I have a Fabis VRS with a mild Dragon tuning box, I dont thrash it, I have no points and no accidents, basically im a careful driver. 60k miles with FSH on a 54 plate.

After collecting Black Ops I was in a hurry to get home so I booted it in second gear, pretty much max'ing it out then allowing the engine to do the braking for a corner, there was a loss of power and the car conked out. It was dark but I dont think there was a big cloud of smoke. Ive checked the lower boost pipe and its still attached. It now really struggles to fire up, if it does it chuggs like a tractor (as if its firing on one cylinder) and will stall when pulling away. The glow plug light came on, then the fuel light (plenty of fuel in it) and the choke light. After about an hour I disconnected the battery and tried again, it fired up and in 'limp mode' I managed to drive it home.

Went to see my local trusted mechanic and he reckons its all pointing towards a blown turbo. WTF! He reckons £750 for a replacement. I might do better on Ebay but then again you take your chances and god knows how much the labour will be. It's going in next Tuesday to be looked at.

Ive seen some threads about turbos letting go - what do you reckon? I cant believe it. I drive it like miss daisy normally apart from one track day a few months back.

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by ollymonkeynuts

I was going to say if you can limp it over to Exmouth I can scan it for you to have a look. There are a lot more connections than just the lower I/C pipe, so probably worth checking them all. Do you recall what colour smoke (if any) came out when it went? Are there any oil deposits under the car?

Edit: Sorry just seen it was dark. So are you saying it conked out when it was not on boost? That is a bit ominous as they normally pop hoses off when at full boost.

Hi Mate and thanks for the offer of scanning it, I doubt it would get past Lympston!

It could have gone during full boost, im not sure as i wasnt giving it gas at the time, I just let the revs drop off and went round the corner, it was only then that I gave it some more gas and it conked out. I went under th car and there was a little oil under the boost pipes on that plastic under tray but that looked a normal amount for a diesel.

Time will tell, I did go looking at the other hoses and all looked OK.

I'll have another look tomorrow.

Fair play - I'm not coming into Exeter for a while else I would offer to drop by now I know where you live (not a stalker )

hi mate having the same problem i think apart i wasnt thrashing it!

i took it to a garage today and he said he has removed a pipe which has started the car back up again but makes a hell of a racket

he is going to have another look 2moro something to do with the manifold, if they is a block in there he said it could have blown the turbo!!

is they anyway of getting around this, without changing the turbo

i think he is trying to rip me off seen as though i am only a student!!

uhoh cutting out isn't good

sounds turbo to me

you shouldn't of drove it could have done more damage!

how would a blockage in the manifold come about? the soot and oil build up just?

dont really know mate something near the manifold has to take some box off , but cos it quit on power i think the turbo will have gone but hoping its just a block that can be solved

he rang me as he was packing up for day, so speaking to him in the morning

just hope it aint the turbo cos that will be a fortune!

I'd like to think its not the turbo for both our sakes, but the manifold sounds weird.

Im gutted as mine is well looked after, serviced and its been spot on the 4 years ive had it. I havent got a spare £750 and I assume as a student nor have you! My family will be getting poundstretcher presents this year!

defo sounds like dead turbo, mine went in exactly the same way! (64k FSH stealer no mods).

Might be worth sending a PM to jonnyintegrale and seeing if he has a fabia vRS turbo.

There are a couple of turbos on Ebay too though around the £200 mark.

Yippppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! It wasn't the turbo, I think booting it just loosened the dragon box connector. A simple re plug and it runs fine. Thank fook for that!

Yippppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! It wasn't the turbo, I think booting it just loosened the dragon box connector. A simple re plug and it runs fine. Thank fook for that!

thats cus you fiddled with the Dragon Box last week...... Olly Olly Olly!!

Yippppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! It wasn't the turbo, I think booting it just loosened the dragon box connector. A simple re plug and it runs fine. Thank fook for that!

Are you saying because you were back to "stock" power, you thought you'd blown the turbo? Or does that box work differently to that?

Paxton - it was your crap instalation just taking a few years to finally fook up! I havent fiddled with it yet, it was the main 'bayonet type' connection into the side of the engine rather than the box itself with all the resistor things in.

Jason - When it went wrong it was proper limp mode, not just the 130 standard bhp! Matt from REVO sorted it - i did get chatting about a remap - £299 +vat, tempted but not on the original clutch or that would definately be a £1000 bill when the clutch went bang after the first day! :p

Jason - When it went wrong it was proper limp mode, not just the 130 standard bhp! Matt from REVO sorted it - i did get chatting about a remap - £299 +vat, tempted but not on the original clutch or that would definately be a £1000 bill when the clutch went bang after the first day! :p

I mapped mine on the original clutch, was perfectly fine with a decent map, nice and smooth, no slippage.

Matt

Edited 18 November, 201015 yr by matt1chelski

Mine is mapped 165bhp/295lbf with same Garrett (KKK replacement) for the last 60,000 miles. Currently 152,000 miles on the clock. Will pull 130mph on private road (with rpm to spare) Oil changed every 6K mind you...Luck of the draw with some turbos.