SKODA OCTAVIA 1.9 TDI 110 bhp 52 reg, 86k.

Firstly, the power drops, then kicks back in, then goes again.

Secondly, intermittent hissing and whistling.

Thirdly, intermittent bouncing (like a missfire, or slightly bouncing tge clutch) and a noise I can only describe as a small dog barking.

Local garage said no faults on computer, but replaced a vacuum hose.

Unfortunately it behaved itself when the garage test drive.

I wonder if its a sticky valve? Or turbo going?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Have you had a good look at your hoses around the turbo? Give them a little wigs and feel for any looseness.

Thanks LGM.

I will check again tomorrow, but on last inspection they seemed fine. The garage said they checked them too, but although they didn't charge me, they didn't find a fault which is obvious to me.

As I accelerate, it gets up to around 2k revs then the bouncing and barking occurs. It doesn't do it every time, but usually poor performance follows. This continues for a couple of miles, where it feels like a flat diesel, then suddenly I'm afraid to touch the accelerator as it goes like stink, as if its making up for the previous lagging.

I want to get it looked at as not very clued up with cars, but if I have a rough idea what the issue is, I can avoid any unexpected bottom clenching if a garage tells me to remortgage!!

Having said that, I am a plumber, so can use tools and not afraid to have a go myself.

Could it be the turbo vanes sticking?

Hi BrownBarge. How would I check this? Thanks

do a search for    vnt sticky vanes     , theres loads on it

Mr Muscle fix?

/\ if it is the vanes yeah.. cant hurt!!!

Hi thanks. I will look into this. My only reservation is that my mechanic says he wouldn't recommend the Mr Muscle. He says the only thing he wants in a turbo is clean air.

Does anyone know how much roughly it will cost to have my turbo removed, cleaned, repaired, refitted?

Hi thanks. I will look into this. My only reservation is that my mechanic says he wouldn't recommend the Mr Muscle. He says the only thing he wants in a turbo is clean air.

Does anyone know how much roughly it will cost to have my turbo removed, cleaned, repaired, refitted?

The Mr Muscle goes in on the dirty or exhaust side of the Turbo not the clean air side.

 

The problem is that the variable vanes on the dirty exhaust side are clogged up with soot - it isn't going to clean in there.

 

I suggest perhaps that your mechanic doesn't understand (or want to understand) how that Turbo may be fixed without replacing it.

sticky vanes would throw an error and remain in limp mode till power off then on?

 

Suspect turbo hoses, the bottom one to the intercooler has the connector that wears away. Especially if your bottom mount is worn.

I agree with that... either he doesnt know about the cleaning or understand the turbo set up. or he's just seeing money to carry out a turbo replacement for you that you probably dont need.

Easy enough to check to see if the vanes are sticking or not.

 

dodgy n75 or vacuum pipework might be my first guess.  Did this come on all of a sudden, or has it been getting worse?

Hi thanks. I will look into this. My only reservation is that my mechanic says he wouldn't recommend the Mr Muscle. He says the only thing he wants in a turbo is clean air.

Does anyone know how much roughly it will cost to have my turbo removed, cleaned, repaired, refitted?

Is lulian your mechanic?

Is lulian your mechanic?

 

Hee hee:giggle:

Edited 19 March, 201412 yr by mac11irl

Hi mbames. It started all of a sudden. After I had the cambelt done in January. I got the car for free from the old boy over the road. It had been sitting on his drive for a year (he stopped driving due to ill health) and said it needed some work. One of the vacuum hoses had come off, so put that back on. It was fine for a couple of weeks, then the problems started. It has got progressively worse.

Hi whitep. No error message on dash, and engine off, on makes no difference.

Thanks

Hi whitep. No error message on dash, and engine off, on makes no difference.

Thanks

 

OK sticky vanes doesnt ALWAYS flag a ECL, restricted fuel as in blocked filter does in my opinion, but only for extended periods. You get a VAG COM error of fuel starvation. OK... check air in fuel lines, that could be loose pipes or knackered T-Piece, what about smoke? A loose pipe could/would cause smoke.

mm.. if was sitting that long, id be going through every pipe in the engine, checking for perishing / splits..

OK sticky vanes doesnt ALWAYS flag a ECL, restricted fuel as in blocked filter does in my opinion, but only for extended periods. You get a VAG COM error of fuel starvation. OK... check air in fuel lines, that could be loose pipes or knackered T-Piece, what about smoke? A loose pipe could/would cause smoke.

I'm not that clued up on where and what all the pipes are, but will check for guidance online. I don't really get much smoke, occasionally I give it a good blast on the revs but not much smoke.

I am in the middle of moving house, so finding it hard to get time to really look at it.

mm.. if was sitting that long, id be going through every pipe in the engine, checking for perishing / splits..

Hi, thanks. Yeah I was a little concerned about it being sat for so long. I would have had it serviced but thought the cambelt was a priority. I've owned it since December. It has a full service history and next one due in 4k miles.

The pipework I can see looks/feels ok. The garage replaced a vacuum hose as it had collapsed, but this didn't solve the issue. Perhaps I should have them all replaced and think about the Mr Muscle trick. I suppose I have nothing to lose!

The Mr Muscle goes in on the dirty or exhaust side of the Turbo not the clean air side.

The problem is that the variable vanes on the dirty exhaust side are clogged up with soot - it isn't going to clean in there.

I suggest perhaps that your mechanic doesn't understand (or want to understand) how that Turbo may be fixed without replacing it.

Well, I hope I can trust my mechanic as he is a friend of the family and hasn't pushed me to replace the turbo. However, its still not fixed and they can't find anything wrong with it, although obviously there is to me.

Check your vacuum pipework is like this:

 

Check your vacuum pipework is like this:

 

 

Great, thanks. 

 

I'm moving house tomorrow/Friday, so might not get to check until the weekend, but will report back. Much appreciated.

Might be worth changing the fuel filter as well - a dirty or partially blocked fuel filter can cause surging and power issues. Sticky vanes will eventually throw a code, the test is on a motorway accelerate up full throttle in 3rd holding in gear. In most cases that will trigger an over boost with sticky vanes.