2001 1.8T turbo problems

[1.8T2001Blue]

I just bought a 2001 jetta 1.8T when I test drove it at the dealer the turbo response was excellent I drove it home and it continued to run fine about 4 or 5 days after i had it the turbo started to act funny it's a 5 speed and the boost is nice and strong in 1st gear but in 2nd it seems like the turbo is letting off before it's supposed to it makes that let off sound about half way through acceleration then the turbo doesn't kick back in so the boost isn't there it does it in 3rd too is this a turbo problem or something different if you have an idea please respond

[Gotian]

seems like the waste gate isnt working as it should be, also the turbo that is in your car isnt all that strong since you have the KO3 turbo. I suggest doing one of two things, get a new wastegate and check you lines to make sure you have no boost leaks (it would help if you got a boost gauge), or if you wanted you could get a wastegate and upgrade the turbo to either the KO3s which comes standard in 2002-2004 or the KO4 turbo (but this one is the performance upgrade). But it defiantly seems like a waste gate problem. I'd tell you to tighten it but that would be a temporary solution.

[crx2034]

i just bought an 01 1.8t jetta from an auction and i am having major issues. i tried to return but they only have a 5-7 hour window to return so i am sol. it is my problem so i am stuck and just need answers please.The oil light came on soon after i started to drive it so i went straight to the gas station an dput more oil. i drove less than half mile. I put 2 quarts and it was full. I left and the oil light came on about 2 miles down the road. I said screw it it has oil i know so i kept driving. I noticed it had very little power and could not rev past 4k rpm. I drove about 4 miles and everything seemed kinda fine. Then when i came to a stop, there was blue smoke comming from under the car, not the tailpipe. I pulled in to a parking lot and stopped. Some water started to drip from what looked like the radiator on the bottom( driped off the bumper under so dont know exactly where it came from). @ people have said it is the mass air flow sensor. What do you think? Also, there was oil under the engine and tranny. so i guess that is what was burning. I am new to VW so any info would be very helpful. Thank you

[1.8T2001Blue]

Thanks Gotian that sounds about right where would be the best place to get a new wastegate i've looked around a little and haven't found one. Again thanks for your help

[Gotian]

Originally Posted by crx2034

i just bought an 01 1.8t jetta from an auction and i am having major issues. i tried to return but they only have a 5-7 hour window to return so i am sol. it is my problem so i am stuck and just need answers please.The oil light came on soon after i started to drive it so i went straight to the gas station an dput more oil. i drove less than half mile. I put 2 quarts and it was full. I left and the oil light came on about 2 miles down the road. I said screw it it has oil i know so i kept driving. I noticed it had very little power and could not rev past 4k rpm. I drove about 4 miles and everything seemed kinda fine. Then when i came to a stop, there was blue smoke comming from under the car, not the tailpipe. I pulled in to a parking lot and stopped. Some water started to drip from what looked like the radiator on the bottom( driped off the bumper under so dont know exactly where it came from). @ people have said it is the mass air flow sensor. What do you think? Also, there was oil under the engine and tranny. so i guess that is what was burning. I am new to VW so any info would be very helpful. Thank you

your'e leaking oil, end of story, it's by the tranny so it's going to be expensive to fix since they have to remove it in order to access the leak. I had that problem in my old celica and it cost me 750 to replace the tranny and get the leak fixed.

[Gotian]

Originally Posted by 1.8T2001Blue

Thanks Gotian that sounds about right where would be the best place to get a new wastegate i've looked around a little and haven't found one. Again thanks for your help

i suggest asking an actual mechanic where to find one, cause i dont really know where to get one except with a turbo kit, sorry i cant be much more help.

[veedubmechanic]

Oil pans are fairly easy to strip out on vw's there made of aluminum. MAF would have nothing to do with oil leak or coolant leak. Water pumps are a very common problem on 1.8t and 2.0 engines, the impellar on the engine side is plastic and breaks causing overheating or the t-belt to snap from a jammed water pump. You sure its not the red coolant light that came on, its looks like a sailboat kinda.

wastegates dont stick on 1.8t. on 1.9tdi diesels they stick all the time usually on 80-90k miles.

ECM will put car in limp mode if it overheats.

[1.8T2001Blue]

veedubmechanic what do you think my problem might be? are the terms wastegate and blow off valve interchangable? thanks i figured out there not interchangeable their on diff sides of the turbo

[crx2034]

thanks for the replies guys. My freind that deals with cars loked at it and we took the plastic cover on the engine to hear the engine and see better. It makes a loud ticking noise and you can feel it when you feel the top of the engine. He said it may need to be overhauled or replaced. I rather rebuild this engine so when i sell it it hads original engine and i know it will be solid. I have a guilty concsience about selling a car knowing somwthing is wrong. Whrn the car started, there was blueish smoke coming out of the tailpipe. Not alot but some. about the coolant light, i will check on it. I am trying to stat selling cars by going to auction and fixing them up so i am new to anything that is not a honda or acura. Any more ideas are very welcomed. thank you.

[veedubmechanic]

Dont go rebuilding the engine. THey dont need rebuilding. The injectors are VERY loud on 1.8t engines. If theres lifter noise on the valve cover area, change the oil and filter and see if it goes away, it may have been starved of oil and just need to be refreshed. If theres still noise cam chain tensioners are a VERY common prob on 98-01 1.8t engines in passat and golf,jetta,beetle. They cause incorrect oil pressure to lifters and cause them to tick loudly. If the car has over 80k on it I would have to say the chain tensioner is bad.

The stock bypass valve "blow off valve but its re-routed back into intake not air" on the intake pipe right after the maf sensor and goes to the metal pipe behind valve cover is a common problem. THey have rubber diaphrams and leak after use, especially with chipped cars. There about 40.00 for a new vw one or 125.00 for an aftermarket metal one that wont leak.

[crx2034]

veedubmechanic, you wouldnt happen to live in the phoenix area. you at least sound like you know what is up and if i can avoid a rebuild, i would like that instaed. Anyone in AZ?

[veedubmechanic]

Originally Posted by crx2034

veedubmechanic, you wouldnt happen to live in the phoenix area. ?

nope, sorry, MN here =\

I want to move to vegas though.... muggy hot summer days suck.. so do the mosquitos, blizzards and -10deg days!