White/gray smoke

[msdee]

My A4 1.9 TDI yr 52 is billowing white smoke.
RAC couldn't find anything wrong with it......its now been off the road for 8wks.

Took it to a garage yesterday & they have said its theturbo that's gone
I'm rather caucious about garages as I've been burnt in the past hence why my car been parked up for so long.
I am concerned they didn't mention any processes of elimination or what tests they carried out.

Although I know hardly anything about cars I have done extensive research via the net & from what I understand it could be a number of things causing the problem.

Please can anyone tell me how I go about getting a reliable diagnosis if there is one.

Many thanks

[peteo]

I'm no expert but, if the turbo had gone, I suspect there would be other symptoms as well especially noise. Worth using the search facility on the site under turbo and there are loads of posts on this issue.

[Sam]

If the turbo had gone, you'd know about it.

Does the white smoke smell of oil?
Are there any warning lights on?
Any loss of power?
Any coolant loss?

[nevo]

Turbo blown would be thick black smoke and plenty of metallic noise, get the head pressure tested again like previous post is your coolant losing its level?

[msdee]

I'm no expert but, if the turbo had gone, I suspect there would be other symptoms as well especially noise. Worth using the search facility on the site under turbo and there are loads of posts on this issue.


If the turbo had gone, you'd know about it.

Does the white smoke smell of oil?
Are there any warning lights on?
Any loss of power?
Any coolant loss?

Unsure about the smell, but no to all the other symptoms.



Turbo blown would be thick black smoke and plenty of metallic noise, get the head pressure tested again like previous post is your coolant losing its level?

No coolant loss

Many thanks again.

Have spoken to Audi today & they assure me they can correctly diagnose the problem for £130 does this sound about right.

[mikeybutch]

Audi may be your best bet if you dont know a good inde

[nevo]

130 quid at the maindealer probably equates to a couple of hours work so I guess they should diagnose it .

[danclyon]

Unsure about the smell, but no to all the other symptoms.




No coolant loss

Many thanks again.

Have spoken to Audi today & they assure me they can correctly diagnose the problem for £130 does this sound about right.

Mine charged my insurers £115.20 inc vat for an hour yesterday....so not far off the mark.

D.

[msdee]

Mine charged my insurers £115.20 inc vat for an hour yesterday....so not far off the mark.

D.

I think its quite reasonable IF I get a conclusive result....I wondering how much the garage where the car is will charge me to have told me I need a new turbo @£1000...going there in the morning.

[yaman]

I think its quite reasonable IF I get a conclusive result....I wondering how much the garage where the car is will charge me to have told me I need a new turbo @£1000...going there in the morning.

Whatever they try to charge depends on the amount of investigative
procedures they carried out and must be justified, in writing, by way of
receipt of payment of services provided.

Tell them your getting a second opinion, because its an expensive
repair.

Regards
Jim

[msdee]

Whatever they try to charge depends on the amount of investigative
procedures they carried out and must be justified, in writing, by way of
receipt of payment of services provided.

Tell them your getting a second opinion, because its an expensive
repair.

Regards
Jim


Have collected the car they charged £150 which they said is 2.5hrs labour + vat I asked what procedures they had carried out and they said they had taken exhaust off + drained it as oil was going straight into it.
Assured me that it's 100% the turbo has gone.

If I go ahead with the audi diagnosis that will be £290 i've spend...not sure what to do.

[danclyon]

Have collected the car they charged £150 which they said is 2.5hrs labour + vat I asked what procedures they had carried out and they said they had taken exhaust off + drained it as oil was going straight into it.
Assured me that it's 100% the turbo has gone.

If I go ahead with the audi diagnosis that will be £290 i've spend...not sure what to do.

A place just up the road from me quotes £699+vat as their turbo replacement price for A4 diesels. They note that this is "from" as there is often other stuff to be changes too. If it's the turbo, you now have a benchmark price for the replacement of it. However, it's likely to have knackered the CAT as well if there's been a lot of oil headed through it over any extended period.

I don't think you've been unfairly charged, but wouldn't have expected 2.5 hours to diagnose that and remove the exhaust. Get a number from them for replacing it and see where you go from there.

To put a but more colour on it. A reman turbo from a reputable online supplier for my AVF engined 1.9 is £395.94 (it's actually a bit more than that, but when you return the dead one they give you some money back). A brand new one is £851.94 (again same story, a bit more but you get some back when you take the dead one back).

So if you say £400 for the turbo, that's 300 labour on top from my local place - and then you may need a cat or other parts (which I don't know the prices of).

It's not going to be cheap, but haggle with the main-dealer and see what you can get in terms of price against that. Someone else may be able to offer some numbers, and some of the forum sponsors may be interested in doing the work....worth asking!!

Cheers,
Dan.

[nevo]

Sorry to hear your woe's msdee,oil seals must have gone as opposed to mechanical damage, recon route is the best option for you,get a good indie off the forum,forget the cat you can always take it out its not required for MOT.as fot cost its your call with what you've spent already plus the turbo plus fitting you're approaching a grand,its how much you value the car,or maybe cut your losses and sell as is.

[danclyon]

Sorry to hear your woe's msdee,oil seals must have gone as opposed to mechanical damage, recon route is the best option for you,get a good indie off the forum,forget the cat you can always take it out its not required for MOT.as fot cost its your call with what you've spent already plus the turbo plus fitting you're approaching a grand,its how much you value the car,or maybe cut your losses and sell as is.

Not required for MOT - really?

D.

[msdee]

Thanks everyone...

Perhaps it's my just wishful thinking but is their any chance its not the turbo.....nevo they did say it was the seals would they have been able to tell without taking the turbo off

[danclyon]

Thanks everyone...

Perhaps it's my just wishful thinking but is their any chance its not the turbo.....nevo they did say it was the seals would they have been able to tell without taking the turbo off

Seals would be inside the turbo, so would require a recon unit anyway - sorry mate...

If they found a goodly quantity of oil in the exhaust such that they had to drain it out again, I can't think of much that would cause that except it leaking past the turbo :(

Cheers,
Dan.

[danclyon]

Thanks everyone...

Perhaps it's my just wishful thinking but is their any chance its not the turbo.....nevo they did say it was the seals would they have been able to tell without taking the turbo off

BTW - if you don't need the car for the few days it takes to do - could you get yours re-conditioned? Some places charge as little as £150 to do that, might make it a bit easier on the wallet?

PM me if you want a couple of places I've found sharing?

Cheers,
Dan.

[msdee]

BTW - if you don't need the car for the few days it takes to do - could you get yours re-conditioned? Some places charge as little as £150 to do that, might make it a bit easier on the wallet?

PM me if you want a couple of places I've found sharing?

Cheers,
Dan.

Sounds good ......not familiar with the site how do I send a pm.

What would the damage to the cat be a definate???

[danclyon]

Sounds good ......not familiar with the site how do I send a pm.

What would the damage to the cat be a definate???

Dunno on the cat - it may have survived - only real way to tell is change the turbo and then see......

I'll send you a pm...you'll work out how to get it :)

Cheers,
Dan.

[nevo]

Not required for a diesel,just swill it out and leave in situ.

[msdee]

Have anyone heard or used Spinspeed in Greewich? they offer a car collection recon & fit for £465... as I don't have a mechanic thinking it might be my best option.

[borabear]

So if you say £400 for the turbo, that's 300 labour on top from my local place - and then you may need a cat or other parts (which I don't know the prices of).
Dan.

£300 labour? refitting a new turbo is 1.5hrs tops and at around £60p/h at an indy that equates to around £100. As for the CAT, dont bother just fit a de-CAT like I did - £70, job done.

[danclyon]

£300 labour? refitting a new turbo is 1.5hrs tops and at around £60p/h at an indy that equates to around £100. As for the CAT, dont bother just fit a de-CAT like I did - £70, job done.

I was of course putting a figure from the turbo bought PRIVATELY and not supplied by them - so the break-out wasn't clean, but it showed how it split up...

[msdee]

Been considering a recon but have been told by Turbo Dynamics that Garrett units cannot/should not be reconditioned can anyone confirm this.

Although none of the other companys that I have asked for a quote have told me this.

[danclyon]

Been considering a recon but have been told by Turbo Dynamics that Garrett units cannot/should not be reconditioned can anyone confirm this.

Although none of the other companys that I have asked for a quote have told me this.

I don't see why not, and what have the thousands of recon units produced each year proven (a lot of them are Garrett) - that you can recon them! In fact my mates BMW 320d is running a recon one at the moment and he's had no problems!!).

D.

[arman123]

I had a recon turbo in my audi 1.9 tdi about a year know no problems bought it for £285 exchange and was about £170 to fit it in all new gaskets and stuff but the guarantee you get on recon turbo is not worth the paper is written on so make sure you get a good one I bought mine from global auto parts in Birmingham

[dan2134]

I have just replaced the turbo on my A4 130 sport blew the seals.

audi said £850 for the turbo and that is a recon. you will not get a brand new one from audi it will cost more than the car.

they cost the same price at euro car parts for an OE spec one.

and it takes about 2 1/2 hour to change it.

have fun mate.

[msdee]

Think audi have reduced their prices of late as they quoted me £699 or 1100 fitted for a brand new one.

Deceided to for a recon from CR Turbos £320+ vat