Loose Turbo Bolts - growing problem

[Guy_H]

Ohhhhhh nooo..

If I go to VW, wont they say....

whats this FMIC, whats this bigger downpipe and exhaust....

thats whats caused it.. now hand over the $$$ to fix it?

How much is it to have it rectified at an APR dealer?

I dont want to be going off and pulling my FMIC off and then the downpipe etc just to have my bolts tightened up/replaced.

In saying that my boost gauge shows at the manifold its still seeing 17.5psi?

When I rev the car at idle it sounds like an exhaust leak or like a hyundai getz motor. Like it doesnt want to rev.

On the road its fine and goes well.

Petrina, dont panic - talk to your APR dealer first & then your VW dealer. Many, Many people still get warranty on their cars with aftermarket stuff fitted to the car (even do a search on this forum).

P.S. Doing an internet forum diagnosis is pretty hard - take it to VW or your APR dealer for a diagnosis before jumping to conclusions!

[Petrina Polo]

I have it booked in a VW in 2 weeks so I can get their courtesy car for a thrash.

I will try and hide the mods to the GTi...

[Chipped]

Kai,

I also have not had this prob.......yet.
Ive done 35,000k. APR Chipped, APR DP and HFC, APR Dogmount, Forge TIP etc...ECS perfomance clutch...she has been well worked.
Maybe this problem is possibley specific to a certain manufacture date??
Mine manufactured Nov '05.

[seangti]

When I rev the car at idle it sounds like an exhaust leak or like a hyundai getz motor. Like it doesnt want to rev.

On the road its fine and goes well.

eek, mine sounds like it has a slight exhaust leak when idling too (late 07 build, 16,000km, 1 trackday so far). Can't hear anything when driving. Its only a slight noise at this stage, i've just chosen to ignore it when noticed.

Do these cars generally have a slight exhaust leak noise... Not sure if it's a leak as such though. I've come subaru's so it's all pretty new to me.

[Timbo]

The issue is not so much what to do, or what can be done, but getting at the bolts to do it. It's down the back of the motor, in a small space between the manifold and the firewall. It's very easy to scratch your arm, skin your knuckles... I am finding myself almost unable to resist swearing loudly, just at the memory.

When I researched this, I found it was a relatively common issue on the 1.8T motor (check vortex).

MACCAA fabricated an additional support from the engine block to the turbo housing, but I can't say whether this was a solution.

Basically, I found the best way was regular preventive maintenance, ie, checking the bolts and tightening them periodically; in some cases removing and adding paste. As a result, I now have an enviable collection of 17mm spanners!

Good luck!

[Kai]

I have it booked in a VW in 2 weeks so I can get their courtesy car for a thrash.

I will try and hide the mods to the GTi...

Mine has done that noise since i put a pod filter on. Its just got a higher idle. Thats nothing to worry about.

Im up too 120 thousand and still no sign of turbo bolts.

As most of you know. I dont take it easy either.

Id put money on manifolds being warped from factory?

If mine do come loose. Ill heat up the manifold and weld it. Or use the tab washers like earlier shown. Or tack weld the bolts in.

[Ralfi]

Does anyone who has experienced this problem have a 2008 or 2009 model Polo GTI?

[brad]

The issue is not so much what to do, or what can be done, but getting at the bolts to do it. It's down the back of the motor, in a small space between the manifold and the firewall. It's very easy to scratch your arm, skin your knuckles... I am finding myself almost unable to resist swearing loudly, just at the memory.

patience, perserverance & fortitude.

I did my apprenticeship on Series 2 & 3 Land Rovers, Morris Minors & Nubian fire engines (straight 8 Rolls Royce engines). Everything seemed relatively simple after that.

[Timbo]

patience, perserverance & fortitude.

I did my apprenticeship on Series 2 & 3 Land Rovers, Morris Minors & Nubian fire engines (straight 8 Rolls Royce engines). Everything seemed relatively simple after that.

Ain't that the truth. I spent a lot of time on Cooper S's. Even changing the fanbelt involves keyhole surgery

[PoloGTi]

Hey sounds like its not just me.
Please tell Vw Aus about your bolt problems. They claim that i am the only one with the issue, the more of you that contact them the more it forces them to look into the prob.
I have had mine fixed 3 times under warrenty and have not driven my car hard in over a year. I might contact the person i am dealing with at vw Aus and see if i cant get his number for you to contact so he can look further into it.
I dont want VW to fix it i just want a permanent fix.