Female with Car Problems

Pembina

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Location
SW MO
TDI
2002 Jetta
I have on '02 Jetta TDI. I was driving home and accelerating to get onto the hwy when I heard a "pop" like a muffled backfire. I wasn't even sure it was me but then when I had to go up a hill I noticed that I was loosing power. I never lose power on this hill, in fact I'm always the one passing everyone. For the next 8 miles everything was good, no problems, no strange sounds, until I had a 2nd hill and again lost power going up.
This is not my primary vehicle so I parked it for awhile. I started it up last weekend and it started great, idles great, but if I give it any RPM's it starts blowing white/blue smoke.
I'm thinking I have fuel injector problems but really am clueless.
Any thoughts? I've been thinking about selling it. If I do, should I sell as is or repair first.
I'm also having difficulty finding a diesel repair shop that works on cars.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
Sounds like a hose has come loose somewhere between the turbo outlet and the intercooler, or between the intercooler and the intake manifold.

Find it, connect it. (Or replace it if something is broken).
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Turbo boost pipe broken or loose, agreed. Here are some of our trusted mechanics in the area from our list.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...Bof96k&ll=38.7447366332917,-91.97205350000002

Frank Irving or Franko6
Frank's VW TDI's, LLC
1007 Olive St.
Lockwood, MO 65682
417-232-4634
FranksTDIs@sbcglobal.net


vwjettadsl
real name: Ben
Nevada, Missouri 64772
Co-Owner of AJ's TDI Sales & Service
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.p...&postcount=708
Mobile Service! Will travel to you.
Ph #417-661-1057
http://www.vwtdisales.com

Glen's VW Repair
1213 S Marshall Ave
Sedalia, MO 65301
(660) 826-6892 Glen Temple
25 years experiance on VW Diesels & is very good on TDI's.
Has been in business since 1973. VW's is all he does.

CoolAirVW
Richard Middleton
serving Kansas City Area
Screen name CoolAirVw
www.kansascitytdi.com (http://www.kansascitytdi.com/)
816-769-7352
916 Elm Ct
Belton, MO 64012
 

Pembina

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Location
SW MO
TDI
2002 Jetta
Lockwood would be the closest but is still about 70 miles away. Would it be drive able with a loose or busted turbo boost pipe?
 

crazyrunner33

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Location
NC
TDI
'10 Golf(bought back)
You run the risk of damaging the turbo by driving without an intercooler pipe. The parts and labor for pulling and rebuilding or replacing the turbo is a 4 digit number. I did this before around 10 years ago when I blew the boot on the way to an appointment that I couldn't miss.

Some will say it'll be fine, but driving much on it will do a few things. The turbo shaft is a balancing act, and putting lots of pressure on the exhaust side with no pressure on the compressor side is asking for trouble. The shaft on my turbo went cattywampus and forced the compressor wheel to fight the compressor housing.
 

h.ubk

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Location
Idaho
TDI
1997 Jetta TDI with 1Z Engine
If it's just the intercooler pipe, you could probably work with any local competent person to identify there is a break in the pipe, figure out what to order and replace it. It should just be bolt it off and then on. You don't need a specialist for that.

h.ubk
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
First you need to identify the problem, I agree it is most likely a boost pipe that has popped loose. Probably the one behind the left front tire or the one on the very top of the engine leading into the egr.

Either way it should be readily identifiable as either being partially or completely disconnected. With a simple pair of pliers it can be reconnected rather easily. If you feel it’s outside of your wheelhouse, surely you must have a son, brother, father, husband, boyfriend, co-worker who is capable of fixing it?
 

~TDIguy~

Veteran Member
Joined
May 4, 2017
Location
Romulus Ny
TDI
2005 Jetta Sedan
Im with TDIjarhead, probably a hose get a man in your life to check it out maybe youll get by cheap! :)
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
First you need to identify the problem, I agree it is most likely a boost pipe that has popped loose. Probably the one behind the left front tire
That would be the left front if you are standing in front of the car looking at it. Also known as the right front tire. The passenger side front tire. There’s a boost pipe behind that tire the goes from the turbo to the intercooler.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
That would be the left front if you are standing in front of the car looking at it. Also known as the right front tire. The passenger side front tire. There’s a boost pipe behind that tire the goes from the turbo to the intercooler.
You are correct and I stand corrected. I almost threw in the word passenger but didn’t, I’m often bass ackward any way.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Well, I would have sworn that "bass ackward" was one word or at least hyphenated.:D

OP, I do believe you've received good advice!
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
I find it interesting that this "Female with Car Problems" got a response in three minutes. I've seen posts go unanswered for days when no gender was specified... :p
 

caideN

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Location
CA
TDI
02 Jetta Wagon TDI
I find it interesting that this "Female with Car Problems" got a response in three minutes. I've seen posts go unanswered for days when no gender was specified... :p
I found the title funny. I'm going to start threads with 'Female' now to get more help from the males.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
I find it interesting that this "Female with Car Problems" got a response in three minutes. I've seen posts go unanswered for days when no gender was specified... :p
Some things are easier to answer than others and also what time they are posted and who is online at the moment. It also helps when there is a decent description of the issue to work with. I have seen other posts with no indication of gender answered very quickly as well.

Besides I don't take it for granted that anyone that posts on the internet is what they say they are.

It could be this guy.

 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
I find it interesting that this "Female with Car Problems" got a response in three minutes. I've seen posts go unanswered for days when no gender was specified... :p
I just happened to see it and it is a simple problem.

Look at my advice, "Find it, fix it." LOL. Not exactly going out of my way for her.
 

Pembina

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Location
SW MO
TDI
2002 Jetta
First you need to identify the problem, I agree it is most likely a boost pipe that has popped loose. Probably the one behind the left front tire or the one on the very top of the engine leading into the egr.

Either way it should be readily identifiable as either being partially or completely disconnected. With a simple pair of pliers it can be reconnected rather easily. If you feel it’s outside of your wheelhouse, surely you must have a son, brother, father, husband, boyfriend, co-worker who is capable of fixing it?
I wish I did but unfortunately a few months ago I lost my husband of 45 years and my son is in the Army.
I am a little mechanical and always willing to tackle something new... is this visible from the top of the engine or something you get to from underneath?
 

Pembina

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Location
SW MO
TDI
2002 Jetta
You guys have all been very helpful and I will take your advise and NOT drive it until I determine and fix the problem.
I also had to laugh at the "female" references. I am an old school female and it has been my experience that gentlemen always rush to assist a female in distress. It is just your nature :)
Thank You to All!
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
If it's one of the more common hoses to pop off, you should be able to see it from the top. Open the hood and on the left side as you are facing the car, you will see a couple of hoses leading from a silver canister toward the engine passing over a rectangular plastic tube which runs from front to back, then down. If you look down between the front end of that tube and the windshield washer fluid bottle with a flashlight, you can see if the bottom end of the tube has come apart from the intercooler. You can also grab the tube and pull up on it and if it moves more than a half inch or so you know that's the culprit
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
I wish I did but unfortunately a few months ago I lost my husband of 45 years and my son is in the Army.
I am a little mechanical and always willing to tackle something new... is this visible from the top of the engine or something you get to from underneath?

My condolences for your loss.

If it’s the top hose as 1854sailor suggests all you have to do is raise the hood. If it’s the bottom hose behind the front passenger wheel then you’ll need to at least raise the car to see it and removing that front tire is extremely helpful.

You may be able to see it without raising the car if you turn the front wheels all the way to the right and moving the plastic inner fender liner a bit.
 

gearheadgrrrl

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Location
Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
TDI
'15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
Pembina, get a service manual for your car! I've got a 2003 similar to yours and being 15 years old stuff is breaking with more frequency, but I find most things I can fix just by following the instructions in the manual. Thus I tend to ask questions here only when I'm stumped by a problem that the manual doesn't cover. There's a couple manuals available- The VW factory manual is comprehensive but around $100 and the Haynes manual is a lot cheaper but pretty good. You might be able to find a used one cheap or even free, as these generation TDIs are getting to the age where a lot of them are being scrapped due to rust, etc.. Also, if you cruise further down the list of forums, you'll find a forum just for our generation of TDIs, the "A4" forum.
 
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