lost all my boost

[Skin_Graft]

need help...

... driving up a highway entrance ramp, car spools up nice till mid way through 3rd gear and it fell to 2lbs. No weird sounds. No rough idling. NO CEL.

Any ideas.

The car is stock turbo '01 A4 1.8T quattro. Front mount intercooler (all piping still tight and attached), 710 diverter valve, APR tune, borla exhaust, and carbotec(sp?) intake.

Please help... I am no mechanic, but it seems that all the logical traces have found nothing loose, falling off, etc. Car starts, idles, and drives still smooth as silk. JUST no boost and NO power.

Help me out.

email me direct if you have advice. I can get emails instantly on my phone.

[email protected]

[Seerlah]

Did you turn off the car, restart, then see how much boost you hold? Sounds like a wastegate or n75 issue? Do you have a VAG Com? If so, do a scan to see if any intermittent codes can be pulled.

[Skin_Graft]

Did you turn off the car, restart, then see how much boost you hold? Sounds like a wastegate or n75 issue? Do you have a VAG Com? If so, do a scan to see if any intermittent codes can be pulled.

Yes, restarted... even reset the APR tune. let car sit, restarted. Car might peak to 3lbs, but then will not hold more than 1-2 lbs of boost.

I don't have a scan tool, but a friend works for audi. I am going to go see him in a few hours to look over the car. get it scanned, etc.

[CSHO1.8t]

This has happened to me. Turned out to be a bad MAF. Take the MAF out and clean the censor.

You could also try unplugging it and driving a little to see if your boost is back. If so, its the MAF

[Seerlah]

He won't boost with the MAF unplugged and will run rich.

[GarbatyA4]

can you hear a boost leak at all? A hissing sound?

if not, then im saying waste gate actuator... its just flopping around. I bet its the clip that holds the rod to the turbo flapper ma bobber

[CSHO1.8t]

He won't boost with the MAF unplugged and will run rich.

Well, somehow it miraculously worked for me when I had a similar problem years ago.

[Skin_Graft]

can you hear a boost leak at all? A hissing sound?

if not, then im saying waste gate actuator... its just flopping around. I bet its the clip that holds the rod to the turbo flapper ma bobber

With the intake that I have on the car, it has always had a bit of a "wooosh"/hiss sound as it builds boost. Atleast, I assume that it is "normal"??

Otherwise, I will try the MAF cleaning in a min when I leave work. How can I look for the wastegate actuator? Put the car on a lift? Something I can see/reach/fix from above with the car on the ground?

[dcampana]

i am thinking maybe wg bracket or flapper. you will have to pull the turbo off to check. its not hard at all. may be an issue with the n75.

lets see what the codes come back with.

[Skin_Graft]

i am thinking maybe wg bracket or flapper. you will have to pull the turbo off to check. its not hard at all. may be an issue with the n75.

lets see what the codes come back with.

Will the car show any codes if it is not throwing any cel's?

I need to get this car back on the road now. It's my only means to get around at the moment.

[CSHO1.8t]

Will the car show any codes if it is not throwing any cel's?

I need to get this car back on the road now. It's my only means to get around at the moment.

Yeah it can. There doesn't always have to be a cel to come up with some codes

[Skin_Graft]

ok... I am going to drive it over to my friend at audi and let him take a look at it around 6. Keep your fingers crossed.

If it turns out to be the wastegate/flapper. Is that easily repairable, or is it going to be a major endevor?

[Dynamite]

if you can get hold of an N75 switch em over and see if that fixes it. to see if its the WG actuator (sometimes the rods on them brake at the end of the thread or the nuts come undone) you dont need to drop the turbo, just unbolt the cat and pull it off the studs and out of the way, then put your finger up inside the back of the turbo housing and push on the WG if it flaps around then you will need to drop the turbo to find out if it is broken or just the nuts have come lose. if it has broken then the easy fix is to thread the actuator rod a bit more and then screw the weight up onto it and then lock it in place with a 3rd nut.

[dcampana]

ahh- you can always ride the 675!!!! road warrior man:)

all joking aside. have your buddy take a look, scan for codes. then go from there.

you can always pick up a used turbo for dirt. i may have one for cheap. (ko3s)...

[Skin_Graft]

if you can get hold of an N75 switch em over and see if that fixes it. to see if its the WG actuator (sometimes the rods on them brake at the end of the thread or the nuts come undone) you dont need to drop the turbo, just unbolt the cat and pull it off the studs and out of the way, then put your finger up inside the back of the turbo housing and push on the WG if it flaps around then you will need to drop the turbo to find out if it is broken or just the nuts have come lose. if it has broken then the easy fix is to thread the actuator rod a bit more and then screw the weight up onto it and then lock it in place with a 3rd nut.

Ok... talked to my tech friend (audi tech). He says that he truly thinks that it is just a bad MAF. He blames that on my using it as a daily driver with the lower octane setting while running the high octane gas and not driving the car hard. (most of my trips consist of starting the car, letting it warm up, a short traffic filled 3 mile drive to work then back home).

Does that make sense to anyone other than him?

[Skin_Graft]

ahh- you can always ride the 675!!!! road warrior man:)

all joking aside. have your buddy take a look, scan for codes. then go from there.

you can always pick up a used turbo for dirt. i may have one for cheap. (ko3s)...

You have a point there... I could ride it. Don't really want to (still cold here, and I have race tires on it from a track day still... haha. Not a good combo).

I'll get him to scan for intermittent codes and clean up the MAF.

If it is the turbo, I might need another k03s. How much $$ are we talkin?

[dcampana]

well a cheap possible "fix" cross your fingers. go buy a can of CRC maf cleaner. take out the MAF and try cleaning it.

If not, buy a MAF, at ecstuning.com or mjmauthaus.com... they have decent deals

here is a link: http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=1676

i may have an extra floating around in my garage... i may.

[dcampana]

with a 3 mile "commute", the Daytona could be fun. hell you can ride with an umbrella:):)

I love to ride in the rain...

[Dynamite]

it could be a bad maf yes, a bad maf may be causing the car to run on the base map which runs rich and on low boost etc. I would start with cheaper things to check though. If you can get hold of a maf for free to try it out and see if it is (or an n75) then put it in and see if it fixes the problem, if it dose then there you go replace it and its fixed. if it dosent then it might be something else. I wouldn't just go and buy a new maf until you are fairly confident its not else because they are a little expensive.

[dcampana]

i dont know. i will have to check it first. may not be "worthy" you know?

meh- full slicks are fun on the street.. once they "warm up"..

if you can have your bud swap the n75 out or the maf to check, that would be best. as Dynamite says, the little things will add up fast.

i would try cleaning the MAF, and also see if any one local can swap out the n75 to see if that helps, if not than the MAF...

its like seeing the doctor, its all in practice, until you learn!!!!

[viceprp]

On top of what everyone one said, also check this out:

..if its not on the nipple it will make that WOOOSH sound and make practically no boost.

[Skin_Graft]

UPDATE:

It was a bad MAF. I am going to buy some cleaner and see if that will get me by for now.

Otherwise, the local dealer just had another 1.8T come in that is going to be a total loss for water damage. So, he is going to see if he can pilfer (sp?) the MAF off of it for me before insurance carts it away.

FOr now, I have disconnected the MAF; the car is throwing a CEL now; but boost is back, and it seems to be running great otherwise.

Thanks for all of the advice from all of you. It is times like this where I really love being a member of a forum with this volume of collective knowledge.

As for the 675, yes, the 3 mile commute is quick on that one... although boring due to the very straight and stop-light infested journey to work. She is more of a weekend warrior that finds any sweepers or twisties on the way from a to b. THen there is the occational track event... but when the weather breaks, the A4 will see far less road time than the bike.

THanks again... everyone.

[Skin_Graft]

I love to ride in the rain...

^^ can be fun. I did a track day at CMP in November that turned into a soggy day... high of 51, 5-10mph winds, and nearly 2" of rain in the second half of the day. In addition, I was on DOT race 003 bridgestones... not exactly a rain tire. BUT... it was a great lesson in throttle control. HAHA!

[dcampana]

^^^ nice... i have been "eyeing getting the 675, love the idea of the flat torque curve... yum yum power wheelies. My last bike was a gsxr1k... that was too much fun. However, was too much bike for me on the track.. i was the "slow guy on the fast bike. would rather be fast on a slow bike than slow on a fast bike;)

good to hear about the MAF.. try the cleaner and cross your fingers it will get you by. if not, the above link igave is the cheapest i have found the genuine MAF...

[CSHO1.8t]

UPDATE:

It was a bad MAF. I am going to buy some cleaner and see if that will get me by for now.

Otherwise, the local dealer just had another 1.8T come in that is going to be a total loss for water damage. So, he is going to see if he can pilfer (sp?) the MAF off of it for me before insurance carts it away.

FOr now, I have disconnected the MAF; the car is throwing a CEL now; but boost is back, and it seems to be running great otherwise.

Thanks for all of the advice from all of you. It is times like this where I really love being a member of a forum with this volume of collective knowledge.

As for the 675, yes, the 3 mile commute is quick on that one... although boring due to the very straight and stop-light infested journey to work. She is more of a weekend warrior that finds any sweepers or twisties on the way from a to b. THen there is the occational track event... but when the weather breaks, the A4 will see far less road time than the bike.

THanks again... everyone.

Told you!

I kid, but I'm glad you found the problem. MAF's can be very temperamental sometimes, so I hope the one you've found works.

[Seerlah]

^You were right about the MAF. Pardon for the misinformation. But when I had an issue and unplugged the MAF, I could not boost. But I also had the hose for the dv pop off, due to the piston getting stuck which was my actual issue.

[hibiscusB598]

my car did the same thing and it ended up being the n75. also the computer was in limp mode.

[Skin_Graft]

my car did the same thing and it ended up being the n75. also the computer was in limp mode.

ok... time for a stupid question... what exactly is the n75?

[99blueb5]

ok... time for a stupid question... what exactly is the n75?

its a electronic valve that controls boost, and also limits boost

[JEmm]

its a electronic valve that controls boost, and also limits boost

But there is also a spring inside it that can wear down over time. I had that problem but I was overboosting (hitting like 25 psi on a giac k03 tune) which was causing boost cut issues and the like. I don't think your having an n75 issue but I could be wrong.

[nova_ss672001]

Ok when u mean disconnect the maf u mean the wire or completly take it out? Cuz I'm thinking of this now...

[viceprp]

Ok when u mean disconnect the maf u mean the wire or completly take it out? Cuz I'm thinking of this now...

Disconnect the connection ...

[nova_ss672001]

Yea thought soo...ma bad 4 da dumb question...

[CSHO1.8t]

Yea thought soo...ma bad 4 da dumb question...

But to clean the sensor you need to remove the MAF, not just disconnect the wiring.

[nova_ss672001]

^^ yea tried crc already nd get same result....soo I'm jus gunna try this

[Skin_Graft]

^^^ nice... i have been "eyeing getting the 675, love the idea of the flat torque curve... yum yum power wheelies. My last bike was a gsxr1k... that was too much fun. However, was too much bike for me on the track.. i was the "slow guy on the fast bike. would rather be fast on a slow bike than slow on a fast bike;)

JUST DO IT!!! THey are great.

I have had a lot of bikes... everything from starting on a ZX-6R to a TL1000R and then a fully built '99 R1 and the '04 R1 that I destroyed (hence the screen name), and now my 675.

It truly is one of the best out of the box bikes I have ever owned. AND it is soooo at home on the track. Usually the only guys in the intermediate groups that can easily pass me are the full on racers or guys with great skill on liter bikes. The 675 just rocks!

Thanks again for all the help with the car!!!

[dcampana]

^^ this spring I may take the plunge... I have a Derbi Senda that i play on.. keeps me out of trouble, well sort of. gotta love pssing the neighbors off with 2 stroke power;)

track days were so fun. any pics of your 675? i love the "gold"

[nova_ss672001]

Ok so I disconnected the maf nd its iddiling like dick....
Really rough nd low almost wants to die.....

[dcampana]

can you get to the wastegate arm to make sure its not broke? maybe the boost is just bypassing through the flapper arm? flapper maybe be broke? or maybe the bracket holding the wastegate on is broke?

no noise coming fromt he front of the car while trying to boost as if the air is bypassing? can you hear the turbo spool?

just throwing it out there...

[nova_ss672001]

Nah no weird noises just regular spool whistle....
I actually had to connect the wire back up just to get outa da parkin lot at work...
Soo does this mean the maf is in working order?