Turbocharger Replacement: Buy Now!

Hello.

I'm new to this forum, but I've already found a lot of valuable tips here.
Now I'm facing a really big problem:

My Golf constantly switches to 'limp home' mode on the highway.
It is absolutely impossible to exceed 120 km/h without it being automatically shut off.
I've been reading through all the articles on this topic for weeks now.

The pressure regulating valve was replaced some time ago, and all the hoses, etc., were checked recently.
Speak, and tell me everything you've read about this.
So, my mechanic said that, basically, the only thing left to check is the turbocharger.
This would cost me between 700 and 800 euros.

Now I've looked around on eBay and generally on the internet.
Sometimes, there are new turbochargers available for VAG TDI engines for half the price or less.
I would also consider a used turbocharger (e.g., from a junkyard).

Can you tell me exactly which turbocharger is installed in my engine (manufacturer and model number), and which other engine types (engine codes) I can use the same turbocharger with?

You are really my last hope for avoiding a €1000 repair .

Regards... JL

jl_0815 wrote:

The pressure regulating valve was replaced some time ago, and all the hoses, etc., were checked recently. Speak, everything I've read about it here.

Hi,

If that's all there is, then you haven't read everything here -> keyword "stuck VTG".

Was wäre, wenn der boost pressure wurde während des Übergangs in den Notbetrieb ausgelesen, oder hast du einen LDA (Lambda-Sonde) an Bord?

If not, then go ahead and rush into the adventure, potentially bidding on and acquiring partially broken chargers online.

Thank you for the incredibly fast response.

I have also read about cleaning and restoring vintage trains.
However, it often stated that this was only a temporary solution and would only last for a few weeks.
My mechanic says he's tried that before with other cars.
but usually without much success.
What are the chances that the charger will work properly again in the long run?

Regards... JL

jl_0815 wrote:

I have also read about cleaning and preparing the VTG. However, it often also stated that this was only a temporary solution and would only last for a few weeks. What is the chance that the charger will work again permanently?

Hi,

I don't know of any reliable statistics on that.
But it practically costs nothing (if you do it yourself), and it's worth a try just for that reason, isn't it?

By the way , the boost pressure sensor (or its wiring) could also be faulty and causing your problems. This could also be diagnosed with VAGCOM and a lambda sensor - while buying a new charger impulsively would cost you at least several hundred euros, and you might still have the same problem.

Or it could be that only the charging module is defective, which is also a relatively inexpensive part compared to a complete charger, and can be tested for almost free in a DIY test.

I would definitely regret replacing the battery unnecessarily, so I would try everything else (the cheap options first) to rule out other causes beforehand.

OK.

Thank you very much.
Yet another glimmer of hope.

I will discuss this with my acquaintance.
If nothing works out, I will follow up with you again.

Regards... JL

Hi 0815.

I noticed a 'stuck' bearing, which made it easy to identify. However, the loader was otherwise dry, so the other bearings should be okay.

I disassembled it, and all the parts that were separate from the turbine shaft were steam-cleaned. With a little patience and care, it was easily reassembled.

The mechanics are running smoothly again; I haven't had a chance to test it on the road yet. I now have it stored in the basement, just in case the 1.2 bar of boost becomes too much for my AFN.

In short, here's the gist of the long post: Try to fix it with VAG-Com, then try to burn off the remaining residue with a good, full-throttle drive, and then see how long it lasts.
And regularly, just give it a good, thorough cleaning to make sure the loader stays clean.
If it starts happening more frequently, I would recommend trying to diagnose and clean the issue before spending a lot of money on a new charger, because: the actual charger unit, i.e., the turbine shaft with its bearings, is actually okay!

'@Ulf, would that be suitable for a 'Tips & Tricks' section? If necessary, I could also provide a photo.'

Furthermore:
'When I can't drive at high performance for extended periods (days/weeks) during the winter, I notice that the overboost becomes more pronounced. A few minutes of sustained full throttle significantly improves this. (But how can you do that in the winter with snow-covered roads!) For me, this is a sign that the VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry) needs to be cleared.'

Has anyone actually observed this before?

garth.brooks wrote:

I disassembled it; all the parts that were separable from the turbine shaft were steam-cleaned, and with a little patience and care, it was easily reassembled. The mechanics are working smoothly again... In short, here's the gist of the long post: Try to fix it with VAG-Com, then try to burn off the remaining residue with a good, full-throttle drive, and then see how long it lasts. And regularly, just give it a good, thorough cleaning to make sure the loader stays clean. "@Ulf Would that be under "Tips & Tricks"?

If necessary, I could also provide a photo."
Hi Garth,

If you could provide a photo story demonstrating the disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly of a VTG charger, that would certainly be an interesting topic for a dedicated article.

Using VAGCOM to massage and then release the pressure is, in my opinion, fundamentally no different from what's already described in the technical article about sticking VTGs. I think it would be more appropriate to include it as a supplement there.

I once tried something similar on an ALH Ibiza, but VAGCOM would disconnect as soon as I accelerated -> probably a safety mechanism to prevent excessive turbocharger boost.
In my experience, kneading and then degassing doesn't achieve as much as kneading while the dough is being mixed .
... but to do that, you have to be clever, at least with the turn signal.

Hello again.

Thank you again for your responses.

I will probably visit my acquaintance again in one to two weeks.
He will also temporarily replace the pressure sensor and the charging canister for testing purposes.
In addition, the VTG (vacuum thermal generator) will of course be cleaned (the relevant article has already been printed).

@garth

Of course, I can only agree with Ulf.
If you could come up with a photo description like that, it would be fantastic.

Regards... JL

If you could provide a photo story demonstrating the disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly of a VTG charger, that would certainly be an interesting topic for a dedicated article.


'It already exists...'

http://www.technologie-entwicklung.de/Gasturbines/VNT15-Turbo/vnt15-turbo.html

btw Garth: what do you mean by 'everything that comes off the wave'? I hope you didn't remove the wheels.

CU Gremlin.

Gremlin wrote:

ulf wrote: If you could provide a photo story demonstrating the disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly of a VTG charger, that would certainly be an interesting topic for a dedicated article. It already exists...

Hi Gremlin,

but only in English . . . and that description probably focuses more on the function of the charger than on disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling it.

@ Gremlin

Why let it go?
Unscrewed.
The dirt was knocked off with a hammer and then smoothed.
Sandblasted surface.

Then, use super glue.











I hope your question was as serious as my answer.

I hope your question was as seriously meant as my answer was...

then it's good .

There are indeed specialists... I would have been surprised to hear it from you, but it's better to ask .

CU Gremlin.