Serious?! Problem (white smoke, no power...)

BuzzMC

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Location
Bay Area, California
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Uggh..


2003 Jetta, PP520's, Ups Stage 2.. that's it for mods. Car's been great for months and months.

Car goes to Tahoe (live in the bay area/SF, CA), gets parked by valet... When the car comes back it spews white smoke, has no power, and smells dreadful.

I searched for maf/maf problems, no hits came back.. very odd, maybe the search function is broken... Read the FAQ, just got VAG-COM, so I checked engine/measuring block 003, and the numbers that it reported were 280/285, which seemed to match what the faq says is just fine.

So I'm in need of places to go look. The car is very hard to start, as I need to have the throttle down 1/4 or so to even get it to start.

Thanks in advance everyone.
 

juli0s

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Location
UK
TDI
Golf TDI 1996
is it definatley white smoke and not water vapour / steam ?
 

DPM

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 16, 2001
Location
Newtownards, N. Ireland
TDI
2019 Rav4 AWD Hybrid, Citroen C4 BlueHDI
White smoke should mean a duff injector (or possibly delivery valve?) or more likely VERY retarded timing.
 

TDIRyan

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2005
Location
Memphis, TN
TDI
02 Jetta TDI Black
Sounds like timing to me. Check to make sure you have the timing set right. You should be able to check it with a VAG-COM.
 

BuzzMC

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Location
Bay Area, California
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
It is defintiely white smoke, doesn't seem water related at all.

Just curious how timing could go "that bad" so quick, with no changes to the car, if that is indeed the issue.
 

BuzzMC

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Location
Bay Area, California
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
The saga gets better (well... worse really)

While there is oil pressure, it wasn't right, around 40psi, bouncing erradically, etc.

Checked oil... Don't know where the oil pressure is coming from, but there was no oil on the dipstick, and it took 4 freaking quarts (oil was changed about 3k ago).

No oil leaks that I know of in the car, doesn't use oil (until now), no oil on the ground.

Put oil in it, oil pressure comes back up, this is good.

Last but certainly not least... No boost. None.

This all adds up to doesn't sound good
 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
Have you even considered notifying the Casino/Hotel about this sudden catastrophic failure after their valet 'responsibly' drove your car? The 'valet' stories are legandary and you may have just become victim to one. Sounds very much like your turbo blew. Don't drive or start as you risk hydrolock. I would get a professional diagnosis and have your lawer immediately contact the employers of the valet service. Get affidavits from witnesses that support your version of the event. Any evidence of abuse or negligence on their part would be extremely important. Good luck... don't start the car...
 

Beta

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Location
Bozeman, Montana
TDI
87 syncro westy alh
If a valet could blow a turbo in less than one mile with your mods, something was wrong to begin with. I was a valet, and I wouldn't let one drive my car, but think about it. This sucks, I'm sorry. Take it out on vw or garret.
 

peter pyce

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2001
Buzz...

Call this place and schedule appointment:

Aaron Howe owns Advanced Audi VW:
415.901.7270
1218 Michigan Street (between 24th & 25th)
San Francisco, CA 94110
http://www.advancedaudivwservice.com/auto.html

This is your best bet in town when it comes to someone who actually knows TDIs! Tell them you are TDIClub member.
 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
Hey Beta... I truly don't advocate frivolous lawsuits. Truth is, this unlucky event might have just happened to strike on the valet's watch. At the very least, it seems the responsible thing to do would be to notify the owner of the incident. I think everyone understands why the valet would be reluctant to do so. I, for one, am skeptical that the valet failed to notice anything was wrong if, indeed, the turbo blew while he was driving. All I advocate is finding out the truth.
 

Beta

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Location
Bozeman, Montana
TDI
87 syncro westy alh
I apologize fly, after rereading your post I see you didn't suggest a lawsuit. Furthermore, I understand you live in Tacoma.
 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
Hey, no problem... I think frivolous is the key word here. If, indeed, there is any evidence of the valet driving the car in a reckless, abusive or negligent fashion, I would be inclined to follow up on it. Lacking any verifiable evidence, this could just be a case of bad luck. Sometimes things just fail. Regardless, I just hope Buzz finds the most painfree solution to his broken car.
 

BuzzMC

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Location
Bay Area, California
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
FWIW re: the valet...

I wasn't driving the car... I'd lent it to my girlfriend for the weekend, since her truck needs tires, and I didn't feel it very safe to drive it 200+ miles to South Lake Tahoe.

I'm guessing the entire incident was just very bad luck... While the car is lowered, tinted windows, etc, it still doesn't *sound* like something fun to take a joy ride in.. While it's possible, and I'm sure the joy rider would be pleasantly surprised, I just don;t think that's what happened.

If I were driving the car all the way up there, and was the one that had given it to valet, I'd likely know the mileage/etc, and would be a *LOT* more inclined to get Harrah's involved. But since it's all 2nd hand knowledge, I can do little about it.

 

FlyTDI Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Location
PNW
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS
I see the situation is a bit different than I imagined. Sorry to hear of your mishap. Best of luck diagnosing and resolving your problem(s). One never likes to hear of major incidents like yours.
 

BuzzMC

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Location
Bay Area, California
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
No doubt. Didn't figure "the rest of the story" was pertinent to figuring out what's wrong with my car.

After the posts here, and reading some more, it seems pretty dang likely that I've now joined the blown turbo club.

What I didn't know before too was that higher elevations are at least hinted at being not so good for the vnt-15's... Of course that's where she was in Tahoe


Oh well.
 
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