Problems After Recon Turbo Install

[nephilim]

Have just installed a recon turbo on my 1.6 tdci along with new oil pipes, oil pickup and a sump clean out (which wasn't that bad, car now done 93k).

Made sure oil was getting thru to the new turbo, after reconnecting started her up and idled for about 20 mins while I checked for leaks etc.

The initial run out for a couple miles seemed ok although I was very light footed. Took it out for a longer run today (15 miles each way) and it started to get very sluggish, no power thru the revs, very gutless. It felt strangled but not juddery in any way. Have no lights on the dash, no strange noises etc.

Am worried about driving anymore as I dont want the new turbo to go. Had a prev one go 2k ago after a garage put a second hand one on.

Any ideas, it does feel very slow.

Would a blocked dpf show on the dash somewhere if it was that?

Took the air filter off just now, there is a small amount of oil on that side of the turbo plus a bit in the air pipe to the filter, I did clean all this out during the work.

Have noticed injector 3 has black hard stuff around it, would this cause this kind of power loss?

Thanks in advance.

[FOCA]

Which part of the turbo was reconditioned - was it just the turbine/compressior assembly or was the VNT mech done too?

Have you had the codes read?

What other work was done on the car? (including servicing, everything, in detail)

[nephilim]

Hi,

Thanks for getting back.

Not too sure about the turbo, I bought a recon one from Turboactive, I think they seem to state that it is completely refurbed, hope so for the money as it was 300 pound.

Havent had any codes read, would it not show up on the dash anywhere if there was a problem?

I have had the car since 74k, dont know the history before that. Since then I have done 20k, 5w30 oil and filter done every 6000, new fuel/air filter at 90k plus cambelt/water pump.

Car was running ok up to the turbo going at 93k, had the strange siren/whooshing noises plus power drop. So now after the recon turbo plus fitting kit installed no power but also no noises (yet), no driving it now though.

[FOCA]

Hi,

Thanks for getting back.

Not too sure about the turbo, I bought a recon one from Turboactive, I think they seem to state that it is completely refurbed, hope so for the money as it was 300 pound.

FOCA - the "turbo" is made of many components, EG compressor, turbine, bearing, shaft, spool, cartridge, compressor housing, actuator, VNT mech, etc, etc - you could have the compressor, bearing and turbine rebuilt and still have your old VNT mech, the VNT mech is built into your exhaust manifold and can coke up and sieze, causing exessive boost or not enough boost - find out what was replaced exactly

Havent had any codes read, would it not show up on the dash anywhere if there was a problem?

FOCA - not nessesarily, if the boost is low (eg faulty actuator/ sticky vanes) the ECU may not produce error codes, because it "thinks" the boost is still "building up"

I have had the car since 74k, dont know the history before that. Since then I have done 20k, 5w30 oil and filter done every 6000, new fuel/air filter at 90k plus cambelt/water pump.

Car was running ok up to the turbo going at 93k, had the strange siren/whooshing noises plus power drop. So now after the recon turbo plus fitting kit installed no power but also no noises (yet), no driving it now though.

You have done the fuel filter so its not that

If one component fails it can cause a chain reaction and other things fail eg- vane/ actuator

The dash light is "basic" - best to get the codes read / invest in a code reader - can save money/ hassle in the long run

[dreadz]

you need to know why it failed in 1st plce..3rd injector is known fault to cos the knackered turbo...i had this one mine- needed to remove injector and all carbon inside and around.1st brand new turbo lasted 2000 mile, no power and then started rattling. next turbo(under warranty) still going strong after 6000 mile.

agree with fault reader-cost next to nothing now days!

[mick85]

Did u remove intercooler an clean that out aswell

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[nephilim]

Yep, I cleaned out all the pipes and intercooler, there was quite a bit of thick black oil in it. Will try to get the codes read, not too easy to get one in France quickly.

One thing I did notice today, I started up and went to feel the exhaust pipe, cant feel much against my hand, could the cat/dpf be blocked? Would I not get a light/error message though?

It actually seemed slightly better today, I tried my best to get the revs up and go no higher than 4th gear. Once its up there (60/70mph) it stays there, but it just takes a while to get there. When I stopped, the fan was still going.

Talked to the company who sold me the turbo, they say that whatever needed to be reconditioned was, it was then bench tested etc.

[Fuzz]

similar to what I'm experiencing after I got a recon turbo fitted. It struggles to get up to speed its like theres no turbo boost pressure, however I can hear the turbo sound kicking in at 1750 revs but the speed doesant increase its as if theres a leak on one of the turbo hoses coz it makes the shhhhhh sound and I've checked the hoses they all seem fine.

[Fuzz]

by the way i've got a 1.6 tdci sport, (just for info)

[FOCA]

Yep, I cleaned out all the pipes and intercooler, there was quite a bit of thick black oil in it. Will try to get the codes read, not too easy to get one in France quickly.

One thing I did notice today, I started up and went to feel the exhaust pipe, cant feel much against my hand, could the cat/dpf be blocked? Would I not get a light/error message though?

It actually seemed slightly better today, I tried my best to get the revs up and go no higher than 4th gear. Once its up there (60/70mph) it stays there, but it just takes a while to get there. When I stopped, the fan was still going.

Talked to the company who sold me the turbo, they say that whatever needed to be reconditioned was, it was then bench tested etc.

So what did the turbo need? was it a £1 jubilee clip or all the components replaced - the answer "whatever needed to be reconditioned was" is meaningless - did that include the VNT mech, actuator, de-coke-ing the exhaust manifold etc or just the cart?

Was it done through a garage or mechanic? why not get whowever is working on the car to sort it or did you remove the turbo and fit the refurbed one on yourself ?

[minimadgriff]

This will more than likely be the VNT's or actuator not set up properly when the turbo has been re-con'd.

Seen it so many times.

[nephilim]

I installed the turbo myself, along with new oil pipes etc plus cleaning up sump, intercooler etc.

I am still thinking it might have something to do with a poss blocked cat/dpf. Might it clear and regen if needed if I take it down the motorway at high revs for 20 minutes, or might I risk the turbo again?

[FOCA]

I installed the turbo myself, along with new oil pipes etc plus cleaning up sump, intercooler etc.

I am still thinking it might have something to do with a poss blocked cat/dpf. Might it clear and regen if needed if I take it down the motorway at high revs for 20 minutes, or might I risk the turbo again?

Which bit of the turbo?

If you don't know what all the different parts of the turbo are called perhaps you should have left the job to someone who knows what they are doing

the vague answers you give / not getting a straight answer i cant really help here

If its not done right it can cause more damage and cost you more than if you had done it right in the 1st place

[martyntdci]

i think he bought a fully re-cond turbo, took old one off, and fitted a full turbo, pipes etc.....

[nephilim]

Yep, exactly what martyntdci has said there, complete recon turbo fitted in place of old one.

Any thoughts on the blocked cat/dpf, I have a all in one unit, the dpf cannot be taken off?

[glorybee]

Hi I have the same problem on my 2003 1.8 TDCI.

Got the garage to fit a remanufactured/reconditioned turbo. When I went to collect the car, they told me there was oil in the cat, but to drive it for a couple of days and see it the oil burns off. Drove the car for about 1/2 an hour today and it is gut less. So rang the garage and they just repeat what they said when I went to collect the car (i.e. drive it for a couple of days and see if it improves). Problem is I do about a hundred miles a day, so am apprehensive about driving the car that far.

[Avon Tuning]

A blocks cat / Dpf can definitely affect power output and prevent the turbo from generating boost. If the dpf is blocked then the dpf differential pressure sensor would pick this up and flag something up on the dash. However if the cat is blocked then the ecu can't detect this.

Let's first check to see if the turbo actuator is working, get someone to rev the car quite hard while you watch the actuator. As the car is revved you should see the actuator move.

Let us know how you get on!

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[nephilim]

Looks like the actuator is working, at idle it is fully down on the stop screw/bolt, when I rev it it does move up and down.

[Avon Tuning]

Ok that's good. Do you have access to any diagnostic equipment? Be good to check faults and also view live data, preferably a log of boost pressure as you accelerate hard in third gear. If you have no access to diagnostic equipment then you could set up a simple mechanical boost gauge with a vacuum hose to one of the boost lines.

We once had an evo that was seriously down on power, we logged boost and it was only running at 7 psi, we were convinced it had a turbo issue or boost leak. After 2 days of stripping and rebuilding components we decided to remove the cat. After removing the cat boost instantly returned to 20 psi. So a blocked cat is defunetly a possibility.

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[Avon Tuning]

Just a thought, have you pulled the intake pipe off from the turbo inlet and checked the impeller? Just check that it has no up and down play or end float.

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