Tag Archive for: turbo

How To Install A Boost Gauge On Any Car

If you have a turbocharged engine, installing a boost gauge is a great modification. Boost gauges can read boost level, and many read engine vacuum. Whether you’re installing a digital boost gauge, or a manual boost gauge, the installation process is very similar. The AEM gauge we are using here also has a boost controller built into the gauge. But we are only focusing on the boost gauge in this video.

The ability to monitor both boost and engine vacuum is vital on a performance car. There are even some cars that come with a boost gauge from the factory. If you are adding a turbo like we did the the GTI, it is a must. Proper installation is important. I truly believe that the routing of vacuum lines, and wiring is even more important to long term performance.

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Trouble viewing? Watch “How To Install A Boost Gauge On Any Car” on YouTube.

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failed VW Turbo
Failed VW Turbo

Golf R Turbo Upgrade

 

Hey everyone. We are back talking about more failed Volkswagen parts. Today we look at how VW turbochargers fail. I have been trying to get my hands on a bad turbo for a long time. This one is extra cool because it is a bad turbo from a MK7 GTI!

Sponsor Of The Day
Today’s show is sponsored by Deutsche Auto Parts. They are the VW and Audi parts experts. They have great prices and awesome service. Plus they work really hard on a ton of VW DIY videos. Paul and the fellas at DAP are awesome. Also check out their new site at SHOPDAP.com

Join me today as we break down:

  • MK7 GTI Turbo
  • Miles of this VW turbo failure
  • What is a VW Turbocharger
  • How does a VW Turbocharger work
  • How do VW turbochargers fail
  • Symptoms of a Failing VW turbocharger
  • Diagnosing a failed VW turbocharger
  • Time to failure
  • Is this a DIY repair
  • VW Turbo Upgrades
  • and more

Trouble Viewing? Watch “How VW Turbochargers Fail ~ Video” on YouTube.

As always, your questions and comments are welcome.
Please post them below. If you would like to suggest a part of a show like this, email me Charles(at)HumbleMechanic(dot)com. Thanks again to Deutsche Auto Parts for being such a great sponsor.Failed VW Turbo

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Water leak damage to VW

Happy Friday everyone! It was a really tough week for me, but I am off this weekend so I am in a great mood. I have a few things before we get into this weeks pictures.

Humble Mechanic Podcast
If you missed the automotive podcast I posted Wednesday, go ahead and check it out. I have been kicking around the idea for a while and finally just did it. I am pretty happy with how it went. You guys gave me some great feedback. The plan is to add the podcast as part of the content. So I will keep writing posts, posting Shop Shots, and just add the podcast in.

Dubs For A Cause
This year the Dubs For A Cause charity event will be huge. Like last year, I will be supporting the cause. I am a fan of car shows, but making them a charitable cause is even better. If you are in the Raleigh,NC area, come check it out. The even is November 9th from 11-5pm at Apex Tuning.

Black Forest 3rd Annual Oktoberfest
This event is awesome! The folks at BFI are hosting their 3rd Oktoberfest. This another local car show for me. The event will be a car show, plus will have food and local NC beer. As many of you know I am a huge craft beer fan. If you can make it, do it. Check out their event page here.

Humble Mechanic Gear
I have gotten a bunch of folks asking me about T Shirts, stickers, and hats. Now, I do not really want to be in the merchandise business. But if this is something y’all are really interested in, let me know. I think the logo would look awesome on a shirt. What do you guys think?

Okay, now that we got all that taken care of, lets get into this week’s Shop Shots!

VW Beetle InteriorI mentioned at the start, I had a rough week. This was my first job Monday morning. I replaced the heater box on a 2008 Beetle. The heater box is the box that has the heater core, evaporator, and all the doors that control the heat and air conditioning. This type of job requires removing most of the interior of the car. The job is not really that bad, just a lot of parts to take off. If you look at the bottom of this picture, there is a green magnetic tray. I had 2 of them full of screws. This is also the type of job you have screws left over. This time, I didn’t have any left over. That is always a good thing. 😉

Failed Volkswagen TurboThere are some jobs that mechanics do that they love. Then there are the jobs that are not fun at all. For me, replacing turbo chargers is on the not fun list. This is the inlet side of a common rail TDI turbo charger. I am not sure what the exact failure was, but I can tell you what happened as a result. It may have been due to low engine oil, but the turbo failed. When this happened, about 2 qts of engine oil was pumped into the air intake. It also pumped oil into the exhaust. Several hours, and a few thousand dollars in parts later, the car ran great. I posted another picture to the Facebook page. You can see all the failed parts I replaced here.

Water leak damage to VWWith great rains comes great water leaks. This the the shot of another VW Passat with a water leak. We do not see this type of thing nearly as much as years ago, but it still happens. This module is the Convenience module. It may be shocking, but this module controls the “convenience” features of the car, like power windows, power locks, interior lighting and more. The car also needs signal from this module to start.

After draining about 3 inches of water from under the carpet, I found that the wires were starting to corrode. It was not that surprising to find the green slime on the connectors. The customer declined the repairs, so I don’t know the exact cause of the leak. Based on the condition of the car, I am pretty sure there was multiple issues.

That wraps up another week of Shop Shots! Just a quick reminder, you can subscribe to the blog and never miss a post. I don’t share or spam your email, that is dumb. Also, I would love your thoughts on Humble Mechanic merch.