TURBO VS CAT

[superb1000]

Hello again,I'm back with a new dilemma,i have an 05 Superb Elegance 1.9tdi Auto with 198,000 miles at present. While accelerating onto a motorway this morning, the engine management light popped on, followed by emmisions workshop across maxidot display, then it dropped into limp mode. I pulled in, knocked it off ,started again,

The car drove normally for a couple of miles with the EML still on and message still up on display. I dropped it to a local independent garage this morning that i trust. They ran a full diagnostic and one fault code came up: 17965 turbo charger over boost,possible hose cracked or blown off turbo. I left the car to be stripped and checked and everything appeared normal. The car was hooked up again to computer and brought for a test drive. The turbo is producing too much boost causing the ecu to shut it down and go into limp mode. The mechanic initially thought it was a faulty turbo, which are really expensive, or possibly a blown catalythic convertor up near the turbo, his reasoning being the exhaust gases are not under pressure causing the turbo to spin faster. To test this theory we blocked one of the exhaust pipes to build up pressure and drove the car hard. The car went like a rocket, EML and message came back after 3 miles, mechanic reckons now if it was the turbo the light would have come back on after 200 yards, he thinks i should try a universal cat to start with as this is the cheaper option. The N75 turbo control solenoid was changed before xmas. Now I don't know what to do. 1 change turbo or 2 get the cat changed. I'm leaning towards the cat. Has anyone experienced the above and if so what course of action do you recommend? thanks in advance.

[superb1000]

Just wanted to let you know what the problem was, firstly i changed the cat 300euro,turned out not to be the cat after all, had the turbo taken out, and found the actuator arm was broken, it needed a turbo 650euro,while taking the turbo out the oil feed lines in and out of the turbo broke, including new gaskets 150euro, then add labour for all of the above and a week with no car, starting to go off the Superb rapidly,now i have a serious amount of creaking in the steering and knocking from the suspension,when will it ever stop.

Edited 21 March, 2011 by superb1000

[skodanut]

With the mileage you state at around 198,000 miles, i would have thought the car's engine was all but worn out. Bearing in mind everything is basically tired including the top end and the bottom end.You have to remember, the car when brand new is totally different compared to a high mileage vehicle,and when you mentioned shelling out 1100 euro's plus the labour for a turbo and cat the engine performance is only partially there, as everything else has been worn out. As for the front suspension problems you are experiencing, that is also probably worn and parts will need replacement, such as the cv joints and shocks, and suspension bushes.

I recently got rid of my 2.0 tdi superb, and that had a new engine fitted due to oil pump failure, now that car only done 38900 miles, and to be honest prior to it giving up the ghost, it was indeed still pretty quick.Now when the engine was replaced complete, minus the turbo, as that was ok, the car felt different again. And the power and torque was even more pronounced than before, basically as if it came out of the showroom. Now if you can imagine this, your car has done 5 times the mileage my car has done, it doesnt take long to realize that your superb, how ever nice it looks inside with the leather and sat nav, it's what underneath the bonnet that counts, and sometimes you have to take a long hard look and decide what is the best long term solution.

If you plan to keep the car for a very long time, then a replacement engine would have been cheaper compared to shelling out for a newer motor. but as your car is high miles, then sometimes it can be money down the drain, especially if the whole front suspension will need attention including discs, pads, shocks bushes, cv joints and gaiters, and its only then when all those items are renewed, do you then return to the as new feel when the car came out.Shelling out is nice if you have the money, but in your case i wouldnt spend any more as you wont get the benefit of it, unless of course you are restoring it

[rotodiesel]

198k miles is no problem for a 1.9 PD if it has been properly serviced. The front suspension will be well past its best though.

rotodiesel.