200 TDi Sluggish

Check to see if you have oil pressure to the turbo, the pipework could be blocked, disconect the stop solenoid so the engine wont fire, then disconnect the oil in pipe at the turbo, the upper one I think and get someone to turn the engine over, there should be a good squirt from the pipe.
If you have an airline then disconnect the lower oil return at the turbo and blow it with the airline to clear the return path to the sump.
Does the engine drive reasonably ok as is, or are you getting black or white smoke issues, it could be summats up with the pump or injectors so that theres not enough to spool up the turbo, allthough its more likely summats wrong with the turbo itself.
Not having an intercooler will lessen the turbo's effeciency quite a bit, but it wont lower the boost pressure.
Check your exhaust to see if you've squished it somewhere while greenlaning.

Thanks Dr P.
It seems to drive Ok ; there's a little whiteish smoke on startup but other than that very little smoke.
Exhaust is a side exit jobby so no chance of being squashed.
I'll check the oil flow to the turbo when I have a chance this week and let you know.

Well guys and gals - I'm at a loss!
Everything that has been suggested I've checked to the best of my ability, and it seems fine.
Yet still I'm getting barely 0.5bar boost pressure!
Me's giving up...

Have you tried adjusting the length of the bar connecting the wastegate actuator to the turbo?

To be honest fenby, I haven't.
I really wanted to get to the bottom of why a 'standard' engine is not running right, before trying to 'tune' it up.
I may give this a go, but it's a lst resort, and doesn't really get to the bottom of the problem (might sort it though, I grant!)

Your engine is not standard though because it does not have the intercooler connected. The problem might be that the previous owner has been fiddling with the length of the shaft. Perhaps they deliberately reduced the boost in an effort to reduce strain on the transmission. As you don't have an intercooler fitted I'd imagine the fuelling would have to be adjusted to stop it smoking excessively under full boost, because without the intercooler the air going into the cylinders would have less oxygen in it. The boost may have been wound down instead.

Very true! I'll give it a go and see what effect this has on boost and smoke!
I also have the previous owners details, so could always ask him...
Keep you posted and thanks for the advice...

It seems like the low boost could be caused by one of 2 things either the wastgate is being opened before the turbo gets up to full boost, or the turbo is incapable of delivering any more than 0.5 bar of boost because either there is a leak or there is a problem with the turbo. You could try disconncting the pipe to the wastegate actuator and plug up the end of the pipe, then take it for a drive to see if you can get any more boost out of it. Keep a careful eye on the boost guage though not to overcook the engine! If you can get more boost using this test then it points to a problem with the actuator - either the shaft length needs adjusting or the actuator has an internal fault. Could there be a blanking bolt missing in the inlet manifold which is causing an air leak or perhaps even a problem with the gasket for the inlet manifold?

Thats a good idea, dont be tempted to boot it and toast yer engine tho.

also they do coke up,a good burn on veg and a bit of petrol will help but have filters at the ready and as above dont toast it...

Beast o Bodmin said:

also they do coke up,a good burn on veg and a bit of petrol will help but have filters at the ready and as above dont toast it...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice - what sort of quantities of both are we talking here for a full tank o diesel?

Curiouser and curiouser! Even with the wastegate actuator disconnected, and my foot to the floor in 3rd up a hill, 0.5bar is the best I can get!
Turbo spins freely (just checked again - I can rotate it with my finger tips and it turns fine)
Suggestions please!!!

Sounds like the turbo's fecked.
If the car actually pulls up the hill then there should be enough exhaust gas to spool up the turbo, if it dunt then chances are summat's up with it, you say it turns freely and the exhaust is deffo clear and the oil supply is good, might be a broken vane or summat silly.
Might be worth a stripdown, you can usually get rebuild kits for garret chargers.

cheese_aholic said:

Curiouser and curiouser! Even with the wastegate actuator disconnected, and my foot to the floor in 3rd up a hill, 0.5bar is the best I can get!
Turbo spins freely (just checked again - I can rotate it with my finger tips and it turns fine)
Suggestions please!!!

Click to expand...

If the low turbo boost is caused by a wastege problem then either the wastgate is opening at too low a pressure or the wastegate valve is not fully closing. This could be caused by the actuator rod being set to the wrong length, the actuator being jammed or the valve itself being stuck within the turbo.

You've disconnected the air supply to the wastegate and the pressure is still not coming up, so that rules out the possibility that the wastegate is just opening at too low a pressure, but there is still the possibility that the valve is not closing fully. I would measure the length of the shaft as it is now and make a note of the length and then try adjusting the length to see if the valve can be closed any further.

What diameter pipe are you using for the exhaust? If you're using bits of the standard 2 1/4 exhaust system that could be causing backpressure. If there is a silencer in the system could it have collapsed internally?

I've tried shortening the actuator rod by 4 turns, and still the same problem!
Without taking the turbo off (job for the better weather!) I can't tell if the wastegate is actually closing properly - with the rod disconnected it moves freely and seems to make a 'closed' noise if you see what I mean when I shut it by hand.
Exhaust is a special - basically straight off the turbo with a side exit under the passenger door - no restrictions!!

dr pepper said:

Sounds like the turbo's fecked.
If the car actually pulls up the hill then there should be enough exhaust gas to spool up the turbo, if it dunt then chances are summat's up with it, you say it turns freely and the exhaust is deffo clear and the oil supply is good, might be a broken vane or summat silly.
Might be worth a stripdown, you can usually get rebuild kits for garret chargers.

Click to expand...

Thanks Dr P - turbo removal and strip down is next on the list - a job for better weather though!!

Deffinitly no split pipes? You getting full throttle?

As far as I know.... She revs freely no problem.
Just replaced fuel lift pump and filter so fuel starvation shouldn't be an issue.
Pipes - save for replacing all (which I do intend to do) I can't see / hear any leaks.
The top pipe balloons out slightly when revved hard, so there's pressure there. Just not enough...!!

Haven't read the thread but have ye cleaned yer intercooler out?... if it's got one.

bustersbus said:

Haven't read the thread but have ye cleaned yer intercooler out?... if it's got one.

Click to expand...

Thanks Buster - don't have one!
I've found out from the previous owner (and the chap who put the 200tdi engine in) that he didn't adjust the fuelling to take account of the fact he had no intercooler - from reading other posts I understand this may have smoke consequences but shouldn't affect the turbo pressure??