Mk3 caddy 1.9tdi bls running problem

Hi everyone. I hope you can help


My mk3 caddy 1.9tdi, BLS engine code is very gutless.

I got the van with 82k on the clock and with a new turbo fitted.

It struggles to even get to normal traffic speed.

You can hear the turbo spinning up.

I've had it on vcds and after deleted old messages, nothing new came back up other than it missing the outside air temp sensor.

I've cleaned the egr which looked ok to start with

I've tried another maf, n75 and boost pressure sensor off my mates caddy.


I did get mad on the last test and booted it, lots of black smoke but had poke. It then dropped and eventually died on me.

Just incase I needed to tow home, I removed my mates maf sensor to find the intake filled with diesel fumes.

The caddy still doesn't start, just turns over.

There's also a little play with the turbo impeller even though it looks brand new.


Any help would be greatly appreciated as this is supposed to be my new daily to go work in.

Cheers, lee

Did you check the intake manifold for coking? My car exhibited these symptoms when I first bought it and it was because the intake manifold was so coked up that air couldn't flow through.

Yeah, it's not that bad at all to be honest.


It restarted earlier but looks like the turbo is pushing fumes back towards the maf

Just tried another egr, no change

Then blanked off the exhaust port to egr with tin, no change.

Van restarted for a few seconds before it died. Smoke/fumes again in the intake pipe


Is my turbo kerput?

I don't think so. Turbo spun up good before. Your cam timing needs a look and of course any new codes.

The play in the turbo, more than 2 mm or so?

Just looks like it's now choking on its own fumes. I'd say around 2mm up and down movement.
Could I have blown the turbo seals now

If the play is longitudinal with the shaft, might be ok. There should be no radial play that you could feel with your hand.

I've noticed oil up the back of the engine. Looked up and see its on the turbo boost hose. Quite obviously been leaking into the intercooler too as when I pulled the bottom IC hose off, it left a nice puddle on my drive.

Also spotted that the exhaust side of the turbo is now shiney too

Black smoke, sooty black smoke is an indication of air fuel mixture problems; made me think of cam timing/injection timing issues.

If the smoke is blue/grey then its burning oil. Oil is heavy and can sit in a low spot in an intake system and not be pulled in to the combustion chamber. A good boot might suck it up.

Was she smoking black or blue/grey? You need to correct the oil leak. Was the turbo movement radial? If so, the turbo is bad and likely the source of the oil in the intake.

Your diesel will burn oil and make power regardless of the oil, all else being OK. If your exhaust is black, there are fuel injection issues. If blue/gray than you are likely burning oil from the oil supply to the turbo bearing which should have no radial movement perceptible by hand, 2 mm of radial motion is way too much.

I've ordered a cambelt kit inc water pump to do a service whilst I have the side stripped down to check the originals alignment. I've also brought a low mileage used turbo off a touran which should obviously have the actuator already set up. Hoping a good service and turbo will sort it.
Will keep you posted