BRM Turbo Actuator Replacement Experiment?

cevans

TDIClub Enthusiast, TDI Parts Ninja Vendor , w/Bus
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Location
Hingham, MA
TDI
2015 Beetle Conv. TDI 6-Speed & 2006 E320 CDI
Its done! After a few designs and tweaks we completed the bracket. Here is a BRM turbocharger with the CBEA/CJAA actuator installed with the new bracket:


Here is the actuator with the new bracket on it:
 

D-Cell_Mekanick

Veteran Member
Joined
May 23, 2009
Location
Sandwich, IL
TDI
2015 Honda Civic SE
Its done! After a few designs and tweaks we completed the bracket. Here is a BRM turbocharger with the CBEA/CJAA actuator installed with the new bracket:


Here is the actuator with the new bracket on it:
Very nice! When will these be for sale and how much?
 

ro.sniper

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Location
T.O. Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Its done! After a few designs and tweaks we completed the bracket. Here is a BRM turbocharger with the CBEA/CJAA actuator installed with the new bracket:
This is absolutely brilliant! Awesome support for us BRMers.

Cheers,

Razvan
 

Krytie TV

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 18, 2013
Location
Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta
Didn't take any photo. I remove the plastic intake for more room. You will see your turbo expose. First thing is to find a clean cloth or something to clog or cover the turbo intake. The idea is to make sure that nothing can fall in that hole. You will now have lots more room to work your way to remove 2 hex that's holding the actuator on the turbo. One is in front, the second you need a little mirror to see it behind the actuator. I Used some socket tool with extension and also the socket tool that I use has pivot so it can get in to the curvy place. After remove 2 hex then. You need remove the nut on the bottom of actuator vain. Your actuator should be out of the turbo now. Remember to remove the cloth or what ever you use to block the turbo intake before you put the plastic intake back.
I tell you what, after 6 hours of trying to get any form of wrench or socket on either of the bolts, I have to call BS. I say that out of frustration, obviously, but I see no way apart from fabricating special tools to get something onto the bolts. The actuator rod, even when pressed down, is too close to the front bolt to get a socket, swivel or otherwise, on it. For the back one, between the turbo housing and the actuator, I see the same problem. I was unable to get a socket or wrench into that small space.

I am looking at the prospect of shaving down a socket to be thinner and hacking it to be shorter to see if that will work. If anyone has any insight into this procedure it would be incredibly helpful if you could provide some specifics. I started taking pictures of the process, but have to be able to get it off for it to matter.

For the record, I did remove the intake tubing to get more room. I find that what I think is the turbo oil line is smack in the way of getting any decently straight shot to the bolt.
 

slickkhan

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Location
Durham Region
TDI
Jetta
I tell you what, after 6 hours of trying to get any form of wrench or socket on either of the bolts, I have to call BS. I say that out of frustration, obviously, but I see no way apart from fabricating special tools to get something onto the bolts. The actuator rod, even when pressed down, is too close to the front bolt to get a socket, swivel or otherwise, on it. For the back one, between the turbo housing and the actuator, I see the same problem. I was unable to get a socket or wrench into that small space.

I am looking at the prospect of shaving down a socket to be thinner and hacking it to be shorter to see if that will work. If anyone has any insight into this procedure it would be incredibly helpful if you could provide some specifics. I started taking pictures of the process, but have to be able to get it off for it to matter.

For the record, I did remove the intake tubing to get more room. I find that what I think is the turbo oil line is smack in the way of getting any decently straight shot to the bolt.
can anyone chime in on this??
 

Krytie TV

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 18, 2013
Location
Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta
Could you write a couple of sentences on how you did it? People keep saying it can be done and is a PITA, but nobody says how. Might save a few hours or days of reinventing the wheel to know how to start. Any pointers?
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
go7 and hevster1 wrote some about it.. There's really not much more to say.. If you're mechanically inclined and have some low profile tools, and have some patience you can figure it out.. If not, you're better off bringing it to a guru to do it..

I work on cars for a living so I don't pay specific attention to every detail of every repair. Most of it is second nature to me. Sorry to not have more information but you're asking the wrong person for step by step info..
 

scrichy84

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Location
St. Helens, OR
TDI
2006 Jetta, Manual
To get the bottom rod off, you need a 1/4 drive ratchet, 2 long extensions, a wobbly socket, and a 10mm deep socket. It is easier to have someone above with a light and a regular screw driver to help guide the deep socket on the rod and the nut.

For the ones above...take the surrounding plastic stuff off (if your kit comes with a red turbo hole cover use it, other wise shove a rag in there).

And as TDIJetta99 said, you just need to find a variety of short wrenches, thin walled sockets and patience to work the bolts off. I believe we even ground a socket down so it was really short to loosen a couple bolts, then we were able to get them off with a sideways wrench or our fingers. It is the STUPID dome shaped metal guard on the original actuator that prevents ease of removing. I hope that helps...it has been a long while since I replaced mine and I have tried to block the memory out as there is much frustration involved...at one point we contemplated removing the turbo or even the whole motor...but in the end the frustration is worth it.

Oh, and the frustration disappears as you drink more beer :)
 
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Krytie TV

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 18, 2013
Location
Detroit
TDI
2006 Jetta
go7 and hevster1 wrote some about it.. There's really not much more to say.. If you're mechanically inclined and have some low profile tools, and have some patience you can figure it out.. If not, you're better off bringing it to a guru to do it..
Yes, they did. Something along the lines of I had some swivel tools and patience and *magic happens* all done. Scrichy84 was actually the first one to confirm that modifying tools and grinding sockets down was the way to go.

Thanks for your input though.

And thank you Scrichy84, your input was helpful. Now I know my next course of action.
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
Well, I don't remember modifying anything of mine to do it. there's no magic involved, just removing a few bolts that aren't easy to get at.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
 

ibexlatham

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Location
Willow Springs, IL
TDI
'09 Jetta TDI 6spd - dead
This debate between ground down tools or not ground down tools could also just boil down to the brand of tools used and variations in the size of the sockets between the brands...
 

ejpilger

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2006
Location
Honolulu, HI
TDI
2006 Jetta
Vane actuator replacement worked! Got the bottom bolt on the actuator rod from under the car with a chain of extenders and a long socket on a universal joint (put a bit of electrical tape on the universal to make it less floppy.) Got the other two bolts with a sawed off (few mm deep), ground down socket, moving the remaining nut on the actuator rod out of the way AND disconnecting the top of the oil feed line (watch the nut, it will slide all the way down the pipe.) Everything was 10 mm.

Had to grind down part of the mounting bracket on the part from IDparts before the two mounting holes would line up. Used the ground down socket to get the bottom nut on the actuator rod started, then the deep socket to put it in the right place. Had to use a screwdriver to guide it in to place from the top while using the extenders from the bottom. Only at the end did I notice that the vane lever butts up against the bottom of the mounting bolt. Since everything seemed to be in about the right place, I just snugged things up.

Took her out for a spin and the sound of the turbo spooling up and down was sweet music to my ears!

Must have taken at least 4 hours, start to finish. Could never have done it by myself. But it is doable, and yes, the replacement part is designed so putting it back together is way easier.
 

nesdon

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Location
LA
TDI
2013 JSW, 2009 & 1998 Jetta Sedans
Looking at the thing on my 2009 CR mkV, it seems like just the three fairly easy to reach bolts holding it on, the plug then the actuator rod nuts which I can't even see. do some other parts may need to be removed to get access?
 

Jesco

New member
Joined
May 6, 2008
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
2006 Jetta
Bracket Not Available

Called about the bracket and it seems they have stopped selling them. I was told they are trying to redevelop it. Anyone have any info on this?
 

1998993C2S

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Location
Georgia & Colorado
TDI
2006.5 Jetta Pkg2 DSG Navi
Thinking out loud .......

Although our BRM diesel's Borg-Warner turbo has its actuator's body fused with pop rivets, what if B-W could be convinced to offer the BRM "actuator" as a stand alone component ?

I'm wondering if/who B-W uses to source the actuator? B-W may not make the actual actuators. ..... Any idea where (country/city) the BRM B-W turbo production plant is?? Hungary? Maybe a production plant in China? China is a huge market for finished Volkswagen model cars; and others.

Hey .... I know a guy ...??
 
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N.CaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2010
Location
NorthBay San Francisco, CA
TDI
2005.5 Jetta
My actuator may be going out so want to see if I understand this. I guess IDparts is not selling the kit anymore? But I can use a newer actuator if I can get the old one off and mount the new one to my mounting bracket? The newer will work the same and plug into my harness?

Thanks in advance
 

CDN TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Location
Canada
TDI
2011 TDI Jetta 6MT, 1991 Turbo Diesel Jetta 5MT
My actuator may be going out so want to see if I understand this. I guess IDparts is not selling the kit anymore? But I can use a newer actuator if I can get the old one off and mount the new one to my mounting bracket? The newer will work the same and plug into my harness?

Thanks in advance
You can try repairing your actuator. I posted a DIY a few weeks ago. I posted it here and at vwvortex. I had to break it up into three sections because TDIclub limits the number of images allowed in a single post. Vortex doesn't have such restrictions. Here are both links:

DIY 2006 Jetta TDI BRM VNT Actuator Removal/Repair


DIY 2006 Jetta TDI BRM VNT Actuator Removal/Repair
 

N.CaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2010
Location
NorthBay San Francisco, CA
TDI
2005.5 Jetta
CDN TDI interesting and thank you for posting the pics it makes it clear how to take it off. Will be interested to see if the fix will hold. I think if is spent all that time taking it off and on I would like a new unit in installed.
 

1998993C2S

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Location
Georgia & Colorado
TDI
2006.5 Jetta Pkg2 DSG Navi
CDN TDI -

Many thanks ! Great documentation.

The part where a socket is ground down reminds me of when wrenching our MY98 911 (993) 3.6l .... Seems often enough the only way to service an engine compartment item is through cleaver means. Get the grinder . . . . That ought to do it!

Thanks again.
 
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