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DIY Change Turbo to Manifold Gasket with Pictures

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66K views 102 replies 39 participants last post by  silkman  
#1 ·
Hi everyone, just changed the failed turbo gasket in my TT and thought I'd show you guys how if you have the same problem.

Symptoms:
- Early symptoms include turbo whistling or screeching for me (just days before gasket failed)
- Loud tractor/noise like this
- Possible smoke /smell of exhaust fumes coming from back of engine

Diagnosis:
- Ask a garage to find out what the noise is
- Or get a bottle of soapy water and spray the area on the exhaust where there could be an exhaust leak, you will see bubbling if air is escaping.

If you find out its coming from between the turbo and the exhaust manifold, it could be that the gasket has failed.

So here is how to change the gasket, it's not a difficult job but you need the basic tools and some knowledge around the engine.

Tools required:
- Basic socket and rachet set with extensions (can't remember which size but 10mm to 18mm should be more than enough).
- E16 Inverse Torx socket
- Torque wrench (recommended)
- Copper grease

You should be good to go :mrgreen:

Parts required:
Either 06A253039E - the turbo to manifold gasket for engines AJQ,APP,ARY AUM,AUQ (around ÂŁ7 from Audi)
Or 06A253039H - for engines APX,BAM

Anything else you break on the way :cry: , you can look here for the part numbers http://www.vagcat.com/epc/cat/au/ATT/2000/229/49/2879213/

Steps:

1. Park the car somewhere safe, in case you come across a problem and have to leave it overnight. Luckily we don't need to get under the car.

2. Open bonnet, remove plastic engine and expansion tank covers.

3. First thing to do is remove the strut brace, 3 nuts on each side and 2 in the middle.

4. Unclamp and disconnect the 2 hoses connected to the charge pipe (photo).

5. Now remove the charge pipe, this is held on with two clamps (each with a nut). Unclamp the large jubilee clips on both end to fully remove the pipe.

Image


6. Unclamp and remove the pink 90 degree hose from the turbocharger as well as the fabric heat shield which is buttoned in place.

7. Place a rubber glove or plastic bag over the open end of the turbocharger, we do not want things falling in there as it could damage the turbine.

8. NOW with more space, look round at the back of the engine. You can climb onto the engine bay but careful to not scratch the paint work. Find the exhaust manifold, the brown iron thing coming out the back of the engine (photo).

9. Undo the 3 E16 Inverse Torx bolts And retreive the washers **BE CAREFUL**, they can be very stiff, I ended up shearing one of them so now half of it is stuck inside the turbocharger :O

NOTE: Should be E16, the picture shows E14 which is wrong. :!:

Image


10. The turbo should now drop slightly, just reach between the manifold and turbocharger and you will be able to slide out the old gasket.

Image


11. Slot the new gasket in place, REMEMBERING which way it went round.

Image


12. Carefully align the holes up and replace the 3 bolts (and washers) with high temperature copper grease so it doesn't seize inside and cause a problem for the next guy who comes round there. Tighten these to 30Nm.

12. Replace the pink hose and clamp onto turbo with the heatshield in place.

13. Replace the charge pipe, make sure to line it up so that the 2 clamps fit back into place. Reattach the two black hoses and both ends of the charge pipe.

13. Replace strut brace (tighten each nut to 22Nm).

14. Replace plastic covers.

15. Done! Easy.
 
#52 ·
Just an FYI...I had my manifold gasket replaced last week. It must have been on its way out for a long time, I'm guessing a good year or so - I couldn't smell fumes but the engine was sounding pretty awful. The garage (CRG in Cambridge) advised it could have been a cracked manifold or turbo (ÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁÂŁ's) but looking at this thread gave me hope.
It took them about 2.5 hours labour, new gasket and three bolts. I was billed about ÂŁ225 and relieved.
My TT like a different car - a lot quieter and seems far more responsive on the throttle. I've had it for 6 years and counting, 80,000 miles (half done by me) and I'm hoping to do at least another 40,000!
 
#56 ·
Anyone done this recently?

I had a go and everything was going well until I got to removing the 3 inverse torx bolts. Cannot shift them, and two are a bit rounded now. Argh!

I've read through the other posts here but just wondered if anyone had any suggestions, I thought about buying the bolt grip nut remover kit.... grrrrr.......

Cheers
 
#57 ·
Worst job I have encountered on the TT, you have my sympathy.

Don't waste money on nut removal tools, they don't work - I've tried several different types. Heating them up wont work either (imagine how hot they have been getting already in your exhaust manifold, reason why they are stuck so much in the first place). Some success posted where they have had bolts welded to the old nuts.

I had one stuck - cost me over ÂŁ400 in the end at the TT shop (dropping subframe and attacking from below, took them all weekend)

The difference to sound and performance when completed made it worth it though.
 
#63 ·
Update for anyone interested....

Took it to a welder and car breaker, stripped it and he tried to weld nuts on to the existing bolts, no joy. The weld wouldn't take or something. Called 3 local garages, 2 said they won't do the job if the bolts are stripped, ÂŁ800 quote from another garage.

I literally don't know what to do with the thing now! Freaking nightmare. Can anyone recommend trying to drill the bolts out, and how exactly you do that?!!!
 
#64 ·
I would try to see if you have an engineering (ideally automotive engineering) business locally. The sort that would work on commercial stuff as well - normally bearing replacements on shafts etc. My experience is that they will be used to this kind of task - worse case they'll bore it out and re thread.
 
#74 ·
Hi all,

Great DIY guide! I haven't done it my self but I brought mine to the workshop. But now it has been replaced for the 3rd time and 4th is coming up next week... the gasket keeps getting blown out, no clue why and my mechanic also doesn't understand. Does anyone has the same issue? Or some advise how to resolve?

Hope you can help me out!

Cheers,
André
 
#75 ·
Hi Andre,

I've also done mine for the 3rd time. When I took it apart for the first time the gasket was in two parts, so I was excited to see it fixed with a new gasket in place. After putting it all back together again, I was disappointed when it was blowing again right from first start-up. Pulled it apart again and discovered the new gasket was not a perfect copy (non-VAG), so the holes were not quite aligned and it was distorting. Put it back together again while a new gasket was on order. But then, yet again, it's blowing with the genuine gasket in place. I can feel it with my hand coming out of the join at one particular point.

I'm now taking it to an indy garage to see if they have better luck than me, but I'm prepared to be told that either the turbo has a hot side crack, the manifold is cracked - or both!!! Ouch!

Is yours in a standard state of tune?

Cheers,
Mark