Another Newb Here

[skrewdriver]

Hey All! I've been browsing here for a while, lots of great info! A few weeks ago, I got my first VW, a '98 NB TDI manual, w/ 165K miles. I have a few questions I was hoping people could help with.

1. I was reading a different thread on here that says you should get the RPM's kicking up around 4K at least once a week, to keep things flowing nicely (sounded like an intake thing). My car has a top speed of 78mph, and nothing I can do will get the RPM's over 3K. Is this normal for an older TDI, or do I have some issues here?
2. My stupid check engine light comes on every few hundred miles or so and stays on. I go to Autozone, they say that the code that comes up indicates that there's no problem, "it's just testing the light". They reset it for me, and it comes back on a few days later. Does that make any sense to anyone? Could this be indicative of a greater problem possibly related to #1 above?
3. Does anyone have any specific experience with a smartbox? I've read these increase power and efficiency. Can anyone comment on this? I'd rather not get it chipped if I could help it, just because I live in central WI, and don't wanna mail off the ECU and be without a car for a few days.

Thanks!

[from Margaritaville...]

Sorry Skrewdriver,

This doesn't seem to be the best time to be viewing the ORG... but welcome anyway!

Alan M.

[ChristopherC]

Welcome.

For TDI-specific info TDIClub.com is also another great resource.

[BlakeS]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

Hey All! I've been browsing here for a while, lots of great info! A few weeks ago, I got my first VW, a '98 NB TDI manual, w/ 165K miles. I have a few questions I was hoping people could help with.

1. I was reading a different thread on here that says you should get the RPM's kicking up around 4K at least once a week, to keep things flowing nicely (sounded like an intake thing). My car has a top speed of 78mph, and nothing I can do will get the RPM's over 3K. Is this normal for an older TDI, or do I have some issues here?
2. My stupid check engine light comes on every few hundred miles or so and stays on. I go to Autozone, they say that the code that comes up indicates that there's no problem, "it's just testing the light". They reset it for me, and it comes back on a few days later. Does that make any sense to anyone? Could this be indicative of a greater problem possibly related to #1 above?
3. Does anyone have any specific experience with a smartbox? I've read these increase power and efficiency. Can anyone comment on this? I'd rather not get it chipped if I could help it, just because I live in central WI, and don't wanna mail off the ECU and be without a car for a few days.

Thanks!

I would have to say that your intake manifold probably needs a good cleaning. On a car with that many miles on it, if it hasn't been done before, I'd be willing to guess you've got quite a build up of "gunk" on the walls of the intake manifold. I've seen pictures of them where there's a hole no bigger than a nickel. Obviously that will cause your car to gasp for air which would explain the lack of acceleration/top speed. Once you clean this out, or have it cleaned out for you, you'll experience a whole new vehicle.

Now, for more information on "tuning boxes," as we like to call them, sometimes even "tuning modules," like Chris said there is a plethora of information to be found on TDIClub.com which is litterally one of the biggest, if not the biggest forum online for our cars. So do yourself a huge favor and join over there and start reading as much as you can. My name on TDIClub.com is iBlake so feel free to shoot me a message if you can't find something in the "search" feature first

Happy driving,
-Blake

[DR.billZ]

Your MAF is messed up. These things will do about 115! YOu will notice a BIG power increase replacing that MAF.

[blockphi]

Originally Posted by DR.billZ

Your MAF is messed up. These things will do about 115! YOu will notice a BIG power increase replacing that MAF.

Before you spend the money to replace the MAF, clean the intake! From experience, if you don't clean the intake and replace the MAF, you will notice a difference for a short while and then it will be back to 78mph tops. Yes, these cars can easily do 115! There are some amazing directions on how to clean the manifold, a messy job, but one well worth it! Here is the link to the manifold cleaning instructions.
http://pics2.tdiclub.com/gwillie/VW/...AKEMAN101b.htm

Make sure to spring for the gasket kit available at dieselgeek.com, cheap insurance to make sure that if the gasket gets destroyed on removal that you have another. It also comes with new bolts for putting the manifold back together.

If the car then still does not haul arse, get the new MAF. I think the MAFs are around $125-ish still, the gasket set is like 12, plus the time to do the work (Or a sixer for the buddy who you snake into doing it for you)

Hope this helps.

[Dorado]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

1. I was reading a different thread on here that says you should get the RPM's kicking up around 4K at least once a week, to keep things flowing nicely (sounded like an intake thing). My car has a top speed of 78mph, and nothing I can do will get the RPM's over 3K. Is this normal for an older TDI, or do I have some issues here?

Given the low milage on the car for the years it has (which means not been driven very often on the highway), I would bet that the intake manifold is clogged with solidified soot. It needs to be taken out and cleaned. See info here:

http://tdiclub.com/TDIFAQ/TDiFAQ-7.html#g

Not being able to get RPM's over 3k may also mean some problem with the MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor), but you should have the intake checked and cleaned first.

It is definitely not normal for an older TDI not to revvup to 4k. Actually, with age, these engines only get better.

[Dorado]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

2. My stupid check engine light comes on every few hundred miles or so and stays on. I go to Autozone, they say that the code that comes up indicates that there's no problem, "it's just testing the light". They reset it for me, and it comes back on a few days later. Does that make any sense to anyone? Could this be indicative of a greater problem possibly related to #1 above?

You need to find someone with Vag-Com to read the fault code. When the CEL comes on, a specific code is stored in the computers memory, and it tells the source of the problem (as the engine computer sees it). So you need to get the code read.

It seems to be down now, but there is a list here of people with Vag-Com for each state:

http://www20.brinkster.com/beowulf9/tdi/vagcom/

I think the CEL most probably has to do with your low power problem.

[skrewdriver]

Thanks kinda for the info all. That tutorial on the intake removal is exactly what I was looking for. I have a bunch of money saved up for doing things to get this car running top notch, so I may just buy the MAF as well. That FAQ will be very handy as well! I'm sooooo glad I encountered this forum (as well as TDIClub), I couldn't have asked for more. Thanks again!

[skrewdriver]

One other quick question, I've been browsing dieselgeek for a about 20 minutes now, and cannot find the aforementioned gasket set. Can anyone point me to the item in question?

[blockphi]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

One other quick question, I've been browsing dieselgeek for a about 20 minutes now, and cannot find the aforementioned gasket set. Can anyone point me to the item in question?

My bad. Wrong site and wrong price, but still better than laying out for a MAF if you don't need one.

Here is the direct link: http://www.worldimpex.com/parts/genu...et_257235.html

MAF at Impex--79 smackers. I still say go the Manifold route. I promise you that once you clean that intake, you will absolutely fall in love with the car. I purchased mine with 30000 on it, cleaned the intake at 86,000 (The carbon built up to the point that only a dime-size hole was allowing air through) and found that from day one I was not getting the performance I should have out of it. I got a speeding ticket the very next morning. Ooops.

[blockphi]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

Thanks kinda for the info all. That tutorial on the intake removal is exactly what I was looking for. I have a bunch of money saved up for doing things to get this car running top notch, so I may just buy the MAF as well. That FAQ will be very handy as well! I'm sooooo glad I encountered this forum (as well as TDIClub), I couldn't have asked for more. Thanks again!

If you live somewhere cold, find the post at the TDI club about fixing the check-valve problem on the fuel sender unit. Follow the instructions and do not worry about rough starts in the cold.

[whitedog]

Before you "fix" anything find out what is wrong. Unplug the MAF connector and take it for a drive. Does the car have lots more power? Great. Put in a new MAF sensor.

Remove the air intake hose that goes into the EGR valve and take a look deep past the EGR valve and look for blockage. You will need a mirror and a flashlight for this.

Check the operation of the Turbo vanes. You should be able to reach down and move the actuator lever about 3/4 inch. This is probably unlikely since you aren't throwing an underboost code, but you will have some time to get up close and personal with you car.


Then find a GTG on TDIClub to have someone go over the engine with you. Lastly find a Beetle GTG to have soneone go over the rest of the car with you.

And if you want to pimp your ride, go see Vortex.

[skrewdriver]

Alright, I ordered the gasket kit, and the MAF. I have the cash, and I'd like this car to be in tip top shape! I can't wait to get familiar with this car!! I did quite a bit of work on my old ride, it was an '02 Grand Prix. I have yet to figure out how to change the oil on the Beetle!!

That TDI club maintenance FAQ is awesome. I will definitely be doing most of the items on that list. It talks all about testing and replacing these pieces (the MAF sensor for example), but it doesn't say how to swap them out, or even where they're located on the vehicle. Once again, I can't wait to get familiar with this ride.

As far as a VAGCOM goes, maybe I'll just buy one of those bad boys. I'm gonna google that one. I'll retry that link before I buy though to make sure there isn't someone with one in my town (which really isn't likely out here in the middle of nowhere).

Thanks again guys.

[whitedog]

So what did you find when you did the testing?

[skrewdriver]

Alright, the tests have been performed.

The car did indeed perform better without the MAF plugged in. It's a good thing, because I broke the crap out of the wiring harness head when I was trying to figure out how to take it off there!

I have absolutely no idea where the turbo vanes actuator is, so I didn't know how to do that test.

And, last but not least, as for looking into the EGR valve. I always like to see pics, they describe the situation so much better than words can. Suffice it to say, the intake system is in need of a serious cleaning (I couldn't even see through the egr!):

[whitedog]

So now the question is do you do both at the same time or just do one? If just one, which one? Since I'm a quai-scientific mind, I would want to know how much change each makes so I would run some timed speed runs (staying within the speed limit, of course ) then change the MAF and run the tests again. After that, I would clean the intake and run some more tests. Then, just because I want to know, I would put the bad MAF back in and run the tests yet another time. This would give me lots of information for how much each change actually made.

But that's just me.

[skrewdriver]

Hah ha. Well, I can tell you for sure that the MAF will be done first, as that one's super easy. So I will likely be driving it for a week or so before I get to cleaning the intake. I don't have a way to take exact engine measurements or anything like that. I will take some baselines though. Current RPM max wide open, 0 to 60 time, and top speed. Right now I know for sure that it won't go much over 70, wide open in 5th. I think it would be kewl to have some such measurements as well. Maybe that could help other people w/ problems decide which is most cost effective to do.

[Dorado]

The MAF reads how much air the enging is taking in, and if the engine is chocking for air, based on that the engine computer limits fueling. Thus the low power. If you disable the MAF then the engine may fuel normally but you would be creating even more soot and accelerating the clogging of the intake even more.

So there is no external fix for a clogged intake. It would need to be taken out and cleaned.

I don't know if he still does it, but www.dieselgeek.com had a service where you send them your dirty intake manifold and they send you back a shinny clean one for $50.