Turbo problem ... specialist needed (NW London/Uxbridge/Watford)

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

Before you get all excited, no, I haven't gone over to the dark side - I remain convinced of the superiority of the S2 over the Turbo (as all other right-thinking members hereabouts are) and won't be changing it in a hurry.

BUT I need help with a turbo.

More accurately, I have a friend with a 2004 Ford Mondeo, TDCI (turbo diesel, euro-4 compliant I think.) It is going into limp home mode regularly, showing the MIL and has a repeated fault code in the memory. The local Ford stealer has diagnosed it as being a problem with the "Rotary Electric Actuator" on the turbo, and the solution is £1400's worth of new turbo.

He can obviously think of more pleasant ways of being parted from £1400, and has asked me what I think he should do. I suggested he should take it to a turbo specialist who may be able to repair it rather than replace it. (Some web forums seem to suggest - unhelpfully vaguely - that the error code in question can be fixed by cleaning the variable vanes of the turbo unit. Takes an hour or so, and costs nothing.)

Knowing that there are many chaps on here who know a lot about turbochargers, so I was wondering whether anyone knew of any turbocharger specialists in the North West London / Uxbridge / Watford areas who may be able to help my friend out. All suggestions welcome ... thanks.


Oli.

 

[mik_ok]

Interesting - I didn't realise Ford used the garret VNT (variable nozzle turbo) on their TDIs.

The VNT system is prone to coking up if the car isn't driven hard (ie full throttle, full rev range) fairly regularly, and once it clogs the actuator can't overcome the friction so you get a fault code. My dad's TDI suffered this, but I was able to clear it.

It's an electronic control with a vacuum actuation. Unless the electronics have been confirmed as goosed, I'd check vac hoses to the actuator and ensure the rod is lubed. Blobby bit at top left of this image.

I'd then go and rag it up the road a few times doing a idle-to-redline full throttle runs in 2nd or 3rd to ensure the mechanism is excercised. You will feel the extra power if it starts to free up...

The dealership will have a diagnostic setup which cycles the actuator at rest - would be worth looking at.

 

[zcacogp]

Mik,

Thanks - that's very helpful indeed.

There are suggestions that it may be possible to take the turbo off to clean it by hand if the 'giving it beans' method of fixing doesn't work. Does this sound viable? (Having said this, I suspect we may be getting ahead of ourselves - the friend has said he will give it as much stick as he can for the rest of the week and see if that makes any difference.)

What would you lubricate the actuator rod with? Grease, light oil, WD40? (I'll put my cards on the table and confess to complete ignorance of what an actuator does - and indeed of the workings of a turbocharger altogether.)

Fingers crossed that the fix is as easy as it sounds like it could be. Thanks again.


Oli.

 

[mik_ok]

I used WD40 on my dads car, but once freed I'd grease it up.

You should be able to take the thing off and free it up, but it'll be a fairly big job. Actuator moves the vanes which guide angle of attack for the exhaust gases hitting the turbine.

 

[zcacogp]

Mik,

Thanks. That's a good photo (I had assumed the variable vanes were on the rotating part of the turbo, I didn't realise they were on the stationary part.)

There seem to be dire warnings about splitting the actuator from the turbo itself, and therein lies the problem. If it could be split, you could just replace the actuator. As it is, the link is factory-set and they shouldn't be seperated. (Or at least, that's the official line. How much of this is true and how much of this is put about in the interests of the Ford Profit Margins I don't know.)

Having said that, I am wondering whether it is possible to dismantle the turbo (to the state in the picture) without removing the actuator. It seems to be still attached in the photo, so it may be possible.

I'm told that removing the turbo from the car is a fairly simple job. Takes about an hour. I don't know the layout of the engine and engine bay at all so can't comment on this (although I guess I would do well to find out, given who will be doing the work if friend does decide to DIY it ... !)


Oli.