Turbo actuator issue? BEW w/VNT17 upgrade. Please help.

EuroTrasher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Location
Amarillo, TX
TDI
04 Golf PD
While driving usually long sustained distances, I'll push the pedal down and get basically nothing. No boost that I can detect whatsoever. If I turn the car off and back on, normal operation resumes, but often cuts out again. EGR has been removed and Kerma's "drop in" VNT17 turbo upgrade installed, but no reflash yet (I know, I know). Any hardware issues I should check? Software? I put about 20k on the car with the turbo upgrade and at least 5k with the EGR pulled, so why now if not a hardware issue? Ideas, suggestions, thoughts or referrals would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
-george
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
Do you have a boost gauge? Check for boost leaks in the intake tract from turbo to IM, then check all little vacuum hoses starting from the vacuum pump and working back.
 

EuroTrasher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Location
Amarillo, TX
TDI
04 Golf PD
Will do when I get a minute, but I'm still confused by the "reset" nature of the problem. I only have to cut ignintion power for a moment to get the turbo working again. Could a vacuum hose or boost leak cause this? As it's been, when it happens (which is getting more frequent) I push the clutch in, rev the engine high, and turn the ignition switch off and on quickly enough that the engine starts running again before it revs totally down, and then I have boost again. There's also a sort of fan sound when it looses boost. The boost leaks I've encountered on my car have all sounded like whistles.
 

jetta 97

Vendor
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Location
Dallas (McKinney) ,TX ,USA
TDI
2 X Jatta MK5 2006
Your ecu goes what calls to "limp mode",and when you turn key off it recycle
ECU and you get boost again. If you have VAG-COM, when this happening scan it and see for any codes ,also you can check your boost with VAG-COM,it may over boosting as you have some HP stuff on your car and stock ECU will see some problems and it will go to limp mode . Also having vacuum leak it will do same thing.
 

Tweekster

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 24, 2004
Location
Colorado
TDI
2004 Beetle
You really need the tune.

I had the same problem with mine, but it was even more pronouced at my altitude. The factory tune didn't work well in my case. Runs like dream now.
 

milehighassassin

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
Tweekster said:
You really need the tune.

I had the same problem with mine, but it was even more pronouced at my altitude. The factory tune didn't work well in my case. Runs like dream now.
Interesting, I am about to drop in a VNT 17. I had planned to run on OEM programming. Maybe I should reconsider? I am also in Colorado, driving from Fort Collins to Vail and back every weekend.
 

spleecho

I don't kill trees Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Location
Las Vegas, NV
TDI
1999.5 Golf TDI
I had a thread I started awhile ago about a similar problem, the reason you haven't been in limp mode by now is probably the computer isn't seeing overboost and low boost condition for long enough. If it's an overboost case, it needs to be constant for 10 seconds before it will cut the fueling and put you in limp mode. Go up a bigger hill, if you have a boost gauge keep it constant over 10 PSI for 10 seconds and you will feel it go into limp mode, you can set your watch by it. If no boost gauge then do it by feel, if it was me i would put some load on it with parking break but thats on you. Check the actuator too
 

spleecho

I don't kill trees Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Location
Las Vegas, NV
TDI
1999.5 Golf TDI
milehighassassin said:
What is the adjustment procedure for the VNT17 actuator?
There are bunch of posts on here how to do it, I found them when I needed to do it, but its almost impossible to get it right without a vagcom
 

KubotaPowered

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Location
Tucson, AZ
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI-PD
spleecho said:
I had a thread I started awhile ago about a similar problem, the reason you haven't been in limp mode by now is probably the computer isn't seeing overboost and low boost condition for long enough. If it's an overboost case, it needs to be constant for 10 seconds before it will cut the fueling and put you in limp mode. Go up a bigger hill, if you have a boost gauge keep it constant over 10 PSI for 10 seconds and you will feel it go into limp mode, you can set your watch by it. If no boost gauge then do it by feel, if it was me i would put some load on it with parking break but thats on you. Check the actuator too
What is the process on setting the actuator?
 

EuroTrasher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Location
Amarillo, TX
TDI
04 Golf PD
It had been about a year and a half before I started to see issues from the VNT-17 beyond replacing a couple of intake seals. Got ahold of VAG-COM, and Kubota's right about the "Boost Below Requested" code (or it was something like that. Accidentally deleted and havn't seen it again)
Anyways, I found one old intake seal I hadn't replaced (which I did) leak doesn't sound as bad now, but still there, still hitting limp mode. Had someone rev the engine while I sprayed soapy water onto every union past the turbo (everything I could get at with the skid plate on but the wheel well out) and the ends of the IC, no sign of it. Any other ideas? What am I missing?
 

milehighassassin

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Location
Fort Collins, CO
TDI
2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
For the record I have my VNT17 in with no tune and I am getting a underboost limp mode code. 2005 PD.

If you get this turbo plan on a tune, you will need it.
 
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