is it possible for a turbo failure to stall out engine?

norel

Active member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2004 alh wagon, 91 golf 1z, 05 golf, 05 passat, 06 jetta
Something weird happened. Car is stock alh 5speed, pd 150 intake, egr asv delete, bosio. 205 nozzles, 240k miles. After an afternoon of adult beverages, I decided to drive 1/4 mile down the road to the other driveway entrance at the shop and leave my car there for the evening. Car hadn't run for 6 hours I let it warm up 5 minutes. Ambient temp was 40 ish.

So here's what happened. Drove 100 yards, turned out of driveway, floored it, broke loose, shifted out of 1st at 4k?, floored it again, engine hit 4000 rpm, and stopped running. My ride home was right behind me. He said he saw a tremendous cloud of dark smoke, but couldn't tell me what color it was. The first thing I thought was failed tb tensioner. I then made the poor decision to attempt to start car. It started right up, bought wouldn't Rev up over 1000 rpm? I limped car back off road maybe 100 yards and parked it.

Next morning, car started right up at 20 degrees, Sounds quiet, runs fine. I replaced the fuel filter in case it had collapsed, replaced filthy air filter too. There Maybe slightly less power/smoke but it's hard to tell, as I'd been messing with iq lately. I know I should have confirmed static timing before restarting the car. I've sort of been looking for an excuse to put a pd shortblock under the alh head I've been working on, and I may have found it...

I'm guessing I probably got a slug of oil out the turbo/intercooler and shortened a few rods? I've been ignoring what seems like a 4th/5th gear low rpm boost spike/haven't reinstalled boost gauge. In the next week I should be able to check timing/compression and log boost.

My questions;
what would make It stall out like that?
With all that dark smoke (oil?) why didn't it just run away?
What would make it not Rev up til next day?

I'm really more familiar with id engines, but if engine is mechanically sound, this had to be fuel or air restriction? Or just enough oil hydrolock to stall out without putting a hole in the block?

Thanks for reading.
Input appreciated.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
This might be as simple as a boost pipe coming loose.

Check all the ducting from the turbo to the intercooler and from the intercooler to the intake. If something has popped off, the car would barely run, pretty much as you describe.
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
Inhaling oil seems unlikely unless you never get on it. Do you only wind it out after drinking?
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
I'm surprised at what is considered a stock car these days.
Yeah, I always thought "stock" meant "as from factory." Makes me a bit disappointed in that what I thought were modded cars (mild tunes and injectors) on my cars ends up they're still "stock." ;)

We can guess about a bunch of things here, but, OP, you really need to do some data gathering. If you have VCDS then scan. Pull off lower IC to see if you have any pooled oil. Check boost piping in general. Have a look at the turbo. How's oil level?

ASV might have momentarily pulled closed? Check that all out.

A stressed wire (rapid torque flexing) might have occurred. I'd figure, however, that such would trigger a code (so, again, need to know about what shows up under a scan).
 

casey823

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Location
Middleton, ID USA
TDI
2002 Jetta sedan, 2002 golf tdi
OP said asv and egr were deleted. If the car ran fine when you restarted it the next morning(no stumbling, missfire) I highly doubt you have any bent rods. When my turbo let go in my golf it sucked all the oil out of the engine into the intake system and resulted in a huge amount of smoke and the car died. After replacing the turbo you could feel a miss until car was warm and it had 2 bent rods. Like others have said check all your boost pipes, it sounds more likely.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
OP said asv and egr were deleted
Missed "asv." Lots of people do "egr deletes" that aren't physical removals (meaning ASV is left intact [which is a good idea to do]).
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Yeah, I always thought "stock" meant "as from factory." Makes me a bit disappointed in that what I thought were modded cars (mild tunes and injectors) on my cars ends up they're still "stock." ;)

We can guess about a bunch of things here, but, OP, you really need to do some data gathering. If you have VCDS then scan. Pull off lower IC to see if you have any pooled oil. Check boost piping in general. Have a look at the turbo. How's oil level?

ASV might have momentarily pulled closed? Check that all out.

A stressed wire (rapid torque flexing) might have occurred. I'd figure, however, that such would trigger a code (so, again, need to know about what shows up under a scan).
Stock means what you say. If you mod it, then it's not stock.

Kinda like people who when selling something tell you a few defects and then say, "it's mint" or "perfect condition other than that".

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
-Inigo Montoya
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
My memory has been jogged.

A few years ago, leaving work, I drove my '98 about 50 yards to the gate at a sedate pace then opened it up for the 1/4 mile or so to the road. Was idling really rough at the stop sign. Didn't stall but I shut it off and restarted and it was fine.

So similar circumstance and symptom. I shrugged it off and it hasn't happened again though I don't think I ever really did the same thing again since the motor wasn't close to being warm.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Car is stock alh 5speed, pd 150 intake, egr asv delete, bosio. 205 nozzles, 240k miles.
NOT STOCK lol



After an afternoon of adult beverages, I decided to drive 1/4 mile down the road to the other driveway entrance at the shop and leave my car there for the evening.
Dont DUI dude, not cool, a few of my extended family has been killed by being struck by a DUI ass-hat, one of them was a 4yo playing on the sidewalk when that ass-hat jumped up and plowed over him, killing him 3 hours later of horrible agonizing pain. Ultimate rage.

Im out dude, your possible engine damage is Karma getting back to you for that!

But ill leave you wit this, you wont know jack if you dont do some diagnostics like a compression test and leak down to see if you bent some rods, burnt rings, ect. and keep your burnouts for the track.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Dude, your go-kart barely made it up the hill. What a pile!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpxEXQXSz-Y
Nice derail.
First off, I'm the one filming, second that hill is steep as feck and very loose dirt,

Most importantly you have no context what so ever. Feel free to ask what gives in a PM or in the youtube comments vs why you’re asking me here?

That go-kart, my friend and I struck a deal, he paid for it, I do the work, it was $100 bucks cash, we fixed a bunch of stuff and reupholstered the seats, fixed a bunch of rust, new tires, were waiting for the engine to blow to do a 61mm with a big bore head and a +4mm stroke, more of a reliable build vs more power. The engine is decent, runs like a turd on fire but it’s still a load of fun for $400 total with new tires.
 
Last edited:

norel

Active member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2004 alh wagon, 91 golf 1z, 05 golf, 05 passat, 06 jetta
Sorry I thought I didn't finalize post/just found it now.

Stock (original alh engine)
private road/any casualties went by "trespassers will be shot sign..."



Vcds said massive overboost. Checked all boost hoses. Vanes were stuck shut on turbo. Changed oil, changed filter twice, changed turbo to new bv-39. Starts fine. No noticeable smoke or blowby. Got my first 700 mi tank on first tank with new turbo. 3000k since then no problems. Found my compression tester yesterday. Not sure when I'll test. Engine had a slight misfire when cold since I've owned it. I'm thinking it'll be worse when it gets cold again. I plan on having an bhw block under that alh head by then anyways...
 
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