Recent content by Thomas Baumgart

Just recently my MAF sensor had to be changed as well at only about 41000km (25k miles?). Unfortunately it wasn't done on warranty over here in Germany, so the 100k miles drive train warranty isn't so bad at all. Yet I couldn't resist to disassemble the defective sensor and try to find out the...

Hi, I haven't been around for quite some time so I don't know if this has already been an issue but this site is so fantastic that it wouldn't matter if I mention it a second time: <http://volkswagen.msk.ru/> Allthough this is a Russian server most of the documents can be viewed as well in an...

Hi, just a weird idea but sometimes those ideas contain some truth: All the TDI engines are equipped with a dual momentum flywheel to reduce "torque vibration". Simply speaking this can be imagined as two fly wheels conected by a tosional spring. So we have a torsional swing that can easily...

Thermonuclear, if your turbo's shaft has an axial play of 1 or 2mm I'm sure the thrust bearing is blown, sorry. The radial play you mentioned sounds reasonable, though. If the shaft moved foreward by 1mm the compressor wheel would rub at the compressor front cover, the tolerances at these small...

Another possibility might be an inoperative VNT mechanism on the turbocharger, so that it won't supply enough pressure at the lower engine RPMs. Try to figure out if the VNT actuator is moving when stepping on the accelerator. If it won't move, have a look at the VNT control solenoid. Good...

Hi Brian, these are great pictures you posted here, thanks a lot! I recently encountered relay 109 problems on my Audi A3 TDI, too, and after I coldn't get the engine started for about five minutes in front of a green traffic lights while the drivers behind me got rather impatient ;-) I decided...

Check if the turbo VNT actuator is moving at low to mid RPM. If not, remove the vacuum pipe from the actuator and check for suction. If non present, it might be a problem with the charge pressure controlling valve. If present, the VNT actuating system might be stuck like the one of the turbo...

I drove a friend's Opel Astra 2.0 DTI (yes, they arrange the letters differently) but driving this 100hp car wasn't half the fun as my 90hp stock Audi A3 TDI. The torque is produced in a smaller rpm range and generally at higher rpms. I don't know if I'm right, but I had a look at the engine and...

Re: \"Cool\" running diesels?! This is an intersting question. I think it's rather difficult to explain what "cool-running" engine means when discussing every single step in the diesel process. A more global approach clarifies it, though. A modern diesel engine reaches efficiencies up to 35%...

SkyPup, thanks for this incredible explanation of the turbo operation. Upon special request I added a gif sequence of the moving NGV system to my page. The orientation of the NGV and the turbine wheel becomes clearer now. Unfortunately this file is rather large, so please be patient while...

Re: Can\'t left-foot brake, why? RabbitGTI, just an idea to help out of this situation: Possibly the breaking is signalled to the ECU by the break light switch. You might try to disconnect (or short, I don't know which way round) it just to figure out if it works this way, and if so, figure...

Upon recommendation of Valois and others I post this message again under its own topic. Just in case somebody is interested: I have recently bought a used Garrett VNT15 turbo and found the NGV actuating gear to be stuck. I then performed a thorough cleaning job and took lots of pictures. Though...

Upon recommendation of Valois and others I post this message again under its own topic. Just in case somebody is interested: I have recently bought a used Garrett VNT15 turbo and found the NGV actuating gear to be stuck. I then performed a thorough cleaning job and took lots of pictures. Though...

Just in case somebody is interested: I have recently bought a used Garrett VNT15 turbo and found the NGV actuating gear to be stuck. I then performed a thorough cleaning job and took lots of pictures. Though this turbo won't be used in a car (at least not yet), the pictures might give a good...

Re: Are the Jetta\'s lights too bright??? (Fricking Cops...) That's the reason that in Europe (at least in Germany) the servo motors with position switch for headlight beam angle are required. In some (higher class) cars this device works automatically. On cars with the new xenon headlights...