A6 2.5 Tdi Turbo removal

[elt]

Advice needed please on turbo removal proceedure on my '00 2.5Tdi.
Have tried today to remove it for a stripdown and clean due to overboost problems, but cant get to one of the nuts holding it to the exhaust manifold! The other three are a doddle but the fourth has caused me major headaches and in the end i had to put it all back together again!!
Can just about get to it with a flexible head ratchet spanner but its so tight i can't get any leverage! Tried a little heat too but to no avail!
Is a special tool required to remove this nut or am i just missing the obvious?

[adamss24]

I am undoing these with a short 12mm stubby ring spaner on wich i push with a strong screwdriver, but be carefull not to strip the treads of the nut. These nuts are self locking and you should not over tighten as it will take ages to undo when you need to ! Use new nuts when fitting back, quite pricey at £1.50 a piece. I dont ussualy fit the 4th troublesome nut back just because its soo difficult to remove.

[elt]

Thanks for the info. Thats the only spanner type I don't own i think! Will try to get one today and try again.
Still not 100% convinced its the turbo as the vane actuator rod moved freely when i loosened the 2 bolts holding the vac unit to the turbo.
Main dealer says its the turbo but they have made expensive mistakes with my cars in the past so i'm not convinced.
There doesn't seem to be much vacuum on the pipe to the unit that operates the vanes when the car is revved at standstill. is this normal?
I don't want this car to end up another money pit! I already have 2 of those in the form of old aircooled VW's!
Any help is much appreciated. Mark.

[rob1976]

Hi , how did you manage to get the oil union pipe bolts undone from which sit right under the turbo? i can not get in to mine, seems i need very small hands, thanks.

[adamss24]

You dont need to, it will come toghether with the oil pipe ! Just be carefull when pulling the turbocharger away so you dont bend the oil drain pipe, you will need a new o-ring seal. You will need to push the rubber connection onto the metal pipe to the intercooler so the compressor side of the turbo is clear and you will need to turn the turbo slightly to get it off. Fit a new engine breather while you are at it...and use new copper washers on the banjo bolt on the oil feed ! Hope this helps.

[rob1976]

Thanks, i thought it might pull away but didnt want to incase i damaged anything, going to audi to order a o ring, going to decoke the turbo ,did yours run better once you cleaned it?.

[snapdragon]

Mine was really hard to pull off (the oil drain pipe) I had to crouch on top of the engine. My old turbo was in good condition, but the vacuum actuator was shot as it rusts inside around the seam and the diaphragm becomes detached. Sorry I can't remember more. My Father undid the hardest bolts as I did it at my parents' house. I think it is possible without special tools, but a choice of several spanners helps, maybe we ground the head smaller on one of them, or used pedal spanners (for a bike).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1366635...7607705662242/

[rob1976]

Looking at the actuator on mine it looks a bit rusty on the seams and on top when the engine is run up the arm moves but only about 12mm then back, i think its the original actuator from new (9 years) do you think its worth me changing as im cleaning the vanes ect on the turbo unit?.

[snapdragon]

Looking at the actuator on mine it looks a bit rusty on the seams and on top when the engine is run up the arm moves but only about 12mm then back, i think its the original actuator from new (9 years) do you think its worth me changing as im cleaning the vanes ect on the turbo unit?.

Mine appeared to still work during my initial tests and so I spent a long time looking for the problem elsewhere, the operation was far lazier on the old one than the new one. Sourcing a new actuator proved impossible, but I did see one on ebay germany (new) for about £126. Well, I only paid £230 for a recon. turbocharger so swapped the whole lot (also from ebay germany).

My old turbo was the 155BHP version, the new one was 180BHP version, there have been no ill effects, and the AFM ration, number of blades etc... is the same, so I really don't know what the difference is, maybe it's just for warranty statistics purpose that the part number is different.

[rob1976]

Hi snapdragon, ive found a actuator on ebay but it is for the 180bhp version, you say the turbo you put back on yours was a 180bhp model turbo that was no different to the 155 version was the actuator the same?