Poorly GTi - Help Please

[S2 Ant]

Hi All,

My car has become poorly and I'm in need of some help to fix things.

My GTi doesnt often get driven, so when I came to drive it a couple of weekends ago it was being given a bit of abuse

I was getting on to the motorway, foot down but not to the floor, got up to around 80 then heard a loud pop, engine warning light came on and car went in to limp mode and turned in to a tractor (loud chugging diesel sounding noise). Pulled over, turned it off and visually checked things and looked ok. Started again and it was smooth again, managed to get off the motorway and back home again.

Pulled the logs and had the following errors listed:

00189 - EVAP Emission Control Sys: Incorrect Flow
P0441 - 002 - lower Limit Exceeded - Intermittent

012600 - Intake Manifold Runner Control: Regulation Deviation
P3138 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent

012599 - Intake Manifold Runner Control: Basic Setting Not Completed
P3137 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent

004917 - Engine Torque Monitor 2: Control Limit Exceeded
P1335 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent


My first thoughts before pulling the codes was a boost leak. I have since checked the two bottom boost hoses and the small piece that joins that black plastic pipe to the inlet manifold and everything looks fine, no damage or splits.
The car is running a Forge DV - i've not had that off yet to check things and have got myself a service kit for it so that when I do check, it can have bits replaced. It also has the BSH Catchcan as well replacing the standard PCV stuff.

Its recently had some new spark plugs (i've still got the old ones)

I've since started the car 3 times since getting it home and the first time, it barely started, was spluttering and barely idled or stalled, when revved it smoothed out but still popped a bit. The other 2 times it started fine and idled fine so i went for a short drive to see if any faults would reappear after clearing the ones above and nothing else has been generated.

The car now only boosts to around 15 psi and doesnt want to go higher. I've done a quick log of requested boost Vs actual boost and the car is asking for the usual ~24psi but its not getting it, I still think it could be a boost leak as i'm sure there is more noise than before - like air leaking whooshing noise - but it could just be the noise of the intake kit i guess and its just paranoia picking up every slight hint of noise (BSH Intake kit). The car sometimes gettings stuttery when trying to accelerate and on lift off sometimes has a surge to it as well.

Having checked the 2 bottom boost hoses, the one at the top - all I can think of thats left is if there is a soft hose from turbo to the metal downpipe before the first IC hose, the IC itself, or a poorly turbo? Or maybe vacuum hoses?

Thoughts please?

[seiko]

have you loged fuel requested and actual ?,

[Statller-Stevo]

Unplug the maf and run it, if it runs smooth and starts straight away you may have an air leak
Not sure what the pop would have been but check the vac feed to the DV & also check the piston isn't sticking in the DV itself much as I like the Forge stuff I do have problems with sticking aftermarket DV's leaking boost 

[S2 Ant]

Thanks for the replies guys.
A sticking dv was something that crossed my mind too and their service kit is waiting to be fitted when I check it out.

I'll check the fuelling when I have checked the dv bits but I'm sure it's leaking air in to or out of the system somewhere.

Fingers crossed it doesn't get more expensive. Although when I suggested it could be a broken turbo to the Mrs her response was to suggest a k04 upgrade lol

[S2 Ant]

Car has been given to a local VAG specialist to investigate, although so far they've been unable to find whats at fault.
Just to add on to this, having cleared the above fault codes, there is another that now returns...

008568 - Bank 1; System Too Rich off Idle
P2178 - 002 - Lower Limit Exceeded - MIL ON
Freeze Frame

I also have the same problem as the guy on VWVortex too..

I have read my car with Vag-Com and erased all failures. When all is STATUS OK giving now, there is 1 faullt code that is coming up always. (I can reset it but after a drive of 10 minutes the fault code 008568 comes back again.)

Also when i not start the car for more than 7 hours is starts whith 1300rpm and goed 800 up, and down for 7 minutes. After this i can start the car the whole day without problems.

This one i have been able to find info on via the American forums and suggests all sorts of things, i cant find this fault code on the forum tho to see if anyone over here is able to add anything further.

As i've not got my car at the moment i cant do a great deal more until either they find a fault or i get it back to look at further. Just wanted to keep this post up to date in case it helps me fix the problem and also helps anyone else that might come across the same problem

[JackG]

The fault codes don't match a follower fault but because these followers create massive problems and cause a range of faults check it anyway,  reason being was mine popped when started and then ran ok and then got worse and struggled to start,  I had a high pressure fault tho

[S2 Ant]

So it turns out my turbo is cracked and i need a new turbo :(

Now i'm pondering to i go K04 or just buy a new K03 and be done with it

[zerolag]

So it turns out my turbo is cracked and i need a new turbo :(

Now i'm pondering to i go K04 or just buy a new K03 and be done with it

As your probably aware, there is a lot more to a K04 conversion than just the turbo.

[S2 Ant]

Oh yeh, i've got a full parts list and prices 
Its been sitting in an excel file for quite some time... and will remain so i think as i've got several holidays planned this year, plus my speed fix is usually on 2 wheels not 4 these days 

Plus my GTi does less than 3k miles per year! I'd actually been considering selling it before this happend

[Gene Hunt]

So it turns out my turbo is cracked and i need a new turbo :(

Now i'm pondering to i go K04 or just buy a new K03 and be done with it

........breakers yard.

[zerolag]

Yeah, If your thinking of selling then this would probably be a relatively inexpensive solution on ebay
Not sure what the labour is on a turbo swap

[S2 Ant]

Gonna go thru this with the garage later, but if it is the turbo then it'll get a new one not a 2nd hand one.
Rather have the job done once properly and know all is well than try save a few quid

[S2 Ant]

Ok, so I now have a new turbo - the old one and an almighty crack on the hot side going all the way thru it from the inside to the out! I have a couple of pics lol

Also, there was an issue with the flaps in the inlet manifold, something was stuck, so they were released and re-calibrated and now i have a sweet running Golf again. Just wanted to update and close off this thread in case its useful to someone else in the future :)