[Vwdiesel] TDI questions

[James Hansen]

Greetings all!

I have been on the list for a while now, just don't post very often...

The wife bought a Jetta Wagon, and I got the 96 Passat TDI ~180K miles
_____
You have the better car in my opinion.



A few questions

How the %%%% do you change the light bulb for the heat controls?  I have had
about 3/4 of the dash apart, and still could not pull the control unit out
to get at that bulb!
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Dunno

When on the freeway, if I floor it, when it gets to about 75-80 ~ 3000 RPM
under load, then, it is like someone flicks a switch -  1/2 power! Pulls
VERY slowly after that... I'm thinking wastegate?
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Yes.  It's actually loss of warp field due to a difference between boost
called for, and actual boost. Check all little hoses carefully from N71
boost control relay (by master cylinder) over to the wastegate, up to the
ECU. They can leak, or get filled with oil.  Our 97 Passat had the wastegate
filled with oil that had migrated up the hose over the years, and wouldn't
let the thing actualte fast enough. There will be codes, but no MIL light.
It's self resetting after a stop/start cycle. It's real common.  Dealership
would start with changing all the vacuum lines, then the turbo.  yeah, no
kidding...





The air filter and fuel filter are fairly new.

Also, are the glow plugs as easy to change as it looks?

_____

Yes, but clean the harness plug well with a contact cleaner and then after
it dries, lube the plug ends with a dilectric grease to keep moisture out.

Good luck
-James
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