Organ Donor Needed: Got a blown A4 turbo?

If this post needs to be moved, I apologize for any inconvenience, but where else would I find a few blown turbos? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

My turbo (I think) is fine, but I have a bad actuator as the diaphram on mine is leaking and causing all kinds of control loop problems - like overboost - and it's out of warranty. I can't afford a whole new turbo just because I have a little problem like this with the actuator so, if you have a blown turbo and the actuator is still good, would you consider being an organ donor? If I can't fix my problem, I can't really dyno at the NE dyno day as all I do is go for a short fast ride and throw codes.

All I need is the actuator/plunger part. I can use my old control rod if you want to keep yours. If pity is not enough and cash helps I am also willing to pay. I have an A4 Jetta with 5-speed, but I think they all use the same turbo and actuator.

If you can help me out, please send email to chyoung@verizon.net. Thanks in advance!

--Betzel

Seems like alot of these actuator are failing lately. Looks like another weak link on the vnt.

To prevent that from happening, every time you change the oil, spray some white lithium grease on the linkage while you are down there. Works like a charm! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Charlie - i've got a couple - higher mileage ones - so if you can find a newer one that would be best... but it seems both of these older ones still work pretty well.

The white lithium spray grease is of some concern. With the open design espcially. If the grease gets down inside the bulb it can gum up the spring or collect dirt and wear the vacum bulb. Grease is not something that should be used on any moving part with that much exposure. A light oiling with a rubber safe spray oil would be a much better choice. Silicon or WD40 maybe...

OOOOH Geoff I want one of them!!

THe turbo I gave Mickey in exchange for his hybrid had a fubar diaphragm, so now mynew turbo doesn't have the control stuff. I need one. Pleeeeeeze?

wouldn't WD40 attract dirt like a magnet?

what about an aerosol version of dry grafite or something like "Rocol"'s dry Molly sulphide spray with or without the resin bonding applied cold and allow a few minutes to dry, not tried it on this application but works well on dry-slide applications and anti scuff

nah WD-40 is a "dry" lube bakes off and leaves little or no film....

it'll be more "attractive" than say dry graphite.

unlike a spray grease spraying wd-40 on a ruglar basis does two things:
cleans
and
replaces the lubricant...

the cleaning is almost more important than the lube.

the wear points on the VNT mechanism aren't really wearing much that would be benefited by a high pressure lube or grease...

clean and rust/dirt/contamination free is more important...

maybe a Boesheild T-9 type of spray instead of WD-40...

Geoff
Not to get off subject but was Lew's turbo worn the same as yours ?
Joe O

similar wear- not as bad - over boost issues also could have been contributed by scaley build up of rust/oxidation/deposits on the manifold where the ring rotates...

Well, after replacing the plunger I am still unable to fully accelerate without throwing an overboost code and going limp mode. So, the only things left to replace I can think of are the charge pressure / temp sensor and the turbo itself, which is starting to look like the prime culprit with a lever wear problem likely similar to Gewilli's and a few other folks. The turbo only has 78k on it and is out of warranty.

I am very bummed out. I suppose I could install a dawes device or a boostvalve, but I understand it is a bandaid approach and won't help for long.

Oh well, and dyno day is a week away...

Thanks to the club members who have provided their multifaceted assistance to help me out!!!

--Betzel

well at least you were able to eliminate that . . . unfortunately i doubt the MAP/IAT sensor will help much at all.

Don't buy a new one though to test it. just swap one with someone long enough to determine if its the problem... We did that on Lrpavlo's car in the long process of seeing if it would help.

Looking back the Dawes device probably helped quite a bit in making the turbo last as long as it did... Sooo... yeah you could use a Dawes (or dig through the perf secion and find the link for the parts at McMaster.com and order them yourself) or ya could get a new turbo /images/graemlins/frown.gif

my gut is starting to be proven right and it doesn't make me feel good . . . /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Betzel said:
I am very bummed out. I suppose I could install a dawes device or a boostvalve, but I understand it is a bandaid approach and won't help for long.


[/ QUOTE ]

Actually I don't think that it will help at all in your case... on the other thread you said that the ECU is pegging the duty cycle at max during the overboost... so the ECU is already trying to open the turbo vanes as much as possible... putting a dawes in the mix won't do anything in this case (assuming that your N75 works, which it should since you replaced it!) You can think of the dawes as a mechanical way to "simulate" a max duty cycle command from the ECU.

So... it looks like the problem is inside the turbo, but I think you guys already figured that out. /images/graemlins/frown.gif