TDI Losing Power

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
Hello All. This is my first time here. Here we go. My wife has a great little 2000 New Beetle TDI, averages about 42 mpg. Last year she began losing power while traveling down the hiway. Not like the motor stalling, but more like watching her speed drop from 70 mph down slowly to say 60 mph or so while she had it on cruise control. She would then turn cruise off and down-shift to try and get going again, but no such luck. I took it to a local VW mechanic (specializes) and he cleaned the intake manifold out, filled with soot build up. The car had maybe 90k on it, cost me $500.:mad: Ran great!!!! :D Back up to full power. Now a year later it is starting to do it again. She can be trying to go up a hill and not be able to get over 60mph with it floored. Any clues?:confused: Surely the soot can't be built up again that fast can it? Also would anyone know a good way to keep soot build up down.

I want to unplug her MAF and let her drive to work and see if it still does it. Can I do that or will it hurt her car to drive it that long with it unplugged? :eek:

I would greatly appreciate any advice. Thanks, Mightydad
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Can you say Eye-talian tuneup?

MIGHTYDAD said:
Also would anyone know a good way to keep soot build up down.
Sure:
  • use ULSD fuel
  • use a low NOACK engine oil
  • don't ride around like an old granny
:)
 

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
About how much should I expect to spend on a MAF? Will it hurt the car if I let her drive it for a day with the MAF unplugged? She drives about 70+ miles a day.
 

TXOILBURNER

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 20, 2006
Whta kind of oil do you run?
Do you do your own oil changes?
Does she drive like a granny?

All these things could cause rapid buildup in the intake.If the oil change place puts in the wrong type or too much oil is causes rapid build up and can clog the CAT.

Does the Check Engine light or the Glow Plug light come on?A MAF failure will normally set a DTC.An Autozone will run the codes for free if you have one in the area.
 

TXOILBURNER

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 20, 2006
Here are a couple that are close to you
500 N Penn
Independence, KS 67301
(620) 331-2877


1307 N. Main St.
Miami, OK 74354
(918) 540-2334


1700 W. Seventh Street
Joplin, MO 64801
(417) 782-9466



2900 East 7th Street
Joplin, MO 64801
(417) 659-9423
 

diy_fool

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Location
Huntington, NY
TDI
'00 NB
Keep up to date on the fuel filter changes

Fuel filters clog too and make the car lose power. Often it will start fine but then lose the power as you drive.

So make sure to replace them at recommended intervals, 20k miles I believe.
 

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
I use Rotella 5w-40 synthetic. I do my own oil changes. I always try to keep the oil level right in the middle of the suggested area. I am getting ready to start using the Rotella 5w-40 advanced soot control on my next oil change.

I thought about checking the fuel filter also, I didn't know if it could have water in it or if I maybe should just put in a new one just in case. We are just now getting out of a bad winter here.

She doesn't drive like a granny, she travels the hiways a lot for her job. Her average daily drive is about 60 to 70 miles round trip driving 70mph. She said this morning her speed dropped from 70 to 65 while going up a small hill, trust me they are all small in Kansas.
Check engine light does not come on nor the glow plug light. The glow plug light only comes on when she is starting it to signal when it is ready.

I drove it last night for about 50 miles and I drove it with it wound tight. I did notice when I went up a couple of small hills it would drop about 4 mph on the speed, but she says once in a while it bogs down so much that she has to take it off of cruise and floor it and it still takes forever to reaccelerate back to 70mph. Last time it happened she was on the interstate and a guy in a pick up was on her tail honking at her which she couldn't get over because the car flubbed out while she was passing a semi who was on her immediate right. Great position to be in. :eek:
 

meganuke

TDIClub Contributor, Vendor
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Location
VA/CT
TDI
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
Does the car smoke noticably under heavy throttle? If not, it's probably starving for fuel. Change the fuel filter, run a can of diesel purge through it, and check the intake for clogging again. All told, you should only be out about $30 and maybe 4 hours of your time.
 

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
No I haven't noticed it smoking a lot. Should I purge it before I change the fuel filter or after?

Any good how to's on removing and cleaning my own intake. Last time it cost me $500 bucks, but I bet I could do it myself if I had a good how to to follow. Any suggestions?
2000 New Beetle TDI 1.9

Also how come when I look for a MAF on-line they are listed as Air Mass Meter? They look the same, are they?
 
Last edited:

diy_fool

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Location
Huntington, NY
TDI
'00 NB
Change that filter

If you don't know the last time it was changed, change it now. Your symptoms are of a clogged filter, not clogged intake.

I should know, I have had both. The clogged intake is just slow all the time, there's little boost getting into the cylinders. Turbo whine is nearly gone, no air in, no exhaust out.

Filters on the other hand tend to work well when started. The goop must fall away from the pores when the engine is off, then slowly plug the few remaining holes as the engine runs. Eventually all the paths in the filter clog and the engine starves for fuel and can't produce crap hp. Petal to the metal and it won't accelerate. Sometimes no other symptoms like rough running or misfire since any fuel will fire. It's just a small fire with the little fuel.

A filter change will set you back $25 and fifteen minutes.
 

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
What's the difference if any?

I unplugged the MAF and my wife said it drove much better. GREAT! :D But now I am confused as to which part I need. Is there a difference between an MAF and an Air Mass Meter? They look exactly the same, but are called different names on different on-line store sites. The tdi.com site says MAF and runs about $125 bucks :eek: and the Air Mass Meter on autoparts warehouse is $90 bucks. :confused: What's up? Any good suggested places to pick the right one up for the best price?:rolleyes:

I am still going to change the fuel filter and purge it. Thanks for the info.
 

diy_fool

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2005
Location
Huntington, NY
TDI
'00 NB
I bought a maf at world impex they are listed at $85 and shipped quickly.

By the way, it turned out my maf wasn't bad- it was a fuel filter that clogged at 10k miles because of changing to biodiesel. It was expected but not diagnosed right.
 

dieselTQrules

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
San Diego
TDI
'99 Beetle
For those of you that have older tdi's check your flexible elboes and piping before the manifold. My elbow right before the intake is cracked and I am in the process of getting a new piece. My power surges horrible, it's loud on boost, gets horrible mileage and pretty much sucks.
 

4JimmyVee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Location
Thornhill Ont Cda
TDI
1999.5 Silver
There are several CCV mods available that bacisly filter the exhaust before to goes through the manifold. They way you just clean the extra filter every time you do an oil change. I have not done this but a few of my freinds have check dieseldrinks posts, as for fuel stick to premium diesel like sunoco gold.
 

MIGHTYDAD

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2007
Location
COLUMBUS, KANSAS
TDI
NEW BEETLE TDI 2000
extra filter

Where does one grab one of these extra filters before it goes into the manifold? In the current day and age of fuel grade and pricing, I don't really think there is much premium diesel, especially here in Ks. :)
 
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