MK4 Golf GT TDI 130bhp - turbo leak

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Bit upset as had some problems with my beloved Mk4 GT TDI PD130 on way back home and put me on a downer and need to plan what to do with it tomorrow as need it on the road and bad time for it to happen.



Some history and background:



I've had the MK4 since June 04 and bought it with 52 plate and 7500 miles on the clock. It has been perfect and very well looked after, it's a total joy to drive and turbo whistle and scream always cheered me up. Performance has always been phenomenal and has lain to dust many a bigger BMW and Audi, and even MK5s. I knew I could remap it, but honestly it never needed it as it was a joy to drive as standard.

Because I like to drive it properly, have always looked after it even more and it has had an oil and filter change every 7500 miles using PD oil and original parts. It had a faulty brake light switch couple of years ago and was replaced with the upgraded part. I had the full cam belt service about a year and half ago when it was about 48,000 miles on clock, because of age and wasn't taking any risks. Then last year had some rattles on front suspension and replace anti-roll bars and in and outer bush links. Very very tight and solid round bends and on Montreal 16" with 205 Goodyear Eagle f1's with V pattern.



Problems since last week:

The service now light has been coming on since last couple of weeks when car is started, but I thought this was normal service light since it's on 58500 miles now, but it's been driving fine and oil is fine so thought I'd drive it another 1500 miles and change oil and filter at 60,000 miles. But today i nipped out to supermarket and on the way I was thinking the whistle wasn't the right tone, but power was still there. Then on way back bit of power loss and rattling noise on turbo, but no smoke from exhaust and stopped and checked for oil leaks but none. Drove it back very slow, less then mile, and parked it up. Engine sounds normal on idle, and obviously I didn't rev it parked up. Checked oil again and no loss, and no smoke.

Today I took the cover off and there seems to be some oil leaked from what I think is the EGR valve, so not sure what has caused this and if this is the problem.

Waiting for a friend to come now to do VAGcom diagnostics and see if error code shows something.

Has anyone had this problem before? Is there a common fault or something that needs changing like a pipe or valve or MAF sensor or something.

Car has been perfect before this, and engine sound and turbo sound ok so think have caught problem just in time, and not taking any risks with it at the moment so it's off road till problem sorted.

Any thoughts and help most appreciated, will post updates as I get to the bottom of this problem.

[Crasher]

That oil leak from the EGR valve is very common and nothing to worry about. The turbo leaks a little oil and the crankcase ventilation loses oil vapour, this collects and pools at low points and eventually starts to leak from hose joins and aging EGR valves but I would not even comment on that if I was servicing the car. What you need is what you have already suggested and that is a fault code read when you should get code 17964 or 17965, hopefully the former.

[bpunkgttdipd10]

We had the car on the VAGcom diagnostics just now and no error codes showing - so suggests mechanical part - if you rev the engine slowly to 1500 then quick to 3000 there is a rattling scrapping subtle noise coming from the region of the turbo. Friend thought it was top of engine first but it is more from direction of turbo. Could it be my turbo on the way out, but just caught in time? First indication of a problem yesterday was the change of noise of the whistle.

If it is the turbo then just caught it in time and no damage to other components like pipes or intercooler.

Is there any other tests I can do without making the turbo blow and causing other probs? Not sure why turbo should go, what would cause it - can't be any sensors as no errors showing up.



Cheers

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Managed to figure out I need a GT1749VA for 130 bhp, but there seems to be two types, one with just turbo and one with turbo fitted to intake manifold thing - not sure which is right one for mine, and can't read off the part number off the original at the moment. Anyone know exact version I need?

Cheers...

[Crasher]

GT1749V is just the family of turbo’s, there are many variations of this unit, yours is the type with integral manifold, VW number 038 253 016 F which has changed to 03G 253 016 Q or 03G 253 016 QX for the exchange part which is Garrett number 720855-5006S. Be extremely wary where you buy an exchange unit from, this is such a huge market that the waters are infested by sharks. Try and buy locally from a company you can go back to easily should you have any problems. I try to encourage my customers to have a VAG exchange unit because of the two year labour inclusive warranty (even when fitted at an independent garage) but the £740 inc. VAT price tag puts people off.

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Thanks for the tips Crasher.

Had to move the Golf today to get other one out, and just in the few yards I moved it, sound on turbo got worse and bit of white smoke. Car has never smoked before in it's life, so Turbo just on the tipping point of blowing fully. So will have to get it towed to garage as don't want any risk of damage to intercooler and engine, as both are still very solid.

This MK4 is gonna do another 60,000 miles yet, so will fix it properly rather then quick fix and sell, as such I'm thinking I should get a new turbo replacement rather then reconditioned.

Anyone got suggestions for cheapest place to get new OEM turbo replacement, so cheaper then £740 inc VAT as stated by Crasher.

Also I was reading up on the turbo variants, and the VB version that goes on the PD 150 has bigger bores, but is it physically same size as VA PD 130 version, so can I straight swap with no modifications for holes and bolts ect?

If I can straight swap it with VB version, then I may get the ECU remapped to about 145. Would not take it higher without upgraded brakes and lowing suspension but budget probably won't allow doing that for a good while after turbo bill, but may be possible in later years. Plan adding the metal K&N air filter during post turbo-replacement service. Then when ever in future the exhaust needs replacing will try upgrade that to a Mitelik upgraded sports one.

Also, anyone got a good place around Manc that can tow and replace turbo at good price and do proper job. Will not be economical to get it done from ***********, have a local man that can do the job, but maybe can find someone better that can do job for reasonable price.

Cheers...

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Still don't understand why it's blown in the first place. Have serviced car every 7,500 miles with OEM PD oil and made sure it was never over and under filled, normally tell mechanics to put in exactly 4 l then check and adjust myself after keeping it on exact level on dip stick. I know nothing wrong with the cooling systems on car as it never heats up parked up, need to drive it a few miles before it gets to correct temp. And never revved turbo parked up, or taken it any where near red range on revs, don't think it's ever been over about 4400 rpm. Friend has Vagcom diagnostics so it's checked quite regular for faults. So just don't understand reason for this particular turbo going.

Could imagine it happening on other non-german engineered cars but totally unexpected on my Golf - plan on keeping incident secret as it should not have happened and always tell everyone else VAG PD engine best engineered in the world, but not sure I can say that honestly now after this incident and with care I've given this car since it was 7,500 on clock.


Cheers...

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Also, other thing that's bothering me is why the cars diagnostics didn't pick up any fault. It's still showing only 'Service now' light at start and no further indications of problems or limp mode activation, even though white smoke shows turbo intake/outtake pressures should have picked up fault.

[bpunkgttdipd10]

Anyway, why can't VW engineers design their own turbos that don't go wrong instead of stupid Garret ones.

[Crasher]

Sounds to me like turbine shaft failure, I have seen a few do it after the vanes have jammed and the turbo goes into massive over speed. If it is that, it will be filling the exhaust with oil and it can be a complete sketch to get it out. The last one I did I had to remove and rinse the cat, drain the centre pipe and drill a hole in the back box to leet the oil drain out. It smoked horribly for days after until the oil was burnt off. On that one, the compressor nut fell off the end of the shaft and wrecked havoc, the intercooler was full of oil too.