BRM Turbo Actuator Replacement Experiment?

Currently new actuators for the A5 Jetta BRM are not available. Borg-Warner, for whatever reason, made the actuator "non-replaceable", riveted it onto the turbo and doesn't provide replacements.

However, VW does offer a replacement actuator for the new, 2.0L common rail engines. The common rail motor also uses a BW turbocharger, and the two actuators are remarkably similar. Identical in physical size, both react to vacuum in the same way.

The bad: The brackets are different and it is unclear if the feedback loop is compatible.

The common-rail actuators are part number 03L198716A (available for around $250 from a local dealer or your favorite TDI vendor). I would do this experiment on a friend's car but we just put a PD140 turbocharger in it.

Any takers?

Some photos - Side By Side

Common Rail Actuator Alone

I am interested. Mine is not an OEM turbo but I am using the scarce BRM actuator. I have a 200k mile used one on there now but am nervous about a failure and being up a creek.

That lower pic you posted shows that the bottom of the actuator is bolted to it's bracket instead of spot welded like the BRM unit. If that is the case and it is functionally the same, one could manufacture a simple bracket to make it plug-n-play for the BRM.

Offering a deal to test it? PM me if so.

cevans said:

Currently new actuators for the A5 Jetta BRM are not available. Borg-Warner, for whatever reason, made the actuator "non-replaceable", riveted it onto the turbo and doesn't provide replacements.

However, VW does offer a replacement actuator for the new, 2.0L common rail engines. The common rail motor also uses a BW turbocharger, and the two actuators are remarkably similar. Identical in physical size, both react to vacuum in the same way.

The bad: The brackets are different and it is unclear if the feedback loop is compatible.

The common-rail actuators are part number 03L198716A (available for around $250 from a local dealer or your favorite TDI vendor). I would do this experiment on a friend's car but we just put a PD140 turbocharger in it.

Any takers?

Some photos - Side By Side

Common Rail Actuator Alone

Click to expand...

Please figure out a way to make this work! Then manufacture and sell a retro fit kit.

From taking numbers on a BRM and the CJAA, I think there is a very good chance it can be made to work.

If anyone near enough wants me to help, just holler.

Cevans, I know a serviceman that should be back from deployment soon. His BRM actuator spring is too weak, and I am afraid we will have to replace it. I will PM you.

A friend of mine made an in line active component (plugs in-line with the actuator electronic connector) that does reverse the signals and should let one of the earlier Garrett actuators work on a BRM or BEW. He is ready to test this, if he can find a taker. I can also help with that.

I had a bad Acutuator and willing to try

I had BRM jetta, mine Actuator doesn't hold vacuum, i put the hand pump and to vacuum tube and got no move on the gauge when i pump it. after several attempts to find the leak, i thought the diaphragm inside has a hole but i found out that there is a leak on the bottom of the actuator, i put my finger down to the rod and feel the air leak, it's right under the actuator and it has some kind of plastic or rubber around it, i guess the seal on the bottom fail or it's has a hole, i can't tell unless i took the actuator off the turbo. so now I'm trying to get it out and see if i can fix the vacuum leak on the bottom.

since i will have my actuator out tomorrow, I can be a Ginnie pig subject... Let me know if you want to send me the experimental unit, but of course, you need to find out first that the electronic component that control the actuator is going to do the job like the original one, so i don't blow mine turbo or engine.

I have taken apart boost cans found the old wastegate turbos and reassembled them successfully. I'm sure if someone was careful in dissecting and used some creative use of JB weld to reassemble, they could repair the diaphragm.

Limp mode fixed!!! Yay!!!

I'm able to manage to remove the brm actuator off the original turbo without remove the turbo or intake off the engine. It's not easy but you can do it, that's save me a lot of time.

Remove 2 hex screws and loose the nut that hold the actuator vain from the bottom. That's about it. As I report my issue last post. I know that I had leak on the bottom of actuator. So when I had the actuator out i look around for a rubber seal that match the hole on the bottom inside the clear rubber cover. Then I put some silicone and a washer and nuts to seal my leak. Test it with hand pump vacuum and it's hold the vacuum!!!! The I put everything back on the turbo. I startup and give it a test drive. Sure enough it's fix my limp mode!!! I just safe my self from a new turbo.

I am encouraged to know that you removed the actuator without removing the turbo or intake. I would not have thought that possible. Did you have to use any special tools?

Did you happen to take any photos?

This sounds as if it is a good fix for your problem. Good work.

Didn't take any photo. I remove the plastic intake for more room. You will see your turbo expose. First thing is to find a clean cloth or something to clog or cover the turbo intake. The idea is to make sure that nothing can fall in that hole. You will now have lots more room to work your way to remove 2 hex that's holding the actuator on the turbo. One is in front, the second you need a little mirror to see it behind the actuator. I Used some socket tool with extension and also the socket tool that I use has pivot so it can get in to the curvy place. After remove 2 hex then. You need remove the nut on the bottom of actuator vain. Your actuator should be out of the turbo now. Remember to remove the cloth or what ever you use to block the turbo intake before you put the plastic intake back.

Thanks for the additional details; that will help.

Ah, only missed it by a month or so. The shaft on the common rail actuator looks ideal for the PD 140 turbo too. Nice find Corey.

Nah, it won't work on a Garrett- Borg Warner turbos use an actuator that "pushes out" when vacuum is applied. Garrett actuators "pull in" with vacuum. Can't swap brands.

Now that we have two confirmed successes we are going to explore the possibility of making a "kit" for it.

Im a tool maker i can make the kit/brackets.

Im just kindof lost here... who had a sucess and how?

Im having a delayed actuator issue and would like to know how to fix it....

i just fixed my bmw vnt actuator instead of buying and doing that bracket its easier to fix the existing one..
You can find my post in the forum..

Yep, that makes three confirmed swaps with success, plus a member tested the electronic response and found it to be identical to the OE BRM actuator.

An actuator was damaged by UPS in shipping, so we finally had one here to swap ourselves. Came out great. We also made a template so we can offer actuator swap kits (with a core as we'll need OE brackets to make this work)


This is the CR actuator tack welded onto the BRM bracket, which is bolted to the BRM turbocharger. We just need more BRM actuator brackets at this point to have some in stock.

Is it the samen electrical plug, are they just placed differant? Good job guys!

cevans said:

Yep, that makes three confirmed swaps with success, plus a member tested the electronic response and found it to be identical to the OE BRM actuator.

An actuator was damaged by UPS in shipping, so we finally had one here to swap ourselves. Came out great. We also made a template so we can offer actuator swap kits (with a core as we'll need OE brackets to make this work)

This is the CR actuator tack welded onto the BRM bracket, which is bolted to the BRM turbocharger. We just need more BRM actuator brackets at this point to have some in stock.

Click to expand...

Good job guys! Cant wait till you start selling the kits.

Can't wait until a kit or something is made. I've been dealing with this issue for going on 2 months now. My MPG is in the gutter. I see solutions for BEW owners, BRMs not so much.

cevans said:

...

This is the CR actuator tack welded onto the BRM bracket, which is bolted to the BRM turbocharger. We just need more BRM actuator brackets at this point to have some in stock.

Click to expand...

Wow, that looks brave to me. You don't think that the heat of those spot welds could do any damage to the internals?

No way - spot welding takes a fraction of a fraction of a second. The casing didn't even heat up. Plus, this thing spends its life attached to a red-hot, glowing turbocharger, so it can stand some heat.

CARTMATT said:

Is it the samen electrical plug, are they just placed differant? Good job guys!

Click to expand...

Same plug exactly, though the plastic casing is slightly different. Internal electrical response is identical so I can't explain the reasoning for the visual changes.

I have successfully put a BMR actuator onto a CR turbo. At the time, the CR actuator was not available, but I had a spare BRM turbo kickin' around fortunetly. I did have to cut and weld the bracket. Was nerve racking trying to do it without damaging the diaphragm.

I think the car has seen 12k miles since then, holding fine.

I have successfully done the swap to a BRM, my 2005.5 TDI over the weekend. I've been 100 miles so far and everything is fine. There is a little stutter from around 1700-2000 RPM in 1st gear with light acceleration... But everything else is fine. Cruising, heavy acceleration, engine braking, etc etc and it is fine.

MY P2564 is GONE!

I'm got a 2006 Jett TDI engine code BRM, 5 spd manual trans. The car didn't seem to have much power until about 1,800 rpm then you could feel it pull really hard. Plus i could hear a air leak after the 1,800 rpm range the leak seemed to be less. I could feel air leaking from around the waste gate actuator rod. I looked for a replacement actuator then decided to wait due to the high cost of the turbo. Overall it has been leaking for about 3 mo or 10,000 miles. I lost two valves, and the camshaft at 117,000 miles then about 156,000 miles this actuator started leaking. I searched and found this forum and thread. Cevans from ID Parts have you created a kit yet? I could tack weld the actuator onto my bracket myself. If you have the kit you could send me the new kit/actuator bracket then I could send you my old one once I remove it. What would be the part number and price for the replacement actuator?

My car is completely stock, no mods at all.

Bump, any news on releasing a kit? Offer core exchange to keep inventory?!

Bump for any news on a kit yet, anxiously awaiting...so far I've put 16k miles on my car with a busted actuator, but I'm too cheap to buy a whole turbo.

Replaced BRM actuator with CR actuator today, but now have a code p2564 (no cel). Is that's caused by actuator rod needing adjustment? And ideas?

Just did a quick google search on that number and came up with a boatload of threads. You may be correct about adjustment.