My Audi Tdi has a ghost....it lives in the Turbo....

[bigstig]

......I think.

Just bought Audi 80 Tdi as I've had Golfs for the last few years (Plain Diesel, then a Turbo Diesel) but sold up for 80 estate for more room, and the extra poke of a Tdi vs my old Turbo.

Loving the car, but seems a bit more temperamental than my old Turbo Golf.

Two probs:

The turbo sometimes fails to kick in. Seriously slow acceleration. Happened about 3 weeks after I bought the car. Stopped to see if any pipes had split, come loose, etc, everything looks fine. Started the car again, it works again, turbo fun.

This happens about once a week, or even less often, sometimes when you start the car, sometimes in the middle of a drive. Every time, if you stop the car an start again, the turbo is back.

That's prob one......any ideas?

Prob two, seriously weird, and I think this is why there is a ghost living in the car somewhere.

Opened the car after work, only my drivers door unlocked, the other door locks stayed down. I locked and tried again, same thing. Hmm, never mind. Turned the key to start and the car wouldn't fire (i.e. wouldn't try to start, just no ignition at all) plus ALL the dash lights came on, then turned off, then my emergency flashers on. Turned the ignition of, and the emergency flashers are still going. V strange. Locked the car again and tried for the third time. Still no dice.

Finally, unlocked the car from the passenger side, everything unlocked, flashers stopped and the car started fine.

has anyone EVER had this before? Totally weird. Hasn't happened since (touch wood)

[bigstig]

Battery gave up last week, (small hole in the side of battery, sulphuric acid steam coming out!) so got new one. Turbo problem hasn't happened since (not saying it won't happen again)

Thought it had fixed the central locking problem, but it has happened once since I got the new battery same deal: opened the door from the passenger side and the car started fine.

[micheal balbrig]

Battery gave up last week, (small hole in the side of battery, sulphuric acid steam coming out!) so got new one. Turbo problem hasn't happened since (not saying it won't happen again)

Thought it had fixed the central locking problem, but it has happened once since I got the new battery same deal: opened the door from the passenger side and the car started fine.

Could it be that your model has the immobiliser on it ? key symbol in dash
If so does it require all door locks to be released before starting.

[the_k]

Have you checked the pipe that goes from the intercooler or somewhere there abouts to the ecu in the front passenger foot well? mine had a hole in it under the battery compartment and the car would go in to limp mode sometimes (not produce any boost)


The switch on the drivers door lock might not be working so not disabling the alarm/immobiliser, you are unlocking the car but the car doesn't know you are.

[bigstig]

well, since I got the new battery no probs with the limp mode. So that's good, and no probs with the locking/car shutting down, so it looks like it was some kind of security thing activated by low battery power not unlocking all 4 doors properly. Most odd.

Anyway, fixed now

but the radiator boiled over today. looks like it's cooked.

[Tobster]

I've it hasn't had it after overheating;
I found that blanking the EGR valve off and removing the N75 (I think it's called?) valve - all the gubbins behind/underneath the air box, made a really big difference to mine. Presumably such components were sticking.

Basically stick a blank inside one of the EGR pipe connectors, remove and blank off the vacuum hose from the brake master cylinder to the EGR and N75 valves.

Reroute one of the boost pressure pipes to the wastegate on the turbo (VERY IMPORTANT), and then blank off any others (or reroute to a boost gauge )

Got another Audi 80 TDI for the Mrs and drove it in to work to blow the cob webs out today; this one is pretty much the same; turbo not always kicking in and sticky EGR valve. I can really feel the difference I have made to mine.
Plus a brake caliper siezed and made me stop on a roundabout in a cloud of asbestos smoke!