is such a great car, and it's also been consuming 1 liter of coolant for the past two weeks, I already have an appointment at the workshop on Monday.

What could that be? It doesn't produce any smoke, and the fuel consumption hasn't increased, but it only produces about 30 horsepower and 50 Nm of torque.
LLM?
The damage didn't appear suddenly; it was there this morning out of nowhere.

Hi.

I assume that the error memory has not yet been checked.

If the turbocharger fails on a VP-TDI engine and no more boost pressure is generated, it will essentially perform like an naturally aspirated (SDI) engine, resulting in approximately 60 horsepower.
With the LMM disconnected (simulating a total failure), the result is similar.

I am not aware of any performance loss of approximately 30 horsepower in a VP engine, unless it is due to issues such as completely clogged air and diesel filters.
I have no experience with performance driving (other than a test drive in a Polo with 75 horsepower).

If the water loss is due to a faulty head gasket, the engine might have experienced hydraulic lock during startup, which could bend connecting rods, etc. But even if one cylinder is defective, I believe there should still be more than 30 horsepower remaining?

Good luck, and please share the results! Fortunately, you probably still have a warranty...

Hello Ulf!

Thank you for the answer!
Well, the temperament of an SDI is something my car definitely doesn't have!
I don't think it's a water leak, because if it were, the oil level would be higher, but it isn't.
Ich werde mal den LMM abstöpseln und gucken wie er dann läuft. GThat's a great idea of yours.
You'll hear from me.

Hi.

Quote:

I'll try disconnecting the mass airflow sensor and see how it runs then.

I am very skeptical about that... disconnecting a healthy LMM [lambda measuring module] reduces performance, but certainly doesn't increase power (in case of other defects) .

I think it's conceivable to have a water leak even without an elevated oil level.
If there's a leak in the cylinder head gasket, specifically between a water channel and the combustion chamber, it will force water (only water!) into the combustion chamber after the engine is shut off, without necessarily causing any noticeable amount to enter the crankcase.
With a compression ratio of approximately 1:20, the combustion chamber of the 1.9-liter engine has a volume of about 25 cubic centimeters.
That is to say, a water loss of 30 ml in what Murphy calls the "direction of maximum damage" may already be sufficient.

However, after the engine is started, the water level in the surge tank should rise relatively quickly because combustion gases enter the cooling system and displace the water there.
Occasionally, you can also see visible bubbling in the container.

Disconnected the LLM.
The car is running the same as before, so the mass airflow sensor (MAF) is probably completely broken.

Hi.

Quote:

I unplugged the mass airflow sensor. The car is running exactly the same as before, so the mass airflow sensor (MAF) is probably completely broken.

If, as an extreme example, someone has stuffed a sponge into the intake snorkel of your car's engine, it no longer matters whether the mass airflow sensor (MAF) is working or not.
The same applies, for example, to a piece of newspaper that might have wrapped itself around the intake unit inside the tank.

I don't really believe that, but I just wanted to qualify the IMO premature conclusion of "LMM failure."

@Ulf: Okay, that's possible, but very unlikely.

Hello!

Have you ever considered that it might be damage caused by a weasel?

I experienced this problem twice with my TDI PD engine (74 kW). The car could only reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h!

Regards,


Marco.

Hello,

If the control unit is already in a fault mode, it usually makes no difference whether an additional system fails.
I would first have the measurement data blocks read out. You can evaluate them using the tables in the error database. This will quickly tell you whether it could be related to the mass airflow sensor or not.

Hello!

'Did you also check all the hoses? I once had a similar problem with a 90 hp TDI. It couldn't even make it up my driveway. I then checked the hose between the air filter and the turbo, which is attached with two clamps at the front and back. This hose came loose on the rear side and slipped slightly, resulting in absolutely no power. After that, it was only drawing air partially through the air filter and mass airflow sensor (MAF), while most of the air was coming from the engine compartment. The MAF sensor then registered a very low airflow and completely incorrect data. However, there might also be turbulence because you've already been driving without the MAF sensor.'

Best regards, Tom.

Hello guys!

I was right; it's the LMM.

In addition, there was damage caused by a weasel (coolant leak) that had gnawed on the heating circuit.

The workshop didn't have a mass airflow sensor (MAF) in stock! That's strange; it's supposed to be the most frequently needed replacement part for VW vehicles.

Hi.

Oh my goodness, if a faulty mass airflow sensor can reduce the supposedly powerful engine's output to around 30 horsepower... I have some serious doubts about whether such a drastic "limp-home" mode is necessary (if no other faults are detected) .

@ulf: That supposedly strong TDI is again as powerful as before. Maybe they also replaced something else and just told me it was the MAF sensor.