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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.
 
#77 ·
NickA555 said:
I'm thinking of doing this job on my 06 roadster in the coming weeks. A question for you guys that have already done the work, did you order three new bolts as well as the gasket or just the gasket?

Thanks
you will be lucky to come away with 3 reusable bolts.
most get 2 out and strip/struggle with the 3rd.
order 3 new and will save you pain - not cheap though.
also the 3 new bolts are upgraded part numbers with larger heads...
 
#78 ·
jhoneyman said:
NickA555 said:
I'm thinking of doing this job on my 06 roadster in the coming weeks. A question for you guys that have already done the work, did you order three new bolts as well as the gasket or just the gasket?

Thanks
you will be lucky to come away with 3 reusable bolts.
most get 2 out and strip/struggle with the 3rd.
order 3 new and will save you pain - not cheap though.
also the 3 new bolts are upgraded part numbers with larger heads...
Thanks mate. Just ordered 3 new bolts/washers and the gasket!
 
#79 ·
I was lucky(?) and managed to get all three bolts out without a problem (I used a breaker bar - couldn't justify the cost of an impact wrench). I think the key (and it's worthing taking this advice anyway) is to liberally coat the bolts with PB blaster at least a day before, give them a hearty tap with a centre punch and hammer a few times over the preceding day, and be sure to remove the bracket that supports the charge pipe (4 torx headed bolts). If you don't do this last stage you can't get your socket straight on the bolt nearest the cylinder head and you therefore run the risk of rounding it off.
 
#80 ·
Well I did this job at the weekend and have driven the car each day since.
What a difference. I have lost an awful noise that i thought my turbo was about to explode.
That made me back off the throttle.
Now I can hear the turbo lightly whistle now as it spools, so I give it a bit more. :D
 
#83 ·
I discovered this post and has at last answered why i thought my car sounded like an air cooled vdub at times. I started up from cold and put my hand down the back between manifold and turbo sure enough i can feel hot air puffing out.

Now i tried today to remove the 90degree elbow, but got stuck, it seemed the heat shield poppers were fine on the bend but couldn't feel the base where to unpop them there, the heat shield sleeve seemed very tight like it was over jubilee clip on turbo so couldn't remove either. Any help or pointers here please.
 
#87 ·
As Hogg said, get rid of the heat shield fabric, if you are planning on removing the bolts the replace a gasket Hogg wrote some advice. It make much easier if the engine is hot so it might be worth trying to get some lubricant down and around with the bolts then get the right tools and sockets, extra rounded bolt removal tools. Extension bars extra maybe even remove tbe cross member ants any plastic trim.

Get the engine hot (needs to be on the road to generate boost) then work as quick as possible to remove the charge pipe and try to undo those nasty bolts. My teeth are hurting thinking about the amount of straining it takes. I have had to drill off one both times.

Best of luck
 
#90 ·
Ok this was my first job tonight, bolts came out with 'crack' but all ok. Removed old gasket which looked fucked, wired brushed bolts on pillar drill coated threads and shoulders with copper slip and refitted fking tight.
But wait a min im sure i can still hear blowing at front :( going to check in the morning. Heres some pics of gaskets and bolts. I agree though theres a good chance bolt heads could be rounded easy, well worth including bolts as part of this job along with gasket at same time.
Look at the state of the old gasket.
 

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#91 ·
@andrem and others

Have the same problem myself. Keep replacing the head gasket with OEM and new bolts but it keeps whistling after a while. Reason is (apart form cracks in mani or turbo) that probably the turbo and/or manifold are not flat where they mount with other and my mechanic didn't check for flatness when he had everything apart, now its an engine out or subframe out job :x

On advice of an exhaust shop, theres a red gasket paste (500C) that may help, you should put some on both sides of the new gasket. My mechanic says that theres no gasket paste that can withstand 900C which is the turbo operating temperature...
 
#94 · (Edited by Moderator)
Bought a new gasket and new bolts (but not washers as they were 11eur each) from Audi today to try fitting in the weekend.

Digged up my old manifold to verify in which holes the gasket fits, it only fits one way like this:
The letters in the gasket go towards the bottom of the car (the gasket won't align if you put it upside down)
IMG_9128(1).JPG


See anything strange? The new gasket appears to be cracked! And thank God I opened the baggie today and not on the weekend :roll:
IMG_9129.JPG
 

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#95 ·
Don't forget your TIG welder.....
 

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#96 ·
silkman said:
Bought a new gasket and new bolts (but not washers as they were 11eur each) from Audi today to try fitting in the weekend.

Digged up my old manifold to verify in which holes the gasket fits, it only fits one way like this:
The letters in the gasket go towards the bottom of the car (the gasket won't align if you put it upside down)
What did you end up replacing your old exhaust manifold with? Mine has a small crack that I'm considering to just weld, but on the other hand it's not a job I would like to do again any time soon if it doesn't hold...

/Dennis
 
#97 ·
TheBlueStingray said:
What did you end up replacing your old exhaust manifold with? Mine has a small crack that I'm considering to just weld, but on the other hand it's not a job I would like to do again any time soon if it doesn't hold...

/Dennis
Found an OEM one from a turbo repair shop, together with a turbo hot side, both were cracked. They are expensive new, 400ish. Apparently its difficult to weld it back once cracked due to very high temps (it will crack again)

Went to Audi to pick up the replacement gasket today, guess what, the new one also has a slight crack at exactly the same spot...
 
#98 · (Edited by Moderator)
Congratulations, I played myself.

Couldn't have gone worse, one bolt went out, one snapped in the middle and the last one close to engine now has a stripped head [smiley=bigcry.gif]

Now it's a turbo out job.

And to think I didn't need to remove them, because the noise I was hearing was from the pink turbo pipe; the bottom jubilee was completely undone. But I thought since I bought the kit I might as well replace the bolts and gasket..

B89B004D-367B-4A2E-B4D6-73C8669D3AB4.jpeg

A304A6F5-70EE-4815-A8D0-6C4D0B06CC13.jpeg
 

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#99 ·
Well if you need any guidance on removing a turbo from a TT I have done it about 8 times now it takes about 30 minutes.

Remove driver wheel
Drop coolant
Drop oil
Undo sump turbo drain 5mm x2
Undo support turbo drain 6mm x1
Undo coolant feed support 5mm x2
Undo coolant return 8mm keep washers
Remove TIP and air filter/box/heat shield
Remove charge pipe
Remove EGT 17mm
Remove manifold to hot side x3
Remove downpipe to turbo from above nearest firewall and to from below nearest head
Move turbo out slightly to remove coolant and oil feed keep washers
Wiggle turbo out from above, returning to underneath to help through coolant return and oil return - repeat x3
Drag turbo out over gear box
 
#100 ·
I feel your pain, has to be one of the worst jobs to do on this car.
If its any consolation, I think you would have had to replace those bolts sooner or later anyway, they don't look like oem bolts, I'm certain they were always external torx, and certainly the Audi replacements are torx but with a taller head, so Allen bolts were always going to give you problems after heat soak and tempering, lucky to get one out I reckon.... :(

I'd follow Stuart's guide if I were you with the exception that you are going to have to drill that last bolt head off.....