Turbo Lag

JBear · Jul 28, 2005

OK, I have seen several people talk about having Turbo Lag on their TDIs, but no one has come up with a solution yet. Is there one???

I have an 05 Jetta V with a 5 speed and have noticeable turbo lag in 1st, 2nd and sometimes 3rd gear. It occurs with the ESP on or off and at both start off and while at speed.

Any thoughts???
J.

abctdi · Jul 28, 2005

Manual or automatic 5 speed?

JBear · Jul 28, 2005

Manual....The MkV Jetta TDI Autos are 6sp DSG.

abctdi · Jul 28, 2005

My impression was that you should be able to clutch your way past lag with the manual. At least is worked for me with my old jetta.

maxforce · Jul 29, 2005

I notice none on our 04 Golf.

JBear · Jul 29, 2005

I had no lag on the bug and my roommate has no lag on his 03 Jetta wagon. What does one do to "clutch your way past" the turbo lag? Does this burn out the clutch?

Something is amiss here. I can not believe that this is normal for the car. I took the service manager from our local stealership out yesterday and he blew me off completely (after remarking how he needed to relearn how to drive stick).

*grumble*
J.

abctdi · Jul 29, 2005

If you release the clutch in first at less than 1200 rpm and start inching along before stepping hard on the pedal, you may experience lag. On the other hand, if you 'slip' the clutch past 1500 while slowly gaining speed and applying more pedal, you will not get lag. If this is your first turbo car with manual, it takes some getting used to. My Jetta had over 100,000 miles on the original clutch before I sold it and I was not worried that the new owner would replacing it any time soon.

DeathEngine · Jul 29, 2005

I had no lag on the bug and my roommate has no lag on his 03 Jetta wagon. What does one do to "clutch your way past" the turbo lag? Does this burn out the clutch?

Something is amiss here. I can not believe that this is normal for the car. I took the service manager from our local stealership out yesterday and he blew me off completely (after remarking how he needed to relearn how to drive stick).

*grumble*
J.

Can you try another dealer? YOu shouldnt have noticable lag at all.

abctdi · Jul 29, 2005

Drive another one...if it does it too, it's your driving style. Or have another tdi owner drive yours...

JBear · Aug 1, 2005

Thanks....I have done both and the other TDI owner/driver feels excessive lag too (and he has had several TDIs). I have driven others and seen no lag.

JoeBleed · Aug 1, 2005

How do you notice the lag? What indications do you have?

I am not questioning rather you have lag or not. I am questioning what excessive turbo lag is. Do not all turbos have some lag as they spoolup? I am interested to see what you are talking about.

With out a boost gage i can only say what i feel by my driving. My boost doesn't seem to kick in real well until over 16 to 17 hundred rpm. After that you can feel a noticable power climb/spike. after 2k it pulls nicly.

Is yours comming later? Is it doing what mine is doing and i have lag as well?

Thanks,

JBear · Aug 1, 2005

Joe,

It is almost as if there is a two stage power curve. When shifting between 1 and 2, there is about 0.75 to 1 sec of lower power then "kick" it goes into power mode. It also happens from a standing start, and somewhat from 2 to 3. I have not gotten it to kick like that going from 3 to 4 or 4 to 5 yet....but then again, the car is still new and I am not running it into the ground!

J.

maxforce · Aug 2, 2005

Joe,

It is almost as if there is a two stage power curve. When shifting between 1 and 2, there is about 0.75 to 1 sec of lower power then "kick" it goes into power mode. It also happens from a standing start, and somewhat from 2 to 3. I have not gotten it to kick like that going from 3 to 4 or 4 to 5 yet....but then again, the car is still new and I am not running it into the ground!

J.

If you are shifing at a very low rpm.....under 2k, I don't call that turbo lag...I call it lugging. I never shift below 3000 after the engine is warm. and usually shift at 3500. Sometimes more. It may be your driving style. If I shifted at 1900 to 2k...and I have tryed, it is a different car.

Rick_Hammer · Aug 2, 2005

JBear,

Check the plastic hose comming from the air filter box to see if it securly clamped on either end. Mine was not clamped properly after a sevice on the turbo side and caused major major lag.

Hope this helps...

abctdi · Aug 2, 2005

Kind of what I was trying to say earlier. We don't know JBear's shift points yet...

maxforce · Aug 3, 2005

Kind of what I was trying to say earlier. We don't know JBear's shift points yet...

I know, I was just being a little more direct.
It sounds like they are very low. Someone sugested I try to shift at 1900 once for max power. When you go to 5th gear you are running about 35 mpg. You almost need to get out and push.

I drove a 1.8 automatic Passat once. Now, that had so much lag, it would scare ya. I would push down on the peddle and just when I thought I was not going to go, my head would hit the back of the seat. I got used to the feeling and got the hang of it before I got out of town.

JoeBleed · Aug 3, 2005

If you are shifing at a very low rpm.....under 2k, I don't call that turbo lag...I call it lugging. I never shift below 3000 after the engine is warm. and usually shift at 3500. Sometimes more. It may be your driving style. If I shifted at 1900 to 2k...and I have tryed, it is a different car.

I would agree with this. I was messing around with it yesterday and my usual shift points i feel no lag. I usualy shift around 3500 and i don't usualy let it drop below 2500 before i make the next gear. then i level off at my speed and in 5th gear. I try and match my rpm with my next gear. doesn't always work out but i am still getting use to a turbo diesel.

If i cahnge my shift habits to low rpm then i would experence somethg like you are describing. But the turbo doesn't start to spool up untill around 1500-1800 rpm. I think, that is waht it feels like. above that and up to 2k it seems to pull equaly.

Is 1 sec. lag bad for a turbo on a small motor? I thought it would be prety good, but as i said i am not use to a turbo.

abctdi · Aug 3, 2005

I drove a 1.8 automatic Passat once. Now, that had so much lag, it would scare ya. I would push down on the peddle and just when I thought I was not going to go, my head would hit the back of the seat. I got used to the feeling and got the hang of it before I got out of town.

I drove it in 98, just before I bought my Jetta. It scared the !@#$ out of me with it's behaviour...

JBear · Aug 3, 2005

OK, my bad for not pointing out RPMs....I tend to be the 3k and over kind when I shift. The last thing I would be doing is babying this diesel!

So typically the engine decels during the shift to around 2k. Sorry to axe that theory.

I will check out the air tube later this evening.

Thanks!
J.
(got blown off by the Jetta Customer Service line people yesterday too)

abctdi · Aug 4, 2005

That was a good axe though, good luck with your problem...

maxforce · Aug 4, 2005

yep, you have a problem. Most folks as you see do not see any lag.

turbokrash · Aug 5, 2005

at 1500 rpm in a TDI your almost at full boost...thats just slightly off idle.

Shouldn't have ANY *lag*...short shifting a TDI(below 2000 rpm)is bad. TDI's love to be driven HARD(love load and heat)...we *baby* our cars too much...

JBear · Aug 8, 2005

So Mark,

How do I get my lame dealer in NC to understand this and check it out? I had the service manager drive it and he reported to the helpline that it was "functioning within normal parameters." He of course made the comment to me while driving that he "needed to relearn how to drive stick."

Hhhhhhmmmmmmm.

Bob_Fout · Aug 8, 2005

at 1500 rpm in a TDI your almost at full boost...thats just slightly off idle.

Shouldn't have ANY *lag*...short shifting a TDI(below 2000 rpm)is bad. TDI's love to be driven HARD(love load and heat)...we *baby* our cars too much...

I must say it is refreshing to see folks who work for VW on here. At least it gives us a little bit of inside knowledge/voice.

Who else on here works for VW (tech, manager, or otherwise)?

bigEZ · Aug 8, 2005

How do I get my lame dealer in NC to understand this and check it out? I had the service manager drive it and he reported to the helpline that it was "functioning within normal parameters." He of course made the comment to me while driving that he "needed to relearn how to drive stick."

Hhhhhhmmmmmmm.

where in nc are you? just wanted to see if you had the same lame dealer as me. i think the only response they are capable of is "functioning within normal parameters."

Bob_Fout · Aug 8, 2005

Like a broken record broken record broken record

OK OK, I grew up with CDs, but the saying still exists. How's about like a scratched CD scratched CD scratched CD.

Turbo Lag

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