Wiered turbo problem....strange....

[cjscos]

Hi all
My caddy lost boost today and vagcom just comes up with p0299 low boost. After taking off the inlet to to turbo I found the propellers on the inlet on the turbo won't spin! They are rock solid. The car starts fine, drives fine apart from no boost and there is no black smoke or blue smoke or white smoke. Engine sound perfect! No limp mode lights or engine lights on. Oil pressure is perfect.

So could it just be variable vane gone or do you think i am lucky and it has just jammed before it fell in bits?

I been driving around in it today like that too.

[Doc]

If the compressor is stuck solid there's most likely some catastrophic failure that'll have ruined the turbo.
Might be seized in the core or run off balance and picked up on either compressor or turbine housing.

[cjscos]

Thanks for the reply.
I have put my inspection camera down it and all the vanes on the inlet are bent so it has set rock solid against the housing.
New turbo I reckon.

[cjscos]

Does anyone know if i can take it off from above if I dismantle the panel below the windowscreen wipers.

[Doc]

Yea, it'll come out but it's a tight squeeze.
If you take the inlet manifold off it's much easier.

[Sean1066]

My caddy is a 1.6 facelift.
When I had my turbo changed it had to be done from underneath.

[cjscos]

Cheers thanks for all your help
I service it every 6k too but it has done 171k now I suppose.

[cjscos]

Quick update.
I have got the turbo off from above
Took the wipers off and panel as it gave me.more room from above.

The turbo intake vanes were such against the housing and would not spin
One had broken off.

Not sure why though

When I striped the turbo it began to spin freely again which was worried.

Variable vanes were peferect and free

How do I remove the intercooler? Do I have to take the front bumper of?

[Scoobysrt]

Presumably your air filter is fully intact?
If you hold the inlet disc/wheel in the centre and try to move it up and down was there any play?
Hopefully it's just a bearing failure and you've got all the bits.

[cjscos]

Just a update

I have taken everything off and the compressor wheel was stuck.
I dismantled the turbo and the variable vanes were ok and so was the actuator. They were black but moved freely.
After dismantling the exhaust side it ran freely. Put it back together and it was stuck again.

Also there is a fin missing of the inlet wheel which is not a good sign!

I also found out my oil feed pipe seemed to be blocked when I blew down it with my mouth

After spraying carbon cleaner down it the blockage has gone.

Does any one have a part number for a bls oil feed pipe? I can not seem to find one. I want to fit one so it covers the warrenty on the new unit. Or a braided one....

Also can anyone recommend a supplier for a turbo. There are so many outlets and some want 600 for one and others want 230
Both were reconditioned.

I took the wipers of and scuttle panel off to get to the turbo which gave me plenty of room so it was worth it .

[cjscos]

The air filter seem ok. Checking all the intake tomorrow. There was a stone in the air filter but that was on the outside intake.
I did hit water a few months ago in a flood. May be a bit of water got in to the turbo and fractured the fins on the intake and it has eventually snapped off.

It was making a fluttering noise the last few weeks....
I thought it was just the altelt

[cjscos]

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