seat leon 1.9 TDI 110 turbo problem

[bigdaddy]

Hey guys,

I've developed the very common "lack of power" fault with my Leon with all the common symptoms.

Limp mode sort of effect when hitting high revs in 3rd or 4th gear (although no engine management light comes on) 70% of the time.

General lack of turbo presence when car starts from cold (again 70%) of the time.

Quite often I hear a sort of clicking (farting noise?) along with the whistle while the turbo's spooling.

I've had someone with a diagnostic machine check it out and all seems normal with no fault codes (although I am not 100% convinced he knew what "normal" was).

I've taken the MAF sensor out of the car, cleaned it and replaced with no improvement.

I have noticed a small oil leak from a pipe connected to the air intake pipe from the pressure valve on top of the engine (could this effect the car at all?).

Getting to my main point here guys (sorry for the long winded introduction just trying to give as much information as possible to see if I might be taking the wrong direction with this).

I would like to know what would be an "acceptable" price for the removal/cleaning/refitting of a turbo on my car. I'm tight on cash at the moment so I don't want to get ripped off and to be honest my expertise in cars is minimal.

Any idea in to how much I should pay along with a maximum amount would be great.

Cheers

 

[Seatmann]

Is your power coming back when you restart the engine or is it just random?

 

[bigdaddy]

yeah it comes back when I restart mate

 

[Seatmann]

Classic limp mode, you could sort it yourself if you want

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/limp-mode-TDI-fix.htm

You could try some of that innotec through it too, I'd check the actuator first maybe because of the noises you mention. The vacuum pipes are easy and cheap to replace too.

 

[bigdaddy]

i've just been checking out that link and i'll give a lot of the recommendations a go to the best of my ability but if the worst comes to worst, any ideas of the price of cleaning the turbo?

i've also heard some horror stories about the innotec where people have left some of the fluid in the turbo and it goes "tits" up from there so im trying to avoid it if possible

 

[Seatmann]

Haven't a clue, I always do my own repairs so never had to find out yet.

 

[mgbond]

I have this problem also. I changed the MAF and I would have some boost but often in 4-5th at around 2.5k I would loose boost until I restart engine.

Often above 3k I would get full boost until around 4.5K

I then got another MAF and when starting the car I get no boost until I get to about 2.5k and it comes straight in. From then onwards I get good boost all the time in all gears unless I push it to around 3.5k

I have a revo Map and I think that the MAF calibration is messing with it as I get different results with different MAFs. Putting the original MAF in I get nothing so I'm sure its just that.

What do you think?

Cheers

Bondy

 

[Seatmann]

You should speak to who ever put the revo map on your car, maybe they need to tweak the map or if it's a new thing that has just happened check the link I posted in #4

 

[mgbond]

You should speak to who ever put the revo map on your car, maybe they need to tweak the map or if it's a new thing that has just happened check the link I posted in #4

Well it started happening so I changed MAF and it was so much better but would do as I said above. Change it again and similar but different things happen so I'm thinking that the revo map needs adjusting to suit Maf. Put old original one that worked with map for a few months back in and it never boosts. So I'm sure it must be that.

Cheers

 

[Seatmann]

A bad maf usually just causes a lack of power all the time, it doesn't usually cause limp mode which is what you're getting, have you scanned for error codes?

 

[mgbond]

A bad maf usually just causes a lack of power all the time, it doesn't usually cause limp mode which is what you're getting, have you scanned for error codes?

Exactly, I don't think it's a bad MAF but it's calibration does't match what is set up for the revo map is what I'm thinking so the ecu isn't getting the readings it wants and it over boosts.

Just seems odd that with two different (same part number) MAF's I get get different symptoms?

Don't have software. Will take car to place Who did map.

Bondy

 

[Seatmann]

Ah yeh, I see what you're saying now, you could well be right. And yeh, I'd go back to them, I remember looking into revo maps and the people who were going to do mine were going to come out in the car and do some logs then alter the various settings to get rid of any bugs. Hopefully that'll sort it anyway.

 

[mgbond]

Just drive for the first time with changed MAF on motorway. When at 2.8k upwards and trying to accelerate (not mad but half throttle) it would cut but then come back and cut back and cut as the revs rise. Lol. So to me that's boost cut and setting back. Didn't go into safe mode?

Will sort it out with them in the next couple of weeks.

At least I have boost back in the low gears around town, which is nice

 

[Seatmann]

I don't know if it would apply to you but the last time I seen that was my mates Mk4 golf gttdi and it was caused by the actuator. The diaphram was coming away inside, it got taken off and when you shook it you could hear it flopping about like a used condom lol. Best description I could think of at the mo

 

[mgbond]

Ok, Problem solved.

Using after market MAFs were part of the Issue, putting an OEM one on has sorted it and they also found a small split in a boost pipe.

Bondy

 

[bigdaddy]

Hello guys,

Old thread but I still have the same issue with my Leon but I can provide new information.

The farting noise has now developed into more of a scratching noise. I receive it from behind the center console and is now very noticeable a lot of the time while driving (happens as a accelerate and take the foot of the throttle and every time the noise appears, I basically lose all pull) and my engine power has dramatically dropped since I had the car especially when the engine is cold and I have gained a considerable amount of turbo lag (although every now and again the car does perform quite well from the get go however this is incredibly rare as of late).

It is also worth mentioning that the economy has also been affected by at least 5-6mpg.

I had a mechanic look at my car recently to try and find out what the problem is however after looking at the car he was pretty sure that it was a turbo bearing on its way out however he was unsure as to what side of the turbo was affected (engine side or exhaust manifold side).

I pointed out to him however that the breather pipe on top of the engine had an excessive amount of oil in it and he said that the engine is breathing dramatically heavier than it should do.

I've managed to save up enough money to replace the turbo if required but I do not want to purchase a new turbo if it isn't the problem.

If anyone can help me out with this new information I would really appreciate it.

I still have not had an engine management light appear so have no error code to report and I am going into limp mode more frequently.

 

[Seatmann]

Pop off the boost pipes and check the turbo shaft for play, if it is a bearing there'll be play in the shaft and maybe even damage to the housing from the impeller hitting it. ANother possible could be the egr valve, check the pipe going from the exhaust manifold to the egr, it might be cracked.

 

[bigdaddy]

Before i do anything drastic (priced up a reconditioned turbo and how much it will cost to fit it and its around £850 -.-) do you think its worth trying the innotec turbo cleaner or because of the noise etc. do you think its too far gone? or it isn't actually sticky turbo veins?

 

[Leon2012]

You should be able to get your turbo reconditioned for the carbon build up/sticky vanes problem for £225-250, a full recon if it's worse is about £450-500, and in that case it's better to get a brand new turbo for about £500-550 and sell your old housing for about £60-65. Labour for a turbo swap is around £180-200.

So you could easily get a brand new genuine Garrett turbo fitted for £650 if you sell your old turbo as well, not £850. (I know because I've done it)

 

[bigdaddy]

Does the problem I have sound like a sticky turbo though? my experience with turbos is slim-to-none since I have had all naturally aspirated engines in the past?