Galaxy clogged up turbo vanes, Fixing options?

Galaxy clogged up turbo vanes, Fixing options?

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Discussion

BarringtonL

Original Poster:

66 posts

145 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Car - Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDI 2002

I have had no issues with the turbo until last week when the car went into limp mode on the return journey on a trip. There was no warning light and when I went to use the car a few hours later it worked fine and hasn't done it since.

I booked the car in today (after googling turbo issues and the MASSIVE cost of replacement!) and my mechanic hooked it up to diagnostics. There was an overboost fault code, when he got it on the ramp he said he could feel from a lever on it that the turbo vanes were clogged up with carbon.

A garage near to him has a special cleaning fluid that they pump into the turbo to clear out all the crap, it will cost £275 Plus Vat and an extra £150 if when they hook it up they think the inlet manifold needs cleaning too. So £510 all in.

This is obviously cheaper than a new turbo (£1500+) but it is still more than I can really afford.

Removing and cleaning the Vanes on the turbo myself is beyond my mechanical skills.

Is there anyone with experience of this? Does this chemical cleaning treatment sound like good value? Is there any other way I could go about cleaning the turbo, for instance is there any additives I could use and then take on a high reving run to clean through?

Any opinions on this would be great, Thanks

BarringtonL

Original Poster:

66 posts

145 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Having done some more research I have seen that Forte do a Diesel Turbo Cleaner (£16 Amazon), looks like that will be my next option before I pay for the Garage to clean it.

It is added to the fuel, not sure how it gets to the turbo after the combustion process but it has quite a few positive reviews so worth a try.

Megaflow

9,345 posts

224 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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I'd be surprised if the 1.9l VW unit in 2002 had a VGT. If it did, I'd be even more sceptical snake oil will clean it.

ETA: Christ, it did have a VGT, or a VNT as VW called it. I didn't think they'd beeen around that long, God I must be getting old...

hehe

Edited by Megaflow on Tuesday 7th April 19:16

bearman68

4,642 posts

131 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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£1500 for a new turbo - where do they get that price from? Typically autodata time is 4 or 5 hours to change, so say £400. Turbo replacement £300. Oil and filters £50, new oil supply pipe £50.

Easily less than £1k. v £700 odd for a clean. There really is no competition is there??

Cleaning won't repair any mechanical damage that might have been caused by a sticking vane - I've seen them before where the linkage between the vanes is damaged, so turbo would be wrong anyway.

Just my thoughts..

And if you are near south wales PM me biggrin

BarringtonL

Original Poster:

66 posts

145 months

Wednesday 8th April 2015
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Based in Norfolk I'm afraid.....Since it has only entered limp mode once I am hoping that it's not beyond help. It does go to show though that it is worth doing some of your own investigation into issues that arise with your car , instead of just paying up.

mcford

819 posts

173 months

Wednesday 8th April 2015
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Drop the front pipe off the manifold, squirt in some Mr Muscle oven cleaner, work it in by activating the vane mechanism by way of a vacuum pump. Cost of materials less than £5 and a few hours work.

fatjon

2,143 posts

212 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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Ask him what solvent it is that dissolves carbon then take it elsewhere since there isn't one.

The right solution is turbo off, open both ends up, clean it out if it needs it (by hand) then check it for play and a blocked oil supply line before refitting if all is well. Total cost of a couple of hours labour unless it's knackered, in which case a new turbo (350-400 ish) and 4 hours labour.

phil y

548 posts

121 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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I had a golf with the 1.9 tdi engine, went into limp mode as I was attempting an overtake. Advice I took was to drive it til the engine was nice and warm, then give it some welly in the low gears - think I went for third gear on a motorway run. Seemed to cure the problem, and gave me an excuse to drive it hard from time to time.

ssray

1,094 posts

224 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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2nd vote for mr muscle oven cleaner, it works, it only cost`s about £2+ some tube, it took me about 25mins to get my skoda done then 2 hrs soak time and drive

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

261 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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Have a look through the Audi Sport.net site for all the gen on Mr Muscle.

Gotta be worth a go first.

S0 What

3,358 posts

171 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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Recon turbo would be in the £400 ish range but i've used Mr muscle a few times and it works fine IME.

BarringtonL

Original Poster:

66 posts

145 months

Saturday 11th April 2015
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Thanks for the replies, I'm glad I didn't get it booked in straight away then!

marked1

271 posts

136 months

Saturday 11th April 2015
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Had this last year on my 1.9tdi. Did the Mr Muscle trick and worked perfect. Now 15k miles after all is still fine.

bearman68

4,642 posts

131 months

Sunday 12th April 2015
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Well I must say I've never heard of the Mr Muscle trick - Going to try that on the next one I get...... Doesn't fix a knackered turbo though.......

bearman68

4,642 posts

131 months

Sunday 12th April 2015
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Ohhhh, forgot to mention - after I've fitted a turbo, and got it running nicely, I've blocked the EGR valve off, and remapped it out. That stops the turbo problem happening again, and makes the car go a good bit better.
The VW PDI always maps nicely.
Best of luck

Sardonicus

18,928 posts

220 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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The Turbo vane problem will still occur you have moving components in the exhaust stream with diesel dirt/soot fired at these components daily it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when IMO.

Stegel

1,950 posts

173 months

Sunday 19th April 2015
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We had the same issue with my wife's E320 CDI estate last year - MB's mobile tech said standard MB response was a new turbo (£2,500!), but unofficially suggested a turbo cleaner. 10 litres of Shell Nitro and two bottles of Forte Turbo Cleaner, a good Italian tune-up and problem gone. Really recommend the stuff.

Sardonicus

18,928 posts

220 months

Sunday 19th April 2015
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Stegel said:
We had the same issue with my wife's E320 CDI estate last year - MB's mobile tech said standard MB response was a new turbo (£2,500!), but unofficially suggested a turbo cleaner. 10 litres of Shell Nitro and two bottles of Forte Turbo Cleaner, a good Italian tune-up and problem gone. Really recommend the stuff.
Did a similar thing on my nieces Rav 4D Wynn's diesel clean 3 extreme and premium grade diesel that was over 18 months ago the problem was almost daily prior to this with the good old over boost condition fault code and falling into limp mode regular when least expecting it frown if you can afford it I would recommend the better quality diesel full time or at least once a month to prevent the vanes sticking scratchchin

The_Burg

4,845 posts

213 months

Saturday 2nd July 2016
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Has anyone actually used Forte turbo cleaner? It was actually recommended to me by a very well known turbo company.

Can't honestly see how it can work, surely whatever is in it will get burned in the combustion process?

BarringtonL

Original Poster:

66 posts

145 months

Saturday 2nd July 2016
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It does work. Not quite sure how,you add it to the tank. I bought 1 or 2 can't remmeber now, waited until the tank was almost empty, added it then ragged it for a a few days.

No issues since. Hopefully these won't be famous last words though!