white smoke and lack of power passat tdi

**plasticcouch81** · 20-07-2009,09:31 PM

need some expert know how on this one.

Sunday i was driving from my house 2 mins down the road, so the engine was still cold, amd i accelerated fairly hard to join a main road, when i heard a bursting sound, after that there was a lack of power and white smoke under acceleration. My initial thought was the turbos gone! Then could it be the head gasket?
I have checked there is no oil and water mixing.
When i start the engine there is no smoke, it only smokes when the turbo whizz's up, also the engine and turbo sound fine. The only thing i have noticed is a slight sucking noise like air might be getting sucked in from somewhere. I can't see any pipes have come off?
What checks should i do before taking the turbo off!

**peterbythesea** · 20-07-2009,09:34 PM

Hope this helps, my audi A6 1.9 TDI was very similar, removed the EGR valve and cleaned it with white spirit, it is quite easy to remove as it sits above the turbo. Good luck.

**plasticcouch81** · 21-07-2009,09:05 AM

thanks i'll try it out, is white spirit the best thing to use?
if that doesn't workis there any other things i could try

**Rolo** · 21-07-2009,12:08 PM

Try to find to source of the hiss. Mine blew the gasket/seal in the intercooler which let the boost air out. Check the joints in the line from turbo to EGR.

**plasticcouch81** · 21-07-2009,12:58 PM

THANKS
i have been looking on TDIclub forum and my symptoms suggest a blown turbo!! but would it still spin if it was knackered? i thought black smoke indicated a blown turbo?
as for the intercooler on a passat its tucked right down the front, whats the bext way to get to it as i can only see one pipe going into the top so i assume there is onecomming out the bottom?

**Rolo** · 21-07-2009,04:42 PM

Sounds like a leak as black smoke indicates that too much fuel for air going into engine. Air feeds along pipe at bottom of rad and goes into bottom of intercooler. There is a rubber pipe at each end with two joints per pipe. It could be any of these or intercooler. plastic grill comes out and you can move rubber shield to see round edges of cooler. Get someone to rev engine while you listen with a short piece of pipe to your ear.

**plasticcouch81** · 21-07-2009,05:59 PM

would that be the plastic grill under the bumper?
any suggestion where to buy new silicone vacum tubiing and associated pipework for the turbo?

thanks for your help

**Rolo** · 21-07-2009,06:09 PM

Demon tweeks or other 'boy racer' type shops for hose. If you can hear hissing then it could either be a leak on vacuum side or pressure side. Vacuum pump is at back of head. Follow hoses to find a leak. If there is a leak on this side then turbo will not give full power as vacuum is used to pull vanes to max boost. Should not give black smoke as fuel is governed by air mass meter

**plasticcouch81** · 22-07-2009,11:37 AM

so, i checked all the pipes last nite, and all are connected. then i read that i can check the turbo by taking off the inlet pipe on the front of the blower and feel the turbine shaft for play.
and to my dissapointmant there was some play, and what felt like a missing vane!!! so i can only conclude the white acrid smoke is a knaksred turbo! great.

So who can tell me what turbos will fit on my 1997 Passat 1.9 TDI sport 110bhp (red I)

thanks

**Rolo** · 22-07-2009,07:55 PM

I don't know how many miles yours has done but there is always some play in the bearing. Doesn't mean its sh*****. It is possible to rebuild the turbo with a new bearing and shaft but I am not sure about the inlet impeller? If bearing has collapsed enough to break a vane then it might be cheaper to get one from a breakers. I believe that the power is determined by size of turbo etc and that hose size is also different between models. I changed my turbo but mine is a 2001 130TDI and yours is earlier type so it may be completely different. Sorry I cannot be of more help.