1.9 TDI PD - Turbo issues and flattened pipe

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
Hi all,
I have a 2005 149k mile Skoda Octavia II with the 1.9 TDI PD motor. It's causing me some turbo issues and I'm hoping that you lovely people might be able to shed a little light upon the situation.

I don't have much knowledge of the TDI motor (motorcycles are my thing) but I'm learning fast....maybe.....

A couple of days ago while pulling hard away from lights, I heard a small pop sound, saw a puff of black smoke in the rear view mirror and the Octy turned into a slug. A driveable slug but a slug no less.
No warning lights on the dash. Turbo still whirring as usual when the motor runs but has a louder whine and a different "sucking" type sound. No smoke from the exhaust. Turning ignition on and off does nothing different (there is no running ok - it's pure limp from the get go). Local mechanic ran a diagnostic on it late yesterday and I have the following codes off him:

16683 - Boost Pressure Regulator
P0299 - Control range not reached

He has found no loose or split hoses, but the large flexible hose at the top of the pipes running from intercooler to the EGR gets sucked flat and stays flat when the motor is revving. It's fine up to about 1500rpm. It was right at the end of the day so that was as far as he got, though he did ask a diesel "expert" who said to remove and strip the turbocharger.


I posted this on the Briskoda UK forum and the few responses I've had point to a blockage somewhere between air inlet/airbox/intercooler/EGR.

I have only managed to check what I can see from above the motor, I can't currently get underneath it. So, air intake and pipe to airbox are clear. Air filter is clean, intact and there are no plastic bags or nesting rodents in the airbox, or the pipe leading out of the airbox in so far as I can get my fingers down it.

If I take the hose off the EGR, slug mode performance improves very slightly. Sounds fruity as hell too (which is nice). I was hoping that taking the pipe off would make a big change, but I'm guessing that having that pipe off would put it into slug mode anyway, so it's not that great a test?

The butterfly in the EBG appears to operate ok. Fully open all the time except for the 3 second close then open when the ignition is turned off.

I will be able to get under the car with a different mechanic tomorrow. He called his diesel "expert" and he reckoned it would be the suck flat hose that would be the issue.

Having searched on here and Briskoda, I realise that there are a number of components that could be causing issues. Vacuum pipes, N75, turbo actuator etc.

At this point I think I can boil this down to two questions:

1) Is the flattening hose most likely to be symptomatic of the problem i.e. there is a blockage in the pipes or intercooler for instance?

2) Should we just crack on with the oven cleaner turbo clean out method and see what happens?

Any help very much appreciated. I'm sure the drivers of the cars behind me going uphill at 15mph would appreciate it too!

Cheers, Lube


Any pointers very much appreciated.
Regards,
Lube
 

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
jcrews - It's a BKC if that helps. Can check code on cambelt cover in the morning - way past bedtime for me!
 

spesh

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Location
Swansea, Wales (UK)
TDI
2001 9k Caddy TDI (ALH)
Can't see what else it can be bar a blockage somewhere. If the inlet pipe is flattening it would suggest that there is a blockage downstream
 

Henrick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Location
Ireland
TDI
Golf VI TDI, 77 kW (CAYC)
I'd suggest removing the lower boost pipe going to the intercooler (hot side). Then check if you get air pushed from the turbocharger (1) and see if the pipe is still flattening (2).
 

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
Thanks for the responses guys!
Got the Octy jacked up this morning. Took hot side boost pipe off the intercooler and a small puddle of oil dribbled out along with a couple of alloy chunks and some fine swarf. Looks to me like something has failed in the turbo, dumping oil and bits of it into the intercooler, which is now partially blocked, hence collapsing hose at EGR inlet. Looks to me like it'll need a new turbo and all the pipes and intercooler cleaned out.
Sound a fair enough assumption?
 

Henrick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Location
Ireland
TDI
Golf VI TDI, 77 kW (CAYC)
Oh crap. You will need a new intercooler. Getting a used one from local salvage yards isn't a bad idea too. You will be able to clean all the boost pipes except the one going from the cold side of IC to the upside of the engine compartment -- due to it's shape. So you might get a replacement one too.

How is the oil level? Did the car run out of oil?
 

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
Oh crap indeed! Is cleaning out the intercooler impossible/impractical? Or is it just too much risk that swarf will remain and get sucked back into the motor?
 

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
Engine oil - there is no big change of the level at the dipstick. It was only a small say 3"-4" puddle that came from the hose.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Yep, figured it was the turbo and yes, clean the lot out and replace the turbo.
 

Henrick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Location
Ireland
TDI
Golf VI TDI, 77 kW (CAYC)
Oh crap indeed! Is cleaning out the intercooler impossible/impractical? Or is it just too much risk that swarf will remain and get sucked back into the motor?
Too much risk, I'd say. I had a turbo failure on exactly the same engine as yours, last summer. Even I replaced the intercooler and really thoroughly cleaned all the plumbing several times, I was still getting small metal particles on the top of the boost pipe where it meets ASV and EGR valves...
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
Nah just replace the IC, we get them for like £10 second hand over here anyway, you can use them out of the 1.8T's too.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
No it's identical, there are some others on ebay that are an upgrade if keeping the side mount though. They sell them in the ebay shops but also stick one or two in the auctions that you can often snap up for pretty cheap.
 

spesh

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Location
Swansea, Wales (UK)
TDI
2001 9k Caddy TDI (ALH)
Aye I've seen the upgraded side mounts for 1.8t's but wasn't sure if they would fit but seems they will so its all good ;) I dont want to go down the route of a front mount just yet.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
I just picked up a front mount off ebay fro like £35 brand new, it's for the mk4 too. I was informed that once tuned that a front mount is a good way to go but then you can get mixed opinions.
 

lubemonkey

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2013
Location
London
TDI
Skoda Octavia 1.9 2005
Just thought I'd check back in and say thanks for your help on sussing my TDI issue out. Recon turbo, new intercooler and she's running great.
Cheers, Lube.
 

Jaybromiley

New member
Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Location
Manchester
TDI
2005 golf tdi s
Boost pipe flattening

Hiya I'm new to the site but I'm hoping somebody can help.
I bought a 2005 golf tdi s, the car has had little use over the past 3years.
When I bought the car and drove it away the car boosted and drove ok, anyway after about 2miles I heard wat can only described as a bottle getting the air sucked out, the oil light started flashing and I lost boost, drove like a tank.
After inspecting the car I noticed that the boost pipe on the top left, that connects to the throttle body was sucking flat.
Obviously a blockage, so stripped all the boost pipes and the inter cooler, stripped throttle body and egr valve and cleaned everything.
Put it all back together, started it up, no flattening, drove it and it boosted but almost immediately lost boost and the pipe sucked flat again.
Replaced said pipe and air filter, still the same. Turbo is working, no belching of black smoke etc.
hoping someone can help me with this. Thanx
 

Mick_cash

New member
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Location
Bt118ly
TDI
1.9
Boost pipe flattening

Hiya I'm new to the site but I'm hoping somebody can help.
I bought a 2005 golf tdi s, the car has had little use over the past 3years.
When I bought the car and drove it away the car boosted and drove ok, anyway after about 2miles I heard wat can only described as a bottle getting the air sucked out, the oil light started flashing and I lost boost, drove like a tank.
After inspecting the car I noticed that the boost pipe on the top left, that connects to the throttle body was sucking flat.
Obviously a blockage, so stripped all the boost pipes and the inter cooler, stripped throttle body and egr valve and cleaned everything.
Put it all back together, started it up, no flattening, drove it and it boosted but almost immediately lost boost and the pipe sucked flat again.
Replaced said pipe and air filter, still the same. Turbo is working, no belching of black smoke etc.
hoping someone can help me with this. Thanx
Did you find out the problem because i am having the same thing happen
 

Skylake

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Location
EU
TDI
Mk5 1.9TDI PD
Well, engine is trying to breathe in and something is choking it, hence boost pipe gets sucked flat.. so if it happens intermiddently, my guess would be that turbo vane actuator is not working sometimes(doesn't gets vacuum) so turbo vanes are standing at full open position, which makes turbo as a restrictor in intake. Sounds silly i know, but i saw how pressure in intake drops under atmosphere when turbo vanes are fully open..
IDK what else it could be if it really is intermiddent problem and turbo otherwise works fine..
 
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