Engine "breathing" or "huffing" sounds when turbo kicks in

Hi, everyone, I'm a newbie, but have owned diesels in the past (79 aka 80 Rabbit, 84 and 86 Merc TurboDiesels), but this is my first TDI: 2001 Jetta with 96K (practically new).

Anyway, I was putting it through its paces the other day -- trying to push it a little to see what it can do -- and when I got back into the city (I live in Brooklyn) I noticed that the engine was making a huffing sound when the turbo kicked in. It's sounds like rushing air, but it's in addition to the regular turbo whine I normally hear.

I'm not too concerned about it, but I fear I might have "pulled" something. There were little flecks of oil on the engine cover too, which could have come from the road, but there was no oil splatter on the car's body, outside the engine bay, that I could see.

No "check engine" lights are illuminated and the oil level is OK.

The huffing sound and oil flecks concerned me enough to ask for advice. Someone recommended that I check the air intake and crank case vent. Are there any other places I should look to fix this rushing air sound? Does anyone know if there's a larger issue?

I had this same problem, if you look aroun the piping after the turbo but before the intercooler, there is an odd bean shaped pipe thing. Remove this, be careful it probably has a bunch of oil in it. Go around to all the bolts on the perimeter of the part and tighten them. That is where my noises were coming from, when the turbo spools up it'll force air out there and some of the oil sprays out with it. I tightened those down and my problem was fixed.

Thanks so much, larithmos, I'll give this a try and get back if (when) it works.

Best,
Dan

my cat became disconnected and hangs down from the tailpipe on my 00 jetta tdi now, and I have the same noise your talking about. I guess after the length of pipe the noise quites down some, or the muffler takes care of it.

To me it sounds like a lot of rushing air.

Oil on the engine cover on the right side of the car? In the area of the EGR valve? Check the 90 degree hose that connects the intercooler pipe to the EGR valve. I've found several with splits in them. Bleeds boost when turbo kicks in, making a noise.

Thanks again, folks, for your input. I ordered a shop manual today, because I don't know my way around this engine very well. Until the manual gets here, I'll contemplate these answers (and any others people care to add) while keeping an eye on the oil level.

I agree with the other guys, you seem to have popped something loose or off, maybe even split a hose a little. Some good detective work will find it.

They are probably right.. but another possibility is that your intake or snowscreen is clogged, and the spring-loaded bypass flap is opening up. That wakes a whooshing sound, too. Check those other intake hoses first, though... it is more likely that.