I'm stumped & boost issues. Possible wastegate or related failure [Archive]

Coderedpl

03-19-2011, 02:52 PM

It seems as if I'm not the only one having this issue so I'm changing up the first post little bit for those first coming into the topic.

I first posted about this issue here:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/417671-Anybody-have-a-newER-DV-fail-on-them-(Loss-of-about-5lbs-of-boost)

In simple words:
My car is not boosting properly like it always did when I had it flashed. At stage 2 through all this time I was able to hit 20lbs of boost with no problems. The boost gauge needle would sweep up smoothly and quickly in both city and highway driving.
Now it has trouble reaching 15lbs, its a lot slower to reach it, and it actually takes a bit of a workout to push it past 15lbs in city driving. Highway driving, it seems to be much easier to get it to 20lbs but it seems as if it runs out breath and drops boost quick.

For those of you who have never heard of this before, or have not noticed. You should be getting and able to hold anywhere around 20lbs of boost easily at Stage 1-2

Myself, like a few others are stumped at this point. We believe it might be one of the internal mechanical components that are having some sort of issue. More specifically we are pointing fingers towards the: Actuator, wastegate flapper

What was already done
- Checked for boost-leaks - Didn't find any
- Checked piston type revision D diverter valve - no problems found
- Cleaned MAF - No effect on issue
- N75 valve replaced with a brand new unit from dealer - No effect on issue
- Bypassed PCV valve - No effect on issue

============================================
Those who are experiencing similar issues:
Coderedpl (me)
scotth07a4sline
trevor51590
jimrobbington
vladp
audib7maniac
shiro1745
baldy
deeznuts
========================================
SOLUTION
It seems that adjusting the wastegate/actuator rod has given the people that tried it, positive results. You can read through the pages in this thread to see how things have progressed. It seems as if this is a fix. Why did it happen in the first place? No idea. We haven't went as deep as pulling the turbo but this seems to do the job.

Refer to the tech section for the adjustment DIY's.
Like with every DIY and possible solution, no-one is responsible for any damage that this may cause to your turbo or engine or any other car components. Do it at your own risk.

scotth07a4sline

03-19-2011, 03:17 PM

im having the same issues with it checked for leaks and im still only getting about 15lbs also hopefully someone can lead us in the right direction

royal_b7a4

03-19-2011, 03:39 PM

Spark plugs? Fuel pump ? Check your soft codes in the system sounds like your I'm limp mode

Coderedpl

03-19-2011, 06:15 PM

No codes stored at all and I dont see how spark plugs would cause such an issue thats this consistent.

royal_b7a4

03-19-2011, 06:25 PM

The stock plugs suck it could be. My boys plug went recently. And are you sure about the soft codes. Not the cel lights but actual codes that don't throw a light an be read

Coderedpl

03-19-2011, 06:41 PM

The stock plugs suck it could be. My boys plug went recently. And are you sure about the soft codes. Not the cel lights but actual codes that don't throw a light an be read
You think i didnt check that first? I have vag-com did a full scan and I'm pretty sure its clean.

I dont have stock plugs either.

royal_b7a4

03-19-2011, 06:52 PM

Kk goodluck

mr shickadance

03-19-2011, 07:42 PM

Dude u have the worst luck ..... Lemon law ur car haha

Coderedpl

03-19-2011, 08:02 PM

Dude u have the worst luck ..... Lemon law ur car haha
I wish. AOA could care less.

Leo14

03-19-2011, 10:48 PM

Dude u have the worst luck ..... Lemon law ur car haha

Isn't it only a lemon if it is new? I mean, for Jersey it is but I think NY might be different. GL Codered, hopefully everything turns out in your favor

Coderedpl

03-19-2011, 10:58 PM

Isn't it only a lemon if it is new? I mean, for Jersey it is but I think NY might be different. GL Codered, hopefully everything turns out in your favor

New cars, I wanted to use it for when I had my brake problem, but couldn't because of that.

Nico

03-20-2011, 03:36 AM

Coderedpl

03-20-2011, 04:15 AM

Hey Coderedpl sorry I couldn't help with your logs. Have you checked your PCV system? IS it difficult to take the oil filler cap off the engine when it is running? the pcv valve can fail and stick open causing a loss of boost but I doubt it would be as much as you are seeing. dose the car feel slower or is your boost gague faulty - sorry this is probably a stupid question.
That's alright. I understand, I emailed you out of nowhere since i was just really anxious to find the issue and get it resolved, but after reading and checking it out more it became apparent that's its not something that simple. When we did the pressurized test to check for leaks we didn't hear anything from the PCV. I will have to do the oil cap test. It's the newest revision PCV but as I understand these are known to fail as-well.

The last question is not stupid at all as I have thought that maybe its my boost gauge but in reality the car actually feels much weaker and I've checked boost gauge connections and all seems fine.

trevor51590

03-20-2011, 06:25 AM

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 10:17 AM

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 10:35 AM

Oh, I pm'd you with a full explanation of my probs.

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 10:46 AM

Did the pcv test, but don't know if this is normal force to remove oil cap. I had to pull kinda hard, and it definately had some pressure behind it, so I took a video. It might still be "submitting" though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTCazNg_8hc

matthewb2795

03-20-2011, 10:51 AM

^ that is not normal. It seems like there is a lot of pressure holding your oil cap on, I would definitely replace your PCV and see it it improves anything.

Coderedpl

03-20-2011, 11:47 AM

I would replace my pcv valve but dont want to be wasting money on shit i dont need, gah, guess there is no other choice

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 11:53 AM

Just went for a drive and confirmed that my boost is lower than usual as of yesterday. Full second and third gear runs peaked at 14 psi. So I know it's still got the revo tune at least. Can you take off you pcv and check it before replacing it?

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 11:55 AM

Also, my idle is a little low and theres a slight vibration at a stop. Not bad enough to worry, but just noticeable.

cadave

03-20-2011, 12:13 PM

I too have had PCV problems and when I replaced the PCV it only lasted 3 months. So on the next replacement I installed a metal check valve in-line with the PCV to protect the diaphragm inside the PCV from boost pressure (I'm stage 1). Another way to check the PCV is to disconnect the line to the PCV at the intake manifold then cap it with a rubber cap and clamp it on. Then if the engine boosts correctly you have solved the problem, I ran my car with the rubber cap on until I received the new PCV with no problems as the PCV will vent to the atmosphere until fixed.le:///C:/Users/David/Pictures/0813101113a.jpg

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 12:24 PM

Nice, I will try this first. Pic no worky though. You gotta upload it to az first.

OK, this is a B8 engine, but it's similar, and I just want to make sure what I'm doing first.

CADAVE, you mean unhook this hose, and block the intake manifold hole, right? the hose does not need to be blocked, right?
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/594/medium/PCV_bypass.jpg

cadave

03-20-2011, 01:35 PM

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/543/medium/0813101113a.jpgYes, that is the line to remove and plug. I don't post much, so I will have to figure out how to do pictures
Ha, I figured out the picture posting, anyway this is the check valve I attached in-line to the PCV

cadave

03-20-2011, 02:01 PM

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/543/medium/IMG_1080.JPG
Here is my engine showing which hose the PCV attaches to the intake and it also shows the check valve installed. Let me know if this helps.

matthewb2795

03-20-2011, 02:58 PM

my idle is a little low and theres a slight vibration at a stop. Not bad enough to worry, but just noticeable

Same here. I don't have as large of a boost leak as you seem to be experiencing, but I will try the capping method as suggested above and report back my findings.

jimrobbington

03-20-2011, 04:08 PM

I disconnected the pcv from the intake manifold and plugged the manifold. It took several stops at different stores to find what I needed. Auto Zone didn't have shit, nor did Home Depot, but OReiiley's had a $6 assortment bag of different sizes of these rubber fittings.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/2011-03-20165329.jpg

So I got that and a hose clamp. The 3/4" ID rubber thing ( largest one I could find) was barely big enough to force over the outside of the manifold tube, then I clamped it on. I went for a drive. NO CHANGE. Still peaking 14-15psi, and a slower climb to that boost level. First gear feels exactly the same as it always does, but right in the middle of the RPM band when it usually starts to blast the "butt dyno", it just doesn't anymore. That's it, and it's unimpressive when compared to how it used to be before this issue.

What that means is there is nothing wrong with my pcv valve. If it were broken, I should have noticed higher boost, and better performance. That sucks because I was hoping that was the problem, since it's an easy fix. I highly doubt that your pcv is bad either Codered, since I think our issues are identical. At least now I have a pcv test kit, but back to the drawing board.

Is this actually what it feels like when your fuel pump can't supply enough fuel? I have never had fuel cuts before, ever, so I don't know if that could be where this issue lies?

Coderedpl

03-20-2011, 09:38 PM

@Jim - I'll have to do that test. Do you just leave the hose from the PCV hanging there temporarily?

I have experienced fuel cuts long before this problem ever started and I'm more than sure it's not the issue here. Like i sad in the other thread:
Seems like something is not allowing it to hold the boost, sort of like a "partially open" wastegate. This also led me to realize that I don't hear the intake whoosh as much as I used to, or the sound of the turbo building pressure (if that makes any sense)

I had an Audizine member come by today and installed his boost gauge. Believe it or not, he has the same problem. 15lbs of boost, no higher. This now seems to be a little wider spread issue.

Nico

03-21-2011, 12:18 AM

@Jim That is definitely not normal!!!! you can tell that there is a problem because you idle changes when you take the cap off. When I take mine off the idle doesn't change at all. you should replace the pcv.

The only PCV fix that is fail safe is the BSH PCV fix.

viziers

03-21-2011, 04:39 AM

My car is pretty much in the same exact situation as yours. I had code P310B at 5800 rpm because I don't have the upgraded HPFP (follower is good) I've literally done everything you have stated in your first post, and think we may have the same issue whatever it is. I know my newest revision PCV sucks. I pulled it out and the one way valve doesn't work properly and think that's my issue (hoping as well)

No the P310 is completely different from what Codereadpl has..... Code, you may need to do a boost leak test to be absolutely sure there is no boost leak... It could either be a boost leak, Dv or wastegate from the sounds of it......

vizi

viziers

03-21-2011, 04:41 AM

vdubjetta02

03-21-2011, 05:10 AM

carbon build up?????

RedS-line

03-21-2011, 05:51 AM

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 06:08 AM

@Jim - I'll have to do that test. Do you just leave the hose from the PCV hanging there .

Yes, I just left it hanging there. If thats the proper way to test, I saw maybe a 1psi increase, but not anywhere near fixing the issue, so it may be bad, but not the problem.

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 06:34 AM

I have this problem too....thought it was because i messed up my tune by pulling the battery a few times....i have always been convinced that it is the wastegate.

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 07:19 AM

So, if it really is our waste gates, then there is no way to fix it without replacing the turbo, since it is all one piece. Do I smell k04 group buy?

vladp

03-21-2011, 08:52 AM

Same problem here. I'd like to get the apr hpfp and a water/meth kit but this problem keeps me away from doing that. Would be nice if somebody could figure this out.

vdubjetta02

03-21-2011, 08:56 AM

what the hell, how are all of you having the same problem? This is strange

Leo14

03-21-2011, 09:08 AM

what the hell, how are all of you having the same problem? This is strange

This O_o, maybe you guys should all get APR's HPFP and see if that fixes it

shiro1745

03-21-2011, 09:17 AM

I've been having the same problem since I got my cams and hpfp(the last revision) replaced cause of a bad follower. I've been trying to find the problem since, changed the DV with the new revised one, changed the PCV, just tested it for a boost leak yesterday - couldn't find any, I'll try cleaning the MAF sensor, somebody here suggested that. But other than that I don't know what else to do.

On the other hand I have to take my car in for 75k service soon, still under CPO warranty. Any suggestions on what I should have them check or look for? I will try to tell them the car doesn't pull as hard as before (of course I will change the software back to stock) and who knows maybe they'll find something related to this problem. One thing to mentions is that in the stock mode I get around 10Lbs of boost. You will probably say that's normal for stock, but I used to boost 12Lbs on stock program(I think the exhaust and the drop in K&N helped here).

So any questions for audi technicians for when I'll get there?

shiro1745

03-21-2011, 09:20 AM

This O_o, maybe you guys should all get APR's HPFP and see if that fixes it

That's a very expensive way of just testing. What if that's not the problem? Will you buy all the APR pumps from us? LOL
And not to say that I just got a brand new last revision hpfp - shouldn't be a problem there.

Leo14

03-21-2011, 09:25 AM

That's a very expensive way of just testing. What if that's not the problem? Will you buy all the APR pumps from us? LOL
And not to say that I just got a brand new last revision hpfp - shouldn't be a problem there.

Ahaha good point good point.. Idk it just seems as if you guys are narrowing it down to nothing, thought I'd try to be of some help =P
But since you got the revised hpfp, than forget what I said about the hpfp

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 10:30 AM

this may sound dumb but did you inspect your boost gauge hose? mine started to rot and small tears in it meant less boost. i thought my turbo was losing steam when all along it was just the hose leaking. i cut and replaced the hose, taped it up, and wa-la, boost was back. gl
If it was boost gauge I would hear the hissing when the pressurized test for boost leaks was done, and car FEEELS weaker in general.

No the P310 is completely different from what Codereadpl has..... Code, you may need to do a boost leak test to be absolutely sure there is no boost leak... It could either be a boost leak, Dv or wastegate from the sounds of it......
vizi
Boost leak test was in fact done. Using air offcourse. I think the next test would be a smoke test and see if there is any leaks that way. I checked the DV, I have the newest revision piston type btw. No abnormalities.

So, if it really is our waste gates, then there is no way to fix it without replacing the turbo, since it is all one piece. Do I smell k04 group buy?
Either that or we'll see what RAI comes up with.

what the hell, how are all of you having the same problem? This is strange
I think Audi flipped a switch and we're in the same boat

Ahaha good point good point.. Idk it just seems as if you guys are narrowing it down to nothing, thought I'd try to be of some help =P
But since you got the revised hpfp, than forget what I said about the hpfp
To nothing? Without fully knowing the cause, since its not so easy to just go and look at a turbo from the inside I believe we are facing a probable wastegate failure or some mechanical failure. I'm actually somewhat relieved that I'm not the only one with this problem. The sole fact that we are having very similar issues it must be related somehow.

audib7maniac

03-21-2011, 12:50 PM

I am having the same issue. I wont boost past 15-16 lbs of boost. Idk what it can be. FML

shiro1745

03-21-2011, 01:03 PM

I am having the same issue. I wont boost past 15-16 lbs of boost. Idk what it can be. FML

Did you try diagnosing the problem? If yes tell us what you've tried.

baldy

03-21-2011, 01:13 PM

I can't hit past 17.. maybe 18 if lucky... But on the weekend after driving on the highway for a couple hours I hit the gas and saw 19 or 20 for a blink of an eye...

Did logs, and wastegate cycle was over 85 and pegged at 94.9 over 5k.
Established boost leak from 42dd FSI boost tap. Sealed up with extra O-ring and aviation soft-set gasket maker.
wastegate went back to normal 67 to 86 range, but boost request isn't over 2200mbar roughly...ever
disconnected maf and did logs
load went up between 5 to 10 percent, and boost request went up to 2280... so not much, but n75 went up as well to 76 up to 94.9 over 5400.

Could be a tiptronic thing?

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 01:34 PM

I'm manual though.

let's get a roll call of mileage. maybe we can either narrow down cause with age, or strike it from the list.

I'm at 108k mi.

audib7maniac

03-21-2011, 01:43 PM

Did you try diagnosing the problem? If yes tell us what you've tried.

I'm gonna vag it this week and see what codes come from it. I have the updated PCV and forge dv so i don't think those 2 are the problem.

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 02:33 PM

I changed my spark plugs, pulled my battery for half hour and touched the two terminals together....back to spiking at 22 and boosting at 19...lets see how long this lasts

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 02:56 PM

I changed my spark plugs, pulled my battery for half hour and touched the two terminals together....back to spiking at 22 and boosting at 19...lets see how long this lasts

That's how I accidentally found out there was something wrong in the first place. Battery was unplugged for a day or so, I lost my tune, when retuned I was peaking 20 and car ran better than ever. Only lasted one drive cycle, then back to peaking 17-18. Now only 15.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 03:27 PM

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 03:27 PM

I would try unhooking the battery again, but am afraid I will lose my tune again, and my shop is 45 min away.

Leo14

03-21-2011, 03:41 PM

I'm quite surprised how many of you guys are having the same issue, I hope you all can figure this out soon.. To be losing boost like that has to be one big PITA..

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 03:41 PM

Spark plugs would affect boost? How?

The difference in my problem is that I can reach 20 and the higher numbers if I really try and force it. Which is why I thought wastegate because if pushing lightly gases escape through partially open wastagate. Pushing car more they have a chance to spool it and escape at the same time. Idk if I'm making any sense.

I need to try that pcv valve bypass test and go from there.

I cannot force more boost. Period. I was getting 18-19 psi normally. Driving home two days ago in the wind, second gear choked a little, then all of a sudden it was 15psi, and no more. The car runs fine, no issues, just not enough boost and an over all loss of acceleration.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 04:38 PM

I cannot force more boost. Period. I was getting 18-19 psi normally. Driving home two days ago in the wind, second gear choked a little, then all of a sudden it was 15psi, and no more. The car runs fine, no issues, just not enough boost and an over all loss of acceleration.

Hmm I'm able to boost past 15 if forced. Hmm...

I'm at 81,500 miles, 2006 model year.
If you have REVO and you disconnect battery, you will loose your flash and going to have to visit dealer to re-enable for you.

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 04:52 PM

Ok, so I played with the car a little on the way home, and in a fourth gear roll from 45 I was able to "force" a little over 16psi.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 05:09 PM

Ok, so I played with the car a little on the way home, and in a fourth gear roll from 45 I was able to "force" a little over 16psi.
Thats about what I do to force it, I get up to a little higher speed, third or fourth gear and i push it.

audib7maniac

03-21-2011, 05:52 PM

im at 69,xxx 07, Unitronic tune. I pushing it ant i cant go past 16, i been trying real hard.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 06:13 PM

im at 69,xxx 07, Unitronic tune. I pushing it ant i cant go past 16, i been trying real hard.
Tried the same technique in your car as I did on mine, You can't do it. Dont waste your gas trying. I was shocked to see how much I wasted, over 60 miles of driving that i could of done if i didnt try to boost higher lol

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 06:14 PM

Somebody please save us!!!!!!

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 06:27 PM

Somebody please save us!!!!!!
I have a feeling that it could be my PCV, but I won't know till I do a test either tomorrow or Wednesday. Only because when I took the oil cap off I heard a lot of air around that area. I don't remember there being that much last time I tried it and I most certainly didn't do anything that would cause it.

b777

03-21-2011, 06:39 PM

I have the same problem since I went stage 3 apr and bsh catch can. I only get 6-7 psi

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 06:42 PM

I have the same problem since I went stage 3 apr and bsh catch can. I only get 6-7 psi

THAT is BAD! You're worse than stock, I would start checking everything honestly lol

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 07:01 PM

I have a feeling that it could be my PCV, but I won't know till I do a test either tomorrow or Wednesday. Only because when I took the oil cap off I heard a lot of air around that area. I don't remember there being that much last time I tried it and I most certainly didn't do anything that would cause it.

I doubt that the PCV is the issue here. It quite possibly may be bad on our cars, but I doubt fixing it will fix our problem. Do the test and see if you feel a difference though, but I can bet we will still be looking for answers even if we fix our PCVs

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 07:09 PM

I doubt that the PCV is the issue here. It quite possibly may be bad on our cars, but I doubt fixing it will fix our problem. Do the test and see if you feel a difference though, but I can bet we will still be looking for answers even if we fix our PCVs

With these cars, anything is possible lol

shiro1745

03-21-2011, 07:25 PM

75k miles here, manual trans, APR 93 stage 2 and won't go past 16lbs. I'll try the pcv test tomorrow even though i put a new one in this winter. We could use a brilliant mind to save us.

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 07:41 PM

Codered, have you posted this on another forum yet? It might be a good idea if you haven't yet. As many of us that have this issue on AZ, someone somewhere has got to have already had this issue and figured it out.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 07:47 PM

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 08:04 PM

52,000 miles...i have new cams new updated pcv, new plugs, new cam follower, went from forge to revision d

3 driving cycles later today, im back to 16 pounds...i loved my car for 2 hours again today. Fml.

Its not a leak or anything else, ive done numerous boost leak tests...its the god damn waste gate. Only way to inspect it is to pull the turbo out. Someone guinea this!

No way to cpo this or present this to audi because only people who are tuned have this issue.

Btw im APR tuned...looks like im gonna pull my battery every night now so i can get moar boost :)

cadave

03-21-2011, 08:13 PM

I have been trying to figure this out along with you guys, after trying the PCV bypass it seems everybody hit a wall on what the problem is...but I keep thinking maybe this is a winter gas formula problem because so many people have the identical problem. I know that on normally aspirated engines with the winter gas you do get better performance but bad gas mileage. Maybe with forced induction or direct injection or who knows what the winter gas formula might be the issue here. It might be worth an email to Rev, APR or Unitronic (it looks like most of you guys are stage 2) and ask them their opinion, they might know something we don't. I'm just sharing ideas here.

vladp

03-21-2011, 08:18 PM

I have new cams and new HPFP. I wonder if it has something to do with that or it was just a coincidence? When i took the car from dealership the boost was gone. I remember somebody else on AZ saying it happened the same to him after changed the cam and hpfp. Anybody else had these changed at dealership?

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 08:20 PM

@deeznuts - But then why would you be able to boost normal and then go back to low numbers again? Something doesnt quite add-up here. If there was a mechanical problem with the wastegate, wouldn't it exist whether you reset the battery or not? That's my opinion at least.

@cadave - I'm not exactly sure what you mean by winter gas. I use the same type of gas, and I sure as hell tried more than one station considering i tanked up maybe 8 times this month running logs and such just trying to find this damn issue.

@vladp - I'm running stock cams, and hpfp never changed

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 08:20 PM

I dont understand any of what you just tried to say with gas milage and so forth. I dont think is a gas quality issue, and are you implying that winter months all gas stations get shittier gas or something?

Thanks for sharing and keep on coming back.

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 08:23 PM

Op- i dont know this is my first turbo vehicle so i am still learning as i go. I think it has something to do with the ecu or n75 valve limiting the wastegate....i broke my vagina cable so i cant log. Im not too worried about this problem since i plan on going BT this summer but still would like to fix this

awesome thread though- i would like to see this keep going until this gets resolved or narrowed down to the problem, because it seems as if there are a bunch of people having this problem, and more and more may potentially have the same problem in the near future.

i just chipped my car in june when i purchased it...was spiking 22 holding 19, all up until octoberish. so i dont think its a mileage issue because it seems as if i have one of the lower mileage b7's from those who stated their miles, my car is an 08...and was never modded through the duration of the cars life until my purchase.

so there has to be something explaining this. otherwise, whoever wants to be a guinea pig can just weld the wastegate :)

jimrobbington

03-21-2011, 08:25 PM

It's a good idea, but I don't think its a bad gas situation. I have been boosting lower than average for a stage 2 tune since I got it, and when the boost went even lower, I actually felt it happen in the middle of a drive. I'll definately try a different gas station next to make sure, but I only buy Shell, so I would hope it wouldn't be bad.

The thing that doesn't make sense is why boost will come back to normal when the battery is disconnected for a while, then after 1-3 drive cycles, it's gone again. That's happened to me and Deeznuts.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 08:26 PM

shiro1745

03-21-2011, 08:29 PM

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 08:31 PM

guys- its not a gas issue. i only gas up at sunoco or bp- both tier 1, not the issue.....

and OP what do you expect to see when you look inside the turbo?

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 08:32 PM

I've heard things about winter gas also, like it's not the same gas they sell in the summertime but idk anything more. Anybody here knows more about gas? But then it doesn't make sense, last winter i was only stage I and was able to spike 18 lbs all winter long.

I doubt the gas has anything to do with the issues here, since the problem started for me right before spring started and all throughout this winter and last I was fine + we are in completely different locations using gas from different stations.

Anyway, wouldn't all that's needed to check be pulling the cat/or/ testpipe off and see the turbo from the exhaust side? That's where the wastegate is, no?
If my theory of a failing wastegate or partially open one is right, then it should be visible. ANother crazy idea is just leave the damn cat or testpipe off and have someone rev the damn car lol

As seen here:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_lezvVbuUBBU/SdU3xmLUByI/AAAAAAAAAZg/9nvrVHQR-rA/DSCN0678.JPG

Leo14

03-21-2011, 08:33 PM

I wonder if it would be possible to see insides of the turbo by somehow using one of the snake cameras and peeking inside somehow....damn it this is annoying ;(

As a side note, I've used HESS and BP and it made no difference. I had half a tank left when the issue first occurred. What got me worried at first is that rain got somewhere it shouldnt because the night before I drove through a heavy rain-storm, but I dont see what it would affect and now.

Although when I drive in an area with walls on both sides or a tunnel, it could be just in my head but I sort of believe that i hear some kind of air sucking noise, and no its not the noise you usually hear from the intake. What I also noticed is that when I step on the gas, the turbo spools and i let off at the right moment, the turbo/intake will an audible woosh sound. I can't seem to get that to happen as easy as before.

You needs TEH V-POWA! Honestly, best gas I've ever got. Sunoco gave me cold start issues, than switched to exxon/shell and no more problems.. Anyway getting off topic sorry, here are those vids you wanted codered, couldn't get the second one to upload to FB from my phone.. Probably because the flash made the file like 10 times bigger, still got it for you though. Don't laugh at my fail of trying to get the cap on/off in the cold start video pl0x
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ZnckwFwo0&feature=channel_video_title
http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/critftw/th_2011-03-21_21-09-21_722.jpg (http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/critftw/?action=view&current=2011-03-21_21-09-21_722.mp4)
http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/critftw/th_2011-03-21_21-22-30_455.jpg (http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/critftw/?action=view&current=2011-03-21_21-22-30_455.mp4)

deeznuts

03-21-2011, 08:40 PM

i would totally be a guinea pig but im too lazy to pull the turbo. otherwise i would have no problem taking it to a shop and welding that mother****** shut.

cadave

03-21-2011, 08:59 PM

The gov't requires all gas to be reformulated to produce less emissions in winter.

jimrobbington-when you disconnect the battery, it clears the memory in the ECU, and the ECU has to relearn the running parameters for the engine. So for a little while you get all the boost and timing until it knows where the limits are. At least for you I don't think you have a waste gate problem because you get full boost when you disconnect the battery.

Coderedpl

03-21-2011, 10:16 PM

@Leo14 - yea totally sounds like mine is different.

@Deeznuts - welding what shut? I don't think you want anything welded shut lol wastegate is suppose to move

@cadave - I think are you mistaking jim and deeznuts (made me lol haha)...I think gov't rules might be different here, I have personally never heard of this before. Just makes me think on why it's doing such a thing though.

My issue is different in the sense that I CAN boost past 15. I'm not stuck at JUST 15, i DO get past it, and i DO get to 20, but i just have to force it there.

shiro1745

03-22-2011, 04:31 AM

I have to take my cat off anyway in about a week. I'll take a look, it makes sense to have a bad wastgate but then wth is the solution? Replacing the hole turbo? There's no way to fix that?

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 06:25 AM

I have to take my cat off anyway in about a week. I'll take a look, it makes sense to have a bad wastgate but then wth is the solution? Replacing the hole turbo? There's no way to fix that?
I think that's the only way since its internal I'm not sure to be honest

shiro1745

03-22-2011, 07:31 AM

I'll try to get some pictures, in the meantime let's hope somebody else jumps in with some useful comments.

jimrobbington

03-22-2011, 07:40 AM

It would be interesting to see if Codered acheived normal boost after pulling the battery and retuning, just like me and deez.

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 07:45 AM

It would be interesting to see if Codered acheived normal boost after pulling the battery and retuning, just like me and deez.
Idk if my sps switch works properly so kinda scared lol

thenofjboy

03-22-2011, 07:54 AM

Going back to my B5 knowledge, there were several people that had problems with the wastegate actuator going bad, the wastegate actuator arm itself breaking in half, the flapper not sealing 100% & in some cases the flapper was literally just "flapping" around. I’ve even read about one person that removed their CAT & found their flapper sitting in it.

I think it’s a good idea when shiro1745 or anyone else removes their CAT that they take a look at the flappers condition & to see if its sealing/seating correctly. On the B5 while the turbo was installed, you could use long flat head screwdriver to check the tension on the WG actuator arm but I’m not sure if you can do this on the B7, I can check tonight though.

Ive sent out several emails to supporting product dealers about the WG actuator arm below from ForgeMotorsports.
http://www.forgemotorsport.com/content.asp?inc=product&cat=&product=FMACVAG05

Forge also has a WG actuator arm for a KO4 but when I questioned them, they directed to the actuator arm per the link above for the KO3 but here the one for the KO4, which also looks like it would fit. I thought this was interesting too because it seems that the majority of people that are having problems are flashed so this WG arm for the KO4 “might” be a better option because “ it is built with a predetermined actuator spring suitable for at, or slightly above factory boost levels.”..
http://www.forgemotorsport.com/content.asp?inc=product&cat=&product=FMACVAG06

For reference, I compared that WG actuator arm from Forge with the picture from ECStuning's KO4 turbo WG actuator arm in picture 11/26 & they look pretty similar. It even comes with the "L" shape mounting bracket. http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_A4-FWD-2.0T/Search/Turbo/ES6320/

KMD stated this would fit but it’s going to be tuned/adjusted, which will probably be a headache because I assume the turbo will need to be removed to do this due to the lack of room. I am waiting for replies from other vendors & will update as I receive them.

Uspmotorsports just stated this will fit as well but will need to be adjust in order to set the correct “preload”

Forge just told me this:
If you flapper isn't staying closed now it could be the result of a failure in your OEM actuator, the N75, or a leak in one or the reference lines. It might also just be that the stock actuator needs to be adjusted, although that is unlikely.

If the OEM actuator has failed our unit will correct the issue. It will also "fix" the problem if what you are experiencing is the flapper being blown open while under load at higher boost settings.

The preload on the actuator will need to be adjusted to achieve the correct boost pressure, although the system is somewhat self correcting. Tuning may or may not be necessary depending on which spring you choose, your target boost, and what sort of programming you have on the car, if any.

These threads are real old haha but people talk about a “cranked wastegate” – which by doing so, will keep the wastegate closed for a longer period of time. I’ve never done this but you you gotta be careful if you attempt this. Again this is for a B5 but from what ive seen in pictures, it appears you could do this on the B7 since the arm attaches with 2 little nuts & the adjustable turnbuckle onto the flapper mechanism. IIRC, you are only supposed to turn the nut(s) ½ a turn each time & then see how the WG holds when driving. That’s the annoying part because I don’t think you can make that adjustment while the turbo is installed.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2972422
http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?4124302-Cranked-Wastegate-Not-the-usual-questions!

So please bare with me on this, I’ve only had my B7 for a couple months & haven’t really poked around the turbo yet to see how things are mounted, how much clearance there is etc but I thought some of the B5 information I provided above could be helpful. There has to be a cheaper alternative to replacing the turbo. Wow this turned out to be longer than I thought haha…..

deeznuts

03-22-2011, 09:05 AM

Intense...great write-up...so my idea of welding that bitch shut isnt a completely bad idea, couoled with a mbc to prevrnt overboosting.

In the meantime while this is examined even more and potentially has a discoverable remedy- im going to replace my n75 this weekend to see if this helps

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 11:09 AM

shiro1745

03-22-2011, 11:14 AM

I wanted to email forge about the actuators but for some reason the email didn't work.

Update:
I did the PCV bypass on my car, and I'm disappointed to say that it didn't change anything. It definitely does smell though haha, and I noticed my car sounded a bit "different".

I'm thinking of picking up the car and taking off the testpipe tomorrow, but i'm worried about how much clearance I'll have to move the exhaust out of the way enough for me to peek inside and at least take a pic.

I should probably do that before taking the car in for service. It would be easier for me, my cat comes out without touching the exhaust/downpipe (FWD MT). This way if something is wrong there I could tell them about it (still under warranty)

thenofjboy

03-22-2011, 11:21 AM

I wanted to email forge about the actuators but for some reason the email didn't work.

They are migrating to a new email servers in the UK and there have been a few "snags" - I ended up sending an email to the Warranty and Services

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 12:09 PM

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 01:44 PM

i wonder if any of the tuning companies can chime in. Vast, APR, Unitronic, RAI etc. I feel they should know the issue we are having with boosting and might have a solution for it. I don't think its a pcv or dv issue at this point because these two issues would show a major loss in boost.

I bypassed PCV and checked. Neither made a difference. Unless all of our new DVs went out and they're acting like they work properly.

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 02:00 PM

Well I got the forge DV so i doubt thats not the case. I'm hoping its just the N75 valve.

jimrobbington

03-22-2011, 02:35 PM

Where is the n75 and how much is the part?

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 03:20 PM

Where is the n75 and how much is the part?

Directly in front of the turbo pretty much. Aka closer to bumper. Has three hoses connecting to it and a connector.

Never found the part # or the price. Hope someone else can chime in here. When I ran with the vacuum hose disconnected it technically is suppose to allow me to overboost but it didn't do that. Stayed the same way. I disconnected the harness connector and it wouldnt allow me to boost at all. I did the n75 output test and the valve did click like its suppose to. But when i ran logs and i noticed that the duty cycles are high. They are more than 80% most of the time. I think they are suppose to be lower than that at some points. Maybe the n75 is in fact screwed up but the ecu is controlling it in such a way that it doesn't throw a code or is easily detectable

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 03:24 PM

https://vastperformance.com/index.php/products/audi/audi-b7-a4-2006-2008/n75-valve-boost-wastegate-control-solenoid-2-0tfsi.html

wootwoot

03-22-2011, 03:43 PM

carbon build up?????

x2

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 03:47 PM

x2

Maybe but I dont really see carbon build up making us lose 5-7 lbs of boost. I think it is the N75 valve to be quite honest.

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 03:56 PM

https://vastperformance.com/index.php/products/audi/audi-b7-a4-2006-2008/n75-valve-boost-wastegate-control-solenoid-2-0tfsi.html
Thanks for the link. Here is a bit more of info regarding the n75.

The part number for it is:
06F 906 283F

ECS: 43.22 + 10.56 shipping
VAST: 39.95 + 9.33 shipping
Genuine Audi Parts: 27.18 + 9.25 shipping

I'm going to find out if my local dealership has it and see if i can get it from them.

x2
I guess the next time I tank up, I'll stop inside the station and see what products they offer that might help combat the build-up, but I'm pretty sure I wont find much haha.
Sea-foam is already on my to-do list probably within the next month or so when I do the next oil change.

Carbon build up makes sense in the way that a huge excess of buildup might cause issues with the wastegate opening or closing but for it to happen so suddenly just doesn't add up.

I'm hoping everyone else who has this issue chimes in with what they tried or hopefully a solution.
EDIT1: As a side-note, this thread is reaching 1,000 views =)

thenofjboy

03-22-2011, 04:54 PM

Directly in front of the turbo pretty much. Aka closer to bumper. Has three hoses connecting to it and a connector.

Never found the part # or the price. Hope someone else can chime in here. When I ran with the vacuum hose disconnected it technically is suppose to allow me to overboost but it didn't do that. Stayed the same way. I disconnected the harness connector and it wouldnt allow me to boost at all. I did the n75 output test and the valve did click like its suppose to. But when i ran logs and i noticed that the duty cycles are high. They are more than 80% most of the time. I think they are suppose to be lower than that at some points. Maybe the n75 is in fact screwed up but the ecu is controlling it in such a way that it doesn't throw a code or is easily detectable

just to clarify, did you disconnect the hose that runs from the N75 to the wastegate?

that N75 is pretty cheap too, well compared to the older ones that were almost double the price.

shiro1745

03-22-2011, 04:56 PM

I will give n75 valve a try but first i want to see that wastegate when i'll remove my cat. I don't want to waste any extra money if i don't have to. I already changed the pcv and dv and they were fine. I'll check the wastegate and i'll go from there unless somebody finds the problem in the meantime.

It's good the threaf gets a lot of views, hopefully we'll get this sorted out.

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 05:09 PM

just to clarify, did you disconnect the hose that runs from the N75 to the wastegate?

that N75 is pretty cheap too, well compared to the older ones that were almost double the price.
I'm pretty sure I did, it was the top hose. It connected to a banjo bolt. I removed the banjo bolt so it should essentially give off the same effect as removing hose from top of the n75 valve itself, because either way it wasnt connected and I didn't notice any change, but with my n75 duty cycle numbers being high in the logs, I would suspect valve is not good anyway, maybe because of it not being good its communicating wrong data to the ECU, which if one thinks about it, would make sense that the boost comes back after a battery reset since computer pretty much gets sort of "reset." Then once it catches on, it limits you again, but then I'm not understanding as to why when i disconnected it, it didnt change anything. I technically should be able to overboost.

I will give n75 valve a try but first i want to see that wastegate when i'll remove my cat. I don't want to waste any extra money if i don't have to. I already changed the pcv and dv and they were fine. I'll check the wastegate and i'll go from there unless somebody finds the problem in the meantime.

It's good the threaf gets a lot of views, hopefully we'll get this sorted out.
Believe me, i dont want to spend the money either, but I sure as hell want to find this issue before it drives me completely off the roof.

EDIT1:
. I'll be stopping by the dealership tomorrow and hopefully they have it in stock. If not they're usually pretty quick about getting parts so the latest to report back should be Thursday if they dont have it. The more I think about it, the more I believe this could be the issue.

I've been researching what the issue could be and im pointing fingers again at the n75 valve but then, it looks like a mechanical failure

Kai@EliteMS

03-22-2011, 05:13 PM

Coderedpl I replied to your email.

Bring it by the shop and we'll figure it out. Email me back or send me a message on here and we'll setup an appointment. It won't be as costly as you may think.

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 05:42 PM

Coderedpl I replied to your email.

Bring it by the shop and we'll figure it out. Email me back or send me a message on here and we'll setup an appointment. It won't be as costly as you may think.

Kai what do you think this might be off hand.

Kai@EliteMS

03-22-2011, 07:09 PM

Kai what do you think this might be off hand.

It could be various things, I would just be talking randomly I can't say anything without actually seeing the car.

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 07:29 PM

Guys, I'm going to setup a donation fund to diagnose the issue =p

jimrobbington

03-22-2011, 10:02 PM

I'm glad it seems like we are getting somewhere. $ 50 part would be nice if it were the issue. Please take pictures when you swap it so we can has a diy if that is proven to be the problem.

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 10:21 PM

I'm glad it seems like we are getting somewhere. $ 50 part would be nice if it were the issue. Please take pictures when you swap it so we can has a diy if that is proven to be the problem.
if dealership has the part, I have the time, and I have enough space in garage, then ill do it "today". If not then depending on what's needed it will be later.

audib7maniac

03-22-2011, 10:30 PM

if dealership has the part, I have the time, and I have enough space in garage, then ill do it "today". If not then depending on what's needed it will be later.

Peter change it tomorrow so then if that's the problem we can fix mine lol

Coderedpl

03-22-2011, 10:48 PM

Peter change it tomorrow so then if that's the problem we can fix mine lol
That all depends on if the dealership stocks the part + weather is suppose to be shit and I have a million other things to do haha but if i get the part, ill try my best to fit it in before I go to work.

And actually one very weird thing I noticed on the way back from work is that my issue seems to be a bit different than from what you guys are getting. You are most likely wondering, why? how is that?
Well, simply, I AM able to boost past 15, and I'm not talking about hitting 15.5 or 16. My boost gauge is able to reach 20lbs of boost and hold it there for a bit, but it seems to drop quicker than it used to and in city driving, I still am having trouble reaching 20lbs with the snap of my fingers like i used to. After this said observation, I'm not sure if its the n75. Ill offcourse try it but I'm again, leaning back to the mechanical issue of the wastegate. I know it's getting annoying how I'm going back and forth of what i strongly think it might be but the symptoms add up to what could be a few different things. The sole fact that I'm able to hit 20lbs if i make the car work harder for it (aka more exhaust gases) makes believe its mechanical (aka wastegate) since its pushing enough to get turbo to spin, but then from what I read about the n75 failing, it makes me want to believe its that.

BUT seeing as usually things are not all that simple with these cars I'm going to go ahead, get my mind ready, and assume it's an internal/mechanical failure/problem.

deeznuts

03-22-2011, 11:25 PM

That all depends on if the dealership stocks the part + weather is suppose to be shit and I have a million other things to do haha but if i get the part, ill try my best to fit it in before I go to work.

And actually one very weird thing I noticed on the way back from work is that my issue seems to be a bit different than from what you guys are getting. You are most likely wondering, why? how is that?
Well, simply, I AM able to boost past 15, and I'm not talking about hitting 15.5 or 16. My boost gauge is able to reach 20lbs of boost and hold it there for a bit, but it seems to drop quicker than it used to and in city driving, I still am having trouble reaching 20lbs with the snap of my fingers like i used to. After this said observation, I'm not sure if its the n75. Ill offcourse try it but I'm again, leaning back to the mechanical issue of the wastegate. I know it's getting annoying how I'm going back and forth of what i strongly think it might be but the symptoms add up to what could be a few different things. The sole fact that I'm able to hit 20lbs if i make the car work harder for it (aka more exhaust gases) makes believe its mechanical (aka wastegate) since its pushing enough to get turbo to spin, but then from what I read about the n75 failing, it makes me want to believe its that.

BUT seeing as usually things are not all that simple with these cars I'm going to go ahead, get my mind ready, and assume it's an internal/mechanical failure/problem.

yea my car is the same way....i can still hit 19-20 lbs...but it depends what speed im at and what gear

in terms of carbon build-up...dont think this has anything to do with this issue either but i may be wrong. i mean there are 2005 b7's on the forum that dont have this forum, yet a 2008 does? doesnt sound right to me- plus i floor it everywhere

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 06:05 AM

Another thing just occurred to me. Sometimes the boost comes on sort if like a sine wave, which would totally make sense that the wastegate was having trouble closing/keeping shut. If it were "flapping", I could see it causing the power to feel that way.

Codered: your symptoms seem more like mine used to, but over the 25k miles or so I have been chipped, it has become progressively worse over time. I still believe we have the same problem, but you are catching it early. I think this problem was there when I bought the car @ 75k, but again, this issue doesn't show itself at stock boost levels. I never achieved 20psi until the day my battery died and rest everything, then I ran 20psi for one drive cycle, and it was amazing, now I want that feeling back.

mr shickadance

03-23-2011, 06:20 AM

I hope we figure this out soon. I swear to god I was only boosting 12 psi on a quick drive yesterday, but it want long enough to prove anything. Just had an oil change yesterday and they vag'd it with no faults. Good luck to us all! I'll check my pcv today again too.

you mentioned your battery crapped out on you.... could it be possible you just lost your tune?

if there is any type of chip dealer near you, sometimes they give out trial versions of software that last for about 10 hours or so, try to get a trial flash and see if theres an increase in boost if thats the case you may have lost your software due to a dead battery

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 06:25 AM

Yeah, I did lose my tune when that happened, but I went straight to my shop and got reflashed. Thats when I actually got 20psi for the first time on the way home and realized there was something going on. I definately still have my tune, because I can force 16psi to 17psi if I try really hard, but 14-15 is average.

trevor51590

03-23-2011, 06:57 AM

Well guys, I would say don't waste on a new N75. I got to that point last year and already replaced mine - along with new vacuum line going to it. Didn't change squat. I did find some loose intercooler/TB hose clamps while changing it though

I've tried to find this issue since August of last year. I'll dump everything I've tested/logged, etc. and posted in the old threads now that we're consolidating.

Well, I got flashed with Revo Stage 2 yesterday, and boy does it pull nicely [:D]

Only thing I am concerned about is people claiming 20-22PSI with Revo. I can only hold about 18 max. Diverter valve is the new revision piston one. I think it may be a mixture of this humid, 90 degree jersey weather, and the ECU not being acclimated fully yet (I've heard through the grapevine it needs a few days until it reaches it's full potential and until I should start switching settings). I'm running pump 93 with Boost 6 Timing 4 Fuel 9 (Default settings).

Video is a 2nd gear pull.

Thanks guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYsOkyBAOOk

Well I suspected a boost leak somewhere but with my leak tester, I couldn't find anything. Well, after finally logging the car, I am pretty sure I have one. Maybe I wasn't testing properly

I have the updated OEM diverter valve, and have plugged the manifold to take my PCV out of the system. This was a third gear pull, and I got up to about 18PSI

This was with REVO settings Boost 7 Timing 5

http://www.trevorsherba.com/random/blocks115.jpg

As you guys know, I've been trying to tackle my "boost leak". Here's a video of the boost gauge with the N75 unplugged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUCr_LWMOP0

I've read that I should expect 6-7psi with the N75 unplugged. I'm reading 0psi, and I'm pretty confident that the gauge is spot on because I have pressure tested it already.

Here are my logs with the N75 unplugged

Blocks 115

http://www.trevorsherba.com/random/115.jpg

And Blocks 113 to show the air pressure that the car is seeing (975 mB)

http://www.trevorsherba.com/random/113.jpg

I just want to make sure that these things are in check. Something doesn't seem right with the data I'm looking at, and I can't spot why, but numbers are not matching up. Maybe some guys with more knowledge about this motor can chyme in. Perhaps something to do with the sensor that actually reads the pressures? I think the G31 Manifold/Boost pressure sensor or the sensor that reads the atmospheric pressure. Don't have a code for either stored but maybe I just haven't given it a chance to pop up yet?

Feel free to reference my threads as well

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/376398-Revo-Stage-2-Pull-Video?highlight=
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/378596-Check-Out-My-Logs!?highlight=
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/379591-Unplugged-N75-(Video)?highlight=

There are other videos in there as well. Hope this helps us track down. I believe someone said that the wastegate may need to be adjusted, although it is a very risky thing to do. Don't remember where exactly in which thread I read that.

NOW I will say that once in a blue moon, I will start up the car and take off pretty quickly, I'll get low vacuum and i'll be able to overboost, when this happens I also get shit gas mileage. My BSH PCV fix will be coming shortly, I got the boost gauge tap, and I'm going to have everything done right with no jerry rig boost gauge connections. I can update when its all on - Probably Saturday evening.

My car is at 82,xxx miles

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 07:19 AM

Lookie what I found! I figure a lot more people tune their VWs than Audis, so I did a little digging and found this:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23337&highlight=Wastegate

trevor51590

03-23-2011, 07:37 AM

Lookie what I found! I figure a lot more people tune their VWs than Audis, so I did a little digging and found this:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23337&highlight=Wastegate

^^ THIS

Who wants to guinea pig?

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 08:03 AM

^^ THIS

Who wants to guinea pig?

Not it!

In all actuality, if you have a vag com, and have narrowed the issue down to only possibly being this, it sounds fairly safe to do with minute changes at a time. I have no vag, so I'm out.

It seems like they got most their info from BSH. Do they have a rep on AZ?

All in all though, this seems to be our issue, wether this fixes it our we need new turbos.

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 08:38 AM

How will vag help? logging requested vs actual boost?

Should i still go and get that damn n75 valve? lol

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 09:07 AM

I would say yes, it's still worth a shot, and better to exhaust every resource before heading this route.

deeznuts

03-23-2011, 10:19 AM

i want to do this/going to do this- just dont know when ill get to it

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 10:51 AM

Well, I just went to take a quick peek in the engine bay, and can't see this adjusting nut from the top, you might have to find it from the bottom. I didn't deeply inspect or anything though.

mr shickadance

03-23-2011, 10:51 AM

diy per b7 specific bc the horizontal engine is the same but locations are different and therefore would be helpful??

thenofjboy

03-23-2011, 11:18 AM

Well, I just went to take a quick peek in the engine bay, and can't see this adjusting nut from the top, you might have to find it from the bottom. I didn't deeply inspect or anything though.

I couldnt see the pics on the golfmkv forum bc im at work so im not sure how he went about doing this but
you "might" be able to see it from the bottom but its going to be a royal PIA to get to the nut(s) & adjust them. Everything you need to get to is under the exhaust manifold. You would probably have room if the CAT was disconnected..

Follow the WG actuator rod & you can see it goes underneath the exhaust manifold where the 2 nuts are & clip
http://www.kineticmotorsport.com/images/products/preview/knt2100006.jpg

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 11:57 AM

Since Forge might know something about this issue on mkvs, I sent them an email in hopes they can help us out.

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 12:13 PM

replaced n75 will report back later. Late to work lol

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 12:22 PM

replaced n75 will report back later. Late to work lol

Nice! I've got my fingers crossed for you! Lets all hope this helps!

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 12:42 PM

Very timely response from Forge:

Jonathan,

Thanks for the email. Our wastegate can absolutely help in some of these situations. I don't want to be to hasty and assume that all the people experiencing issues would have their problems solved by swapping this out, but likely the majority would. As one of you has posted in that thread there is also an adjustment built into the factory actuator, could be that just a little additional preload on this is all you need. The danger in this is that if you run too much preload you loose range of motion, in theory you could adjust so far that even open fully the wg flapper wouldn't be able to vent quickly enough and you would either get a nasty oscillation in boost or worse, overboost. Going with an aftermarket unit such as ours gains the benefit of having a stiffer base spring pressure, thereby increasing the wg flapper tension without sacrificing any travel. You still have the preload adjustment to fine tune the curve a little but largely the improvement comes from badging a spring that more closely matches the new higher boost being run by chipped cars. Your n75 duty cycle should drop and you should have a much easier time reaching requested.

Again, I want to stress that this isn't a fix all and your issues may lie elsewhere but we have seen this very case many times on mkv golfs and 2.0 fsi a3's and this has helped in all cases we are aware of where it was tried. There is even a measurable performance benefit to running the wg on stage 2 and stage 2+ cars when running the correct spring. The factory spring cracks at 5 and is fully open by 10, and our yellow will crack at 10 and be open by 15... much closer to the boost levels being run on chipped cars while still leaving some headroom. When you consider how quickly the pressure inside the exhaust manifold increases in relation to boost it becomes pretty obvious why more wg tension is desirable, especially when running very small turbos like the ko3 and ko4 typically run on these engines. Look at external wg's sold for larger turbo apps and the selection of springs available, there's a reason they are offered.

Feel free to ask any more specific questions or for clarification. I may not have been clear enough, happens all the time. Also, I didn't post directly since Forge isn't a sponsor on audizine and I wouldn't want to ruffle any feathers :-)

regards,

Angel Robles
www.forgemotorsport.com
[email protected]
ph: 407-447-5363
fax: 407-447-5361

And to be clear, this is the exact part we are talking about here.
http://www.forgemotorsport.com/content.asp?inc=product&cat=260305&product=FMACVAG05

kristokes

03-23-2011, 01:20 PM

A radical idea a buddy of mine with a MKV GTI and I had back in 2007:

Back Story: We both had REVO Stage 2 and experienced a decrease in boost. At first, we used to spike 22-23 PSI and hold at 20. As the months progress, we started to see a decrease in boost - spike 20 PSI and hold 18. We meticulously tested for any sort of vacuum/boost leak to no avail.

Theory: BYPASSING THE BOOST SOLENOID (N75 VALVE) - We tested a theory out that was being done with many Lancer Evolution owners where they bypassed their boost solenoid with a manual boost controller (MBC). With a "tweaked" Forge DV as a supporting modification, we disconnected the N75 valve and its entirety and replaced it with a MBC (running all the proper vacuum lines accordingly) To much surprise, we had solved our problem with decrease in boost.

Note: I have been using the MBC to bypass the N75 valve since 2007 and have not had any problems with decrease in boost. However, I would like to stress that proper adjustment to the MBC boost settings is required for over boosting would result in a CEL as the ECU may think the wastegate is stuck.

kristokes

03-23-2011, 01:25 PM

Btw, I will be testing that theory out with deeznut's B7A4 in the upcoming weeks.

thenofjboy

03-23-2011, 01:34 PM

Btw, I will be testing that theory out with deeznut's B7A4 in the upcoming weeks.

that’s the same theory I used on my B5, it’s been around for a while but curious & hopeful this works on the B7 for the people out there that are having problems. It’s more fun with the MBC too, the N75 reacts too slow

Did you & your buddy experience any "partial throttle" ie on/off feeling with the boost when you bypassed the N75? Im guessing your capped off the ports on the N75 & left if plugged in electrically...

hey where in NNJ are you btw? Im in Clinton

kristokes

03-23-2011, 01:50 PM

The N75 valve is electronically plugged in and in its proper location but all open ports have been capped/blocked off. I cannot remember the difference it throttle response as this was done in 2007 - the thought and feeling has long passed my memory but I'll make sure to take note of it when I bypass deeznuts' B7A4. I'm currently in Bergenfield (Bergen County).

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 01:51 PM

But the mbc would only work if the N75 is the issue here, right?

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 02:16 PM

Btw, I will be testing that theory out with deeznut's B7A4 in the upcoming weeks.
Want to test with my car?

And now time to update. Sadly, its not what everyone wants to hear, but I can't say for sure since I honestly didn't have enough room or time to play mr. tester with th audi.

I bought the valve directly from dealership parts and was surprised that they had it. I paid 40 something, forgot exactly what but i can check if you guys wany. Genuine audi parts has it cheapest even after shipping.

Now for the install. You need a 12mm and 10mm. Flat head, small hose clamps, and patience. I can take pics if you guys want but I didn't now because I didn't have time. Wasn't the best decision to do it 45 mins before leaving to work but I managed. The biggest pita were the one time clamps. After that its self explanatory.

Now for the effect it has. It could be just my mind fucking with me but it seemed like on the higher gear highway pulls I held boost better. Before I would reach around 19 and drop almost right away....now I got to 20 and held it there for a bit. In the city driving it felt like response on the boost gauge improved, it sweeped up quick. The not so good part is that I still have to work it a bit to get past the usual 15. BUT I need to admit I'm not exactly sure if this was due to lack of space or just the problem still existing. I will do some logged runs later as I'm curious to see if the N75 duty cycle changed and see how the car reacts on requested vs actual boost.

Overall, is there any change...I didn't get enough driving time to know, it felt like there might of been but coule be a weird coincidence. But I also tanked up at shell 93 to my usual BP or HESS 93, and see car acts with that.

thenofjboy

03-23-2011, 02:41 PM

But the mbc would only work if the N75 is the issue here, right?

you are just using a MBC in place of the N75, it doesn't matter if the N75 works or not. Well, haha Ive never had one that completely fails, the valve just wasnt working 100% correctly. The N75 is essentially a stock boost controller..sorry if i misunderstood the question.

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 02:55 PM

I' m sorry, let me rephrase.

If our problem is actually the wastegate, a mbc would not fix anything, correct?

kristokes

03-23-2011, 03:05 PM

If our problem is actually the wastegate, a mbc would not fix anything, correct?

Correct.

trevor51590

03-23-2011, 03:20 PM

Not it!

In all actuality, if you have a vag com, and have narrowed the issue down to only possibly being this, it sounds fairly safe to do with minute changes at a time. I have no vag, so I'm out.

It seems like they got most their info from BSH. Do they have a rep on AZ?

All in all though, this seems to be our issue, wether this fixes it our we need new turbos.

I'd say that i've probably narrowed it down to this considering a new N75 back in the day for me did nothing. would most agree after consulting the graphs i posted earlier?

edit: posted graph here again to avoid page changing:

http://www.trevorsherba.com/random/blocks115.jpg

when the weather gets nice ill have no problem trying the wastegate adjustment. if the turbo goes, oh well - it was on its way out anyway

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 03:32 PM

I am thinking that for most of us, this is the solution. I don't have any pictures of my logs, but had the shop run them a little while back, and they stated logs followed the correct curve, just not achieving requested numbers. Someone needs to get on this asap. I hope codered is able to get quite a bit of driving in on the new n75 to see if it gets better, our if he is still lacking real closure on this problem.

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 03:56 PM

I' m sorry, let me rephrase.
If our problem is actually the wastegate, a mbc would not fix anything, correct?

I think our problem is wastegate flapper thing, rod and/or the actuator....one of those must not be doing their job.

More than likely not related but I scanned the car on the way to work and noticed that I had some codes but all of them were under 1,000 rpms with a one-time frequency, so they showed when car was idle. Probably when i was disconnecting and connecting things to check for a problem. I'll be clearing them obviously and monitoring to see if any new ones show up.

EDIT: I'll try and get my SPS switch to recognize stock mode, if it does that means it somewhat works. If I'm able to get it to work, then I will disconnect battery completely, give it a few to reset, connect, hope that SPS will switch into performance and report back.

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 05:49 PM

I just sent the owner of my shop the longest email ever, explaining everything, with links to everything. We will see how quickly he answers me and what he has to say. I can't take it any more. On the plus side, my exhaust still sounds amazing, so if you hear my car, it sounds fast. Lol.

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 05:51 PM

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 05:55 PM

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 06:00 PM

Haha, you're tellin me. I was ok with how bad my car looked because it was fast(er) and I was working on that. But now that its slower and I'm mad at it, it doesn't look as pretty as it did before to me. It needs a new windshield, paint job, and front bumper in order for me to settle how slow it is now.
That's it?
For me to settle I need to: Fix dents in hood, repaint or new bumpers (both), quarter panels need light-touching up, sideskirt and drivers door molding needs repair....i THINK, that should be most of it.

audib7maniac

03-23-2011, 06:02 PM

My car looks good a few small scratches but we need to figure out this boost problem. I'm pissed because it feels slow and looks fast lol

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 06:35 PM

My car looks good a few small scratches but we need to figure out this boost problem. I'm pissed because it feels slow and looks fast lol
Looks good. Kinda convinced me to keep my car longer and do similar aesthetics lol

But on a ON topic note. I think we all have different tunes, correct? I have REVO., ^^^ u have Unitronic, so that's already enough to say that it could be related mechanical failure sort of like a cam follower. I'm just surprised the people with over 100k do not have this issue. Or maybe they do but dont know it.

jimrobbington

03-23-2011, 08:16 PM

Exactly, look how many of us came in here with the same problem, but had already gotten used to the fact that this was "normal". Everything runs completely fine, in every way, except the boost. We obviously pay more attention to our cars more than most. I assume there are lots of people that are just used to this problem and just assuming they "got used" to the power.

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 08:33 PM

I just find it weird that it wasn't such a loud topic before, since obviously there have been posts (i dont feel like searching through this thread but someone did post their issue and started their own thread).........What makes me wonder though is how many people actually got flashed and think this is "normal" behavior. It bothers me a lot now that I know it exists.
There is a few ideas floating around in my head now:
1. Fix it and drive it for a while (This option is mostly out, since if its wastegate, actuator or other mechanical issue, there's no point, since turbo needs to be pulled anyway)
2. Leave it as is and drive till it dies (which it might never)
3. Just leave it and upgrade sooner to K04 or KOR(I think that's what RAI called it)

So in the end, I'm only really stuck with one option, but I would still want to find out what the problem is for the sake of purely knowing, that way all of our hard-work doesnt go to shit and so others who have the same issue know what it is.

deeznuts

03-23-2011, 08:45 PM

your 4th option can be stage III, or stage III+, so in reality you have 5 options my man.

audib7maniac

03-23-2011, 09:57 PM

Looks good. Kinda convinced me to keep my car longer and do similar aesthetics lol

Haha Thanks Peter I try.

your 4th option can be stage III, or stage III+, so in reality you have 5 options my man.

If he upgrades to a K04 he will be stage 3 and stage 3+ wouldn't be an option because he is tip and tip can only manage a k04 upgrade "supposedly". So he only has 3 options lol

Coderedpl

03-23-2011, 10:54 PM

If he upgrades to a K04 he will be stage 3 and stage 3+ wouldn't be an option because he is tip and tip can only manage a k04 upgrade "supposedly". So he only has 3 options lol
So do you haha, unless you go building the transmission.

Anyway,
Another update. Cleared all my codes, re-aligned throttle body, unrelated but I'm going with what I can. The issue, is still there for sure, and again I'm point fingers at some mechanical problem because at certain points where I should "hold" boost, I just start loosing it. Still need to run some logs but this weather is not the best to do some runs with.

But to list out everything I, or other people have tried:
- Checked for boost-leaks - Didn't find any
- Checked piston type revision D diverter valve - no problems found
- Cleaned MAF - No affect on issue
- N75 valve replaced with a brand new unit from dealer - problem still exists
- Bypassed PCV valve - issue still exists

What still needs to be checked/done:
- Airbox Filter cleaned (yea it's silly but maybe it got dirty to the point where its affecting the car somehow, it won't hurt to clean it anyway =P)
- New logs with vag
- Physical inspection of turbo exhaust side by removing cat/test-pipe

I'm out of ideas on what else can be "checked", i think the very last piece of inspection will be the deal-breaker.

In the end, this issue is not huge and crucial enough to have people "worried" that their engines will blow up or something. There IS definitely something wrong, and it seems like that "something" is common across more than just one car as I think we can all agree on. What I also believe we can agree on is that the cars seem to run fine besides that issue and can be deemed safe to drive. The only real down-side I see is heavier gas consumption by constant heavy throttle in hopes of the regular boost levels returning.

On a side note, I now have to decided whether or not I will want to auto-x at waterfest. [:|]

deeznuts

03-24-2011, 02:50 AM

well my update as of yesturday was my car stopped boosting normal amounts, but yesturday all day long my car was boosting to 19 and holding while slowly dropping down (usually boost 16 and drops down). with my luck i feel like it was just because it was raining out. its dry outside now, so ill post after my ride to work.

kristokes

03-24-2011, 04:23 AM

Currently at 56k miles and no upgraded HPFP. I got flashed with REVO at 150 miles and tore the factory DV within the first hour. [>_<]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkA6X-nPNXc

deeznuts

03-24-2011, 04:37 AM

Currently at 56k miles and no upgraded HPFP. I got flashed with REVO at 150 miles and tore the factory DV within the first hour. [>_<]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkA6X-nPNXc

show off! you and your 23 pounds! [=(]

update: on the way to work today: still back to 16-17 pounds. looks like it was just the rainy weather yesturday for my 18-19 lbs.

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 06:12 AM

My boost gauge had never looked like that since I have gotten it. On a similar run through a gear like that, even at it's best, I would peak 18-19, and it would just constantly fall to around 13 by the end of the gear, if not lower. It had never held peak boost like that, which is why I believe this issue is prevalent on lots of stock cars without knowing.

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 06:19 AM

A different thread should be started showing this video as an example of how your car should run at stage 2. Then I bet we would see more people with our issue popping up, because they would be jealous of that gauge reaction.

deeznuts

03-24-2011, 10:43 AM

Well stokes's boost isnt normal stage 2 boosting because of his mbc.

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 10:54 AM

Yeah, what a cheater! But in all honesty, he has the fastest recorded B7 quarter mile, and should be used as a guide for what to do.

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 11:04 AM

Yeah, what a cheater! But in all honesty, he has the fastest recorded B7 quarter mile, and should be used as a guide for what to do.

Except that we determined if its a wastegate issue mbc wont help....or will it? I don't think we want to overboost rather than underboost lollol

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 11:07 AM

Right, if it's a wastegate problem, a mbc will not fix it, but it seems to do it better than the n75 does.

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 11:10 AM

Right, if it's a wastegate problem, a mbc will not fix it, but it seems to do it better than the n75 does.
You mean control boost better, I think we need to figure out whether or not its wastegate. I already changed n75 and it didn't fix it

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 11:18 AM

Yes, thats what I meant. I get so tired of typing on my phone all day I just give up trying sometimes. Lol.

TurboKits.com

03-24-2011, 11:23 AM

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 11:27 AM

After reading the first few posts I immediately thought that the wastegate flapper was not holding tight. I read the rest of the thread and I have to concur. Those symptoms seem spot on for the flapper being open. Slow boost response, lack of peak boost, fluctuations in boost, etc... Has anyone tried to adjust the flapper / rod tension?

Nice!! A new perspective! No, this we have not tried. We are willing to try anything at this point, but we need direction and diy help!

This would be done, I assume, from internally, via the exhaust side?

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 11:29 AM

Damn it...guess ill have to be the pig to try. Ill be getting in touch with some people to see what can be done. Hang tight.

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 11:32 AM

I'd be down to try Saturday, if I had straight forward directions, and the right tools.

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 12:07 PM

When I was looking under the car, I believe I did see the adjustment nut.

Who is local and wants to come by and help me do this in my driveway? lol

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 12:15 PM

I wish we lived close. You and I seem to be the only ones who want to get this fixed yesterday.

thenofjboy

03-24-2011, 12:37 PM

^ ^ damn I hope you two especially get this figured out & pave the way for everyone else that either don’t have this problem “yet” or for people that have this problem & just "settle" for it as stated above.

this is more and more souding like "wastgate creep"...

EDIT:
As far as I know, the only way to adjust the flapper / rod tension, would be to adjust the nut(s) underneath clasp that attaches to the flapper mechanism. The clasp “maybe” able to be adjusted but IIRC the flapper just attaches to an arm that pivots back & forth as the actuator rod moves from the pressure that builds up.

Where is Turbokits.com – they need to chime in again haha

jimrobbington

03-24-2011, 12:49 PM

We are getting close, it's funny that we are actually breaking new ground in the b7 community in this thread. All we need is to start getting our hands dirty now, I think.

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 01:20 PM

I wish we lived close. You and I seem to be the only ones who want to get this fixed yesterday.
Agreed.

We are getting close, it's funny that we are actually breaking new ground in the b7 community in this thread. All we need is to start getting our hands dirty now, I think.
Also agreed. I've been talking to a Revo Authorized shop out in New Jersey which has been a great help. Helped me diagnose the Diverter Valve when it first went out, and has spent a considerable amount of time with me trying to figure out the current issue. They have suggested I run some logs with the new N75 valve as-well as some other blocks just to see the differences if any. Then we'll need to figure out how many turns will be needed on the adjustment nut, which is why I believe it would also be good to have the exhaust taken off to peek inside the turbo and maybe do it by physically looking at it, that's ASSUMING, that the flapper is open somehow.

I'm not going to rush anything. As an off-topic note, I'm a bit disappointed though. I got a feeling I have the revision A cams, and I'm only at stage 2 missing key components to a turbo upgrade. I'm excited about the RAI turbo but at the same time, I doubt i'll be able to get in on the introductory pricing since I need so much shit.
I've decided i would need/want to do: Upgrade Fuel Pump with Autotech internals, Possibly replace cams, FMIC, Injectors, Actual turbo kit

thenofjboy

03-24-2011, 01:33 PM

^ do you recall where in NJ that revo dealer was? just curious...
I feel ya man, at least your at stageII!! haha Im still stock as can be, Im working on selling parts off my B5 & all the $$ will go towards the B7. So this summer should be fun for me...cant wait

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 01:38 PM

^ do you recall where in NJ that revo dealer was? just curious...
Newark lol

thenofjboy

03-24-2011, 01:56 PM

ahh lovely.. good ol newark haha!!!

I think there is a REVO dealer closer to me, I need to check but Redline Speed Worx is a APR dealer & they are right behind my house & there is a Unitronics dealer a little farther away. So I a lot to choose from & I need to decide who I’m going with ASAP, time will tell. APR’s sale is mighty tempting though..

kristokes

03-24-2011, 02:00 PM

Authorized REVO Dealers in NJ: (I personally went to KMD Tuning)

Autobahn New Jersey
6814 Tilton Rd
Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
www.autobahnnj.com
609-407-0900

Crestmont Volkswagen
730 State Route 23 North
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
www.crestmont.com
973-839-2500

ECP Auto Service LLC
12 Somme St
Newark, NJ 07105
http://www.ecpauto.com
973-589-5871

Elite Motors
176 Saddle River Ave Bldg F
South Hackensack, NJ 07026
www.elitemotorsnj.com
201-820-3800

EM Performance
1120 Shiloh Pike
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
856-361-4704

KMD Tuning
204 Summit Road
Mountainside, NJ 7092
www.kmdtuning.com
201-664-6443

US Rally Team
29B 10th Ave
Haddon Heights, NJ 08035
www.usrallyteam.com
856-456-3335

DJ Carl

03-24-2011, 02:31 PM

I hope one of you guys figure this out. I never boosted that high. My issue was fluctuating boost and i was also told that i might have to adjust the wastegate. I've gone through all the steps too, and went stage 2 hoping it would solve my issue but still haven't found a fix.

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 03:04 PM

I went to ecp. And we will figure this out for sure. Sooner or later.

deeznuts

03-24-2011, 04:04 PM

i mean not for nothing guys- i hope its just the wastegate actuator arm having to be adjusted...all it will be is tedious to fix- and may cost nothing. better that, then to replace the whole turbo. im going to sit on the sidelines for this one until someone tries it out (dont have time,tools, or experience to play with this theory) in the meantime i will be doing to the MBC with stokes on saturday so i can be back at 22-23 pounds temporarily until this issue is resolved.

djcarl: who knows- this may fix our surging issue too! [drool]

thenofjboy

03-24-2011, 06:47 PM

Authorized REVO Dealers in NJ: (I personally went to KMD Tuning)

Good looking on the list ! - What type of MBC are you using btw?

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 07:19 PM

Here is a few video clips of the issue:
Two clips are highway pulls starting from about 40mph, which you can see I'm boosting at about 20.
The rest is just side street city, you can clearly see what the problem is. One vid was sport mode and the boost didnt even past 15 as u can see
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/Coderedpl/boostissues/?action=view&current=VID_20110324_182017.mp4
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/Coderedpl/boostissues/?action=view&current=VID_20110324_182103.mp4
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/Coderedpl/boostissues/?action=view&current=VID_20110324_182751.mp4
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/Coderedpl/boostissues/?action=view&current=VID_20110324_182857.mp4
http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/Coderedpl/boostissues/?action=view&current=VID_20110324_182945.mp4

thenofjboy

03-24-2011, 07:49 PM

^ How long has this been going on for again?

LagIsForePlay

03-24-2011, 07:58 PM

I am not sure how exactly the flapper is connected to the wga, but on most internal wga you can use a strong spring to help hold it closed. Like so

http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/9517/springtension6lw.jpg

Coderedpl

03-24-2011, 09:10 PM

^ How long has this been going on for again?
Today (Friday) is going to be EXACTLY two weeks since I started having the issue.

deeznuts

03-25-2011, 05:54 AM

deeznuts

03-25-2011, 05:55 AM

Today (Friday) is going to be EXACTLY two weeks since I started having the issue.

happy anniversary....im about 3-4 months in.

jimrobbington

03-25-2011, 06:16 AM

Lol@two weeks. Try 32 k miles. Here's my pathetic third gear pull max 15psi, down to about 10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=Drl-_1xC7rI

jimrobbington

03-25-2011, 08:16 AM

Ok, so I'm honestly thinking of trying to adjust the nut tomorrow. I will take pictures, and do a proper diy if I can attempt it properly. I read through the golf diy several times, and it all makes sense to me now, so it's just a matter of finding this area, and trying it out.

thenofjboy

03-25-2011, 08:44 AM

^ Good luck!! Keep us posted -[wrench]

Coderedpl

03-25-2011, 10:18 AM

jimrobbington

03-25-2011, 11:00 AM

it get's very tight there.

Thats what she said! Yeah, I'm parking it tonight in the garage, and gonna start in the morning, if this goes down. I always have a motorcycle for emergencies if I have to run to the store for anything. I guess I better make the air tool tonight.

Stewy

03-25-2011, 11:05 AM

Good luck bud, and let us know how it goes.

Coderedpl

03-25-2011, 05:55 PM

Thats what she said! Yeah, I'm parking it tonight in the garage, and gonna start in the morning, if this goes down. I always have a motorcycle for emergencies if I have to run to the store for anything. I guess I better make the air tool tonight.

I was waiting for someone to say that. Either way, keep us updated!

jimrobbington

03-25-2011, 06:15 PM

Ok, the other diy was good, but I'm going to be making a user friendly one. I will start posting it all here, and if this all works out, I will submit it to the tech forum as well. Tool is made, and diy for that is coming now.

Coderedpl

03-25-2011, 06:21 PM

I like the teamwork here. lol

jimrobbington

03-25-2011, 06:41 PM

Purpose of This Tool
The purpose of this tool is to be able to fill up the wastegate with air, while also being able to control the
amount of pressure being added to the system, and retain that pressure as well. The tire valve stem
allows mono-directional travel of the air. A bike pump can easily be used for best control of the amount
of pressure being used. An air compressor can be used, but you would not want to use more pressure
than the system is intended for (+- 15psi.)

Tools Needed

Drill with various drill bits
Dremel tool
rubber gloves
Plumber's tape
Silicon sealant
JB Weld

Parts Needed

1 1/4" PVC threaded cap
1 1/4" PVC threaded plug
3' rubber vacuum hose
3/16" vacuum hose connector
Tire valve stem

Everything purchased above was either found at Lowe's or Oreilley's. Total cost ~$35

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030191.jpg

I forgot to throw the plumber's tape in the picture. lol.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030198.jpg

First thing to do is attach the valve stem to the PVC plug. I measured the width of the valve stem and drilled a hole
smaller than that. Then with the Dremel tool, I slowly sanded the hole larger while test fitting often. The PVC was
actually a little too thick for the valve stem, and had to be sanded down in thickness as well. Then it just snapped
in perfectly. Actually better than expected.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030193.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030194.jpg

Sidenote: I believe there are valve stems that mount with nuts and washers, which would probably be better in this
circumstance, but I didn't see them, and these were cheap, and worked fine.

I then sealed the inside around the valve stem with the silicon sealant just for added peace of mind that I did this
right the first time. I consider this an optional step, but did not test the pressure holding ability before the silicon.
Your call here.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030196.jpg

Now, the vacuum tube connector is 3/16", so I would drill a 3/16" hole and voila! But alas, that was the only size
drill bit I was missing, so I went smaller and worked it around in circles til I reached the size I needed. I also cut a
groove straight across the center of the hole for the tabs to fit in.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030195.jpg

Pop the connector in the hole, and JB Weld it on top and on bottom.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030197.jpg

Let those dry overnight, plumbers tape the shit out of the threaded end, screw them together, and with any
luck, we have an air tight air tool to work on our wastegate.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 08:42 AM

Alright guys, I just got up, and in a few moments will be heading out to the garage to try this out. Wish me luck! Fingers crossed that this is our solution.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 08:56 AM

Eesh, I have to make a trip to the store for one stupid little hose clamp I forgot. I'm going to hope it gets warmer than 38 deg soon because I'm taking the motorcycle. I can't wait hours for the turbo to cool down.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 10:47 AM

First trial run a failure. I believe the issue here is that I did not want to turn the thing too far, and nothing really seems to have changed much. When I left the house for the first drive, there was a real loud pssh pssh psssh sound that scared the fuck out of me, but it was just my plastic underbelly flapping against the ground. lol.The car is cooling off again now, and I will readjust soon.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 11:19 AM

Second trial run, I consider a success. I still didn't move the nut far enough, but I am seeing results now. On the exact same run I did yesterday in third gear where I peaked at 15psi, I peaked almost 18psi this time. There are not a lot of hot areas where you will touch them adjusting this thing, so cool down time is about 1/2 hour. I will adjust again and post results.

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 11:46 AM

^^ Sounds good!
Can you take pictures of what exactly you did? I'm guessing you took the hose off the actuator itself, then pumped it and then adjusted? Keep us posted! If this works I might be doing this tomorrow or sometime during the week!

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 11:54 AM

I definately took pictures, and will finish the diy this by this evening. I mentioned that you may be able to use an air compressor. I was wrong, there is no way in hell you could use one. You actually have to constantly pump/deflate, pump/deflate, while at the same time laying under the car. the nut has too much pressure on it without moving the air back and forth to keep it moving. It's a difficult sweet spot to find, and I can't do it very well either. ON the plus side, it's not all that hard at all, just awkward. And the wait time between adjustments is annoying. Third time's a charm, hopefully.

audib7maniac

03-26-2011, 12:13 PM

Thanks a lot Jim, i hope this works I really miss 22-23lbs of boost lol. Good work bro.

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 01:57 PM

I think this is a perfect example of how great the community is. Everybody chimed in whether its just by saying they have an issue, what they tried, or whatever. I'm not going to take all the credit obviously, but I wanted to make sure I try everything as each car might be different and my issue seems to be just slightly different in the sense that I can get the boost needed instead of not at all.

When Jim reports back to us, let's hold off with announcements and see if this is the fix for just Jims case or if it would work for someone else. I'm looking to try and do this tomorrow after I came back from work (8am after 16 hour shift, so working on car sounds like a yeay?) . I think if this works for the both of us, it would have to be the solution considering how Jim couldn't boost past his specific amount, and I was if i pushed it. Makes it two different scenarios in a way.

Jim definitely deserves a big thanks for taking the foot forward and doing this nice and quick, but we should thank everyone including ourselves.

BUT before we get too excited, let's wait and see what Jim reports back to us and see if this will fix the problem for others aswell.

As a side note, I think about ~22lbs of boost should be the max. Hell, setting it up so it can only go up to 21 should be considered the "safe zone"

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 02:35 PM

Tools Needed

pliers
small stubby flatheat screwdriver
long flathead screwdriver
bicycle pump
tool made in previous section
jack stands
10 mm wrench
small hose clamp

First, we will start with where we attach our new tool to the wastegate actuator. You need to remove your air intake "ram air".
You will be in this area a lot. Here is what you are looking at:

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030201.jpg

At the end of the actuator is a nipple connected to a hose. air pressure fills this can and moves the rod back and forth, opening
and closing your wastegate. You need to get the clamp off, which as far as I know can only be done by mutilating it with pliers.
This is where you will need the small hose clamp later.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030200.jpg

Once the clamp is broken and removed, the hose is sill stuck on pretty good, and a pull won't do it. I had to push it off with the long
flathead to get it off the nipple. This is now where you attach your new tool.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030208.jpg

It is easiest to attach the vacuum hose from the top, and then drop the pvc down between the engine and the bumper so you have
access to it from underneath. The rest of the work is done on your back.

You will first have to remove the underbelly tray. If you can't figure out how to do this, please stop now.

From underneath the car, find the same actuator can. The rod we are adjusting connects to it, and points towards the back of the car.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030209.jpg

First, with the long flathead, you must snap this clip off. You will not be replacing this clip. It is kinda just held there by spring-like
pressure, and what looks like a brown, OEM-type lock-tite. just pry it off, and it will come off pretty easy.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/P1030206.jpg

Once the clip is removed, you will need to break the locking nut free from the lock-tite. It is fine to move the lock nut without adding
pressure to the system with the pump. Twist it towards the front bumper, away from the adjustment nut. Now is the tricky part. You
must add pressure to the system now with the pump, to take pressure off the adjustment nut. This takes finesse, as you have to keep
varying the pressure by pumping and releasing. Take care not to add more pressure to the system than it is inteded for. Only one
pump of my pump created almost 20psi.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo109/jimrobbington/Wastegate%20DIY/Untitled-1.jpg

Do not move the lock nut further than you want to adjust the other nut. I could not see a way that you can retighten the
adjustment nut. Because the way it is built, I do not know of a tool you could use here, all you can use is your hand on the
adjustment nut, and I could not screw it the opposite way. This being said, take care that you don't over do it. I could not
honestly tell you how many full turns of the nut I acheived, but I did this whole procedure three different times, so that I wouldn't
over do it. There may be a tool that can reach up there, but I don't even know what it would look like.

When you have the adjustment nut where you wanted it, lock the lock nut back up against it, replace the hose on the end of the
actuator can, and lock it down with the small hose clamp. This is where I needed the little stubby flathead. There is very little
space between the fan and this spot, so just take your time and make sure you get that clamp on tight.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 02:45 PM

Side notes of my experience:

On my third adjustment, the adjustment nut would not go any farther. I actually think that the lock-tite on the threads is thick enough that I can't get the adjustment nut over it by hand. There is not enough room to get your finger and your thumb on the nut at the same time, thus you have very little torque.Maybe a small wire brush would be a good idea to try to remove that from the threads before adjusting nuts.

Since my third try got stuck, I went for a drive. It is much better than I was used to for sure, and I am boosting better than ever since I was chipped. I have never acheived 20 psi since I have been chipped. Did a fourth gear pull and it hit 20psi and held it very well. First gear is hard to watch the boost gauge, but I saw it reach 18psi for sure, where 10-12 was normal for me before. I stopped twice, completely powering off the car. I did some freeway pulls, romped on it at stop lights, and it acts very well. It has changed the boost curves as well, and it feels like a more powerful animal. I would like to adjust it a little more aggressively, but don't know what I will have to use to get the adjustment nut past the lock-tite. But all in all, I am completely happy with the change that has occurred in the car, and it has definately alleviated my issues, at least for now. Only time will tell, but so far so good. I boost earlier, and hold it longer, not to mention I boost more.

Thanks to Codered for starting this thread so that we were able to get this far, and thanks to everyone who has helped and thrown in their .02 along the way.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 02:48 PM

Third gear pull from before I attempted any adjustment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drl-_1xC7rI

Third gear pull after third adjustment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSOAUErqxKU

Fourth gear pull after third adjustment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W4haqRJqE4

mr shickadance

03-26-2011, 02:49 PM

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 02:54 PM

that was a great write up, and i only have two questions,

- the adjustment nut can be unscrewed with your hand, but cannot be screwed back on with your hand is what i understood from your second to last paragraph.....is it impossible to screw back on? or is it just such that human hands would have a hard time turning it back/its in an awkward position....all im getting at is im wondering if you could use a very very very tiny monkey wrench to be able to tighten that up?

- the last paragraph you mention using a small hose clamp.....i have a forge dv and i secured my hoses with zip-ties.....would you think a zip tie would be able to keep the vacumn tubing on?

I do believe that you can tighten the adjustment nut back, but not by hand. It is in such a space that only the side of one finger can roll along the nut, you cannot get your thumb on it to get any grip. There is abracket built around the nut, such that you cannot get your average pliers on it, plus it is round with grooves, and not shaped like a nut at all.

Zip ties may work, because I don't think this hose sees too much pressure, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. If that hose comes off, you have no wastegate control, and I don't know if the car would die, over boost, or explode.

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 02:55 PM

I actually lost traction in first gear on accident. It was awesome. TCS off FTW! I am going back out to get another 3rd gear pull in the exact same place to better compare before/after.

mr shickadance

03-26-2011, 03:00 PM

I do believe that you can tighten the adjustment nut back, but not by hand. It is in such a space that only the side of one finger can roll along the nut, you cannot get your thumb on it to get any grip. There is abracket built around the nut, such that you cannot get your average pliers on it, plus it is round with grooves, and not shaped like a nut at all.

Zip ties may work, because I don't think this hose sees too much pressure, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. If that hose comes off, you have no wastegate control, and I don't know if the car would die, over boost, or explode.

thanks, this is great and i think you should post a new thread with just the DIY and a brief explanation of why you did this and have a mod put it in the diy cuz as our cars get older this is gonna be very helpful

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 03:08 PM

I actually lost traction in first gear on accident. It was awesome. TCS off FTW! I am going back out to get another 3rd gear pull in the exact same place to better compare before/after.

Can you boost to 20 in city driving? Do a second gear pull and see if it hits 20. If it does then good. What i'm worried about for myself is that i'm already boosting to 19-20 on highway...........if i adjust, will i boost to like 25?
I dont want the next thread from me to be "I'm stumped......blown turbo, now what?"

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 03:32 PM

I just got back from another drive. It is like every gear has changed how it behaves, and how it must be treated. I can definately tell there is more boost than ever before. But it's strange how each gear's behavior has changed as per how the turbo reacts to engine speed and throttle amount. It's just strange how different the car feels than what I'm used to. Boost comes on faster, and more powerful.

Codered: NO, I cannot hit 20psi in 2nd gear. It has actually leveled out from the first pull, and it appears 19psi is my highest number. I can hit about 18psi in EVERY gear, which is so much more than I'm used to. It actually feels, though that second gear improved, but the other gears seem to have improved more (talking acceleration). But there is only a 1-2 psi difference between peak in every gear, whereas before, 1st gear's peak was 12, now it's 18. Third gear's peak was 15, now 18. Fourth gear's was 16, now 19. So it seems as though not only have I acheived ~3psi more across the board, 1st gear is seeing power it never had before. I strongly believe that if I could get the adjustment nut past where I am at now, I could get it up to 20psi across all gears.

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 03:57 PM

I'm scared.....I dont want to boost 25 psi in fourth gear.........or maybe im suppose to? lol

jimrobbington

03-26-2011, 04:04 PM

I'm thinking in your case, that maybe just a light adjustment is needed in order to build boost quicker, but not necessarily add more boost. I'm just thinking because so many different properties of the way the turbo boosts were affected by this mod, it still may help you, even in a small adjustment. It's just the fact that I cannot reverse the nut by hand. Maybe someone with small hands could tighten it, but I could not. We need an Audi tech. I'm sure there's some dumbass tool they have to be able to turn that shit.

Oh, and the Complete, and full DIY has been submitted, but it needs a Mod to review it. I shall PM kristokes and see if we can get that expedited.

mr shickadance

03-26-2011, 04:29 PM

I'm scared.....I dont want to boost 25 psi in fourth gear.........or maybe im suppose to? lol

idk i think in your case since your already able to boost at 20, that its prolly a good idea to just not touch this DIY....jim was boosting pretty low when he did this and now he's up to 19 your boosting at 20 and want to build boost faster? idk if adjusting the wastegate will even do that for you

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 04:30 PM

I figured I'll just adjust a tiny bit, and we'll see what happens.

@mr shickadance - Issue will still be unresolved for me if I don't even try.

mr shickadance

03-26-2011, 04:36 PM

have you tried to reset your throttle? i re-read your first post and saw you tried a lot of things but restting the throttle was not one of them, perhaps a reset might increase your boost? other then that then i'd say go for it then, just try and figure out a solution to bring your adjustment nut back to its original position before you go through with this, cuz if its not then you risk overboosting ya kno?

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 05:04 PM

mr shickadance

03-26-2011, 05:10 PM

Coderedpl

03-26-2011, 05:46 PM

reading > me

idk about throttle body alignment but maybe we are talking about the same thing, the key in ignition, gas pedal to the floor, key to auxilary, gas pedal to floor for 15 seconds, key back to original position, leave for 2 minutes that thing...
That's manual throttle body alignment, not even sure if that does anything. I have vag-com and I did it using this.

@Jim. I hope it's ok but I made PDF files of your write up and will leave these two links here and put them in first post:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21924190/Air%20Tool%20for%20Wastegate%20Adjustment.pdf
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21924190/Wastegate%20Adjustment.pdf

thenofjboy

03-27-2011, 07:33 AM

trevor51590

03-27-2011, 07:42 AM

For those who are having similar issues and HAVE NOT done a PCV fix

I just installed my BSH PCV fix and boost tap. I bought it because my car started throwing the pressure codes. In second I can hit about 18psi, and I can now hit ~21psi in 3rd-6th. My MPG went skyrocket. Proof is picture from 40 mile trip back to school last night

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/198185_1605979192924_1339470075_31330576_1051153_n .jpg

I'll post the video into this thread after breakfast when I make one. Kudos for that wastegate writeup! It should help tons of people I'd imagine.

3rd gear pull after BSH PCV fix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC-lUGGzl-4

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 08:33 AM

I'm trying to figure out where to get tire valve stems

deeznuts

03-27-2011, 08:36 AM

Gas stations. Autozone.

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 08:44 AM

Gas stations. Autozone.
I posted before i left my house. Found at advanced auto

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 08:47 AM

good to hear & congrats man! - how many miles do you have on the car again? Im interested to see the DIY, good stuff!!

108k miles. Are you going to attemp this tomorrow, Codered?

I'll do the throttle body adjustment today too, just to see if any behavior changes.

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 08:56 AM

The official DIY has been approved and can be found HERE (
Gas stations. Autozone.)

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 08:58 AM

108k miles. Are you going to attemp this tomorrow, Codered?

I'll do the throttle body adjustment today too, just to see if any behavior changes.
Got majority of the stuff at advanced auto. Going to home depot now to get tthe pcv ends. I'm hoping to try it out today but need to let the stuff cure anf might not have enough ttime. So if anything. Tomorrow

Going to be doing half a turn or less at a time. So bleh its going to get repetitive

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 09:13 AM

Yeah, I'm a little sore from jacking the car up and down, and crawling all over, under, and around the car three times. Butt as always, better safe than sorry. And once you get under there to see what I'm talking about, you will see that you can only really tell how far you move the lock nut, and you cannot see or feel how far the adjustment nut moves. So your best bet is to move the lock nut the desired amount, and move the adjustment nut up to it.

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 09:29 AM

Idk what the proper amount would be

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 09:34 AM

exactly. that's why this is all about small amounts, and trial and error. PITA.

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 09:43 AM

I'm posting the most helpful Q & A from this thread, so keep the questions coming guys. I will be taking small drives daily to monitor the new adjustment, making sure I can constantly acheive the same results from the boost gauge. Also making sure it doesn't throw a CEL, smoke, or any negative side effects of this mod.

your daddy

03-27-2011, 09:53 AM

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 12:04 PM

-some of the stuff in here just scared me. plugs adjusting boost levels? welding wastegate and using MBC to control boost (do you understand how boost IS controlled??) ,loosing your "tune"aka flash by disconnecting the battery? most you will lose fuel adaptions, etc.
-you guys know that lower gears are lower loads, and do not produce as much boost. log only 3rd gear and up. 2nd is useless. i think cranking the wastegate could be a crutch/bandaid to another issue. hard to diag over the net. but when you disconnect battery, and reconnect and it yields more boost, thats purely a software issue. when the battery is unhitched, it doesnt adjust the wastegate rod, or foul the spark plugs. i would start logging actual vs requested boost. check if the MAP and MAF sensors are properly working. TBA MAY help (basic settings 60 vag com, no silly key/gas pedal tricks ha)
-also how many of these are manual vs. auto? if the clutch slips it will not have the same load and boost will decrease. (not applicable to cars that run ok after bat disconnect.)
-i would love to see what the actual issue is when/if its diagnosed.

I and I bet the others appreciate your input but let me explain to best i can.
Plugs adjusting boost levels? I'm not sure what you mean by that one.
Loosing your tune by disconnecting battery......yes, most people refer to it as a lost tune/flash but in fact it's just reset to stock mode, which is people refer to it as a lost tune. I'm not sure if everyones software is like that but I know revo is.
Lower gear does mean lower load yes, but then how would you explain my 20lbs of boost in second gear that I got since the day i got flashed.
I logged actual vs requested. The proper requested boost was there but I'm just not reaching it like i should.
Had MAF disconnected and cleaned. No change.
TBA was done. No change at all.
I know jim is a 6spd and I'm a tiptronic. Can't speak for others, but would be a pretty damn weird and good coincidence if the transmissions were to blame here, but then how would you exactly explain jims issue being fixed by doing the adjustment?

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to start a war or anything, but we checked many things before going into this adjustment, which seems to work. Whichever one of us decides to go big turbo first, that's probably when we will see the issue on a deeper level.

As a side note. Home Depot sucks for pvc stuff. Went to three different ones and couldnt find 1 1/4. I settled for a combination of 1 1/2. Looks slightly different but should function the same. Instead of using jb weld on one, I used a shitload of silicone on both. They are drying/curing now.

jimrobbington

03-27-2011, 12:33 PM

I also agree that this may be a band-aid, but I don't know if there is a solution other than replacing the turbo. This is basically a mod to get us along until we can afford a new turbo, wether it be stock, or Ko(X), or otherwise. It seems to be a fairly common occurence on higher mileage engines. We narrowed it down to a wastegate issue, and went through many steps to get to the point where we were willing to just go in and start playing with shit.

IMO, this mod did not completely fix the issue at hand, but does a damn good job of making the turbo behave more like it should. Personally, I am waiting to see what pricing and info are on RAI's K0R before I move further on anything but this adjustment.

From what I have learned, inside the wastegate actuator is a spring loaded diaphragm that reacts to boost pressure in a specific way. Wether it be age, or use, it seems that this spring has lost it's OEM resistance, and needs to be helped. By adjusting this nut, we are essentially strengthening this spring, and bringing it back near stock performance. The next step here would be to try upgrading just the actuator itself with the Forge option. But this seems to be something I cannot do myself, and also can't afford to throw $200 bucks at a new part, and paying for labor on top. So this is step one. Only those who are willing to try this will be doing so, and this of course is all in an "experimental" type phase.

Is this a complete fix? Maybe.
Could there possibly be something else wrong? Sure.
Did it work? YES.

your daddy

03-27-2011, 01:22 PM

if its fixing itself everytime with a battery reset, its the software adapting the boost to a safe level. could it be not enough fuel for boost? a clogged fuel filter making the car adapt boost out? i dont know from this side of the computer. but i can also say if you havent done a fuel filter, thats a place to start, plus good maintenance! too many variables to guess at without being there. but there has to be a reason its adapting boost down. (either fuel, IAT, or other variables)
-the tension of the wastegate does not get reset by unhooking the battery. ya dig :)

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 01:31 PM

your daddy

03-27-2011, 02:15 PM

like i said. way too many variables.

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 03:20 PM

like i said. way too many variables.
True but I think it would be safe to say this is a good temporary fix or maybe actual solution. Maybe overtime it loosens up or something due to high boost. I don't know. I just don't think its worth the time right now to go real deep down to troubleshoot a stock k03.

I'm not doing mine today. Possibly tomorrow.

thenofjboy

03-27-2011, 04:12 PM

True but I think it would be safe to say this is a good temporary fix or maybe actual solution. Maybe overtime it loosens up or something due to high boost. I don't know. I just don't think its worth the time right now to go real deep down to troubleshoot a stock k03.

I know you didnt do yours yet but you, jimrobbington & some others definitely diagnosed & troubleshooted a lot of areas before adjusting the nuts on the actuator arm. Hopefully others can benefit from this thread, I know there will be some but now the waiting game starts to see how long this holds for BUT - I agree as well this is good temporary fix or maybe actual solution. It still makes you think of course what caused this to begin with....

Like one of you said before, You guys were def breaking new ground for the B7 community, which is always good to see!

your daddy

03-27-2011, 04:19 PM

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 04:31 PM

if we concentrate just on the wastegate, if you have the ability to remove the actuator front the swing arm, check movement of the swingvalve. when i was working at audi i saw some swingvalves get stuck open on some A3s. so make sure its still moving freely and not binding up.
Putting pressure from bike pump on actuator i should see it move

EDIT: Looked at my "tool" and damn, i sure as hell hope that RTV silicone holds up since I put a lot of it haha.

your daddy

03-27-2011, 05:26 PM

you also have to take in effect if when everything is hot, it something is expanding, or fatiguing. and slightly binding up and not fully shutting.

baldy

03-27-2011, 05:56 PM

Ok here's a weird one for you guys.

I've been having similar problems..
Can't boost more than 17
Car won't request more than 2200 mbar
it's an automatic but when checked block 120 for load intervention I was still under the max allowable
Wastegate cycle between 78 and 94.9
Actual vs requested boost ... actual is about 2 psi less
Tried with MAF unplugged, no difference

Anyways, went in to have a pressure test done. We hooked up at the turbo inlet, I turned ignition on and we pressurized until the boost gauge read 10 psi in my vent. No leaks.... Checked around for a couple of minutes to make sure nothing was leaking. And it wasn't, so we put the turbo inlet pipe back on and put my car back together. I leave the shop and hit the gas to merge on the highway, and to my surprise 20 psi is back?? Even spikes at 22 now under load in 4th..

Weird...

Coderedpl

03-27-2011, 07:00 PM

Now that is just..........weird.

deeznuts

03-28-2011, 07:34 AM

So this weekend, I tried the manual boost controller idea to bypass the n75 to see if this would resolve my boost issue, with the help of kristokes- and it has been a fail. I got 2 codes, and even with the boost turned down to 18 pounds, at 4500-5000 RPM the car goes into limp mode. The two codes were for overboosting, and the other was for something else that I haven't figured out yet...the codes were P0101, and P0234..one thing I did notice is that when my boost was set at 20 pounds- the car pulled like a monster.
This method is a fail, and I will be routing everything back to the N75 one day this week. As for jims great DIY...think we need a few more people to test this method to see if there are anymore improvements.

jimrobbington

03-28-2011, 08:22 AM

Anyways, went in to have a pressure test done. We hooked up at the turbo inlet, I turned ignition on and we pressurized until the boost gauge read 10 psi in my vent. No leaks.... Checked around for a couple of minutes to make sure nothing was leaking. And it wasn't, so we put the turbo inlet pipe back on and put my car back together. I leave the shop and hit the gas to merge on the highway, and to my surprise 20 psi is back?? Even spikes at 22 now under load in 4th..

Weird...

Ok, WTF? You applied the pressure in the same direction as it would push normally, right? How would that make any difference? Maybe somehow, it forced the wastegate flap completely closed, where it previously didn't seat properly? I want a boost leak test now.

To your daddy, as far as I can see, this is a hardware issue only. I can only see a problem in the turbo, or wastegate, and not with the software. I am actually interested to see, since my adjustment, if I reset the battery and got retuned again, if it would still dial it down, or if it would be normal. I highly believe this problem is either in the flapper itself, or the spring inside the actuator.

Codered, any luck today getting this done?