2006 Jetta BRM ( Low Power , Black Smoke at Low RPM )

jwalkington

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Location
Alabama
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Hello all,

I recently bought a 2006 Jetta TDI. I bought it cheap because it had an issue. The car itself is in nice shape with only 124k miles. It runs and drives just has low power at low rpm and spits smoke out until 2k ish RPM. I got the car home and noticed that the intercooler was busted in two places. I went ahead and replaced the intercooler and it did help but did not solve the problem. It has similar symptoms to a BRM with a bad actuator. However I checked the actuator and it held vacuum. I also checked to ensure I had good vacuum going to the actuator and I did. I have also performed regular maintenance (change oil, air filter, fuel filter) I bought VCDS and have only used it on this car so im a novice. I cleared the codes after everything I have done thus far and the same codes came back with the addition of P0299 Boost Pressure Regulation (control range not reached) Codes are as follows:

Boost Pressure Regulation
P0299 - 000 - Control Range Not Reached - Intermittent

Mass Air Flow Sensor (G70)
P0101 - 000 - Implausible Signal

EGR System
P0401 - 000 - Insufficient Flow

The previous owner told me that a new cam was installed and did give me a receipt for it. (approx 10k miles on it)

I have not pulled the EGR yet to see if it is functioning.. Because I read that you can get this code if you have a boost leak as well. The MAF Sensor is a Bosch and looks fairly new. However I do not know how old it is. I did pull it and clean it with appropriate cleaner.

I am not sure how the cars are supposed to sound going down the road. When I am driving normally at any speed where the RPM's are at leak 2k I can hear a whistle with my windows up and radio off, Even at highway speeds. I feel it is louder than is should be for a stock car.

So I feel like I still have a boost leak somewhere..

Whats my next step?
 
Last edited:

sptsailing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
Safety Harbor, FL
TDI
2006 Jetta Manual, stock with Panzer Plate & Franko6 modified EGR cooler & CAM
The best way to make use of this forum is to search the forum thoroughly first, as numerous previous threads cover these topics, with some covering it quite well. I have found advice by Oilhammer, Franko6, OlRattler and others to have been quite helpful over the years. Based on what I have seen here and the experience with my 06 BRM Jetta, my guess is you have the typical cam fail, EGR cooler fail and intake manifold gunk buildup issues. The whistle is probably from the EGR cooler flap bearing blowout.
 

jwalkington

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Location
Alabama
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Me and the search button are best friends and we have spent hours together since I have bought the TDI. We have many more hours to spend together I am sure.

I have found a lot of information (maybe overloaded) LOL.

That is how I have got this far.

I remember reading about the EGR cooler flap bearing blowout, however, I think I remember reading that you would have signs it was leaking there as in oil around it. I will search it again and reread.

I have not yet inspected the Cam myself. The previous owner told me that a new cam was installed and did give me a receipt for it. (forgot to mention in my original post) It was only about 10k miles ago. I need to look at it to see myself.

Thank you for your reply.
 

Dalon

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2015
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 MKV Jetta TDI 1.9L - 210k 2013 Passat TDI - 27k
I got the MAF code you’re getting when I was getting a boost leak so make sure you don’t have a boost leak anywhere. Check hoses around intercooler/cooling fans. That’s where mine was. Turns out the hose got chewed up by the cooling fan
 

Rx7145

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 Jetta BRM
Try the zip tie mod. Sounds like the turbo act is not adjusted correctly or the turbo vains are stuck.
 

jwalkington

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Location
Alabama
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
I just performed the Charge Pressure Control Test and found high was 1081mbar and low was 958mbar. (difference of 123mbar) from what I have read this is acceptable and the zip tie mod would not help me?
 

jwalkington

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Location
Alabama
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Update

Updates:

I performed basic settings test 011 again. I got a different reading this time. (I think I left the A/C on the first time) Results as follows:

1050mbar
958mbar
92mbar differential

Acceptable correct?

I also performed basic settings test 003 Results as follows:

270mg/stroke EGR ON
270mg/stroke EGR OFF

No difference.

This being said I think I found my problem. I read acceptable ranges were from 450mg/stroke to 225mg/stroke. Does this mean the entire EGR itself is bad? I am not sure where to go from here. I will keep reading and searching.
 
Last edited:

Othin

Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2018
Location
Manitoba Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta
I had a similar problem when I bought mine. The hard plastic pipe that runs from the turbo around the block on the drivers side, it runs under the rad hose to a rubber hose at the bottom that ties to the cooler. This pipe hade a crack by the mount where it’s bolted to the block. I didn’t find it till a piece broke out and I had no boost. The car ran good just starting off at about 1700 RPM it would hesitate and dump a black cloud and go from there.
Good luck.
 

jwalkington

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Location
Alabama
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Well CAM FAILURE..

Ok so I pulled valve cover today and found that the Cam has failed for sure..even tho guy said it was just replaced with receipt ha ha.. oh well. So that being said I am going ahead and gonna change the following:

Cam
Lifters
Timing belt

Any other recommendations while I’m going this deep?

Thanks,
 

sptsailing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
Safety Harbor, FL
TDI
2006 Jetta Manual, stock with Panzer Plate & Franko6 modified EGR cooler & CAM
Get your CAM from Franko6, as he has a good reputation on this board for correcting CAM deficiencies. If there were one or more holes in the lifters, he will recommend changing the oil pump as well. Replace your EGR cooler with Franko6's modified cooler as well so that you will not have to bother with it again.
 

sptsailing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Location
Safety Harbor, FL
TDI
2006 Jetta Manual, stock with Panzer Plate & Franko6 modified EGR cooler & CAM
Clean the intake manifold and ports maybe?

Ok so I pulled valve cover today and found that the Cam has failed for sure..even tho guy said it was just replaced with receipt ha ha.. oh well. So that being said I am going ahead and gonna change the following:

Cam
Lifters
Timing belt

Any other recommendations while I’m going this deep?

Thanks,
I originally thought that Cam, Lifters and Timing Belt (including water pump) was going to be all I needed on my 147,000 mile TDI. As I dug into it, I was dismayed by the gunk in all of the intake components, including the cylinder head intake ports. Check your CV joints while you are at it, and while the axles are out of the car, check your front wheel bearings. I had bad CV joints and one surprisingly bad front wheel bearing. I was able to clean out the intake ports in the head by blasting with walnut shells from Harbor Freight, after engineering a shop vac fitting and a suitable blasting nozzle. The intake manifold was cleaned by boiling in Heat 'n Kleen Gold Medal Popcorn Machine Kettle Cleaner. Getting it out required a lot of work, as the EGR cooler and Turbo need to come out first.

If your car still has an original EGR Cooler, you should probably replace it with a modified one that cannot leak out of the flap shaft.
 
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