Sticking vanes

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
There are 3 bolts holding the exhaust to the turbo hot side. The vanes are stuck on the turbo Looks like you have to have tiny hands to get in there and remove the nuts.

I'd like to use the Easy off technique to remove these nuts.

My luck lately with removing nuts like this which will probably be stubborn has been:

1) Soak with your favorite penetrating oil for a few hours.
2) Come back and find that one nut (always the last one it seems) won't budge even with extensions, quality 6 point sockets and breaker bars.
3) Round the nut off.
4) Pull out the torch.
5) Watch it all go up in flames.
6) Pull out the fire extinguisher.
7) Call the fire department. (Not yet)
8) Lose a day or 2 with easy outs, drills, reverse drill bits, extractors.

Any pointers on removing these nuts? Tired of repeating this same routine on every automobile I work on.

Thanks.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Is the turbo on a bench? It's a lot easier to do off car. But honestly... With how cheap turbos are... Just replace it with another stock one. More times than I can see, cleaning vanes only lasts a few months before it comes back.
 

Lex4TDI4Life

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Location
NorCal
TDI
2001 Golf-Ute TDI GLS 5spd Manual
Give it more than a few hours of penetrating oil. Also, step your game up from PB Blaster to Kroil or even 50/50 ATF and acetone. The replace your turbo entirely and either EGR delete and/or CCV delete.
 

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
Thanks, the turbo is not on a bench actually. It's still on the car. I soaked in Kroil by the way.

Nero Morg...you say cheap. You saved my tail with a cheap valve body. Would you mind talking cheap turbos?

Thanks.

Lex4, this is an auto so I am scared to delete the EGR/ASV. Thoughts on that?

Thanks.
 
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Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Call up Cascade German in Gresham, OR, I know sometimes he has euro turbos that'll fit the alh significantly cheaper than a stock unit. Otherwise I'd get a regular vnt15 from them or idparts.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Either way you need to take the old turbo off. If your going to replace it or clean it. Don’t use the easy off method which has mixed results that don’t last long. Remove the turbo and disassemble it and give it a proper cleaning. I believe there is a how to write up on this forum some where.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
As mentioned, it's really hit and miss whether you can unstick vanes, permanently. If the vane backing plate is warped, which they can do, then you're pretty much not going to resolve (can trying grinding, but from what I've read it's still a crapshoot). My wife's old car had paritally sticking vanes; I drove it when I could get my hands on it and I beat it pretty good and eventually the turbo.vanes smoothed out and worked perfectly.

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.ph...x-sets-engines-turbos-injection-pumps.434593/

Darksides (in the UK) might be another to check, but unsure if they seel vnt15s.
 

PakProtector

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Location
AnnArbor, MI
TDI
Mk.4's and the Cummins
On the nuts, 6-point only. Warm the car and hose it down with good penetrating oil. Probably takes a bit of repeating...which is a PITA while the car is not functional/behaving properly.

In the meantime, discover if the vacuum can and its spring can even move the thing back and forth on its own. When the car has been sitting, the lever is UP, when vacuum applied during idle, it is down against the screw stop( vacuum applied. A mityvac to do when the car isn't running might be best. It is a PITA to see with a mirror.

I had no luck resurrecting mine; and it never came back once I put a new VNT17 in there. Mine also moved quite freely, and it had no sticky spots when no exhaust was flowing. It did the classic vnt-failure limp mode overboost until I took it off.
cheers,
Douglas
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Some of the trusted vendors have eBay stores and sell some of their products there . Metalmanparts, idparts, cascadegerman, tunemyeuro, but I’m not sure they sell turbos on eBay. If they do the products listed will be at or slightly higher than if you go direct to their website. The eBay vendor you need to beware of is that tdi killer known as prothe.
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
I cleaned my vanes (turbo off the car - only way to really do it) and it lasted a few years and over 40K miles. Still was working when I sold the car.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I sprayed some dry moly around the vanes and I don't have stuck vanes anymore.
Nothing scientific but I think it's some of the reason my vanes haven't stuck lately.
In fact they are very free moving.
I read something, somewhere about moly in oil burnishing into the cylinder walls.
Somebody selling something...
 

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
Either way, does anyone know what size or part number for the c clip applies?

Looks like the last owner never installed it. The lever fell off as I was fiddling around.

Is the c-clip absolutely necessary?

Any pointers on getting the arm back on?

Thanks again.
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Either way, does anyone know what size or part number for the c clip applies?

Looks like the last owner never installed it. The lever fell off as I was fiddling around.

Is the c-clip absolutely necessary?

Any pointers on getting the arm back on?

Thanks again.
Idparts carries them
 

snakeye

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Location
Montreal, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta and Wagon, GLS 5sp
C clip isn't that necessary. Just bend the actuator slightly inwards and it'll stay on.

When I did my turbo I went for the bolt remover from the start for those 3 nuts. They're a pita and they shouldn't be put back on anyway, so I didn't mind destroying them.

At the price it sells for, the id parts reman vnt15 turbo is the way to go imo. I've had it for the past
20k km and it's working flawlessly. Easy off never worked for me, but I'd try fatmobile's idea if I still had the old one on.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I forgot to mention I took the the turbo cartridge out,
cleaned the vanes
THEN sprayed them down with dry moly.
It's like slip plate but uses molybdenem (spelling?)
instead of graphite.

It wasn't done with the turbo on the car.

The nuts holding the turbo to the downpipe are 12mm right?
VW usually makes exhaust nuts that are easy to remove,
copper or something.
Sometimes with a thin slice for spray to penetrate.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Either way, does anyone know what size or part number for the c clip applies?

Looks like the last owner never installed it. The lever fell off as I was fiddling around.

Is the c-clip absolutely necessary?

Any pointers on getting the arm back on?

Thanks again.
I'm not positive but I think it's 1/8 or 3/16 inch.

If I left it off the arm would have popped off :(

I had no problem loosing the clip when I took it off but lost it the first time trying to install it.

I tied a piece of thread to the next one and it was easier to find when it dropped again. :)

Last, I found once I started giving the car an Italian tune-up every morning and night going to & from work I never had trouble with sticky vanes again.

I did not have to take the turbo off, but did work the arm for a few minutes with the actuator disconnected.
 

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
Thanks all, so the Easy-Off method didn't work. The vane actuator really freed up but no boost at all. My idea is to get rid of the car or maybe get a new turbo. Easy come, easy go I guess....this is a $500 car with an O1M and rusty fender on one side/rocker on the other.

Here are some of the options that I have come across:

Frans Used or Remanned. I sent him a PM but have heard nothing back. I have seen an issue here with one of his turbos too.
Stigan....suggested by some here and have seen posts with bad luck on them too.
Mahle....have seen posts where things aren't lining up but (maybe) this has been fixed?
IDParts remanned....getting up there in price for a reman. I haven't seen much data on it here.
IDParts new....just too much money for this car.
CARDONE 2N506 (new)....have had good luck with their new stuff in the past but is this Chinesium? It has a heart next to it on Rockauto which is usually good news. Just $418 bucks.
Cascade German (forgot about this) Calling now.

I am lazy and don't want to do the job twice but grudge putting this much money out for a car in this shape...but the engine only has 177k.

Plus I have to budget for additional accessories like feed and return lines right?

Thoughts?

Thanks.
 
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Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
Dutch Auto Parts is an approved vendor here. His "used" turbos have a new CHRA but a used manifold. Frans is 12 hours different from us, so it may take a couple of days to get a response.
 

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
Dutch Auto Parts is an approved vendor here. His "used" turbos have a new CHRA but a used manifold. Frans is 12 hours different from us, so it may take a couple of days to get a response.
Copy....I just tried Gresham Auto Parts. Good prices on new ones but no used ones.

Nevada_TDI, one of your posts had you as a fan of the Stigan turbo. Are you still a fan or mehhh? Lol.

Thanks.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Anybody ever hear of drizzling water down the intake with the car at roughly 3k rpm to clean the vanes? Or ever try it yourself? I've heard of it cleaning them well.
 

Johhny04

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Markham, Ontario
TDI
2003 Jetta TDi
Anybody ever hear of drizzling water down the intake with the car at roughly 3k rpm to clean the vanes? Or ever try it yourself? I've heard of it cleaning them well.
i've seen this on you tube but don't know how much is real or fake. Some say on older larger commercial diesel engines this was used as a method of cleaning. Maybe someone with commercial experience could comment.
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
TBH, I haven't heard anything bad, but have been off my radar for a long time.
Dutch A/P sells good used turbos for great prices with great warranty too.
 

2002_auto_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Virginia
TDI
03 5spd wagon and 02 01m sedan
TBH, I haven't heard anything bad, but have been off my radar for a long time.
Dutch A/P sells good used turbos for great prices with great warranty too.
Their reviews are making it tough to extrapolate. If I do this, I will wait for Dutch A/P or go with IDParts reman. I don't like the picture though...shows a Mehle. Lacking attention to detail like this makes me a bit nervous.


Looks like it comes with alot of the required line items at this price though.

I wonder what the Dutch A/P reman comes with...also wondering if either is the upgraded Garrett I read about that is supposed to be more durable and/or better for people who like to lug their cars around in town.
 
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