01 VW Passat Acceleration issue + smoke

BrokenArrows

Ok so over the past few months the turbo has been acting up. Would accelerate nice but then nothing. Kinda annoying at times but meh i can live with it.

Anyway it was due a service so i had it serviced and my mechanic ran a test and the test same back (as printed on bit of paper)

17964 P1556 Turbo Sporadic:
super charger boost sensor(A)
circuit: control limit not reached.

Anyway i wasnt pushed about it and my mechanic didnt seem to know how to fix it so advised to go to a dealer to fix and that was a month ago.

These days i hardly have any acceleration and just now on my way home i looked in my side mirror so see a fair bit of smoke coming from the exhaust as i was sitting in traffic.
Kinda white/blue smoke.

Anyway i plan on bringing it into a dealer on monday. Just wondering what people think. I dont like walking into a mechanic without having a fair idea of what the issue could be. Saves them time if i can point out the exact issue and saves me money on labor costs if it takes them less time. win win. haha.

Ideas?

dizzydiesel

It's possible that the Mass Air Flow meter is gone (MAF). Although the diagnostics will pick this up.
The MAF controls the air mix with the turbo - when it goes, you have no power and the engine runs like a dog.

cantdecide

...and your fuel consumption goes to the dogs.

I suspect you're ears just pricked up.

BrokenArrows

ya fuel consumption is gone to crap.

dizzydiesel

If you can find the MAF and disconnect it, you will notice that the engine runs a bit smoother.....but it will still be way down on power.

If it runs smoother without the MAF - go get a new one

Cond0r

Hey,

Did you get this fixed in the end?

I have an '01 Passat with a very similar problem. It's been like that for quite a while too, because I had a similar 'meh' attitude about it, but I'm thinking about selling it now so need to get it fixed.

Cheers,
C.

Edit: Sorry for the bump, but it's not _that_ old anyway.

BrokenArrows

ya i got this fixed....kinda

was a few different things.

1. 3 vacuum pipes had split @ boost solenoid (replaced these)

2. Boost solenoid was faulty or just not working right. (replaced)

3. Actuator on turbo was sticking. (freed up the actuator rod. not fixable apparantly. would need a replacement turbo to permanently solve. They told me this would gradually start to stick again)

total cost to repair was €280 at VW dealer in galway.

That was two months ago. There was a massive power loss fairly soon after i started this thread. Brought it to VW dealer and they sorted it. Incredible difference in power after getting the above work done.

Recently i have noticed the small loss in power starting to occur again. Nothing major but im gradually starting to see the RPM increase gradually before the turbo kicks in.

What i was wondering was is it a big job to "free up the actuator rod". Is it possible to do with little or no mechanical experience.

BrokenArrows

Anyone have any idea how big a job it is to free up the actuator rod on a turbo?