HELP!! Suspect turbo issue

[Erlingtheelder]

Morning all,

So Tonka, my remapped 193k mile amf 1.4 tdi,has this morning lost all its go.

It will rev when not under load and in early gears but it’s like the turbo has simply disappeared overnight. On a sharp gradient (of which I have many on the way to and from work) it’s almost undriveable.

By best guess is a pipe having let go but any advice or a scan in either west Oxfordshire or Gloucestershire around Cheltenham or Gloucester would be greatly received.

 

[A2Steve]

Can you hearing a whooshing if air when pressing the accelerator?

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Not obviously. I’ll pop out and have a listen

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Having now listened, yes there seems to be more of a whoosh than normal.

 

[audifan]

That does sound like the pressurised air is leaking somewhere. Check all the air pipes from the turbo through the intercooler and up into the engine. There could be a loose connection or a split or holed pipe. The other favourite leak is the intercooler splitting the metal end cap and blowing out the rubber seal. It will look something like this...

 

[audifan]

Also worth checking the small rubber pipes to and from the turbo to the N75 valve on the bulkhead as they ca split or fall off.

 

[A2Steve]

All good advice from Graham. Sounds like the turbo is spooling but pressured air is escaping somewhere. Surprised you don’t have a warning light though as the map should pick it o

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Thanks for this gents. Really helpful

 

[Erlingtheelder]

That does sound like the pressurised air is leaking somewhere. Check all the air pipes from the turbo through the intercooler and up into the engine. There could be a loose connection or a split or holed pipe. The other favourite leak is the intercooler splitting the metal end cap and blowing out the rubber seal. It will look something like this...

View attachment 71627

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Not the best photo but looks like the intercooler is our culprit.

 

[Erlingtheelder]

 

[Erlingtheelder]

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Would that seem likely given these and if so how best to proceed?

 

[Proghound]

Does anyone know if the BHC and AMF use the same intercooler? Reason I ask, my BHC Storm is going into WOM next week for a ProAlloy upgrade, and the OEM one coming off it only has 93k on it - a whole 100k less than your dead one!

When I collect the car from WOM (which may be the week after), I could drop the old one off with you. All FOC, of course

 

[Erlingtheelder]

That would be absolutely amazing as (assuming that’s the issue and they are interchangeable) guess who’s going to be fitting the new one!!! In fairness I’d planned on having the car to go in for its Cambelt and oil chain change anyway early next year so that’ll just be happening a bit earlier now. I suspect @chumsofmanutd will know the answer?

 

[Proghound]

From the thread for the more recent ProAlloy order:

The intercooler that Pro Alloy Motorsport produce for the A2 uses the later 12mm MAP sensor. If your A2 currently uses the older 18mm sensor, a new 12mm sensor will be needed. A blanking plate for the sensor hole will be provided for use in A2 TDIs that do not have a MAP sensor fitted in the intercooler (such as the TDI90). All intercooler kits are supplied with bolts suitable for mounting the MAP sensor or the blanking plate.

So it seems that while the overall intercooler dimensions are the same for all the TDI's, the MAP sensor bolted into it (on the TDI75) changed size at some point during production. Correspondingly the sensor hole in the OEM intercooler will be a different size for the different MAP sensor.

You might want to research when the MAP sensor changed. My Storm is an '04, and I note that Tonka is a '51. Depending on when the change was, Tonka may need the other MAP sensor to be able to use the intercooler from my Storm.

 

[audifan]

Yes the intercooler has failed along the folded joint and blown the seal out. Intercooler is the same for all1.4 tdi, the only thing that changed was the earlier ones had a larger diameter boost pressure sensor compared to the smaller later ones.
not wanting to put a dampener on this generous offer , just ensure there is NO signs of the flanges cracking. It would be a shame to have to replace the intercooler again in a short period of time. You could always fit a ProAlloy....

 

[Proghound]

not wanting to put a dampener on this generous offer , just ensure there is NO signs of the flanges cracking. It would be a shame to have to replace the intercooler again in a short period of time. You could always fit a ProAlloy....

Absolutely agree. I understand WOM did take a couple of the latest ProAlloy order for stock so that option is there.

 

[Erlingtheelder]

Yes the intercooler has failed along the folded joint and blown the seal out. Intercooler is the same for all1.4 tdi, the only thing that changed was the earlier ones had a larger diameter boost pressure sensor compared to the smaller later ones.
not wanting to put a dampener on this generous offer , just ensure there is NO signs of the flanges cracking. It would be a shame to have to replace the intercooler again in a short period of time. You could always fit a ProAlloy....

Thanks for confirming on both points @audifan

Whilst I’ve no doubt the ProAlloy it’s a hell of a bit of kit, the cost is coming under the heading of prohibitive i suspect. I’ve not TOTALLY ruled out the idea but it’s not plan a.

 

[audifan]

This is a job where the labour cost is high compared to the part cost. Something to consider, it is after all remapped.