06 Jetta TDI runs terrible, black smoke and no power. See pics

[hole shot weapon]

I've been trying to figure this thing out for a couple of weeks and I am running out of ideas. It has a real hard time starting lately and will idle after a few start and stalls. It's pooring out black smoke and the fumes burn the eyes only after a few seconds. I hooked up the vag-cam and there are no codes. It's gutless and I can't even move it out of the garage. Sometimes I can rev it to 3000 rpm or so, but there is no sound from the turbo. One day after about 10 mins of runnig I found this

It wasn't fuel and it wasn't oil, it has the texture of water and was black from the soot I am assuming. That's when I thought I'd check the tank for water. I had the intake flap off as well, and what a mess in there.

The EGR pipe had black "dry" soot in it. Inside the flap motor housing and the intake manifold was a wet, thick, black paste. It seemed excessive to me and why is it wet? What a mess!

Any suggestions? I'm starting to run out of ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Here's some of the stuff I checked:
-Cam to crank tming
-Compression test 450(#1) 460(#2+3) 485(#4)PSI
-Checked all the plumbing for the intercooler and turbo.
-Went over all the vacuum lines
-I had the valve cover off to take a look in there
-Checked both sides of the turbo( good shape and spins freely, no oil leakage)
-Checked the exaust for obstructions
-Pulled the sending unit out of the tank to check for water in the tank
-Checked the cam timing (-1)

Modified by hole shot weapon at 3:02 AM 9-5-2008

Modified by hole shot weapon at 3:04 AM 9-5-2008

Modified by hole shot weapon at 3:07 AM 9-5-2008


Modified by hole shot weapon at 3:11 AM 9-5-2008

[Mike_Van]

I wonder if your turbo is able to receive the signal to produce boost, but it is a bit surprising that no VAG-COM codes are pending or stored.

You already checked all the vacuum hoses so perhaps it is a relay or switch in the turbo controller circuit, or some mechanical connection?
I don't know if the 06 still uses a VNT turbo, but the actuator would stick on some older models.
Perhaps use VAG-COM to log requested vs actual boost over the range of RPM your motor will run at.

Some oily intake buildup is normal, but it was supposed to be less with ULSD. Are you confident of the fuel quality you use?

Indeed, the acrid/irritating exhaust and black-spitting is very, very odd for a diesel. No ideas on that one.

If you haven't yet, post over at tdiclub.

[OttoSchultz]

How many miles on the car? Are you using Bio/WVO/SVO?

[GoFaster]

A boost leak will cause symptoms precisely as you describe.

It ends up using excessive EGR because extra air is being drawn in and sent out through the boost leak, and the system opens the EGR excessively to try to reduce the amount of air going through the system.

[tdipower4me]

you hear no sound from the turbo reving up, oil dumped out the tail pipe. i think its safe to assume your turbo is done.

[hole shot weapon]

Quote, originally posted by Mike_Van »

I wonder if your turbo is able to receive the signal to produce boost, but it is a bit surprising that no VAG-COM codes are pending or stored. You already checked all the vacuum hoses so perhaps it is a relay or switch in the turbo controller circuit, or some mechanical connection? I don't know if the 06 still uses a VNT turbo, but the actuator would stick on some older models. Perhaps use VAG-COM to log requested vs actual boost over the range of RPM your motor will run at. Some oily intake buildup is normal, but it was supposed to be less with ULSD. Are you confident of the fuel quality you use? Indeed, the acrid/irritating exhaust and black-spitting is very, very odd for a diesel. No ideas on that one. If you haven't yet, post over at tdiclub.

I just purchased the car and never added fuel yet, so I've been questioning the fuel quantity. I tried to post there yesterday, but I couldn't get on the site. I'll try again today

[hole shot weapon]

Quote, originally posted by OttoSchultz »

How many miles on the car? Are you using Bio/WVO/SVO?

The car has 25000 miles on it and like I said I have never added fuel yet, so I'm not sure what's in there.

[hole shot weapon]

Quote, originally posted by tdipower4me »

you hear no sound from the turbo reving up, oil dumped out the tail pipe. i think its safe to assume your turbo is done.

It's not oil comming out the tail pipe, it was H20. I had the whole exhaust off right up to the flange on the turbo and no evidence of oil in the turbo or in the pipe. The oil quantity hasn't moved on the dip stick either.

[hole shot weapon]

I checked all my intercooler lines again and found nothing so I decided to get to the bottom of it to rule it out a leak. I capped the line off where it enters the intake flap butterfly and at the airbox.

I used the crankcase vent as my vacuum source location. I chose to use vacuum instead of pressure cause the cap I was using at the crankcase vent couldn't pop off then, it would actually help it seal tighter. What I did checked all of the plumbing as well as the intercooler. I turned the pump on and started increasing the vacuum slowly and could only pull 10 in hg with the pump wide open. It should have collapsed the hoses at wide open. I quickly shut the pump off and I could hear a vacuum leak. Now I'm thinking EFF Yeah! Finally! It was the peice of plumbing which attached to the intake side of the turbo. I couldn't find where it was exactly but I just changed the whole pipe with another one I had. Did the same vacuum test and bingo! I it sucked those hoses flat like nothing. So, I hooked everything up and started the car... Same thing, no better whatsoever. I noted the sensor below had oil in it(I think it was leaking around the pins) so I cleaned the sensor harness connector and hooked it up. Nothing, no difference. The disconnected it... same thing. I even jumpered the two pins to see if that made a difference. Nope, I checked for codes with the VCDS as well. Nothing after all that. What is that sensor and what good is it?(see below)

We have an 03 Jetta TDI as well so I pulled the intercooler pipe right off at the intake to see what difference that made just to see. It affected it a little but ran way better than the 06 TDI and I could hear the turbo spool up with the pipe right off.

I noted the fuel in the 03 smells alot different than the 06. I think I might expolre that avenue next. I am in Northern Canada and we have 3 types of fuel "Regular gasoline", "Supreme Gasoline" and "Diesel" and that is it.

The car was from PA, USA and I know they have ummteen types of diesel down there... Bio diesel, this diesel, that diesel, the other diesel, vetegable oil diesel and all that noise etc etc...

I think I'm going to drain everything and put our "Diesel" in it cause I know it works! I have no idea what is even in there right now. Could have "gasoline" in it too for all I know.

[LouGti8v]

i would check the fuel filter.
20k interval for a reason.
also ck the in tank pump.

[hole shot weapon]

I think I may have found the culprit last night. Pulled the fuel filter out and it looks pretty clogged. I pulled the sending unit out of the tank and drained all the lines and the tank. It was pretty dirty in there. I cleaned it out and put some fresh fuel in it but never tried it yet since I don't have a new filter. The closest VW dealer is 800 Kms away. So, I will have to order one, but it will take some time since we only get mail once a week by dogsled team.

Modified by hole shot weapon at 12:35 AM 9-7-2008


Modified by hole shot weapon at 12:37 AM 9-7-2008

[KubotaPowered]

sounds like youre not getting any air into the engine, like a pipe is disconnected somewhere.

[onewiper]

Generally when a diesel is warm, black smoke indicates too much fuel, white smoke indicates not enough.

[hole shot weapon]

Well, Finally figured this SOB out... all that was cause by the EGR potentiometer. The potentiometer(round part on top was pushed in slightly(0.081") and causing the EGR to be slightly open when really the ECM thought it was closed.

[Mrx99]

Well, Finally figured this SOB out... all that was cause by the EGR potentiometer. The potentiometer(round part on top was pushed in slightly(0.081") and causing the EGR to be slightly open when really the ECM thought it was closed.

So how did you fix this problem? I have a 2006 TDI with the exact same problem.
Thanks, Mrx