Morning Gentlemen,

 

I have been this morning to a VW specialist in order to get a general health check on the turbo and possible boost leaks etc... (No symptoms.. just for peace of mind)

 

The general feedback was that he was amazed that a VRS could have got to 93k without the turbo popping and that I must have looked after it as most go at 50K.

 

The results read as follows:

 

Turbo Inspection carried out

 

·        Smoke Pressure tested – No Vacuum Leaks

·        Tested Waste gate for operation – working OK with no sticking on return.

·        Visual check on main shaft slight play in centre shaft bearing.

 

So all in all a general clean bill of health but basically the turbo is potentially on its way out, there is no damage to the impellers but as the above results mention, there is slight play in the centre shaft bearing.

 

So..... Decision time.

 

I was made to feel like I had a mystical car on my hands that it was on its original turbo and clutch at 93k – but I know for a fact this is not the case.

Any feedback and thoughts on whether I should just bite the bullet and buy a new turbo or whether I should carry on regardless.

Cheers in advance

I'm so glad the wastegate is working since it doesn't even have one!

 

If it ain't broke...

I'm so glad the wastegate is working since it doesn't even have one!

 

If it ain't broke...

It was actually spelt weatse gate on the form

It was actually spelt weatse gate on the form

 

It doesn't have one of those either...

Er, the 130PD is a pretty common engine; unmodified most of them go on to over 200K miles with regular servicing without requiring non-service parts replaced.

So your turbo is fine but you want to know if you should replace it?

 

50K my arse.  Who is the 'VW specialist' so we can avoid them?

 

P.S. there has to be slight play in the thrust bearing and shaft so the oil can flow around it.  As long as it's not spraying oil out it's fine.

I agree with all your responses... it was as if I was told the car is fine... but watch out.. bizarre.

 

First he mentioned that there was some play... but he didnt think it would go tomorrow but deffo on way out.

 

Then told me horror stories of other VRS's

 

Here is the form..

The results came back as fine.. but there is apparently play which means MAYDAY!

 

50K is average apparently.. 93K is a miracle 

 

 

So your turbo is fine but you want to know if you should replace it?

 

50K my arse.  Who is the 'VW specialist' so we can avoid them?

 

P.S. there has to be slight play in the thrust bearing and shaft so the oil can flow around it.  As long as it's not spraying oil out it's fine.

My car is on 160Kish on it's original turbo.

My car is on 160Kish on it's original turbo.

Remapped at all pal?

For more than half of those miles yes.

As Bazmcc points out there should be slight play in the shaft because it's a bushed turbo and not a ball bearing turbo.

 

Looks like 'smoke and mirrors' to me, however at least the impeller has been inspected and you don't have any boost leaks.

 

There are more 'VRS horror stories' lurking in the pages of this forum than just about anywhere else, many of them are caused by dumb modding with bad air filters and unnecessary EGR deletion but that's another story!

 

Since yours is healthy then it's obviously time for a decent faboka remap, then you can enjoy it even more.

It is already remapped by Rick at Unicorn Developments in Stockport. 

 

Amazing map and love the car to bits, 170bhp and 270ft pulls like a train and never missed a beat.

 

However I have noticed a slight whine on boost recently and wanted an expert to look it over as I believe prevention is better than cure so wanted a health check.

 

Just a bit disappointed that it seemed there was alot of praise at how good nick the car was in.. but then the wet fish around the face about play and pending doom 

My golf Turbo was fine till 160k when the last owner got sticky VNT from not driving it properly (ie. too slowly!) 

 

They don't have wastegates - they use a vacuum operated actuator which controls VNT (basically varies the boost from max boost position at low revs to minimum boost higher up the revs where the exhaust gasses take over - for minimum boost lag) from what I learnt from my golf woes - basically the same engine

 

There is always a bit of movement on the shaft from my own research and turbo whistle or whine or w/e can and usually is perfectly normal. The only reason you should even be paranoid is odd exhaust colour or abnormal boost. 

 

edit: its remapped so its pushing more boost, I have the same whistle/excited woooooooooo "here we go" kinda noise. Rtech assured me its literally the high speed spooling the turbo has to achieve to put that amount of boost in quickly, along with the boost moving through the pipework. Could be a slight boost leak but chances are its just the velocity of the boost 

 

Mine is 83k stock turbo which I considered as a baby :P

Edited 7 March, 201412 yr by mrapoc

Mines been remaped and is on 130k on the original turbo and still loving life.

My car is on 160Kish on it's original turbo.

Mine's on 120k original turbo and clutch.

 

No remap, no smoke just a bit of siren noise on a cold start once it's warm it's fine and still pulls like a train.

It seems to be that you're looking for any snippet of justification to spend a load of dollar on a new turbo! 

 

I'd just leave it. They all whine to an extent.

Depends what you want from the car I guess. If your happy with the car as it is then leave the turbo on there, just make sure you change the oil and filter reguarly and let the car warm up and down properly before you give it the beans.

 

If your wanting more power, then just go for it, you can at least change the turbo then when funds allow uprate the rest to suit. At least if your turbo is working fine now you can sell it on, that health check piece of paper will be a nice selling point.

I'm happy as it is.

Don't want to spend anything.

Its my inexperience and lack of knowledge that worries me I'll me stuck on the m60 after the turbo blows up.

I'm just trying to be careful and catch it early. Hence the test today

I'm happy as it is.

Don't want to spend anything.

Its my inexperience and lack of knowledge that worries me I'll me stuck on the m60 after the turbo blows up.

I'm just trying to be careful and catch it early. Hence the test today

 

In that case take out an RAC subscription. 

 

Try contacting the oddly named unicorn developments about your noise, but sounds normal to me. 

 

120K on mine mapped since around 40K AFAIK. Still on the original turbo.

Edited 9 March, 201412 yr by Gobsheene