What do you do when your intake looks like this?

[dutchviking]

What do I do now? What did I do wrong?

I think my pics will tell you what my problem seems to be.

But here is some issues that prompted me to start looking:
Limp mode - forever stuck there
Shutter at 2000 - 3000 rpm
RPM topout at 2000 when cold
Started as period limp mode and progressed VERY quickly (read weeks) to above.

Always cleaned oil at proper intervals - etc. Maintained car well (at least I thought I did anyway)

[dutchviking]

After a cold night outside with little light, I have managed to remove the intake from the car. The muck extends into the head but not nearly as badly. Think slight coating on wall.

Thoughts on how best to tackle this?

My thanks in advance to those who have the patience to help!

[Seatman]

Ooh that one deserves a prize that's minging as we say over here in Scotland lol, you could try the redneck method in the faq, some people are saying that oven cleaner works but I haven't tried it so can't say myself but have a look through the faq and see if that helps.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a...anifold-PD.htm

[chittychittybangbang]

His engine is an ALH, not a PD intake manifold, here is the correct writeup: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a...TDI-carbon.htm

First fix that and then figure out what is causing your low power. It sounds like your MAF is bad as well or your exhaust is plugged. Do more testing in the low power and limp mode FAQ articles and you'll probably find an easy solution Good luck.

[Seatman]

Sorry my mistake, I knew it was a non pd but I just picked the wrong faq

[dutchviking]

Originally Posted by chittychittybangbang

His engine is an ALH, not a PD intake manifold, here is the correct writeup: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a...TDI-carbon.htm

First fix that and then figure out what is causing your low power. It sounds like your MAF is bad as well or your exhaust is plugged. Do more testing in the low power and limp mode FAQ articles and you'll probably find an easy solution Good luck.

My thanks!
I am working on getting the junk out. It is surprisingly resiliant; as Homer Simpson would say "Urge to kill, Rising".

If I were to unplug the MAF while the engine was running would I hear a difference? When I did, nothing semed to happen. Would this indicate in even the sligtest manner that something was wrong? I know the ECU grabs a default value when none is present, but I thought something might change anyway.

Once the intake is clean I will progress to limp mode issue. I was hoping the two (intake issues and limp mode) were tied together, but I guess not?

As an aside. Any thoughts on Brake Cleaner in head intake? I was using it to clean the head around the intake because I really really don't want to take the head off. There was grime and sludge in there but only a few mm worth by the openings. Its obviously hard to see into it. I used some break cleaner on a bristle brush going only in the "outword" direction (meaning not allowing the bristles to spray gunk into the intake) and used a rag with break cleaner on it to clean it out. Seemed to do a pretty good job. Then I used a high preassure blower (think computer case cleaning unit) to try to blow anything out. Don't know how succefull I was but I like to think I got everything. Thoughts on this. Am I a well intentioned fool or will I be ok?

My thanks for all your help.

[dutchviking]

Originally Posted by Seatman

Sorry my mistake, I knew it was a non pd but I just picked the wrong faq

WHAT? YOU RUINED MY ENGINE... GAHHHH Oh wait, nope, your good. I had already figured out what you meant anyway.

Thanks though!

[Seatman]

It was me that put all that gunk in your intake in the first place lol.

It doesn't matter if there's still a bit of black oily smear still in the intake as long as the solid stuff is gone, I wouldn't want big chuncks trying to get in to the cylinders while running. It might be an idea to get to the turbo while the intake's off and check the actuator and that the lever part for the vanes isn't stuck.

[kd7iwp]

Last saturday I cleaned out the intake on my parents 2000 Jetta and it looked actually a bit worse than yours. They had similar issues, limp mode just happened this week, but it hasn't had much power for a year or two, and it couldn't rev above 3,000 rpm. 2 things we did, pressure-sprayed/burned the crud out of the manifold, and I also pressed up and down on the actuator shaft going to the turbo. It was really stuck in one spot, so badly that if I pushed it down the spring couldn't even push it back up. So I pressed it about 100 times up and down until it was free. The car has brand new life again.

[dutchviking]

Originally Posted by kd7iwp

Last saturday I cleaned out the intake on my parents 2000 Jetta and it looked actually a bit worse than yours. They had similar issues, limp mode just happened this week, but it hasn't had much power for a year or two, and it couldn't rev above 3,000 rpm. 2 things we did, pressure-sprayed/burned the crud out of the manifold, and I also pressed up and down on the actuator shaft going to the turbo. It was really stuck in one spot, so badly that if I pushed it down the spring couldn't even push it back up. So I pressed it about 100 times up and down until it was free. The car has brand new life again.

Thanks, I'll give that a try! The consensus seems to be preassure washing or burning. Sadly I seem to have the option of doing neither. Poverty, living in a new town and lack of vehicle are really buming me out. I think I might crack out the blow torch.

Cheers

Rick