I need to have my head checked

Kinja'd!!! "dieseldub" (dieseldub)
09/15/2018 at 01:35 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!16 Kinja'd!!! 23
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Despite !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that the V10 TDI diesel Touaregs are the worst maintenance nightmare EVER, I just bought one.

Why? Because it was cheap. And because a good friend of mine is the former owner and has added a few neat-o features.

First, there’s this neat little flashlight that goes into the 12V socket:

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It apparently was something Phaetons came with, a previous owner decided to buy one and put it in this Touareg.

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Other features? It has nice aluminum shifter paddles that have been retrofitted, I’m told they’re from a Bentley, which still qualifies as parts bin VW/Audi these days...

A Webasto heater with remote control

And, a heated steering wheel.

My buddy who owned it also found how to fix the KESSY module rather than replace it. So, all the door handle touch sensors actually respond because the capacitors aren’t all blown like apparently these early modules are known for doing.

Why was it cheap? Because during a cross country road trip where I was fixing other TDIs, I made a stop at their house to diagnose the vibration when accelerating issue and it had a code stored for MAF implausible signal, bank 2. And, well, this is the reason:

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A badly worn camshaft. A couple exhaust lobes on bank 2 are barely opening their valves, this burps exhaust pressure back into the intake, making odd noises, vibrations and causing the MAF implausible signal code.

Of course, as it was being loaded on the trailer, it had to come up with another failure mode: limp mode. This time the code is for “defective turbocharger control module.”

I already diagnosed that, though... And it’s not technically the control module that’s bad, it’s just upset that the control module is not able to move through its full range of motion. The worn cam meant that bank in particular is making more soot than normal and it caused the variable geometry mechanism inside that turbo to stick. Ran the output test on both turbos at the same time (there’s a special diagnostic address that allows you to access both engine computers at once and run tests) and bank 2 barely moved. Disconnect the linkage from the control module, run the test again, the module moves through its full movement no problem, but the mechanism definitely required high effort to move... I may be able to salvage the original turbos yet!

Of course for the amount of labor it takes to remove the engine to replace the turbos, since it will be out anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to replace them while it’s out to do the cams. And if it were a customer’s car, it would be the only way I’d agree to do the job and also promise that it will be properly fixed.

But for myself? Well... it’s just time, right?

This is either going to end with me having a blast driving this truck, or bankruptcy! Who knows!

I may be stupid, but not stupid enough to rely on one of these as my sole vehicle, so I have that going for me.


DISCUSSION (23)


Kinja'd!!! pip bip - choose Corrour > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 02:01

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you’re an idiot


Kinja'd!!! dieseldub > pip bip - choose Corrour
09/15/2018 at 02:02

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I look the part too with the stupid grin on my face currently.


Kinja'd!!! Gerry197 > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 02:03

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Congrats and God have mercy on your soul. You have a unicorn the re , pretty cool!   


Kinja'd!!! atfsgeoff > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 02:05

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For most people I’d say this is a financial black hole, but for you.. it’s gonna be a really fun financial black hole.

Also, bragging rights on owning a V10 turbodiesel. They’re not exactly common.


Kinja'd!!! pip bip - choose Corrour > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 02:08

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XD


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 02:41

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Let the wallet raping begin!


Kinja'd!!! MrDakka > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 03:14

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You're either very brave or very dumb. Only time will tell


Kinja'd!!! Future Heap Owner > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 04:22

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Awesome! This is gonna be a wild ride


Kinja'd!!! Echo51 > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 04:51

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Danish guy had a loooooong thread rebuilding one of these engine after it had seized up i think, boy was that a long read and a half, and a stupidly complex engine to get back in working order. But damn the torque must be nice once they run!


Kinja'd!!! kanadanmajava1 > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 07:02

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I have somewhere a nearly new turbocharger out of such engine. The control module went bad from a new car and you couldn’t purchase the module separately. My friend worked in a VAG workshop and gave the whole turbocharger to me as it is pretty much useless. Out from the 4 air/exhaust connections, 3 are pointing to same direction.

I t ’ s w e i r d t h a t V A G m a n a g e s t o mess up the design for camshafts.


Kinja'd!!! KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 08:17

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Congrats on your bravery...or is it stupidity?

Time will tell.Have fun and good luck!


Kinja'd!!! shop-teacher > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 08:24

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Wow man. Good luck to you! Condolences to your wallet :)


Kinja'd!!! dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 08:26

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So brave.


Kinja'd!!! Cash Rewards > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 08:53

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“making more soot than usual”

So, global warming is now completely irreversible?


Kinja'd!!! dieseldub > Cash Rewards
09/15/2018 at 09:32

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It already is, my man, it already is.


Kinja'd!!! dieseldub > kanadanmajava1
09/15/2018 at 09:38

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I have a pair of turbos with 70k less than this truck has. The internal vane mechanisms move more freely than the bank 2 turbo on this one. That one had a boost control/turbo control module fault on bank 2 as well. The external linkage got a little corroded and the linkage came disconnected from the control module.

Fairily certain some disassembly, sanding down of rust and slapping on some sticky synthetic caliper grease all over every pivot point of the linkage may help them last.

As for the camshafts, it’s sadly par for the course on any 2V/cylinder PD (Pumpe Duese) VAG diesel to wear the cam(s). I lost count of how many I've replaced a long time ago on the 4 cylinder PDs (2004-2006 4 pot TDIs here in the U.S.). I've owned a few of those too.


Kinja'd!!! wafflesnfalafel > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 10:35

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I work with a lady who had a first gen v6 one for a while - it was in the shop approximately 74% of the time she owned it. But it was a good looking, very nice vehicle...


Kinja'd!!! dieseldub > wafflesnfalafel
09/15/2018 at 11:31

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Sounds accurate. Lol

Also, why hasn’t someone thought to offer waffles and falafel together before? That’s brilliant!


Kinja'd!!! Tristan > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 12:22

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I owned an ‘04 BEW Jetta for a few years... I loved it, but I was always paranoid about camshaft wear. 


Kinja'd!!! M.T. Blake > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 13:08

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The diesel Touareg: because VW wanted to steal ‘most difficult to work on’ crown  from the Z32 300zx.


Kinja'd!!! Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > dieseldub
09/15/2018 at 15:21

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I want one of these badly but have been able to resist. It good that  I have finally found someone with worse judgement than me. Thanks! I will love vicariously through your pain. 


Kinja'd!!! Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > dieseldub
09/16/2018 at 11:20

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Will the engine wear the new camshaft too? I’d it possible to get some kind of coating  on the replacement camshaft too help negate wear? I think Comp or Lunati or one of those companies had like a special anti wear coating on their came.


Kinja'd!!! dieseldub > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
09/16/2018 at 13:02

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I think it’s more of a profile/geometry thing paired with hydraulic bucket lifters.

There are a couple aftermarket places that have reprofiled cams out there (Colt and Frank’s TDIs LLC) that supposedly won’t like the OE cams do. I’ve spoken to Frank about it already when the truck was still owned by my buddy and he and his partner were considering fixing it and keeping it. Will likely buy from him.

Beyond that, oil specs be dammed. Use the best protecting synthetic you can find. Something with a nice PAO and Group V polar ester basestock blend and a healthy amount of ZDDP will go a long way.