VAG-Aficionado
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2009
- Location
- Washington (State not city)
- TDI
- 2002 Golf GLS (x2)2002 Jetta Wagon 2005 Passat Wagon
So my VNT17 (bought from a reputable vendor) ate the inducer. When I installed it 6k miles ago i did all the prescribe methods of installation:
* flushed my entire intercooler and piping
* changed the oil, filter, and air filter
* cleaned the turbo intake pipe
* 20k miles ago when i was doing a 5spd swap I flushed the oil cooler and oil feed line. Flushed the EGR cooler, cleaned the intake manifold, and cleaned EGR.
* I flushed the return line and fitting that goes into the block.
* I primed the turbo with oil manually and also with the bump start method with the Injection pump unplugged
I did notice some axial play before I installed the turbo, but felt it was ok since it was new and it wasn't coming into contact with the housing (i just rebuilt my 7.3 turbo w/400k miles that had similar).
I'm only running 18lbs boost and 5mg IQ, so I am not over-fueling or over-boosting. My catalytic converter was clean, so there is no back pressure issues.
So the circumstancing leading up to the turbo eating itself, was that I was cruising on the highway around 65. I was hearing a high pitched tinny noise under slight load, which worried me a little. I drove around 100 miles like this. Then the next morning I was driving to my shop to go inspect, when the turbo made the tell tale sign of worn/broken fins (i whirring/fluttering air noise). I was praying for a boost leak, none to be found, and when I opened it up I found this:
https://imgur.com/LkMoWMI
you can see there is a consistent wear mark in the housing, but there is also some debris marks (which I believe is from the turbine blades that sheared off the next morning)
The retailer said that its obvious that the damage was caused by a foreign object and to not waste my time or money as my warranty will be rejected. They were somewhat hostile when I tried to explain the circumstances and that their was noise of the the turbine hitting the housing and then the next day there was a failure in one or more of the fins (i suspect a heat/cold cycle made the metal brittle and when it came in contact with the housing it broke). You can see there isnt much damage to the housing besides the turbine contact and what appears to be minor pitting....I will know more when I get the turbo off an inspect (it could just be flake from the turbine and no pitting).
I want to get some second opinions and what other people have experienced dealing with warranty (what I have read is not promising)...and if it was foreign damage how could this even happen with an entirely clean and clear intake path (not even a spec of dust post filter). Wouldn't a foreign object cause issues before 6k miles?
* flushed my entire intercooler and piping
* changed the oil, filter, and air filter
* cleaned the turbo intake pipe
* 20k miles ago when i was doing a 5spd swap I flushed the oil cooler and oil feed line. Flushed the EGR cooler, cleaned the intake manifold, and cleaned EGR.
* I flushed the return line and fitting that goes into the block.
* I primed the turbo with oil manually and also with the bump start method with the Injection pump unplugged
I did notice some axial play before I installed the turbo, but felt it was ok since it was new and it wasn't coming into contact with the housing (i just rebuilt my 7.3 turbo w/400k miles that had similar).
I'm only running 18lbs boost and 5mg IQ, so I am not over-fueling or over-boosting. My catalytic converter was clean, so there is no back pressure issues.
So the circumstancing leading up to the turbo eating itself, was that I was cruising on the highway around 65. I was hearing a high pitched tinny noise under slight load, which worried me a little. I drove around 100 miles like this. Then the next morning I was driving to my shop to go inspect, when the turbo made the tell tale sign of worn/broken fins (i whirring/fluttering air noise). I was praying for a boost leak, none to be found, and when I opened it up I found this:
https://imgur.com/LkMoWMI
you can see there is a consistent wear mark in the housing, but there is also some debris marks (which I believe is from the turbine blades that sheared off the next morning)
The retailer said that its obvious that the damage was caused by a foreign object and to not waste my time or money as my warranty will be rejected. They were somewhat hostile when I tried to explain the circumstances and that their was noise of the the turbine hitting the housing and then the next day there was a failure in one or more of the fins (i suspect a heat/cold cycle made the metal brittle and when it came in contact with the housing it broke). You can see there isnt much damage to the housing besides the turbine contact and what appears to be minor pitting....I will know more when I get the turbo off an inspect (it could just be flake from the turbine and no pitting).
I want to get some second opinions and what other people have experienced dealing with warranty (what I have read is not promising)...and if it was foreign damage how could this even happen with an entirely clean and clear intake path (not even a spec of dust post filter). Wouldn't a foreign object cause issues before 6k miles?
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