190 bhp turbo query

**user name** · 29-11-2019,08:40 PM

i have just bought a r-line 190 passat and unlike the wifes 140bhp passat which doesnt seem to have much appreciable turbo lag, my 190 has huge lag and turbo is very reluctant to spool up in first gear, im running some injector cleaner through it in case its that. So my question is, how much lag is the norm ?

**Gazwould** · 01-12-2019,06:51 AM

How many turbos has it got ?

**Frank Bullitt** · 01-12-2019,08:18 AM

One - the BiTDi is 240PS and has (as it’s name suggests) 2 turbos.

In terms of how the car performs, I don’t find the current 2.0TDi has a ‘step’ when the turbo starts to operate, I think it’s got quite a low threshold (ps the 150 and 190 don’t feel radically different, even at higher engine speeds) which makes it feel quite a linear engine

**Gazwould** · 01-12-2019,08:52 AM

That's where VAG has gone wrong..

Saab with their 9-3 1.9 160-180 bhp and Mercedes 2.1 170-200 bhp diesel 4 pot engines were doing bi-turbo 13 years ago !!

A small high pressure turbo for a quick spool and a lower pressure larger turbo for midrange and top end .

Most around 2.0L single turbos from 170bhp upwards struggle for low rpm flexibility with turbo lag . There's a limit with physics and mapping .

A 140 remapped to 180+ is always going to be the sweeter drive .

**Frank Bullitt** · 01-12-2019,09:37 AM

Technology changes though, Mercedes now do single turbo 2.0 up to 200PS as do most manufacturers - 13 years ago that wasn’t safely, reliably or responsively possible, it is now (I’m not sure the 170bhp versions of the Merc engine were twin-turbo as these were usually 220’s, it’s the 250’s that were twin turbo, and, ironically, the early ones were a reliability joke).

The 190 isn’t ‘laggy’ nor does it have threshold issues if the OP has an issue with his then it needs to be checked

**Gazwould** · 01-12-2019,10:08 AM

Yes 220 is bi-turbo , 250 also but 2nd turbo is larger than 220's.

**user name** · 01-12-2019,11:35 AM

Sadly I agree with you.. I'm more than suspicious I have turbo related issues , I was in a way hoping you would say it was part of the downside to a bigger turbo, as I said, when it kicks in its good, but the truth is it's irregular when it kicks in, you can feel it spooling up which is in a way quite nice to feel but no compensation for it just working

**Gazwould** · 01-12-2019,12:32 PM

What gearbox do you have ?

And is this really turbo lag or the often built in throttle valve opening delay of drive by wire ?

**user name** · 01-12-2019,02:46 PM

manual gearbox, im drawing the comparison from the wifes 2.0 tdi 140 and a 140 i had before.

how easy is it to get to the turbo - do i need to be underneath ?

**user name** · 01-12-2019,02:59 PM

im not sure what i have is actually turbo lag perse, more a reluctance to kick in in first gear and less so in second gear, once rolling all is fine really, my suspicion is a lazy actuator, when i got the car it had been a high miler lease car, fully serviced but the engine bay was absolutely filthy and had never been cleaned in its 3 years in existence, making me wonder if the actuator was clogged up - as i cant see it by opening the bonnet im guessing i need to get underneath ?