Wastegate Rattle fix?

[Johnramboh]

Hey man,

I had the exact same problem. It is the wastegate getting seized. After this it might get worse and worse until you finally get the EPC light and the car goes limp.

Buy WD40, the one with an arm to spray very well the entire area where the shaft joins with the flapper etc. Do this every day after you get home and the car is cold.

One day the car won’t be seized at all, at this point you can apply nickel anti-seize but after 2 months approx might happen again. I suffer this quite often and shops and dealers keep bleeding people again and again on this.

I hope more people read this!

 

[JRuk1981]

Hey man,

I had the exact same problem. It is the wastegate getting seized. After this it might get worse and worse until you finally get the EPC light and the car goes limp.

Buy WD40, the one with an arm to spray very well the entire area where the shaft joins with the flapper etc. Do this every day after you get home and the car is cold.

One day the car won’t be seized at all, at this point you can apply nickel anti-seize but after 2 months approx might happen again. I suffer this quite often and shops and dealers keep bleeding people again and again on this.

I hope more people read this!

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply but I don’t believe this is the issue. If you watched the video I posted earlier in the thread you can see the actuator bracket rattles against the wastegate arm. When the actuator rod is pulled back it changes the position and reduces the gap between the metal surfaces and the rattle stops.
I did wonder if it was because the pin that attaches the rod to the arm is upside down. Therefore there is more weight pulling down wards rather than pushing down. It is only the circlip on the top transferring the weight down wards.
Again from the video, I think the pin probably has to go in that way as there won’t be enough clearance to fit it the other way around.

 

[Johnramboh]

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply but I don’t believe this is the issue. If you watched the video I posted earlier in the thread you can see the actuator bracket rattles against the wastegate arm. When the actuator rod is pulled back it changes the position and reduces the gap between the metal surfaces and the rattle stops.
I did wonder if it was because the pin that attaches the rod to the arm is upside down. Therefore there is more weight pulling down wards rather than pushing down. It is only the circlip on the top transferring the weight down wards.
Again from the video, I think the pin probably has to go in that way as there won’t be enough clearance to fit it the other way around.

Could be but trust me my timeline and symptoms were exactly the same. The sound it is due to excessive vibration because the actuator is forcing to move the flapper, once the temperature rises a bit the wastegate moves like your video.

Anyhow it doesn’t hurt to spray the WD just to try and prevent.

I hope you solve this issue, I’ll follow up.

 

[JRuk1981]

Hi John, happy to give it a try. Just to be clear, you are suggesting the spindle that connects the wastegate arm to the penny valve is what is seizing? As pictured.
Due to the position does the penetrating fluid not just run out? I guess dropping the down pipe off would make access easier but does it move sufficiently by just removing the upper mounting?

 

[Johnramboh]

Hi John, happy to give it a try. Just to be clear, you are suggesting the spindle that connects the wastegate arm to the penny valve is what is seizing? As pictured.
Due to the position does the penetrating fluid not just run out? I guess dropping the down pipe off would make access easier but does it move sufficiently by just removing the upper mounting?

It’s great if you have the opportunity to unmount all this. Yes, make sure to remove all corrosion you find and drip wd in the flapper guide.

 

[JRuk1981]

I went to the car armed with my spray can earlier. Unfortunately I cannot get at the arm to spray it. I will disconnect the exhaust and see if the flexi gives me enough space to soak it inside the turbo.

I did notice that upon unlocking the car and opening the bonnet the actuator does make sounds like it is waking up. This is without having the ignition on but it must “prime” itself in readiness to start

 

[JRuk1981]

I removed the down pipe to turbo clamp and the 13mm fixing on the exhaust . Unfortunately the exhaust wouldn’t move anywhere near enough to access the wastegate. I have no idea how you were able to spray it otherwise, I cannot get a can spray tube anywhere near.

What I did manage was to try and shim the wastegate spindle and this reduced the rattle.
I am of the opinion it is probably worth trying the mk6 GTI wastegate anti-rattle clip but modify to fit the wastegate arm so it pushes down from the turbo.

 

[BudgetPhoenix]

Put a bunch on your hands with gloves and reach back there

 

[JRuk1981]

I did that with the anti seize which did nothin admittedly that was on the actuator to wastegate clip and not the wastegate arm where it passes through the turbo.
I can’t see how it is going to penetrate the turbo housing unless attacked from inside

 

[Francoleon91]

UPDATE: Took my car to a local dealership and they identified the rattle as the WG as I originally suspected so now the entire Is38 is being replaced by CPO warranty this week. it will cost me $50 which is super nice.

That rattle from the WG was driving me insane and im looking forward for this fresh new turbo.

 

[Maiden69]

I've seen a few posts on Audi turbos where the valve is what is coming lose from the internal wastegate arm. There was a video where the owner heated up the valve to cherry red then while keeping it closed hammered down the center with a rounded chisel to mushroom it out. That tightened it and the rattle went away. I have the same issue, no warranty so if I have to replace it, it will be to upgrade to IS38 or Vortex.

 

[ioannis7mqb]

I've seen a few posts on Audi turbos where the valve is what is coming lose from the internal wastegate arm. There was a video where the owner heated up the valve to cherry red then while keeping it closed hammered down the center with a rounded chisel to mushroom it out. That tightened it and the rattle went away. I have the same issue, no warranty so if I have to replace it, it will be to upgrade to IS38 or Vortex.

Can you share with us this video?

 

[Maiden69]

Can you share with us this video?

I looked and couldn't find the one I saw, it was on Audizine, there is a similar one on YT, I think the guy probably copied the method of the one I mention. This is only if the valve is the one making the noise, if it is the arm or the bushing is worn out it is easier to replace the entire turbo. I have a little noise on mine now and the arm / linkage has no play.

 

[JRuk1981]

UPDATE: Took my car to a local dealership and they identified the rattle as the WG as I originally suspected so now the entire Is38 is being replaced by CPO warranty this week. it will cost me $50 which is super nice.

That rattle from the WG was driving me insane and im looking forward for this fresh new turbo.

I took my car in to my local dealer to investigate a coolant leak and turbo rattle. The good news they replaced the thermostat/water pump under warranty but couldn’t find the wastegate rattle or any fault codes. The “mechanic” then wouldn’t leave the workshop so I could demonstrate the Noise. I provided the videos to the useless service advisor who apparently shared them with the mechanic. Their response was that they are designed to move!!! I have never experienced such inept people in my life. I may have to try another dealer as I can’t face dealing with the idiots

 

[JerseyDrew77]

I took my car in to my local dealer to investigate a coolant leak and turbo rattle. The good news they replaced the thermostat/water pump under warranty but couldn’t find the wastegate rattle or any fault codes. The “mechanic” then wouldn’t leave the workshop so I could demonstrate the Noise. I provided the videos to the useless service advisor who apparently shared them with the mechanic. Their response was that they are designed to move!!! I have never experienced such inept people in my life. I may have to try another dealer as I can’t face dealing with the idiots

Take your car to an indy VW/Audi shop and stay away from the stealerships!