I have a 2003 110 TDi Estate. As I live close to a fast but busy dual carriageway. I sometimes have to give full welly on the on ramp to join the traffic. When the engine is cold, I have noticed that max revs in third is just under 3000, limited by something that cuts power and hold these revs constant. This changes with engine temperature and can be anywhere between 3000 and the red part of the rev gauge.

Once the effect has been created, power is still not up to normal until the car is stopped and restarted on the next journey. Is this normal? What's going on?

:confused:

n75, maf, sticking turbo, temp sensor are all possibilities.

When my car hit 3000 rpm it then refused to go over than in any gear and was effectively in limp home mode. Mine has only ever done the limp-home trick once. Cycling the ignition cures the problem.

Are you got vag-com, or know anyone locally who has? if so get the the fault codes read and see what comes up. Mine showed nothing though. I have replaced all of the above items and still my car seems to lack power most days (and sometimes has a good day).

hi some cars limit revs when engine is cold so no damage is done to components

does it only happen when cold?

I have a 2003 110 TDi Estate. As I live close to a fast but busy dual carriageway. I sometimes have to give full welly on the on ramp to join the traffic. When the engine is cold, I have noticed that max revs in third is just under 3000, limited by something that cuts power and hold these revs constant. This changes with engine temperature and can be anywhere between 3000 and the red part of the rev gauge.

Once the effect has been created, power is still not up to normal until the car is stopped and restarted on the next journey. Is this normal? What's going on?

:confused:

Sounds like a sticking turbo, if you are brave enough dip the clutch, switch off the ignition, restart & let the clutch up BUT do it on a clear STRAIGHT bit of road with no one following too close or too close in front, I emphasise both as when the ignition is off you have no power steering & no servo assisted brakes. Power should then be restored until the next time. If this worriers you at all DONT TRY IT

The Turbo has variable vanes & if as it sounds you are a gentle driver most of the time they can get gummed up & if you give it a load of welly they wont vary, the car has a safety cut off which drops the boost to save things going bang. Once you switch off the ignition it resets.

A new turbo at the dealer is silly money, probably £1000, there are many s/hand ones around & yours could also be cleaned. There are a few threads on here explaining it. The Turbo from the 130 bhp Octy & Fabia can be adapted to fit as well although it needs someone who has done it before as the boost pipe needs to be customised. Jabba sport also sell an adapter which makes this job easier.

Someone with vag com could probably read the fault codes to help confirm the diagnosis if your dealer wont do it for nowt. If you post on the forum someone local to you probably has it & most on here are very helpful

Thanks guys for your posts.

Sounds like it is a sticking turbo. I only do around 100 miles per week at present and most of that is around town for work.

If I do longer journeys of same 200-300 miles on the motorway, in your opinion will this cause the turbo vane system to unstick?

I have had the car since October 07, bought with 54,700 on the clock and I have added 3000 miles. I don't know how the previous owner drove but as he lived a village I suspect it was mostly below 50mph.

I am getting 46mpg overall and about 53 mpg on the dual carriageway. Is this about right or is the sticking turbo affecting the mpg?

Thanks

If the vanes are really stick up, the turbo needs cleaning.

What tends to unstick them or stop them sticking in the first place is "enthusiastic" driving. Specifically bursts of full throttle and high revs, and coming on and off the throttle quickly rather than progressively.

Took it to local Skoda dealer yesterday. He used a combined vacuum and pressure unit to work the operating rod a couple of dozen times whist feeling the operation by his hand down the back of the engine. Rod was sticking initially about half way.

We then went for hi speed drive (he driving) and the problem is now (temporally?) fixed.

Best of , no charge.

Thanks

wow.. which dealer is that? I work in Wiltshire (salisbury area), and if that garage is useful, maybe I should pop in one day.....