My car sounds like a pigeon/dove/stupid bird...

[WVU TDI]

It's very odd/interesting.

Got my muffler chopped off Monday morning and finally got to drive the car a little today (don't drive much when I'm home), the thing sounds like some kind of cooing bird! Only happens when I clutch to shift while in boost, so I'd imagine its something with the turbo releasing pressure, just wanted to make sure something isn't wrong with my car.

It's an '01 Golfer btw.

 

[Powder Hound]

It is the turbocharger spooling down. Mine does it when you're on boost, 3/4 or more throttle, between 2000-2500 rpms when you shift. Something similar to yours, I assume. I'm figuring the VNT vanes close, and the sudden lack of exhaust pressure causes it. No biggie.

 

[TonyJetta]

Search on youtube for straight pipe TDI...you should find several models that you can at least hear on your computer.

Tony

 

[WVU TDI]

I don't think I need that much throttle for it to happen, but it sounds similar.

Mostly I just thought it was hilarious.

 

[nicklockard]

It's surge, but as Powder Hound noted, it doesn't matter since there's no imposed load on the engine. You're just spooling down residual exhaust pressure between shifts. However, it's possible your VNT vanes have become coked and either don't move quickly as they should or with as much deflection as they should because this sound you describe is normally only evident to people with chips/tunes/bigger nozzles/etcetera (your little PP520's don't count ). Check for vane mechanism deflection by hooking up a Mityvac hand held vacuum piston and feel the rod move with your other hand. It should travel 3/4 of an inch from ~3-16 (forgot what units the Mityvac has.)

If it moves in a jerky fashion or doesn't respond, then you'll need to look into it further.

 

[WVU TDI]

psht, whatever! I got the super special mega power edition PP520s!

But yeah... I really need to check my actuator and such, I had an on again off again overboost(vag-com indicated 2560mBar, weeee)/limp mode problem that has magically disappeared ever since I installed the PP520s.

 

[nicklockard]

hehe, SMPE-PP520'S eh?

Def. sounds like your actuator is stuck. It can cause other problems if not addressed. Recommend you fix or put stock nozzles in until properly addressed.

 

[WVU TDI]

Anything turbocharger related scares me to death... I would honestly consider just letting someone else handle the testing and, if needed, fixing of the actuator. Any thoughts on what say, having an actuator replaced, would cost?

 

[NarfBLAST]

My local VW Dealer quoted me $2000 to replace the actuator (they will not replace the actuator, they said I had to put in a whole new turbo)

I bought one for $159 and installed it myself.

They are now down around $99.

See "VNT Actuator" link in my signature for more info on how to check and or replace and where to buy one.

Do you have a boost gauge? It will help diagnose the problem and also would help adjust the new actuator. Also boost gauges are just fun to look at.

 

[WVU TDI]

Don't worry, dealership was never an option.

I don't have a gauge, but I set my laptop, measuring group 11, in the passenger seatevery now and then

 

[Powder Hound]

Oh, please! Some of you guys are throwing parts at a non-problem! If the actuator was stuck, it wouldn't be heard to spool down at all! Or at least, it would be so slow as to sound like a tired siren rather than a bird call. Sheesh. And you complain about stealerships throwing parts!!

 

[WVU TDI]

I dunno on the noise, but I was having the overboost problem before. Dunno how the previous owner drove the car, but I've been on it pretty hard a lot this past year, lots of fun WV hill climbs, I may have been slowly clearing it out.

 

[larithmos]

Like a whistle...