Golf GT TDi Problems after I took it into garage

[DJMK4]

So i took my Golf GT TDi 115 into the garage to have a problem with engine judder sorted out, when pulling away in 1st i used to get bad juddering, they fitted a new flywheel, bearings and clutch which has resolved the issue.

Since having the car back there has been a huge loss in power, my 1.9 TDi now feels about as fast as my old nissan almera 1.4 (70bhp), pulling away at a guess i would say i was getting about 0-60 in about 12.5-13 seconds, there is no power behind it anymore and you certainly cant feel the turbo.

I took it back to the garage and they said that it could be possible that a vaccum pipe might have broke when they done the other job, i said fine can you sort it, they took it away, come back and said yes that was what was wrong with it, i said fine. Took the car back, went for a drive....STILL NO POWER??? You can just about hear the turbo whistle but not until high revs, and it certainly would still do 0-60 in about 13 seconds as apposed to the 10 its supposed to be doing. Dont worry im defenatly taking it back to get sorted weather they like it or not. Its the same garage i bought the car from 2 weeks ago, im getting everything repaired under warrenty.

What else could it possibly be? apart from the actual turbo going.

 

[jamoor]

is it a VW garage, it could be that the mechanics are incompetant with diesels or something.

 

[DJMK4]

It's not a VW Garage no, well garage I bought the car from dont actually do any engine work, they do other bits, he takes it to another garage to get anything like that done.

 

[DJMK4]

Anyone? I drove it home and it was dire, absoluly dire, hit 80mph on the mway and it struggled to get anymore... 70-80 took about 13 seconds

 

[Firestar_3x]

Boost pipe been taken off and not put back on, you getting loads of black smoke out the back?

 

[Ben M]

Does the place that you take it to have a VW diagnostic machine? Or are they doing it the old fashoned way?

 

[MagicBoy]

It really needs plugging into a diagnostic machine. It's likely a loose pipe (turbo/intercooler) or a faulty MAF.

You'd know if the turbo was kippered - loads of whiteish smoke.

 

[DJMK4]

Dont know, i was in work and the bloke took the car away, dropped it back off, didnt notice any smoke although it was dark, going to have a look tomorrow, chances are it is just a loose pipe. It seems to be drinking a lot more diesel than usual aswel?

 

[Dappy]

I had a similar problem with my Passat TDI 130 where the car was in "limp" mode with the engine management light lit and felt as so I had no turbo. I couldn't accelerate above 3,500rpm and got black smoke when it hit 3,500rpm.
After 4 visits to VW who kept replacing/resetting the EGR valve, a AA man noticed a hissing noise after the engine had switched off. On the next visit to VW the AA man told them what he found and it turned out to be a cracked vacuum pipe.
My car was fine after they replaced the cracked pipe, I suspect you may have a similar issue.

 

[DJMK4]

I had a similar problem with my Passat TDI 130 where the car was in "limp" mode with the engine management light lit and felt as so I had no turbo. I couldn't accelerate above 3,500rpm and got black smoke when it hit 3,500rpm.
After 4 visits to VW who kept replacing/resetting the EGR valve, a AA man noticed a hissing noise after the engine had switched off. On the next visit to VW the AA man told them what he found and it turned out to be a cracked vacuum pipe.
My car was fine after they replaced the cracked pipe, I suspect you may have a similar issue.

Thats what they said when i pointed out the problem, they took the car back, said they fixed the vacuum pipe, obviously not.

Would i be doing any damage to the car until i get it back into them?

 

[Butters]

Unplug the MAF sensor. Its 'possible' its coincedentally died. Very common on the VW Diesels.

Unplug it and take the car for a quick spin. See how she feels. If all is well the MAF is dead and needs replacing. This wont show up on VAGCOM.

If it was the boost pipe it would sound really loud and boomy and you'd know something was wrong from the noise of it.

 

[DJMK4]

How do i unplug the MAF sensor? where is it? if i unplug it and drive will the turbo work?

 

[TaKeN]

How do i unplug the MAF sensor? where is it? if i unplug it and drive will the turbo work?

Follow the air intake pipe, there will be a lead going to a connector somewhere along there ( Sorry to be so vague )

If you unplug it it won't harm the car, the turbo will still work.

 

[MagicBoy]

It's attached to the air intake pipe after the filter box and before the engine. There will be a multiplug wiring connector - just unplug it. MAF = Mass AirFlow meter btw. It measures the mass of the air going into the engine. Without the MAF the ECU goes back to default values which are more accurate than those from a shafted MAF.

Edit ...
Here's a pic stolen from Google (probly a 1.8T but the idea is sound!). The MAF is the part between the arrows. The wiring connector is towards the back, press the tab to disconnect it.

 

[DJMK4]

So unplug that, then take it for a drive. Ill have ago tomorrow and report back

 

[Parsec]

Unplug the MAF sensor. Its 'possible' its coincedentally died. Very common on the VW Diesels.

Unplug it and take the car for a quick spin. See how she feels. If all is well the MAF is dead and needs replacing. This wont show up on VAGCOM.

If it was the boost pipe it would sound really loud and boomy and you'd know something was wrong from the noise of it.

That's interesting - that exact trick works on MG & Rover (L-Series) diesel cars too. I have a R45 diesel for getting to work and it sounded really rough and had a huge flat spot below 2000rpm. The instant I unplugged the MAF all was well so I ordered a new one.

 

[DJMK4]

Nope, it wasnt the MAF sensor, i took it out and it was the same.

I phoned the garage again today, they failed to tell me that the pipe was broken, they just said they "Sorted it" so i have ordered them to get a new pipe and im taking it in Monday.

 

[Andydewar]

Cant remember the exact details, but somewhere under the drivers side wing, there are a couple of houses that connect to plastic pipes coming off the intercooler. Its very easy for these hoses to drop off when you take off engine mounts/jack up the engine.

With rough handling, the plastic pipes on the intercooler can snap quite easily. When this happens, there is a huge power loss, though the vehicle usually smokes a lot. If one or both are snapped you will need a new intercooler. Dont put up with the garage using superglue on the pipes (as some do), they will break again very soon if this is done.

Take it to a decent garage and get them to check this. Sometimes the splits in the plastic are hard too see, and its not easy too get to.

 

[DJMK4]

Cant remember the exact details, but somewhere under the drivers side wing, there are a couple of houses that connect to plastic pipes coming off the intercooler. Its very easy for these hoses to drop off when you take off engine mounts/jack up the engine.

With rough handling, the plastic pipes on the intercooler can snap quite easily. When this happens, there is a huge power loss, though the vehicle usually smokes a lot. If one or both are snapped you will need a new intercooler. Dont put up with the garage using superglue on the pipes (as some do), they will break again very soon if this is done.

Take it to a decent garage and get them to check this. Sometimes the splits in the plastic are hard too see, and its not easy too get to.

Well me and my dad have been onto the garage and they know they have to sort it out. I have to have it done with them as they are the ones who sold me the car with 6 months warrenty.