I have had problems with my turbo cutting out under load(60-70mph uphill on motorway)pulling well then as if turbo is being switched off or some valve opens and says no more turbo,engine still runs but I have to pull out of outside lane asap as can't overtake anymore cars.The engine didn't cut out just stopped pulling,not a major problem unless you are aware of it.

I cleaned the MAF sensor(it fits in the air pipe coming out of the air filter housing going to the turbo)it made no difference until this week when I still had the above problem and a new problem.

On pulling away the engine had no power it just blew out black smoke and just wouldn't go?I put it down to the fact I had parked on a steep incline and the fuel had drained out of the supply lines and the diesel pump was struggling to suck the fuel through(I couldn't think of anything else as it has been running great and had started ok that morning)I limped up the road and had to stop several times as it just would go more than 10 mph.

After several attempts to get going it suddenly picked up and was running as normal.

Since then it has run ok with just start up problems sometimes the same problem happens the engine sounds like a sewing machine blows out black smoke and won't go?If you pu your foot down it seems to have enough umf to get going as though the turbo cuts in,I know the turbo doesn't cut in till the revs are high enough so is there a valve that is sticking and not letting enough fuel or air or both into the engine?

I have read all about sticking vanes but once going the engine runs great.

I started by cleaning the MAF again to see if it helped,this time I removed the sensor that is in the MAF sensor held in by two anti tamper screws(remover both using a pair of pliers as I couldn't get the correct bit for my screw driver)I cleaned the wire in the sensor using a cotton bud and Halfords electrical cleaner(isopropyl alcohol)I didn't realise there was a wire in the housing as it was so black with soot.

Once cleaned the wire was bright and I put it back together,the engine runs a lot smoother and I have got rid of the cutout problem I started the posting with!

No cutout under load problem 1 solved but I still have problem 2 any ideas?I can't see it a sticky vane problem as it is at low revs when the turbo is not supposed to be compressing the air.I can only think it is something not opening properly?It has happend when driving along,no turbo just the engine sounding like a sewing machine untill I press the accelerator down it picks up and goes well.

Any ideas(leak in a vacum pipe operating something?),,

Take it to someone with VAG-COM and get them to check the fault codes. It may take some of the guess work out of your problem solving.

ok.I will assume you mean a garage with the vag diagnostic software.Will search forums to see if anyone private has a system assuming the software is available to anyone with a laptop.Thanks Simon

This sounds exactly the same as whats happening on my vrs!!

Wish i knew what it was though!!

I have sourced a fellow Briskoda member with VAG com lead and software who works 5 mins from me!

Have arranged to meet Friday to plug in VAG COM and see what it says.Will post results asap.I see you van buy the OBD 11 lead and software(shareware)for your laptop on Ebay for abut £14!May be worth the investment?

I have had my octavia Diesel from 70K and now done 150K over 60K on new and used veg oil(run up to temp on diesel then system switches to veg oil)with no problems but I recently bought some filtered used oil off ebay which was a bit muckier than normal so it may be the vanes on the turbo have become clogged and are sticking on low revs?Fingers crossed see what happens Friday?

Here is part of the VAG COM printout

VCDS Version: Release 908.1

Data version: 20091018

Friday,23,October,2009,13:14:58:23633

Chassis Type: 1U - Skoda Octavia I

Scan: 01 02 03 08 15 16 17 19 22 29 35 36 37 39 46 56 76

Mileage: 245330km/152440miles

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 01: Engine Labels: 038-906-018-AGR.lbl

Part No: 038 906 018 BQ

Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0000SG 2112

Coding: 00002

Shop #: WSC 31480

2 Faults Found:

17958 - Charge Pressure: Control Deviation

P1550 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

16485 - Mass Air Flow Sensor (G70): Implausible Signal

P0101 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

Readiness: N/A

Fellow Briskoda member has suggested checking the N75 and the connected vacum tubes.I have noticed that the vacum tube to the turbo is worn through the brading and the rubber is badly worn down.Will replace vacum tubes when I find a supply other than main dealer.

Also I have disconnected the MAF by unplugging it and the car runs just the same(ignoring the main fault under investigation)May need a new MAF sensor.

I have noticed that the vacum tube to the turbo is worn through the brading and the rubber is badly worn down.Will replace vacum tubes when I find a supply other than main dealer.

Mine was a bit worn too, but I haven't changed that vac hose yet, I just put a bit of tape around it when it passes through the various clips.

How is your oil level, is it dropping?

Not checked oil level.I too wrapped insulation tape round worn pipe(not satisfactory)I am trying to find a source of vacum tubing to replace them all asap ideally in the morning.I am also looking to but the VAG COM cable off ebay for my laptop (£14 inc postage)they say you can download the software as it is shareware?Some vendors supply the software for included in the £14 approx.Will report my findings.

That first error code you have is one of the sticky vane problem errors.

You will need a new MAF also as cleaning them doesn,t do any good.ahope all turns out ok

Not checked oil level.

I am wondering if the seals in the turbo might be failing, and buring some oil

I too wrapped insulation tape round worn pipe(not satisfactory)I am trying to find a source of vacum tubing to replace them all asap ideally in the morning.

black insulation tape for me at the moment. Ideally I will replace all my pipes, but not had a chance to. Rather inconveniently some are of different internal sizes. Take some photos and only replace one pipe at a time in order to ensure you get it correct - mine look like a tangled mess.

I am also looking to but the VAG COM cable off ebay for my laptop (£14 inc postage)they say you can download the software as it is shareware?

A cheapo cable should work, I have a USB one and a Serial one. Tend to have more sucess with the serial one though, as the cheap usb -> serial dongles seem to be pretty rubbish. As a result I use an old dell laptop in the car, and I have an equally rubbish PC in the garage for vag-com. I am using version 4.something I think.

Latest Details

Went out in Skoda 1.9TDi Sunday,no starting problem just a minor "miss"as I drove down the road did over 60 miles car went great no problems.

Drove car Monday and problem back at low revs but clears if I accelerate.Bought some 10K spray cleaner from Halford £19.99 large can expensive but if it sorts sticky vanes or another fault great.

Sprayed into ait intake after the MAF....It has made no difference to my problems as I tried it this morning and lumpy on start up goes well i put my foot down.Car runs smoother and has more ummph it can now keep accelerating (very slow by accelerating)up the M5 hill going South after junction 2 Oldbury.It has never done this before,it used to cut out before I cleaned the MAF and after would de celerate but now it keeps going!

So 10K has improved running but not sorted my"Sticky"vane problem if that is the problem?

May look to remove turbo and de carb it.Not changes any more vacum pipes as problem is not permanent only intermittant.

Anyone with any feedback please post,Do I strip Turbo Do I change MAF £50 +VAT

Any mechanics out there fancy removing the turbo and replacing when I have cleaned for a fee?

Reply to mbanes.

Turbo is going great,since MAF cleaning there is no black smoke under acceleration just the ongoing intermittant "sticky vanes"?

Latest update after 10K Spray:-

Drove car this morning and car drives like a car with no turbo,it just goes normally and no rattling if I put my foot down.If I keep trying to "boot it"the turbo eventually starts working and it goes great.So it looks 99% like the vanes sticking?

I must add that at no point has my car gone into limp mode(no lights on dash)It may be worth changing the MAF sensor before cleaning the turbo out.

the car can go into limp mode without any warning lights coming on. When I had the sticky vanes problem at no point did a warning light come on even though it regularly went into limp mode.

Limp mode only lasts until you cycle the ignition. What I found was that you could set off and the car and it would drive normally until you hit 3k rpm when it would overboost and drop into limp mode, at which point it was like driving a tractor. If your car is like that from starting I don't think it is in limp mode and more likely to be the MAF causing the problems.

A new turbo and new air mass meter and it will be like brand new again, as said previously it's not possible to clean the air mass meter, don't forget to change the oil feed pipe when you replace the turbo, and only start it up on brand new clean oil

I have purchased a VAG COM cable off ebay for £9.99 inc postage

409.1 VAG-COM USB CABLE FOR VW AUDI SEAT SKODA GOLF OBD seller weyri650

installed software off included disc 409.1 it kept crashing until I right clicked on it and set it to RUN AS ADMINISTARTOR then it worked(after many hours trying to solve the problem)

It came up with fault codes 16485 as before(faulty MAF)

17958 P1550 Boost Presure Valve N75 Faulty check hoses etc

17957 P1549 N75 faulty check wiring for open circuit or short to ground

the software gave the codes but not the reasons or soutions I got these off WIKI pidia VAGCOM fault codes.Will look to change N75

I have only ever once had a warning light on my dash once, even though I have had loads of limp home modes.

I suspect your turbo is getting stuck in a number of places, thus providing too much boast (and the limp home) and sometimes stuck in a wide open mode (producing minimum boast, unless high up the revs)

I have been stuck in bed all week with a bad attack of Gout But did manage to reset the fault codes using my VAG COM shareware.The MAF Fault still comes back but the other two have gone concerning the N75 valve.I have managed to drive a few miles and I am happy the N75 fault has been solved by replacing the worn part of the vacuum pipe that goes down to the turbo boost thing.I am looking to buy a new MAF as soon as funds are available.I can get one for £42 inc Vat from trade supplier but a large seller on Ebay has some for about £35 inc postage.The car still has the same problem as been out tonight,it has no turbo initially then suddenly it's there and goes great.Just need the health and courage to take the turbo off and strip/clean it.I have read that Forte do a trade diesel additive that can clean out some of the carbon in the turbo to free up sticky vanes but it costs about £10.

I have also read on an American site people using oven cleaner to remove deposits in the turbo by removing the exhaust pipe and filling it with cleaner?

I would wait on doing anything on the turbo until you have changed the MAF, it is possible that the MAF is giving stupid readings that are within the right range that confuse the ECU and cause the poor performance. The problems as you describe are something other than the car going into limp mode.

It may be that the turbo vanes are jamming at a number of points as mbames suggests though that is different from the normal sticky turbo problem.

i am pretty sure my vanes stick in various places, hence the suggestion, but I would agree that would be out of the norm.

Hi I am new to Skoda, having just purchased what I thought was an immaculate 2001 Octavia 1.9TDI Ambiente, I have just been for my first long run only to discover that I have a loss of power most noticably at 70 mph when attempting to overtake, the car didn't splutter or die completely just seemed to go backwards and the power faded, I couldn't get the car above 70 for the duration of the trip. I have a full service history and loads of invoices showing a replacement turbo only 18k ago so I am praying this is not to blame as I paid top dollar for the car, it looks and drives like new otherwise, the fault seems to be intermittent as it went fine again this morning pulling steadily to 90mph,any advice greatfully received.

Regards spool

Sounds like your getting an overboast. Power cycling the ignition will cure it. Check the MAF and n75 valve.

How many miles if yours on? Mine (Y/2001) is on 156k now :-)