maw_mk1_fabia

It was my 1.9 mk1 with the issues, the obd reader was a godsend, my one was this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/312580965038?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2648 there are much cheaper ones out there but knew this one worked as I had borrowed my mate's previously. The app was the torque lite (free) on android (setup the obd reader through the app not the phones pairing options, that had me for a good half hour) Make sure you're getting some data through live by adding an rpm display or something comparable. Press the settings 'gear' button Then press the settings 'spanner option' -data logging and upload -select what to log --three dots in top right to add metrics (for mine I had manifold pressure, maf, turboboost and vacuum gauge, engine rpm and speed [obd]) -go back -file logging interval (1 second for me) -back out to the normal display -gear button -toggle logging (small info should appear at bottom saying logging enabled) DRIVE -gear button -toggle logging (small info should appear at bottom saying logging stopped) -gear button -email logs -csv -email yourself and then open properly with excel or equiv (graphs don't like the timestamps it uses so I added an additional column to extract only the time part [formula =TIMEVALUE(MID(A2,11,9)) where A2 is the timestamp cell] Shout if you need anything else

Thanks, massive relief as it was looking like a money pit or scrap yard! I can only assume the new turbo was needed (oven cleaner might've achieved the same goal though), but for them to miss the MAF and then blame the egr (glad I didn't bite) raises a few questions as a electronics engineer with an obd tool and google should not be able to solve things a £75 p/h diagnostics can't.. but that's for a different email and not on here. Thanks again for the help, I'm sure now I've found the big issue others will show their heads!

Few points because I couldn't find them on here before: MAF readings do rise when engine idling, not sure why but they are reading ~550 g/s when stopped/slowing down as shown below (maf is blue, revs are grey) town driving Sliproad and motorway driving (same route as earlier graph (maf follows revs pretty much) Normal driving values are ~20-40 g/s Motorway values are 40-90 (90 being hard overtake accel +70mph) My old one was spiking (but not constant as above) and not reading above 35ish on the motorway. My max boost (for that journey) is 16psi The sudden jerky motion when taking foot off/putting on of the accel has stopped completely (following the maf change) and the drive seems much smoother now.

IT'S ALIVE! Firstly thanks to everyone for the suggestions and knowledge, has been a steep learning curve! This morning I thought I'd test the MAF sensor using a multimeter as per hatboyharvey's video on the tubes (really useful playlist) and the cable was fine but the sensor was reading alot lower than the one in the video (idle at 1.2V compared to ~2V and then revving it hardish it didn't go above 3V). I needed to pop around the corner anyway so thought I'd unplug the sensor 'just to see' half expecting a cel and limp mode on the way. I WAS WRONG, the car had life! It could spin the wheels and drive like a normal car, got there and plugged it back in for a comparison on the way back and it was pathetic af like before. This was the night and day difference I expected from the turbo swap tbh. Collected a new MAF from ecp (https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/bosch-air-mass-sensor-air-flow-meter-434440617) Bosch 434440617 (40% with winter deal and gave old one back for another £35 back, bargain!) and fitted in 10mins (brew wasn't even drinkable by the time I'd finished). Started her up and I had values on the obd tool (result) so took it for a drive... She now can spin the wheels going into 3rd! Drove it like an asbo for a good hour just smiling! Fast pulling from lights and the M1 slip (that I crawl up every day) I can now power up and actually have to lift off and then driving on the motorway was great, it didn't even register the hills that killed it before and was still puling above 70! /dldr Car now drives like a car should! Changed maf sensor and suddenly powerful! Happy days

Vac pipes are good I believe, garage checked them over and I have recently swapped the brake booster hose as that had a split a while ago (was fun stopping a ship with no help!) I'll get the maf out and test it over lunch to see if there's anything obvious, sadly the m1 was standstill today so not a great recording but one thing of note is a very peaky maf recording (driving around 30ish but peaking to 600+). Used the torque datalogger to make the quick and dirty graph below. Small snippet of a 30mph road and then the m1 slip (not perfect due to other cars but the spikes are evident). I'll try again on the way home (sadly mostly downhill so not as bad) I can give data if anyone is really bored but just to show the general behaviour Grey = revs Blue = MAF (g/s) Yellow = Speed Orange = boost (psi) MAF is generally around the 30 mark but the peaks are 500+

Definitely a new line of enquiry for me, think I'll take a look at mine and give it a clean. Was reading that the atd engines don't like running without one, but if it's knackered could it believe it already is? Does anyone know what these values should look like so I can compare?

Thanks for the detailed reply, I think the throttle-boost relationship was correct upto 3rd and then it started falling off once on the motorway, foot flat and the speed is just dropping off to the point I join the lorry ranks. I was watching the turbo and vac gauge, it defaults to vac when idle it seems in the image above. I'll log my commute tomorrow (centre of sheff to Barnsley) so can hopefully give a clearer picture of numbers rather than quick glances. 1- unmapped when bought and honestly just thought this is what a 20yo car was so wanted to try and make it fun whilst it lasted. The map was a very cheap one (from an alright place) so they only checked for errors and then flashed it, barely started engine. (Car was only £800 to me so didn't want to throw a £300 proper map at it) 2- map actually made it a bit better! Was sluggish before but think the map made the throttle a bit better 3- not 100% how the mapping works but in my head they took a copy of the original and sent it off via some online service and got the tuned one back. I've been reading alot of forums with TDI issues and some have been similar symptoms with blocked up cats etc so could be! Would be nice if it was (nice to have a simple solution, not nice to spend money). I can look at how hard it would be to take the backbox off and see what it does.

Thanks was typing this as you posted! Just done a test drive with an obd tool in and the torque app up, just now need to do some research into what it all means! Just to add a bit more, not doing the egr just yet as I believe the bolt 'delete' is working as the engine is taking a while to get to temp. But did manage to borrow a mates obd reader (elm clone) and take him for a test run up a junction on M1 (mainly to prove its not in my head). Few points from this: -1st and second gears boost is going to around 15ish psi (will record my commute tomorrow), 3rd was a similar story but on motorway in 4th and 5th it was dropping down to 11-12ish (slight hill between 34 and 35 if you know the M1) -need to research what this actually means but, low gears driving a bit throttle happy the MAF values were peaking 36-40ish (grams/sec). On the motorway when the engine was refusing to do much the values were sitting nearer 30g/s -another odd one, correct me if this is wrong but my exhaust tail pipe is cold after a good half hour rag about. Like I could hold it a minute after stopping, excuse the terminology but it was properly hot (couldn't touch) upto the back box and then the box was warm. Have noticed it's a bit shagged so might be a replacement on the cards, could all this be a back pressure thing? Does a MK1 report exhaust pressure on a vagcom? The throttle display acted as I expected and not sure what the load was reporting but it did its own thing! Should I be looking at anything else or are there better apps to use? (Torque lite currently) Thanks again for the pointers!

Apologies for the silence, got busy with work and then decided to just drop it into a shop for diagnosis (German autocentre Sheffield). They tested for leaks and tested the actuators etc and all were fine, turbo was sent away and internals were apparently dead, cue large bill for new turbo (it's an old car, they know alot more than me etc etc). Got the car back mid last week but only got round to a motorway trip on Friday and if anything its got worse on the uphills, possibly feels slightly faster about town but that could be in my head. The garage wanted to swap out the egr as they were saying this was affecting performance but as far as I can see it's clean (nothing like some of the pictures on here) and everything is still working as expected, I cut the egr out of the loop with a bolt in the vac line and this didn't change anything noticeably. Planning on taking this off this evening for a proper clean and check over. After this egr check, I'm at a bit of a loss for where to go next. Could pay for some time with a vagcom but not sure if I know the questions to ask if any codes aren't immediately showing (requested/actual boost etc?) Sorted the crank breather btw, not much change just less warm smells after a journey. Nothing against German autocentre btw, just haven't got a huge amount of money floating around to throw at possible issues, they've been good for anything else previously.

Could you elaborate on the crank case breather not helping, purely for my understanding as I thought this was a non pressurised system and not critical as some people do the elephant mod and cut it out the system altogether. I should've also added that I've removed the broken pipe and bunged the non engine side so it's just venting to air. (The bung may not be perfect seal) Would it be able to recover from limp mode by itself as it's fine as soon as I reach the top of the hill, just steadily accelerates back to 70 and get a bit of power back. Please don't think I'm second guessing you, really just curious as I'm fairly technical but sometimes cars just run on witchcraft!

Thanks to everyone for the help, I've got a half day tomorrow so should hopefully be able to look at it in the light and report back. Wasn't brave enough to kill ignition on a busy M1 heading home tonight but will find somewhere quieter and give @J.R.'s suggestion a go. Cheers!

@AnnoyingPentium thanks for the tip, did yours have any particular symptoms when it was playing up? Is it something an obd reader could potentially pickup (assuming pedal angle is broadcast)? Another possible issue I thought of is that the car slows down quite dramatically (almost jerky) when I take my foot off the accelerator (normally noticeable when I'm dragging out lower gears a bit too long) but that could be a unrelated issue!

Long time listener first time caller, I've had a good look for similar issues but can't seem to find ones for the tdi only the sdi but feel free to point me in the right direction. Had my mk1 Fabia (estate) for a few months now but recently changed from an A-road commute to a motorway one and I'm struggling to hold a maintain speeds on any hills and no overtaking power atall once above ~40. So basically what I need to know, is this normal for this engine/model or is there something wrong? It drives fine the rest of the time, doesn't have much go until 2000 rpm but then takes off for town driving, it just seems to give up when doing a longer pull. The Car: 90k miles ~3000 since service (using bosch filters etc) remapped [at a local well recommended garage] (brought alot of life back into town driving but just gives up on motorway) definitely not getting the 140bhp promised though! Girlfriend's car (1.4tdi 65plate fabia) feels like a rocket ship in comparison! The only thing I can find physically wrong under the bonnet is the breather hose is split, but this would be the same as the elephant mod so if anything would improve it? It's hard to explain the issue but going along at 70 sitting 2-2.5k revs and road tips up slightly and the speed just starts falling off and I have to retreat to the slow lane, revs seem to stay the same but I can have my foot flat on the floor and it just keeps getting slower.. Similar story for if I want to overtake on dual carriageway, drop down to 4th and floor it, bit of activity and then just seems to hit a limit and just won't try any harder. In the lower gears I can push 2nd/3rd to 3.5k and it has power pretty much all the way up. I was almost happy to just accept this just may be what a 20year old car is like but then I got overtaken on the motorway by a similar vintage sdi fabia... Help?