Help with exhaust manifold. It was a gasket. Picture inside. - Troubleshooting - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• Help with exhaust manifold. It was a gasket. Picture inside. by DCC on 06 Jan, 2008 04:44
• Hi there,
  
  the other day, when I started my '88 golf GTD (JR engine), I noticed some incredibly loud valve noise and lots of black smoke coming from the back of the engine.
  
  At first, I thought of something crankshaft related, but as I test drove it, I realized it had something to do with the exhaust manifold, the turbo blows only at +4k full throttle, but the car can be used with no problems (only a lot of noise).
  
  Yesterday, I checked it up, and found that one of the cilinders had no metal joint (the other 3 had), I tightened the bolts, but I want to remove the exhaust manifold and the turbo.
  
  There is no much place to work there, so, how can I do it? Which is the right order to take it all out?
  
  I thought first of taking the intake manifold, remove the turbo's oil lines, downpipe, and then take the exhaust manifold. Am I right by doing so?
  
  I will do it next saturday, will buy some new joints, and work on it. I have a few exhaust manifolds an turbos eventually.
• #1 by burn_your_money on 06 Jan, 2008 05:09
• I think you have to take the turbo off and then the exhaust manifold. You may be able to do it all as one unit though
• #2 by DCC on 06 Jan, 2008 05:57
• Quote from: "burn_your_money"

  I think you have to take the turbo off and then the exhaust manifold. You may be able to do it all as one unit though

  
  
  Well, that was my idea, the problem is that I can't reach all the bolts of the exhaust manifold, so I guess that first I have to unbolt the intake manifold and then the turbo, but I'm not sure about how to do it. I don't want to remove the engine from the engine bay, so..
• #3 by burn_your_money on 06 Jan, 2008 05:57
• You can't take the intake off without taking the turbo off
• #4 by Baselyne on 06 Jan, 2008 06:10
• you do not need to take the engine out, Just take off the turbo...then the mani's
  
  if you cant reach something, then you cant reach it i suppose
  there are two bolts at the top of the exhaust mani that I couldnt reach
  so turbo off
  I broke a stud while trying to get the turbo off the mani
  
  Be careful not to round them out as there rusty forsure
• #5 by DCC on 06 Jan, 2008 09:23
• Quote from: "Baselyne"

  there are two bolts at the top of the exhaust mani that I couldnt reach
  so turbo off

  
  
  That was my problem yesterday, I tried to tighten all bolts, but I couldn't reach one of the bolts at the top, anyway, I saw later there was a missing joint in the manifold.
  
  

  Quote from: "Baselyne"

  I broke a stud while trying to get the turbo off the mani
  
  Be careful not to round them out as there rusty forsure

  
  
  Yes, I broke two studs trying to get the downpipe off, I'll be careful, for sure.
• #6 by DCC on 13 Jan, 2008 05:30
• Ok. It's all fixed now.
  
  I spent lots of hours fixing the problem. The turbo was a real pain to unbolt, as the bolts were a bit rusty and sticky. WD40 was quite useful.
  
  I took out the turbo (looks in quite good condition) and then the exhaust manifold. To my surprise, it had no holes. Then I took a look at the exhaust joints, and discovered the reason for all the noise and smoke: there was a blown joint (literally), and another one was on the way to Valhalla (cylinders #2 and #4).
  
  I replaced them, and also replaced some exhaust nuts and the turbo bolts, then put it all together and finished everything at 1:00 am. The car works incredibly well now. I had some serious turbo lag due to pressure loss in the exhaust manifold, now it works as it should (it can reach 100 mph on the odometer easily). Almost no lag or smoke.
  
  So, a happy ending!
  
  (Btw, how do I take the soot off my nails?)  :lol:
• #7 by Baselyne on 14 Jan, 2008 04:52
• by a blown joint, what do you mean? the gasket?
• #8 by jtanguay on 14 Jan, 2008 06:18
• Quote from: "DCC"

  (Btw, how do I take the soot off my nails?)  :lol:

  
  
  just wait a few weeks for new ones  :wink:
  
  yea i think he's talking about the 4 separate gaskets.
• #9 by DCC on 14 Jan, 2008 16:07
• Quote from: "Baselyne"

  by a blown joint, what do you mean? the gasket?

  
  
  Yup. The 4 separate gaskets, as said by jtanguay. Have to take a picture, though.
  
  The car feels completely different now, had a great time today driving around.  
• #10 by burn_your_money on 14 Jan, 2008 16:18
• Probably had a lot better turbo response eh?
• #11 by DCC on 18 Jan, 2008 12:05
• 
  
  This is it.
  
  Now everything is just perfect: starts better, works better, goes faster and doesn't sound like a sewing machine.  :lol:
  
  I had great fun today:
  
  
   :wink:
• #12 by blkboostedtruck on 18 Jan, 2008 14:39
• DROOL look at that hairpin curve!
  Duane
• #13 by smutts on 25 Jan, 2008 07:14
• She looks just like mine!
  Congratulations on a wretched job. I used up a years worth of swear words on that job.
• #14 by Baselyne on 28 Jan, 2008 07:02
• Hahahha Man my nabours f'in hate my language when im dealing with this kinda work.....bang there goes another rusty turbo stud!  oppps there goes another 13mm wrench on onto the street infront of the garage at the end of the drive way over two cars and past 3 more sets of houses and.....and ....and nothin but net!
  
  Killer hairpin, Id be rollin my rabbit right about where yous is parked trying to better my time...hah