Variable Vane Sticking (VNT)

[Infiniti]

Hey everyone!

After a long time with my auris, and many many hours of research, I think I’ve found the cause of my weird boost behaviour. 
I essentially get no turbo power, until 2k RPM, and it ALL comes in at once, absolutely no turbo “build up” at all. Nothing, then all. Literally like a light switch. 

I believe, and so do Midlands Turbo, that the variable vanes in the SR180s turbo are probably carbon’d up to hell, hence it not being able to nicely build up its boost. 
 

Has anyone cleaned the VNTs before? I don’t believe spraying turbo cleaner into the intake side is going to help, I think it needs to be straight into the turbo. Has anyone done this? How can I even get access to the hot side of the turbo? 
 

any help would be amazing! 

[preperationlaunch]

From the VAG world, the trick was always going in via the EGR side.

You'd fill the exhaust side of the turbo via the EGR feed. Leave it for however long prescribed and give it a good blast.

Some swore by using Mr Muscle, others were much fonder of 'proper' turbo cleaners.

[Phil01]

Mr Muscles oven cleaner, if you doubt this tip then dont do it, you need to be confident

[MrZardoz]

I successfully cured my TDi Leon with the Mr Muscle trick. At the same time I freed up the actuator with WD40 as that was really sticky too. Took a bit of elbow grease but a very cheap fix. Sorry not much help Auris wise. Hope you get it sorted mate.

[MrZardoz]

Oh and watch your engine bay plastics / hoses where you’re working if you do use Mr Muscle.

[Yugguy1970]

I have heard good things down the years about this but I have never used it myself.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innotec-Cleaner-Variable-Official-Distributor/dp/B004UMT6NQ

 

[flash22]

Have you scanned for codes ? What is your boost pressure readings, VNT may only be a symptom of the issue

[Infiniti]

Hey everyone! 

Firstly, thank you for your responses!

So I've seen a lot about the Mr Muscle method, however. As Toyota decided to cram a 2.2 engine in a tiny bay, then I decided to purchase one of those cars, getting access to the exhaust side of the turbo is essentially impossible from what I can tell 😞 Unless anyone has a method for getting access to the turbo?

I'm more than happy to try the Mr Muscle solution, it seems like it works well for a lot of other people! Just without dropping the engine out of the car, something which I'm definitely not capable of doing, I don't know how I'd ever get access to the turbo 😞

As for going in through the EGR, I saw this on a VAG forum, and definitely liked the idea. But I can't seem to find a comprehensive map of how the EGR, or which side of the EGR even goes to the turbo. I believe the side with the removable metal pipe leads to the EGR cooler, and not the turbo. And the downwards side of the EGR I believe heads towards the turbo and the cylinders, however I don't want to fill this up with Mr Muscle, as I believe it is incredibly corrosive for aluminium? which the Auris' engine block is made of 😞

My only other thought process was to remove the DPF. I considered this, while laying under my car and contemplating my life in 3 degree weather. However, in attempting to search for a map of the engine, which includes turbo and DPF and how they connect, I came up with nothing at all!

I assume the turbo exhaust side connects straight into the DPF, and therefore removing the DPF will give me access to the side of the turbo which I need, but I cant actually see this, as from the top, Toyota decided to fit a metal heat shield, blocking all visible access, and from the bottom, the enormous DPF is in the way. If anyone has seen/ has access to this map, or has removed their DPF previously, I would appreciate some indication of how they connect, or if this is even  a route worth exploring.

I believe to remove the DPF I would only have to take out the driver's side drive shaft, then some wiggling to remove it from the car?

During my contemplation of life, underneath my car, I decided to message a few cleaning/ recon companies, however all of them want the turbo removed from the car beforehand. However, as a uni student, who's currently buying a house, and getting married in 60 days. I don't have the money to pay someone to drop the engine, remove the turbo and send it off. 

As for the boost pressures, I'll have to check tomorrow when I get the car back on the road, it's currently waiting on new brake lines as it failed it's MOT on Friday, and hopefully that will give me some better indication.

I've owned the car around 2 years, and it has been like this since I purchased it. It has no fault codes, so I always assumed this was normal behaviour from it. And the previous owner decided that a 2.2 diesel with a DPF and EGR was the perfect car to potter around in Coventry with, which I believe is the reason that the car is full of carbon.

 

@flash22@Phil01 @preperationlaunch

[Catlover]

Re your “laying under my car and contemplating my life in 3 degree weather”, as it not windy at the moment you could plug in a fan heater and direct it at your hand area (or wherever) to keep yourself warm. Just a thought.