Turbo Problem

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
My car started making this siren like sound with a sudden lose of power and threw the "glow plug" light into a flashing frenzy. I suspect the turbo. My DPF has been "unclogged." I just have a few questions. ALSO, I seem to be losing coolant quite frequently, about once a month I top it off with VW G-13 or Distilled water.

1. Does the oil cooler have anything to do with the turbo?

2. Any advice on replacing/rebuilding the turbo?

3. What COULD be the problem?

Thanks for the advice.
 
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PRY4SNO

Veteran Member
Joined
May 15, 2016
Location
Edmonton, AB
TDI
2013 Touareg Execline
1. Yes. But, why do you ask?

2. More info required to determine relevance, see below.

Have you pulled codes with VCDS or equivalent?
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
No I have not pulled the codes yet. I am pretty sure my oil cooler/lines are leaking oil. I ordered the xtool Vag401 to read the code. But it hasnt come in yet.
 

the_janitor

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Location
GTA
TDI
2011 Golf Highline DSG
Had the same symptoms as you on my 2011. Mine eventually went into limp mode and had the car towed to the dealer. Turned out to be the actuator. The dealer replaced the entire turbo along with the actuator. Everything covered under the post-fix extended warranty. Thank god. Hopefully your dealer will do the same for you.
 

gmcjetpilot

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Location
Memphis TN
TDI
2010 JSW TDI DSG Matalic Grey
No to DIY rebuild of turbos. Replace it.

I recommend YOU DON'T DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE.... The turbo can fail and send crap down the pipe into the DPF and CAT and EGR Recalculation Valve and destroy them. It can also pipe engine oil out the tail pipe so fast, all engine oil can be drained within minutes. A failed turbo can do awful things on the same order of a failed HPFP....
 

Wascally Wabbit

Active member
Joined
Jan 31, 2011
Location
San Diego
TDI
2010 TDI
Actually sounds like the turbo has failed and depending on how it failed there is likely metal in the intercooler. When mine went I had the replace the intercooler as well because they could not get all the metal out after repeated flushing. Wasn't worth the $300 savings to risk losing another turbo at $4200 installed. Mine had all your symptoms exactly. It never went to limp mode. I could drive it but it sounded like it had a clown car siren on it and had power loss.

Do not drive it. See all those missing blades. Plus that piece was still loose inside the turbo housing flopping around as well as the fan on the other end of the shaft that broke which would just add more metal fragments everytime it was driven. Any of that metal makes its way into the intake and it's pretty much game over.

 
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bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
Had the same symptoms as you on my 2011. Mine eventually went into limp mode and had the car towed to the dealer. Turned out to be the actuator. The dealer replaced the entire turbo along with the actuator. Everything covered under the post-fix extended warranty. Thank god. Hopefully your dealer will do the same for you.
I bought it used. So no dealer for me.
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
No to DIY rebuild of turbos. Replace it.
I recommend YOU DON'T DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE.... The turbo can fail and send crap down the pipe into the DPF and CAT and EGR Recalculation Valve and destroy them. It can also pipe engine oil out the tail pipe so fast, all engine oil can be drained within minutes. A failed turbo can do awful things on the same order of a failed HPFP....
Car was towed and has been parked. Trying to decide if I should take it to MF Auto, whom I trust and have worked with before, or just attempt to replace a new one myself.
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
Actually sounds like the turbo has failed and depending on how it failed there is likely metal in the intercooler. When mine went I had the replace the intercooler as well because they could not get all the metal out after repeated flushing. Wasn't worth the $300 savings to risk losing another turbo at $4200 installed. Mine had all your symptoms exactly. It never went to limp mode. I could drive it but it sounded like it had a clown car siren on it and had power loss.

Do not drive it. See all those missing blades. Plus that piece was still loose inside the turbo housing flopping around as well as the fan on the other end of the shaft that broke which would just add more metal fragments everytime it was driven. Any of that metal makes its way into the intake and it's pretty much game over.
I have not removed the old turbo yet. Trying to decide if I can replace a new one myself or if I should just get a local shop to do it.
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
I ran the code tonight and got "000665 Boost Pressure Regulation Control Range Not Reached." Any advice?
 

fastalan

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Location
Richmond BC
TDI
2010 Golf TDI Wagon
You didn't accept the VW emission fix? Had you took the emission fix offer, this turbo problem would have been simple warranty issue fully covered by VW.
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
You didn't accept the VW emission fix? Had you took the emission fix offer, this turbo problem would have been simple warranty issue fully covered by VW.
In a previous reply I explained that I bought the car used and was not eligible for the emission fix as the previous owner had already registered the car to be fixed. Something like that, I tried to register for it and was not eligible.
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
Update, I was finally able to spend some time on this. The vanes seem fine, no play "in and out" but some up and down, however, this was under no oil pressure. The vanes look fine and spin freely. There is soot on the exhaust side of the turbo. A friend of mine suspects the actuator, I would like to test the actuator to prove it is bad. The noise changes significantly when the actuator vacuum changes. Could this actuator being bad cause the loud siren sound?
 

bananaman82

Active member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Location
East TN
TDI
2012 Golf TDI
UPDATE

I replaced the turbo. The old one had some bent and chipped vanes. I installed the new turbo and has been running fine. BUT...

About 1500 miles driven and I think something has happened because the car is making a noise around 1900-2000 rpms.
 

ihatespeed

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Location
holbrook, ma
TDI
11 tdi wagon 6mt 15 golf 6mt (Wife's) 2000 Ford 350 7.3l 6mt 4x4 (technically a TDI)
that's peak power / boost, could be a leaking downpipe or manifold gasket, what sort of noise is it making, and is it accompanied by any drivability issues, shudders etc?
 
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