2001 TDI 110 Elegance

My car had it's MAF meter replaced a few months ago after noticing a lack of performance and low top speed. Everything has been fine until very recently.

Exactly two weeks ago, I noticed my car was very sluggish as I neared the end of a 50 mile trip home. It had been fine until the last few miles.

The car was back to normal since then, so I put this down to a bad bit of fuel or such. Yesterday, half way through a 15 mile journey home from work (driving at 70mph), the car went sluggish as it did two weeks previously. I'd been driving for about 10mins at a steady speed. I'd accelerated a couple of times to overtake and acceleration was brisk as usual. Then, when I went to speed up again, I had very little power and I could tell it wouldn't go much past 85mph if I'd tried. Just to clarify: the current speed is un-altered, but hardly any power when putting my foot down.

Tonight, on the same drive home - exactly the same thing happened.

Anybody got any ideas to the problem? Faulty MAF (again)? Turbo? or an engine sensor?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Simon

Edited 8 October, 200817 yr by SimonS

Is this a VNT turbo issue where it gets sooted up?

Might be worth getting the fault codes read if any.

Sounds like the VNT issue (sticky turbo ) to me. Mine happened a year ago on a 52 plate.

Agreed, particularly if the car drives fine every time it's stopped and restarted, until you put your foot down. Have the fault codes read, and if there's one relating to overboost, it's definitely a sticky VNT.

17965 was the overboost code that I had. Look out for that!

Thanks for the replies.

Any thoughts on the cost for a fix.

There is a guide on here for cleaning it.

Dealer solution was at one point to replace the turbo, but that is £1000.

If you take your car to a turbo specialist they should be able to strip yours down and clean it up for a lot less. You should be able to do it if you're mechanically minded.

Since reading your replies in this thread and other threads, I've learnt about the sticky vanes in the Turbo.

I've modified my driving to now include a brief blast down the motorway/dual carriageway in 3rd/4th at over 4000 RPM. I do this every 3 or 4 days during my mundane 70mph trip home from work.

Not had the problem since - touch wood

Thanks again to members of the forum.