Low power

wjfyfe

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Jun 2, 2006
http://aaronsautowerks.com/ As far as I know they are the best game in the area, (30 some miles for us.)

The actuator starts moving about 5 and stops about 17 inHg.

There is 25 inHg+ with engine running.

The intake was cleaned a while back and the shop just thought it may need it again, but it did not, (and I am grateful to them for being honest enough to say so.)

I have no way to run logs.

Thanks for the help up to this point........

Bill
 
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wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
We put about 300 miles on the Jetta today over various conditions and I would have to say that the car is performing about 72.5% better than when we started this lil misson :). About the only place we recognize that there is a problem is on those longer, steeper graded hills where it will initially bog down, but then as I continue to push it, it will slowly regain it's power. (A positive thing this time is that it never dropped off into limp mode, requiring being turned off and restarting.) My gut is hinting to me that the remaining problem is that there is a restriction some place, (catalytic converter?), but those parts are getting too expensive currently just to experiment with...............

Again, thanks for the help along the way, folks, it is most definitely better than when we started.

Bill
 
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wjfyfe

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Just an update since last posting in this thread and unfortunately the Jetta has deteriorated once again with a lack of power, especially when climbing hills. On the highway when pulling hard it acts like a governor engaging beginning around 2400 RPM. If we try to get more power by downshifting it kicks into limp mode and needs to be restarted. Finally giving up, we turned the car into the shop yesterday and told them we did not want it back this time until fixed, (in a friendly way :) )

To recap, it is a 2001 Jetta, the original engine threw a rod and this is this is a replacement engine when installed had 70,000 miles, (about 200,000 miles now), where this engine has never had the power like the original.
What has been tried so far:
MAF replaced
All vacuum lines replaced
N75 valves replaced
Fuel filter replaced
Snow screen removed
Air filter replaced
Injector pump retimed
Intake manifold cleaned
We were advised when the car was in last to do other maintenance that that the turbo checked out OK

It will be curious what they ultimately come up with, we will keep ya advised.


Bill
 

KAT90

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Location
Mass
TDI
99.5 Jetta
I'm interested to learn what they find. My wife's Golf has similar issues. On the highway pulling hills it'll go into a semi-limp mode with a top speed of 65-70mph. Around town after shut down, no problems. It has a stage 3 tune and EGR has been removed/deleted. I've replaced the N75, cleaned the MAF and installed new vac lines. No codes in system, thinking it's a vacuum issue, not sure.
 

wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Our vacuum checked out fine, I'll be sure to get back here when the problem gets resolved, hopefully next week...............

Bill
 
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wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
OK, more of a rant and loss of faith in our repair shop. In 2015 we had the intake manifold cleaned. Six months ago we took the car in to replace the rear bearings and asked for them to check out the power issue while at it. We were told it was a clogged intake manifold so I made an appointment the following week. When we took it back in we were then advised that the intake manifold was OK so they tried adjusting the injector timing. Obviously it did no good.

I just got a call from the shop that they have diagnosed a clogged intake manifold. I suggested that they go back through the maintenance records, the service writer is going back to the technician for some further discussion............

Bill
 

wjfyfe

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Jun 2, 2006
Going into the fourth day now and all I have heard is confirmation that it is NOT a clogged intake manifold...................

Bill
 

KAT90

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Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Location
Mass
TDI
99.5 Jetta
Clogged intake symptoms would be static, not intermittent.
 

wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
The shop believes that they have narrowed the problem down this time to the turbocharger.....................


.........................Remember a little under a year ago we were told that the turbocharger checked out ok?


Bill
 
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KAT90

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Location
Mass
TDI
99.5 Jetta
Not cheap if they guested wrong, good luck.
 
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wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
After a lil more testing I latched on to our lil camping trailer, that has been languishing in storage soon after all of this began, and it pulled the hills without getting thrown into limp mode.........


Things are getting better.............


Bill
 

KAT90

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Location
Mass
TDI
99.5 Jetta
Sounds like they found the issue, I'm hoping not to have a turbo replaced.
 

wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
The Jetta is doing a 400 mile cross country this week over many a hill and dale, we'll get a better idea then and report back..............


Bill
 

wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
My wife returned from her road trip and commented the power was much improved, but she pulled into the driveway leaving a trail of oil so the drama continues................


Bill
 
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wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
I just did a preliminary looksie and found the top supply oil line is the culprit. I got a wrench on it and was really hoping that it would just cinch up, but I cannot budge it, darn it any how, back to the shop it goes!



Bill
 
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wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
The Jetta has returned home with a new braided flex supply line...............


Bill
 

VChristian

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Location
Western NY
TDI
99.5 Jetta, (2) 02 Jetta, 03 Jetta, 15 Jetta
The Jetta has returned home with a new braided flex supply line...............


Bill
And? If the turbo was starved of oil, it would create the loss of power, but I would be surprised if it still worked.

It will be interesting to find out how the car has worked the last couple of days.
 

wjfyfe

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
A new turbocharger was installed with new oil lines, the rigid supply line was found leaking within the first couple of weeks and was replaced by a flex line. The turbocharger never starved for oil. Power has improved with the new turbocharger, the real test of how much so will be this weekend when we take our lil camping trailer out................


Bill
 

wjfyfe

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Latched on to the trailer this weekend and towed it over hill and dale with renewed ease, it does do appear that we indeed have finally found the culprit to our power problem!:)
Bill
 
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