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How to fix the turbo wastegate rattle on the Mk7 Golf 1.4lt TSI (140/150PS)

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Disclaimer:- This info is for community usage. I am NOT affiliated to, or sponsored by, any company/individual to promote them or their products. Companies/individuals may NOT use my name, photos, or threads/technical guides, for financial or personal gain (fraudulent misrepresentation).

Part 1 of 2
Vehicle used in this guide

UK spec, 2014yr model, Mk7 Golf Estate (GSW), GT (Highline) trim, 1.4lt TSI (140PS) CHPA petrol engine, MQ250 6speed manual gearbox, multilink rear suspension.

Vehicles that this guide is applicable to
All VAG (Audi/Seat/Skoda/VW) cars with the EA211, 4 cylinder, 1.4lt petrol engines, with the same turbo & servomotor, which are mainly the 1.4lt TSI (140PS & 150PS) versions.

Special thanks to
Ross-Tech forum member “NEtech” in Denmark for the extra details on the VCDS testing.

Introduction
You notice that you have a rattle from the turbo wastegate from about 2000rpm, in any gear. You complain to your VW dealership & the expert tech guy says “it’s a characteristic of the car sir, they all do that, not a problem/fault”. You might also notice some "owl/pigeon" noises from the turbo after leaving it unused for a few days!

Research
Most TSI engines, 1.2lt, 1.4lt, 2.0lt have for the past 7yrs on all VAG cars had various “rattles” & most have been solved with “clips” that VAG issued against a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) number 2033120 (also Audi Technical Bulletin 2033013/4). The 1.4lt TSI 122 & 125PS has a TSB & a spring clip Part no. 04E 145 220. This clip will not fit ours as we have a bronze shim fitted in this location instead! This proves that VAG altered the design of our parts to solve the earlier 122 & 125PS problems. However, in doing so they have created new problems! If the noise is very bad or the servomotor fails to function properly, VW fit a new servomotor/actuator on an exchange basis, i.e. your old one has to be sent back & VAG have to have it.

There are many threads on the “drive2.com” Russian forum, with people removing the electronic servomotor, & stripping it down to grease the internal nylon gears to solve the problem. However, looking at the photos I cannot see any problems with the gears that a “grease” would solve! By dismantling the linkage (which is partially seized) they solve the problem, & do not realise this! My local VW dealer has problems with Mk7 Golf’s (1.4lt) which have sat on the forecourt without moving for a few months & a customer takes one for a test drive. The customer gets half way down the road & the engine management lights come on & the car goes into “limp mode”. Reason, the turbo wastegate actuator linkage has seized totally solid & cannot operate the wastegate. So they have to heat the linkage up to free it & then grease it, or fit a new servomotor!

The best info I found of another person having this problem & coming to the same conclusion about a fix, is again on the drive2.com forum here:-
https://www.drive2.ru/l/7103260/
This initial post was written just under 2yrs ago for a Skoda Octavia MK3 with the same CHPA engine. Running the webpage via Google translate it appears that initially VAG were recommending replacement of the whole exhaust manifold, turbo, & servo motor under warranty!!! The poster comments that the only difference he noticed between the old & new items is the addition of the VW “hot bolt paste” over the linkage!! Now VAG recommend replacement of the servomotor (if it has failed) & greasing the linkage.

Also on the same forum, MK7 Golf CHPA engine, the pivot seized solid & the actuator rod snapped at the weak point by the welds & slot!!:-
https://www.drive2.com/l/484425033062547890/
Reading Google translate, the dealers & other techs said they would not be able to remove the stuck pivot from the turbo arm & thus the turbo would have to be removed & then the servo actuator can be removed. But that requires new gaskets etc for the turbo & as out of warranty all at the customer’s expense. The poster/customer used a penetration oil & basically hit it & beat it out, & then fitted a new servo actuator.

You can double check properly if you have this rattle, by waiting until the engine/turbo is cold then tapping the wastegate actuator rod, it should move slightly & make a “rattle”. When I did mine I noticed that the linkage between the rod & arm was stiff & made no noise when I tapped near the linkage! However, when I tapped the rod where it entered the alloy housing for the electronic actuator/servomotor, not only did it move, it also made the tapping noise! As the linkage seizes it cannot rattle, so any vibration from the engine/turbo, causes the actuator rod to rattle at the other free end which is in the actuator/servomotor. Therefore, the rattle is made not by the linkage as per older designs but by the rod entering the servomotor!

I think that VAG made the tolerances tighter on the linkage to solve problems from earlier models. However, the different metals & the high temperatures cause dissimilar metal corrosion & the linkage to seize. The servomotor/actuator eventually fails as it cannot overcome the stiffness in the seized linkage.

The reason for the owl/pigeon noises on a cold engine is that as the linkage seizes it cannot respond quickly to the required position of the wastegate. So the wastegate flap sticks part open when it should be closed. This allows the exhaust gasses to be simultaneously going through the turbine & the wastegate flap, thus creating the hollow sounding hoot/coo noise.

High Temperature grease. I had problems with my initial choice of 1000C high temp grease, it kept baking on & forming a brittle/dry surface! I spoke to Loctite UK technical & apparently most 1000C grease only copes with occasion temps that high & not prolonged. They then burn on as most are silicon or petroleum based. Graphite or calcium based greases are the best & Loctite recommend their 1300C temp LB-8009. The G052112A3 VAG “hot bolt paste” is just a 1000C grease which VW use for the lubrication of the turbo to exhaust manifold studs/nuts & should be ok if you have it, as it appears to be graphite based.

Parts required
VAG ETKA illustration for Golf Mk7/Engine/CHPA, CPTA, CZDA, CZEA, CUKB/No.145-046

Parts list & approx. costs in UK £
Item No.2:- 04E 198 725 B or E
, Servomotor on exchange old for new basis, £209.00 (x1)
Item:- G 052112A3, Hot bolt paste, £??.?? (x1)
None of these items were used!

Fitting
Permanent fix:-

Firstly wait at least 1hr+ until the engine & turbo are cold! If the linkage has seized, hold some paper cloth under the arm (to soak up excess oil, cleaner/drips) use a rust penetrating spray (for bolts etc & not WD40) to loosen up the linkage. You might have to do this several times depending on how bad yours is.

Remove the electrical connector for the servo actuator by squeezing the tab inwards & pulling the connector off. Then remove the two actuator bolts (T30 star). Place a cloth under & around the spindle & arm to catch the circlip when you “ping” it of using a small slot head screwdriver. Be careful as you have to reuse the circlip as not available from VW! Then remove the servo actuator from the car.
Clean/scrape the burnt/baked on old grease/rust etc. Wet sand all the contact points (hole in arm, spindle, circlip) with 2000grit wet & dry sandpaper & oil to lubricate. Continue until smooth, clean, & shiny bare metal. Do not enlarge the hole in the turbo arm as you will get a rattle, just remove the crud!

Now use a spray cleaner (electrical or brake disc) to clean the oil residues, dirt etc. off the turbo arm, the servo spindle, etc.. Do this a couple of times to make certain that everything is clean, then apply the grease to the spindle.
When you removed the servo actuator, the rod returns back just a fraction (2mm) & makes it difficult to refit without power. So loosely refit the bolts, connect the plug, & switch the ignition on (engine off). This gives the actuator power to extend the rod outwards to its correct position then you can push the spindle into the hole in the arm. Then grease the flat faces of the circlip & refit. Go back & turn off the ignition.

VW say torque the bolts to 9Nm (6.6lbft), however I found it impossible to get my torque wrench in the space, & VW use a torque screwdriver which I don’t have. So I removed one bolt at a time & put some blue thread lock (medium strength) on the bolt & refitted & did up tight with the TX star key.

Wastegate rattle fix.jpg
 
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golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Part 2 of 2
VCDS coding required

Now the VW workshop manuals for this servo actuator (ERWIN) state that following refitting:- “plug in diagnostic machine & run, 0001 - Adaption of charge pressure positioner V465". Now if you do not have VCDS or ODB11Pro then it might be ok to skip this step & hope that the engine re-learns over the next few trips. However it is best to carry out the re-learning procedure & tell it to forget the old incorrect values it learnt whilst the linkage was sticking.

From the Main screen:-
Select Control Module [Select]
[01-Engine]
Advanced Functions screen:-
[Basic settings-04]
IDE04304: First adaptation of charge pressure actuator

Now leave this to run for about 30seconds, & it will not auto shut off, so you have to "stop" the "test" in VCDS.

It is advisable to log the following Advanced Measurement Values to display whilst running the basic setting:-
Loc. IDE03934 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for lower stop (you should get 3310 to 3510mV)
Loc. IDE03935 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for upper stop (you should get less than 331 to 351mV (<10% of above values))

When I carried out this procedure I logged;-
Loc. IDE03934 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for lower stop, values from 3400mV to 3429.6mV
Loc. IDE03935 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for upper stop, values from 130mV to 160.4mV

If you have a servo actuator with an adjustable rod (this has a nut & threaded section) then you need to carry out a slightly different procedure which is covered here in this thread on the Ross-Tech forum:-

http://forums.ross-tech.com/showthr...t-TSI-MK7-Golf&p=106771&viewfull=1#post106771

Results

I have done various drives, including a nice 1.5hr twisty back road driving the car in 3rd & 4th gears from 2000rpm to 6000rpm. NO rattle!! In fact the wastegate appears to be working quicker as the turbo “dumps” pressure quicker when I take my foot off the accelerator, as the engine revs drop as quickly as my old car with its “tuned” naturally aspirated 1.4lt. The turbo action is more linear, less on/off, & now like a high revving naturally aspirated - well it is a Low-Pressure turbo so should act this way!! There is less metallic "rasp" noise when under load at 2000+rpm, & I think the position of the wastegate flap is better therefore less unwarranted air turbulence in the turbo main chamber, as in general the turbo is quieter. Also I have NO "owl" noises when driving the car after a few days with the engine cold!

Conclusions

VW should have designed the linkage properly by using a bronze sleeve/shim to separate out the different metals of the turbo arm & the wastegate actuator rod spindle. You will notice in the picture that they have fitted one between the turbo casing & the turbo arm, where on previous turbos there was a gap which caused a rattle, & a subsequent TSB notice for a spring spacer clip to cure the rattle! Anyway, removing the actuator, cleaning & greasing works, however you should check this every 10,000miles/1yr & re-grease, to make certain you maintain it in working order! VW solves the rattles & the need for anti-rattle clips, but creates another more serious problem....FUBAR of the pivot & actuator...very clever VW...NOT!!
 
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delsvr

New member
Location
NJ, USA
Will give this a shot this weekend. Please god let it work. The one and only problem I have with my MK7 and it is killing me.

Could you recommend some products for the aerosol sprays? Also, the last time I checked on the actuator rod it was situated pretty awkwardly. What's the best way to access the turbo for this? You're getting a very clear shot in the photo. Is this done by feel?
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Will give this a shot this weekend. Please god let it work. The one and only problem I have with my MK7 and it is killing me.

Could you recommend some products for the aerosol sprays? Also, the last time I checked on the actuator rod it was situated pretty awkwardly. What's the best way to access the turbo for this? You're getting a very clear shot in the photo. Is this done by feel?

You have a GTI which is a 2lt engine & is different to the engine in this thread which is the 1.4lt engine.
 

delsvr

New member
Location
NJ, USA
You have a GTI which is a 2lt engine & is different to the engine in this thread which is the 1.4lt engine.

Isn't the 2L known to exhibit the same problem, and wouldn't the turbo mechanism be the same? Might be situated differently, but if I can access it, I assumed greasing up this joint might bear similar results.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Isn't the 2L known to exhibit the same problem, and wouldn't the turbo mechanism be the same? Might be situated differently, but if I can access it, I assumed greasing up this joint might bear similar results.

The actuator rod is adjustable & has a locking nut, & the way it links to the turbo arm is way different, & other things cause the rattle & I think there is a clip for that engine.

Just google mk7 Golf turbo wastegate...;)
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Moved into main post, & thread now tidied up
 
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ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Are the voltage values mentioned the same on the IS20?
I'm reading 3.730 v lower and 0.731 v upper. What does a higher voltage mean, tighter or looser?
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Are the voltage values mentioned the same on the IS20?
I'm reading 3.730 v lower and 0.731 v upper. What does a higher voltage mean, tighter or looser?

I've answered your PM...

& for everyone else...
Loc. IDE03934 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for lower stop, values from 3400mV to 3429.6mV
Loc. IDE03935 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for upper stop, values from 130mV to 160.4mV

The "stops" are the limits of the flap's movements...eg full open or fully closed...
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I've answered your PM...

& for everyone else...
Loc. IDE03934 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for lower stop, values from 3400mV to 3429.6mV
Loc. IDE03935 Charge pressure actuator: adaptation for upper stop, values from 130mV to 160.4mV

The "stops" are the limits of the flap's movements...eg full open or fully closed...

Yes, thank you :)

I've loosened the actuator and now it's sitting at 3.447v. Upper is 0.447v and not <10% but better than before I suppose.
 

tringo007

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Hatfield, UK
I have this rattle in my 1.4 TSI. Will replacing the actuator not solve this problem? The infamous clip has been installed on mine and this only solved the problem temporarily and now it has returned, so dealer is offering to replace the Actuator at no charge. Wondering though if this will really solve the issue or not. Thoughts?
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Actuator if rattling is worn in the actuator as the seizing of the linkage put strain on the actuator causing failure...

To stop the rattle & seizing in the first place you have to grease the pivot using special high temp stuff grey grease VW have "hot bolt paste"..

Also you have a different engine as mine is the 140PS 1.4..no clip for it..so yours must be a lower power which has a different actuator..but they all suffer the same basic flaw..
 

tringo007

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Hatfield, UK
Brand new actuator has now been installed and the rattle is no longer there for me. The clip only stopped the rattle temporarily and the mechanic said after some time, the 'other end' of the rod started to rattle, so the whole actuator had to be changed to resolve issue.
 
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golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Brand new actuator has now been installed and the rattle is still there. If your solution is accurate, then should a new actuator not solve the problem at least temporarily until it fails again for root cause mentioned above? VW is now investigating replacing the turbocharger at no cost to me (crossing fingers as awaiting approval)

It depends on which EA211 engine you have as there are many different actuators designs...the 122/125PS has a different one to mine...
 
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