Turbo stopped working?

[Seca]

I have a 98 1.9TDI Beetle. On the way to work this morning while accelreating up the entrance ramp the car felt like it lost power. It was still moving but when I tried to accel harder pretty much nothing barely accelerating. I got off at the next exit and while turning into a parking lot couldnt hear the turbo when I let off the gas like I used to and the car wasnt accelrating like it should. I turn it off and sit for a second. I decided to take him home and just take my truck. When I fired the car back up and took off ...everything was fine again. Car acclerated like it should I could hear the turbo dumping when I shift. Everything is as it should be. ANy ideas what causes this?

[dunno513]

The classic limp mode.. easy diagnosis, little more involved fix depending on what is causing it.

Read more here.


http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread...ight=limp+mode

here is a link with some good pictures..

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/807...movalHOWTO.pdf

and if you need to clean that turbo go here to see what is involved.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread...ight=limp+mode

[Nico]

Sounds like the problem I had a while ago, would not go over 45mph. Going up hill was difficult.

Turns out the turbo was broke because the cat was blocked. Having nowhere for the gases to escape they just went the other way.

Anyway one new cat and one new turbo later, all is good.

[Jofa]

Sounds like the problem i am having. Only 61k miles ????

[grtn316]

Originally Posted by Nico

Sounds like the problem I had a while ago, would not go over 45mph. Going up hill was difficult.

Turns out the turbo was broke because the cat was blocked. Having nowhere for the gases to escape they just went the other way.

Anyway one new cat and one new turbo later, all is good.

Eww...that sucks! If the wheels are not in pieces and you don't want the turbo anymore...I'll take it off your hands.


David

[grtn316]

Originally Posted by Jofa

Sounds like the problem i am having. Only 61k miles ????

If your cat is indeed clogged don't drive the car under boost otherwise your gonna wear out the seals on the turbo and have to get it rebuild or purchase a new one.

David

[Jofa]

Is there a way to Ck. for a blocked cat and how do you do it????
What is going on ? Reading alot about this same problem ???
Changed fuel filter,Checked both EGR and boost solinoids, Cleaned
intake manifold (Clogged sure thought this was the problem,NOT.)
Pulled hose off turbo,vane turn freely and no slopp in the shaft ???
Ck for leaks in all Vaccum lines, not that i found? No smoke out
exaust. Ok yes,no Codes just loose power in a pull ??????

[CoriBug]

My friend Valerie had the same problem with her 2000 Golf TDI. I've discussed her Golf here before - first big problem she's had with it in awhile.

She's coming home from Kansas doing 82 on the highway using cruise control. All of a sudden the car starts slowing down. She tried to speed up, but it kept losing speed, even with the accelerator all the way to the floor. She was able to get it back up to 80, but this happened 2 or 3 more times. Then the CEL comes on. Today no CEL and seemingly, no problems. I took it to AutoZone and P1557 came up - charge pressure positive deviation. Possible causes - failed charge air pressure sensor, failed wastegaste regulator valve, or a failed turbocharger.

I looked around on TDI Club, but I got lost in all the pages. The car has about 110,000 miles on it.

Could this be the same problem as the others have had?

Thanks!
Cori

[whitedog]

If the turbo vanes were sticking, it is most happens when under a sudden load rather than just cruising along at a steady speed.

So first make sure that she wasn't trying to pass someone at the time or for some other reason decided to stomp on it.

If she was jsut crusing along, it is more likely a MAF or a failure in the turbo control system.

Does the car still have a lack of power?

If she loses power, tell her to switch the key off and on really quick. This will reset the computer if in limp mode and power may come back.

Check TDI Club for posts by "Canadian Grizzly" and look at his signature for more details on troubleshooting low power.

[CoriBug]

Yes she was just cruisin, not trying to pass someone. When she told me about the sudden loss of power, my first thought was the MAF, but I thought maybe the AutoZone computer was right with its list of probable causes. The car seems to have its power back. The road to AutoZone only has a speed limit of 25(I didn't want to risk a loss of power again)but I did rev it almost to 4000 rpm in 2nd gear.

I did do some more research on TDI Club but I will go back and look specificially for the guy you mentioned. Thanks so much for your help.

Cori

[CoriBug]

Okay I'm printing 8 pages of MAF 101 from TDI Club. I guess I didn't really push the engine far enough!! Sounds like it's not in limp mode since she wasn't trying to accelerate when the loss of power happened and it was NOT a complete loss of power.

I will let you know what happens!

How much is a MAF anyway?
Cori

[CoriBug]

Oops, miscommunication. Valerie did have the Golf on cruise, but had to brake when someone pulled in front. Then she tried to accelerate and it didn't want to. She didn't slow down a lot, maybe 5-10mph. There was no smoke and definitely not a complete loss of power, so I'm still thinking MAF. As far as she knows(2nd owner)the MAF has never been replaced and the car is dirty(inside, outside, engine)so maybe the MAF is old and dirty. Basically the car doesn't get cleaned unless I do it! I'm going to unplug the MAF tomorrow and see what happens

Cori

[CoriBug]

Okay here's the final diagnosis with the Golf.

I couldn't get the MAF disconnected. I pushed really hard the on the tab and it wouldn't budge. So I pushed the engine really hard in neutral like the guys on TDI Club said to and it red lined, no problem. So I figured it's not the MAF anyway. I didn't know Val's friend has a VAG COM(YAY!) - he hooked it up and it said there's a problem with a vacuum line. So he replaced it. She took it out on the highway no problem.

So maybe it was in limp mode after all? Or maybe on it's way there?

Cori

[dieseldriver2003]

MAF sensor?

Originally Posted by Seca

I have a 98 1.9TDI Beetle. On the way to work this morning while accelreating up the entrance ramp the car felt like it lost power. It was still moving but when I tried to accel harder pretty much nothing barely accelerating. I got off at the next exit and while turning into a parking lot couldnt hear the turbo when I let off the gas like I used to and the car wasnt accelrating like it should. I turn it off and sit for a second. I decided to take him home and just take my truck. When I fired the car back up and took off ...everything was fine again. Car acclerated like it should I could hear the turbo dumping when I shift. Everything is as it should be. ANy ideas what causes this?

[dieseldriver2003]

Did you chipped the car? I noticed that after chipping, and driving another 20-25K miles, MAF sensor went bad. Once I replaced it, turbo came back.

Originally Posted by CoriBug

Yes she was just cruisin, not trying to pass someone. When she told me about the sudden loss of power, my first thought was the MAF, but I thought maybe the AutoZone computer was right with its list of probable causes. The car seems to have its power back. The road to AutoZone only has a speed limit of 25(I didn't want to risk a loss of power again)but I did rev it almost to 4000 rpm in 2nd gear.

I did do some more research on TDI Club but I will go back and look specificially for the guy you mentioned. Thanks so much for your help.

Cori