Constant low power...

C

Concat

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Location
Edmonton, AB
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS TDi
So I gave it some gas in first gear, and I saw a good size puff of black smoke and then no power. It's accompanied by a whiney noise that increases the more gas I give it. I can get up to 100km/hr, but it takes a long time. There's no smoke that I can see. Only the puff that happened right before the loss of power.

No CEL. Can't be limp mode because turning the engine off and on doesn't do anything... right?

If I had to guess, I'd say the turbo is leaking somewhere, but I'm certainly no mechanic.

How can I troubleshoot this issue? I don't have VAGCOM, so I'm hoping I can visually inspect or something to rule some things out.
 
C

Concat

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Location
Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Could a hose be disconnected/not seated properly to the intercooler?

When the engine is running, there seems to be a lot of air being pushed out of the engine compartment and up into my face.
 
Corsair

Corsair

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Location
Weedsport, New York
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5M
#2 x2- the symptoms you describe are a classic sign of a turbo boost hose popped off somewhere, usually at a junction where two hose sections meet. Get under the car (safely...) and follow the boost hose from the turbo up to the intercooler, then to the engine intake. Good chance you'll find it separated (or cracked, less likely) somewhere.
 
C

Concat

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Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Is it normal for there to be no smoke when the turbo is disconnected? I would have thought It would be pumping it out when I give it gas... no smoke, no power, loud whine... hmmm
 
C

Concat

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Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Well now it's billowing black smoke, the CEL came on, and the whining noise stopped.

Did I just kill the turbo?
 
Vince Waldon

Vince Waldon

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Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Pretty hard to tell over the interwebs, but black smoke and a CEL are never an encouraging sign. :(

The good news is that the car has an idea of what's wrong... best next step is to get 'er scanned and go from there. Also probably time to get 'er up on a lift and see what's going on in the turbo area and vicinity.
 
jasonTDI

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
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Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
EGR flew pipe is cracked, turbo hose is off or blown somewhere, Cam and lifter is done....lots of stuff.
 
C

Concat

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Joined
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Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Yeah it's being towed there. Never did find a turbo leak. Turbo intercooler had like a litre of oil in there.

God I hope it's not the cam and lifters. A new VNT 15 turbo I can live with, however...
 
jasonTDI

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Sounds like the turbo broke. I've seen a lot of BEW turbos break and wedge in place and SLOWLY leak oil one direction or the other or not at all. Just dog slow.
 
C

Concat

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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Looks like the VNT 15 is around the same price, if not cheaper, than the stock KP39. At this point I really hope it just needs a new turby. Good excuse to go for a stage 4 Malone.

I just changed the oil about a week ago... replaced the fuel filter, air filter... went from 5w30 to 5w40. Could any of that be the source of my troubles? Upside down oil filter or something? I chopped it up to coincidence, but I don't know. She ran beautifully for a good 100 km afterwards.
 
C

Concat

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Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Mechanic called. Turbo impeller shaft broke.

I asked about turbo upgrades and he said the only one available to him is the VNT 17/22, which I don't really want. Too pricey with labor.
 
jasonTDI

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
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Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Get your own 17 and deliver it....I called that one. lol.
 
C

Concat

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Location
Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
That's exactly what I did. Silver lining to get an upgrade out this fiasco.

I just don't really understand the very first symptom I encountered.... very low power, high whine, but no smoke. I don't think it was limp mode, so wouldn't I be smoking like a mad man right away? Any insight in to this? It was about 15 km later that black smoke started billowing.

Thanks again. This forum and you members is such a godsend for us TDIers.
 
Vince Waldon

Vince Waldon

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Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Concat said:
wouldn't I be smoking like a mad man right away? Any insight in to this? It was about 15 km later that black smoke started billowing.
Click to expand...
In general low boost won't cause smoke... the engine notices that there's less air and the air-fuel map points to less fuel.

The black smoke that happened later was likely oil, not diesel, as the now-broken turbo shaft allowed oil to sneak by the seals and into either the intake or exhaust.

*Very* wise of you to have it towed at that point... enough oil in the intake and the engine either runs away on its own oil or bends a rod or two. :eek::)
 
C

Concat

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Oct 6, 2009
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Edmonton, AB
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2005 Jetta GLS TDi
Ahhh okay that makes sense. So that's what happens when I hear of run away engines...

Since the intercooler was full, I'm guessing the intake was puilling in oil. Scary. Mechanic said compression is okay, so that's good.
 
C

Concat

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Location
Edmonton, AB
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS TDi
VNT17 installed. Got the car back today. Feels like there's a little more oomph beyond 2k rpm, but there's also a bit more turbo lag. Pretty much what I expected.

Cost me about $100 less than stock replacement, according the the original quote my mechanic gave me... and that includes overnight international shipping and taxes ($150 combined).

Next up in clutch, then tune... but i need new brake pads and a windshield too. Might have to wait until next summer.
 
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