No boost but turbo spins?

perroni123

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Location
toronto ontario
TDI
2000 mk4 golf 1.9
No boost at all can’t find the problem

Recently my car stopped making boost. Prior to my problem I installed new vnt15, actuator and n75. It worked great for a month but then I started getting codes for overboosting. Supposedly I was boosting at 30lbs....but I got the readings from a very cheap boost gauge. Now my turbo is making a realllly high pitched sound. I took off the down pipe and the inlet pipe. turbines are both spinning freely and barley any play. I’m not smoking a lot but I do also placed .216 injectors so it’s natural to smoke a bit at idle. I showed my tuner the sound and he said it’s a massive boost leak...I spent a saturate trying to figure out where this leak was everything seeems tight. I even took off the intake mani and the sound was still there. It sounds like it’s coming from the turbo internally. Did I blowup the turbo???
 
Last edited:

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
Check your egr valve and see if it's stuck open and walk the path, make sure the MAP sensor is still in the intercooler, they are held in with mild steel screws and as far south as VA they rusted through on me...hopes and dreams were all that held mine in. Check your intercooler for a hole or crack, feel all of the rubber boots for splits including the one behind the headlight

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perroni123

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Location
toronto ontario
TDI
2000 mk4 golf 1.9
Check your egr valve and see if it's stuck open and walk the path, make sure the MAP sensor is still in the intercooler, they are held in with mild steel screws and as far south as VA they rusted through on me...hopes and dreams were all that held mine in. Check your intercooler for a hole or crack, feel all of the rubber boots for splits including the one behind the headlight

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Sorry the egr is deleted. The sound is coming directly from the turbo. I even disconnected the whole intake system, revved the engine and the sound is still there Can I post a video ?? The map is there and everything is tight
 

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
The sound is normal turbo sound. Think jet sounds

Are you trying to make the sound stop or get your boost back?



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perroni123

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Location
toronto ontario
TDI
2000 mk4 golf 1.9
The sound is normal turbo sound. Think jet sounds

Are you trying to make the sound stop or get your boost back?



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It’s sounds like an owl. As soon as this particular sound came my boost disappeared. I am really trying to get my boost back
 

ghohouston

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Location
Lewisville, Texas
TDI
2001 Jetta Sedan TDI 5 Speed
Sounds like a boost leak to me. When you say you disconnected the whole Intake system, does that mean the c.a.c. piping, or just the actual intake hose from the air filter to the turbo? If your turbo quit making boost, and itself is making noise, I would expect a few things. Oil in your exhaust, tons of smoke, oil in your intake, along with very low power. Go over all vacuum lines
 

perroni123

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Location
toronto ontario
TDI
2000 mk4 golf 1.9
Sounds like a boost leak to me. When you say you disconnected the whole Intake system, does that mean the c.a.c. piping, or just the actual intake hose from the air filter to the turbo? If your turbo quit making boost, and itself is making noise, I would expect a few things. Oil in your exhaust, tons of smoke, oil in your intake, along with very low power. Go over all vacuum lines

I took off the intake manifold. So the ports were exposed. My n75 is working the actuator arm is moving down on start up. I do have one of those symptoms of no power. I’m getting honked at all the time. I’ll check today also can my brake boost be the problem? Thank for your replies
 

Growler

Got Soot Vendor
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Location
Millersport, Ohio
TDI
Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
so you put a replacement cartridge in an old housing and this noise started almost immediately?

is your EGR blockoff a thick plate with a metal gasket.. is it tight, is the gasket lined up properly?

I hate to say it but you cheaped out on your turbo repair and have to suspect the parts you bought and installed.

a vnt-15 should come with a manifold and compressor housing as a unit. these aren't known to be "rebuildable" with simple cartridge replacements.

www.cascadegerman.com or www.idparts.com are both good places to start. new turbos run $7-800.

good luck
 

Growler

Got Soot Vendor
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Location
Millersport, Ohio
TDI
Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
video NSFW btw.. (didn't appreciate that since you asked for help...)

I listened to your video, it sounds off to me and I have the following questions.

are all of your FACTORY intake /boost pipes installed? what about the full exhaust? again, is the EGR blockoff properly installed with a gasket and tightened fully?

the truth is, you took a gamble with an inexpensive not recommended repair for your turbo and it may have come back to bite you. not every hand you are dealt is a winner.

I need to know if your whole intake/boost/exhaust system is factory or if not, what is it made up of to know if the sounds its making are normal or not.
 

Jaybean

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Location
Greensboro
TDI
2005 passat, 2004 jetta
Mine did that too. The intake impeller was gone, shaft was broke off. No oil leak just spun like crazy. Lol

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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
My recommendation for anyone tuning their engine, upgrading the Turbo, etc., is to install a good quality boost gauge. Or, at least buy a Scan Gauge which will show boost as well as lots of other things and will allow you to scan for DTCs as well as be delete codes.

Typically, the Turbo shouldn't boost more than 1 or 2 psi by just revving the engine. If it boosts more than that, something is awry.

Does the Actuator pull down solid against the set screw and stay there at engine idle? If not, check for a vacuum leak or binding. Generally an over boost can be attributed to the Actuator arm binding or the Vanes binding (internally). Also, a bad MAP sensor can be sending false data. I was having an over boost on the ALH in my Vanagon. It was boosting in excess of 25 PSI (verified by both Scan Gauge and a mechanical boost gauge). I installed a new MAP which solved the problem.

I cannot imagine idling (or revving) that engine with the Intake off? Surely it was extremely loud. Also, why would you think the sound could possibly come from the Intake Manifold?
 
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