"Wastegate Actuator"?

energyflux00

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
I brought my 2000 ALH into a local shop who specialize in VW/Audi and do a lot of work on TDIs. I lost my boost, and have followed CanadianGrizzly's troubleshooting with no luck. In the past it has served me well.

After following his troubleshooting guide (shoutout to CanadianGrizzy), I suspected that there was something wrong with the "Wastegate Actuator". This is what most posts I've read on the topic refers to as the arm, which pulls the vanes open or closed via vaccum. I realize I do not have a wastegate on my ALH.

The mechanic who looked at it told me the "arm" that goes into the turbo is broken, and that he cannot source just the part. He says you can only source them along with a whole new turbo these days as the part itself has been discontinued.

Before I make any decisions, I found this on IDParts. And it sure as hell looks exactly like the part I've read referred to as a "wastegate actuator". https://www.idparts.com/vane-actuator-vnt-15vnt-alh-038198716-df434855-0015-p-530.html

Is this the same thing on my ALH? If so, is this mechanic lying to me about it not being manufactured anymore? Or am I looking at something different on IDParts?

Thank you in advance.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
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north nj
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2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Same part. You do not need to buy a whole turbo. It can be changed while on the car.
I would suggest getting a couple C clips as they have a tendency to shoot in every direction when trying to put it on.
I’ve found that HF has a Box with different sizes including the one you need….it’s like ten bucks for 100 assorted sizes.
I don’t think he’s lying……giving him the benefit of doubt he may not know about it.
If you don’t have a mity vac I would suggest getting one as you will need it to set up the actuator. 3-5” for the actuator start moving and fully open on the stop by 18” of vacuum.
Make sure the lever moves freely first …..otherwise you may have to pull the turbo to do a vane cleaning.
 
Last edited:

energyflux00

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
Same part. You do not need to buy a whole turbo. It can be changed while on the car.
I would suggest getting a couple C clips as they have a tendency to shoot in every direction when trying to put it on.
I’ve found that HF has a Box with different sizes including the one you need….it’s like ten bucks for 100 assorted sizes.
I don’t think he’s lying……giving him the benefit of doubt he may not know about it.
If you don’t have a mity vac I would suggest getting one as you will need it to set up the actuator. 3-5” for the actuator start moving and fully open on the stop by 18” of vacuum.
Make sure the lever moves freely first …..otherwise you may have to pull the turbo to do a vane cleaning.
Thanks man. I do have a Mityvac which held pressure depending on how hard I pushed in the plastic nozzle into the vacuum tube to the left of the N75. If not pushed in hard enough, it wouldn't hold. Ends of the tube were a little frayed. It did hold if I pushed it hard enough in though. Which is why I brought this into the shop.

The actuator was not rusted out last I had eyes on it from the exterior, so the possibility that the arm is broken as the mechanic says checks out.

You're right, the mechanic might not know about it. But he did specifically say you can't buy this part by itself anymore and that it isn't manufactured anymore (the owner of the shop said the same). But a diesel mechanic who is unaware of IDParts? I dunno... with the world we live in.
 

pedroYUL

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MI, USA
TDI
2015 Passat CVCA; 2015 GSW CRUA; 2012 wagon CJAA; 2004 wagon BEW
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
I’d hook directly to the actuator and verify with you own eyes that the lever is moving stop to stop…..don’t take his word for it. I have never heard of the rod breaking , lever freezing up , actuator nor holding vacuum , binding actuator but never a broken rod……
 

energyflux00

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Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
My thoughts exactly regarding the rod and everything you just said. He said it was hard to tell because it was "up in the turbo" but the rod was broken. This is the 2nd turbo on this car. I got ripped off by a dealership around 60k miles, which I learned my lesson then and found this forum. No reason why this turbo should be replaced from what I can tell, but I'm amateur. Thanks again.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
We are here to help you…
 

pedroYUL

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2015 Passat CVCA; 2015 GSW CRUA; 2012 wagon CJAA; 2004 wagon BEW
Could you have a broken VNT lever? That would be pretty unusual, but in that case the mechanic is right, you would need a whole new turbo.

I think is worth having a look at the turbo and actuator yourself.
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
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2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
It depends on what is "broken". If it's the rod that is a part of the VNT actuator, then you're okay. If it's the lever arm that the rod is connected to, you will have to replace the turbo.
 

energyflux00

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Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
You both make good points.

Question being... how likely would a VNT lever just break like that on its own? I never took the turbo apart and neither has anyone else. I've only ever read about VNT levers breaking when someone went in there and messed with stuff/cleaning/etc.
 

pedroYUL

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Sep 8, 2011
Location
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TDI
2015 Passat CVCA; 2015 GSW CRUA; 2012 wagon CJAA; 2004 wagon BEW
It is not likely, but metal fatigue does exist, or a manufacturing defect.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
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May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Just a bit of claritt.
A wastegate is a valve that controls the amount of exhaust gas going to the turbocharger. A turbo actuator is a vacuum controlled device that adjusts the turbo vanes.
They essentially serve the same purpose, to control boosting.
If the rod (lever) connected to the vanes is broke, new turbo time, though you may be able to r+r it, maybe a weld or??
 

energyflux00

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
Just a bit of claritt.
A wastegate is a valve that controls the amount of exhaust gas going to the turbocharger. A turbo actuator is a vacuum controlled device that adjusts the turbo vanes.
They essentially serve the same purpose, to control boosting.
If the rod (lever) connected to the vanes is broke, new turbo time, though you may be able to r+r it, maybe a weld or??
Thanks man, and yeah I realize I do not have a wastegate and that the 2000 ALH uses a turbo actuator to control vanes regarding exhaust gas. I just didn't know the correct terminology when posting originally.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to welding equipment. I'm gonna clarify with the mechanic what he meant by "broken arm", and see what he comes back with. If its new turbo time, it'd be a total bummer since a new one would would make it the 3rd on this car at 200k (I got ripped off by a dealership at 60k for a new one when it was true limp mode).
 

BobnOH

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May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
.........snip..........Unfortunately, I don't have access to welding equipment.........snip..........
If it is that lever what operates the vanes, you might want to remove the turbo and take it to someone who does. If it can be repaired. Turbos are pricey.
If you're able, remove lower cover, get the car up in the air and have a look see at the turbo (including the vacuum actuator).
.........snip..........Ends of the tube were a little frayed..........snip..........
The vacuum lines are cloth covered. If you suspect they are original, you may want to just replace them all (silicone), including the injector returns (3mm Viton).
 

burpod

teh stallionz!!1
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Nov 27, 2004
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cape cod, ma
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82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
you can use a $.25 cent 1/4 circlip from the hardware store for the actuator. doesn't fit quite as snug as an OEM one but works perfectly fine
 

energyflux00

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Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
The vacuum lines are cloth covered. If you suspect they are original, you may want to just replace them all (silicone), including the injector returns (3mm Viton).
Thank you again. They aren't original; I replaced them myself about 8 years ago after finding they were the cause for limp mode.
 

energyflux00

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Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
I've actually broken the arm that actuates the vanes while trying to free up a stuck vane ring. This shop may have done the same thing.
Interesting.... the lever up in the turbo? Or the arm on the actuator which pulls the lever?
 

pedroYUL

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Location
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2015 Passat CVCA; 2015 GSW CRUA; 2012 wagon CJAA; 2004 wagon BEW
You could only break the lever by trying to exercise the VNT mechanism, as the actuator rod would need to be disconnected to do that.

If a VNT mechanism is stuck, and you are trying to move it by applying vacuum to the actuator, the whole thing would just not move, but nothing would break. You can then imagine, people will disconnect the actuator and apply vacuum to it alone, and/or move the lever to verify both parts of the whole system.

Check myturbodiesel, I believe they have a video explaining the whole VNT system in our turbos.
 

energyflux00

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Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
You could only break the lever by trying to exercise the VNT mechanism, as the actuator rod would need to be disconnected to do that.

If a VNT mechanism is stuck, and you are trying to move it by applying vacuum to the actuator, the whole thing would just not move, but nothing would break. You can then imagine, people will disconnect the actuator and apply vacuum to it alone, and/or move the lever to verify both parts of the whole system.

Check myturbodiesel, I believe they have a video explaining the whole VNT system in our turbos.
This right here is the golden answer. So basically what you are saying is that the VNT mechanism inside the turbo, or "lever" which the actuator arm pulls, would really only break if someone ****ed with it manually?

That is the sense I had on it too. Both rationally and intuitively.
 

energyflux00

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Joined
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Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
Interesting.... the lever up in the turbo? Or the arm on the actuator which pulls the lever?
I don't think they were trying to open up a vane ring because the turbo hadn't been taken off according to the mechanic. Unless you can do that without removing the turbo? (I can't imagine how).
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Yes you can move the vane with the lever while still on the car .
You cannot open up the turbo while on the car.
 

energyflux00

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Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Syracuse, NY
TDI
Manual 5-Spd 2000 mk4 1.9L Jetta 187,000mi ALH
Update:

Spoke with the owner and he was real straight with me. Said that his diesel mechanic told him it was the VNT lever, OR something else in the turbo that is stuck.

The owner said repairing it is beyond what they could do for me at the shop.

Gotta respect him for that. They aren't charging list price for a new one anyway ($1600).... so I bit the bullet and told them to just do it.

The clutch is new from 3 yrs ago. I've only got 197k on it.... should last a good while yet. It will rust out before it dies. Only major thing left to do on coming up here in the future is a timing belt change.

We love these TDIs. Either there is something really wrong with us, or something really right.

Thank you all for your expertise and your help. I'd have to take it to Port Jervis to a Guru for a proper repair, which is 4-5 hours away, and I don't want to drive it that far with no turbo.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
So you never got underneath and looked at it? You'll never know, hopefully your mechanic is trustworthy.
The turbo actuator is part of the turbo. many mechanics, especially dealers, will replace the whole turbo if the actuator is shot. $$$$$$
The actuator can be replaced separately at a fraction of the cost.
 
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