Audi A3 1.9TDi boost problems
Discussion
Hey people, just signed up for these forums as they seem pretty useful
I've got a bit of a boost problem with a Audi A3 1.9 TDi Sport (110bhp, W reg, 2000) I recently bought, it seems a fairly common problem from a quick Google search but one which can have many diffrent solutions!
The car is fine and boosts as (I think) it should, but once at about 70mph (3k rpm or so in 5th) the boost seems to vanish which can make for some pretty tricky moments on the motorways!
If I stop, turn the engine off and back on again the boost is there again but it doesn't stay and is soon back to it's astmatic ways
I'm not getting any lights on the dash to indicate a ECU problem - but I wonder if the ECU light even works? Should it come on as part of the ignition sequence when most of the other dash lights come on/go off before getting the OK to start, maybe the seller had no morals and rather than fix the problem (which I got money knocked off for anyway) decided to try and hide it? Personally I don't mind buying a car with a fault but would rather be told about it, but that's by the by......
Any help you chaps/chapettes can give would be great!
Cheers
Jules
I've got a bit of a boost problem with a Audi A3 1.9 TDi Sport (110bhp, W reg, 2000) I recently bought, it seems a fairly common problem from a quick Google search but one which can have many diffrent solutions!
The car is fine and boosts as (I think) it should, but once at about 70mph (3k rpm or so in 5th) the boost seems to vanish which can make for some pretty tricky moments on the motorways!
If I stop, turn the engine off and back on again the boost is there again but it doesn't stay and is soon back to it's astmatic ways
I'm not getting any lights on the dash to indicate a ECU problem - but I wonder if the ECU light even works? Should it come on as part of the ignition sequence when most of the other dash lights come on/go off before getting the OK to start, maybe the seller had no morals and rather than fix the problem (which I got money knocked off for anyway) decided to try and hide it? Personally I don't mind buying a car with a fault but would rather be told about it, but that's by the by......
Any help you chaps/chapettes can give would be great!
Cheers
Jules
Thanks people, will do a bit of investigating about the possible missing ECU bulb on my days off
Tame - these possible sensor faults I guess would cause the ECU light to be on all the time I would assume aslong as the sensor (whichever one) is reading incorrectly?
I guess the best way to check this out if via the VAGCOM that everybody seems to talk about?
That's something else I'll investigate, I downloaded the free shareware version and will get a lead - or will I need the full monty version do you think?
Cheers once again for the help - got more response in one day here than on a certain well known Audi forums....
Cheers
Jules
Tame - these possible sensor faults I guess would cause the ECU light to be on all the time I would assume aslong as the sensor (whichever one) is reading incorrectly?
I guess the best way to check this out if via the VAGCOM that everybody seems to talk about?
That's something else I'll investigate, I downloaded the free shareware version and will get a lead - or will I need the full monty version do you think?
Cheers once again for the help - got more response in one day here than on a certain well known Audi forums....
Cheers
Jules
Thanks for the previous help with this people - I had the codes read (for free!) by a local VW/Audi indy and they threw up a knackered MAF, so that was replaced and all is fine......kind of!
It pulls fine until about 3k - 3.2k (in 5th) then the turbo seems to stall for a couple of seconds before picking up again and all is fine, but drop below 3k again and try to speed up and it will do it again
It's a consistant problem which hopefully should make it easier to diagnose, I bought a VAGCOM setup (from fleaBay) and after much messing about I finally got it to do something, it did read a faulty part number (I think) but won't tell me what it is or does as VAGCOM wasn't registered, I go and register it and lo and behold it's not a genuine version (or something)
Does the symptom with the boost sound familiar? Any suggestions to what it may be or anything I can try to fix/troubleshoot it?
Cheers for any help
Jules
It pulls fine until about 3k - 3.2k (in 5th) then the turbo seems to stall for a couple of seconds before picking up again and all is fine, but drop below 3k again and try to speed up and it will do it again
It's a consistant problem which hopefully should make it easier to diagnose, I bought a VAGCOM setup (from fleaBay) and after much messing about I finally got it to do something, it did read a faulty part number (I think) but won't tell me what it is or does as VAGCOM wasn't registered, I go and register it and lo and behold it's not a genuine version (or something)
Does the symptom with the boost sound familiar? Any suggestions to what it may be or anything I can try to fix/troubleshoot it?
Cheers for any help
Jules
Hi Tame
Since replacing the MAF it's gone into LHM once (by LHM I'm assuming you mean where it cuts the boost all together until the ignition is toggled?), but before I changed the MAF it was doing it far more often so that has improved greatly
As I tried to describe, all seems well with the car pretty much, boost seems to come in where you describe (~1200RPM) but at around 3k RPM you can feel the car physically hold back - only for a few seconds - before it picks up again, it's like a massive flat spot, at about 3500RPM it will be back to normal.
Is the N75 serviceable in anyway or is it a replacement job? i.e can I pop it open, spray some contact cleaner (or similar) and hope for the best? Or is it like the MAF and very sensitive to that kind of intrusion?
Since replacing the MAF it's gone into LHM once (by LHM I'm assuming you mean where it cuts the boost all together until the ignition is toggled?), but before I changed the MAF it was doing it far more often so that has improved greatly
As I tried to describe, all seems well with the car pretty much, boost seems to come in where you describe (~1200RPM) but at around 3k RPM you can feel the car physically hold back - only for a few seconds - before it picks up again, it's like a massive flat spot, at about 3500RPM it will be back to normal.
Is the N75 serviceable in anyway or is it a replacement job? i.e can I pop it open, spray some contact cleaner (or similar) and hope for the best? Or is it like the MAF and very sensitive to that kind of intrusion?
Hello again, recently the turbo cutting out has become more frequent, after about 30-40 miles on a motorway it seems to go, I replaced the MAF back in the summer so I'd hope it's not that again - I have run my VAGCOM (even if I'm not sure I'm doing it right!) and this is a copy/paste of the findings, can anyone shed any light on it?
[i]Chassis Type: 8L - Audi A3/S3
Scan: 01,02,03,08,15,16,17,22,35,37,45,55,56,57,75,76
Address 01: Engine Labels: Redir Fail!
Controller: 038 906 012 A
Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0000SG 2801
Coding: 00002
Shop #: WSC 06435
1 Fault Found:
17965 - Charge Pressure Control: Positive Deviation
P1557 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
Readiness: N/A
Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 1J0-907-37x-ABS.LBL
Controller: 1J0 907 379 Q
Component: ABS/EDS 20 IE CAN 0001
Coding: 13304
Shop #: WSC 06435
No fault code found.[/i]
Obviously I can see the second one isn't boost related but I have tested the ABS and that seems fine so not overly concerned by that, the boost problem is my main problem at the mo
Any help will be hugely appreciated!
Cheers in advance
Jules
[i]Chassis Type: 8L - Audi A3/S3
Scan: 01,02,03,08,15,16,17,22,35,37,45,55,56,57,75,76
Address 01: Engine Labels: Redir Fail!
Controller: 038 906 012 A
Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0000SG 2801
Coding: 00002
Shop #: WSC 06435
1 Fault Found:
17965 - Charge Pressure Control: Positive Deviation
P1557 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
Readiness: N/A
Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 1J0-907-37x-ABS.LBL
Controller: 1J0 907 379 Q
Component: ABS/EDS 20 IE CAN 0001
Coding: 13304
Shop #: WSC 06435
No fault code found.[/i]
Obviously I can see the second one isn't boost related but I have tested the ABS and that seems fine so not overly concerned by that, the boost problem is my main problem at the mo
Any help will be hugely appreciated!
Cheers in advance
Jules
Edited by Ipswich Jules on Tuesday 28th December 13:24
Thanks TDIfurby, I've been doing a bit of research and it seems a product by Innotec if specifically made for the job, I've not read any bad reports about it - it's about £45 for the pack and I'm mechanically competent enough to do it (from the reports of how people have done it previously), do you - or anybody else - have any thoughts/opinions on this product?
http://www.innotecworld.com/c-1064-turbo-clean-set...
Cheers
http://www.innotecworld.com/c-1064-turbo-clean-set...
Cheers
I was going by a search on the fault code VAGCOM threw up and the solutions people have used for it, the Innotec system seemed to of kept popping up in peoples solutions and like I said I've yet to read a negative report about the product
For £45 and a seemingly easy procedure I think it's got to be worth a shot?
I'm just wary as it seems almost too good to be true and normally if it sounds too good to be true.....
For £45 and a seemingly easy procedure I think it's got to be worth a shot?
I'm just wary as it seems almost too good to be true and normally if it sounds too good to be true.....
From what i can understand it is a two part cleaning kit, you remove the turbo outlet (3 bolts), use a sealing plate supplied which has a hole in it, the first part is sprayed into the turbo through the hole in the sealing plate, as it's a foam it breaks down the oil / soot deposits (much like how a foam oven spray works I guess), after about an hour the second part is put in to clean out the first part, I've heard that people suggest moving the actuator arm during the "foam phase", bolt it back up and give it a try
I think for £45 it's worth a try rather than spending £200 + on a recon turbo, as I plan to get a newer audi tdi in the summer.
At least I can try it first hand and report any findings on here for other users if they find themselves in the same situation
I think for £45 it's worth a try rather than spending £200 + on a recon turbo, as I plan to get a newer audi tdi in the summer.
At least I can try it first hand and report any findings on here for other users if they find themselves in the same situation
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