turbocharged798
Veteran Member
No they are not electric, they are vacuum with an feedback sensor. The one that was linked to will work fine.
2006 Jetta 1.9L PD TDI (BRM) code P0299
- Thread starter fanw01
- Start date
Whatever, some people like to beat a dead horse...
Cliffman
Veteran Member
Okay, did the startup test and the actuator DID NOT move.
. My son (the mechanic) put a vacumn gauge on the actuator and it DID NOT hold any vacumn what so ever.
turbocharged798
Veteran Member
Yup the actuator is dead. That is likely your problem.
Cliffman
Veteran Member
So this actuator controls the waste gate correct? Is it stuck open or closed? If stuck open that means the turbo is not spooling up all the way which will result in low boost, low power. If its stuck closed it will spool too high which will result in over boost. Good power but could damage the turbo by over spooling. Correct?
DanG144
Top Post Dawg
It is not really a wastegate, so open or closed postions are somewhat misleading - though they are often used.
It is made to fail to the low boost condition, where the vanes do not efficiently direct the flow to the turbine; this is the no vacuum condition. Equivalent to wastegate open.
It takes high vacuum to actuate the vacuum motor to direct the vanes to the most efficient angle. This is the equivalent to wastegate closed.
It is made to fail to the low boost condition, where the vanes do not efficiently direct the flow to the turbine; this is the no vacuum condition. Equivalent to wastegate open.
It takes high vacuum to actuate the vacuum motor to direct the vanes to the most efficient angle. This is the equivalent to wastegate closed.
Cliffman
Veteran Member
Well that makes since. Now all I need is a DIY actuator R&R...
Wgr73
Veteran Member
Good info, thanks guys!
Mike Aucott
Member
P0299 turbo underboost VW TDI
I got the P0299 fault code - turbo underboost - on my 2003 VW Golf TDI (193,000 miles). I found a loose vacuum line and fixed that, and cleared the code. Code came back. Next I checked vacuum on line going to actuator; it had about 5 inches Hg. Too low. I replaced all vacuum lines ($35), and vacuum now read 17 inches. I cleared code. Car drove better, but code came back under hard acceleration. I checked vacuum at first vacuum line nipple on the larger vacuum line that runs from the vacuum pump to the brake booster just downstream of the vacuum pump. It should be >25 inches Hg, but was only 17 inches, so clearly there was still a vacuum leak. Inspection revealed a crack in that larger vacuum line. I replaced that ($35), and now vacuum read 28 inches. Car ran better. But, again, code came back on hard acceleration. Getting frustrated, I crawled under car and looked at VNT. It was quite corroded; acually had a rusted out spot. I was encouraged by a useful youtube from IDParts, which said you can replace actuator on the car. Indeed you can. A new actuator cost $100, and I installed it relatively easily, with some contorting. The hardest part was installing the %$## spring clip that holds the arm of the actuator onto the lever on the turbo itself. But I did it with the help of a home-made tool made out of a piece of 3/8 inch metal tubing flattened at one end to hold the clip. You have to kind of feel your way, but when the clip goes on, you can tell. Anyway, I replaced the actuator and now the car runs like new. No more code. If there's a lesson in all of this, it's fix the easy, simple things first. The vacuum lines deteriorate over time; they can look OK but still not seal at the connections. And clearly the VNT actuator is subject to corrosion. It's easy to replace the vaccum lines, and may cure the problem. If that doesn't do it, check out the actuator; it's not that big a deal to replace it.
I got the P0299 fault code - turbo underboost - on my 2003 VW Golf TDI (193,000 miles). I found a loose vacuum line and fixed that, and cleared the code. Code came back. Next I checked vacuum on line going to actuator; it had about 5 inches Hg. Too low. I replaced all vacuum lines ($35), and vacuum now read 17 inches. I cleared code. Car drove better, but code came back under hard acceleration. I checked vacuum at first vacuum line nipple on the larger vacuum line that runs from the vacuum pump to the brake booster just downstream of the vacuum pump. It should be >25 inches Hg, but was only 17 inches, so clearly there was still a vacuum leak. Inspection revealed a crack in that larger vacuum line. I replaced that ($35), and now vacuum read 28 inches. Car ran better. But, again, code came back on hard acceleration. Getting frustrated, I crawled under car and looked at VNT. It was quite corroded; acually had a rusted out spot. I was encouraged by a useful youtube from IDParts, which said you can replace actuator on the car. Indeed you can. A new actuator cost $100, and I installed it relatively easily, with some contorting. The hardest part was installing the %$## spring clip that holds the arm of the actuator onto the lever on the turbo itself. But I did it with the help of a home-made tool made out of a piece of 3/8 inch metal tubing flattened at one end to hold the clip. You have to kind of feel your way, but when the clip goes on, you can tell. Anyway, I replaced the actuator and now the car runs like new. No more code. If there's a lesson in all of this, it's fix the easy, simple things first. The vacuum lines deteriorate over time; they can look OK but still not seal at the connections. And clearly the VNT actuator is subject to corrosion. It's easy to replace the vaccum lines, and may cure the problem. If that doesn't do it, check out the actuator; it's not that big a deal to replace it.
DanG144
Top Post Dawg
Good post, good troubleshooting.