Hey there guys, so i had problems with my turbo, i was under the car till 3 AM on Monday taking down the old and putting in the new, and it works great!! couldn't be happier... however (why is it that with B5's there's always a however??) now im getting this really strong smell of gas all over the car, when i turn on the A/C and when i stop at a stop light, or when im driving and get out its there, also the idle revs r a bit high, like 1200-1300 rpm.

I didnt touch anything on the fuel set up, so im confounded by this, any ideas?? also my MPG's are of the chart, i spent like 1/2 a tank on about 100 miles yesterday

 

Exhaust leak? If your exhaust mani was leaking at the turbo flange it would explain all of your symptoms except the high idle (i think)

 

Ill check it out, thank a lot man, the smell its driving me crazy!!! and my pocket cant take it either

 

Hey CC let me ask you something, i just like to know why things happen.

Why would an exhaust affect the gas consumption?? i mean, the smell i understand, but man this thing is RALLY burning thruogh gas!!!

 

Need to get a VAG-Com or code reader and see what codes you are throwing. Sounds like you are super rich, excess fuel in the engine not getting burned efficiently, will give you heavy fuel smell and crappy mileage. Stand behind your car with the engine warmed up and idling. Hold hand in front of the exhaust for a few seconds, then smell your hand. You probably have a bad sensor and the scan should tell you which one.

 

Well, in it's stock form, the K03 turbocharger you have on your car is mostly for efficiency. If you had a significant enough exhaust leak, say where the exhaust manifold meets the turbine flange, the exhaust gas that's supposed to be powering the turbo is escaping out the leak. Your gas mileage would turn to **** as a result, because your turbo isn't spooling up and pushing air into the intake manifold like it should. This could also be causing the stank you're smelling, because if you've ever smelled a car running straight pipes, it stinks somethin fierce.

Do you have a boost gauge? Are you throwing any codes or CEL's?

 

Hey, thanks for the explanation, I re-aligned the TB, that helped out with the high idle, and when i closed the exhaust gap it went back to normal, so that's that.

I had indeed a small gap in the flange, must have been exhausted by the time i got around to tight it and i left the 3 bolts bout a couple of turns loose, will let u know tomorrow if it worked. Also, i am actually running straight pipes and gutted cat, it does smells some but nothing compared to this

I did hooked it up to the VAG and I'm not getting any codes, that's partly why i was so dumbfounded by this, and i haven't got around to get a gauge, when i bought this car bout a year ago it was falling to pieces (great price tho, almost give away) so I've just been mostly cleaning up the mess left by prev owner
I will do the exhaust test tomorrow tho, just in case, and will post the results, thanks a lot for your help

PD: I'm actually not "super rich" by now I'm pretty much "ultra broke"

 

Well just in case anybody is interested to find out what my problem was... it was actually a clogged fuel filter that popped im guessing cus its so full of dirt and cant get a good flow, that it started spraying from one of the seams. i should have replaced it when i first got the car, they r so cheap, like $10 for the Bosch steel filter and like $18 for the aluminum one, at my favorite auto parts place, called Farr Auto Parts (i should get it for free for this plug) check them out, cheap prices for all OM parts, and best of all here in Miami so i dont have to wait for shipping times

 

dude

have you checked your fuel filter?


j/k glad you solved it and THANK YOU for the follow up so others can learn

 

Dude...

I think i need to stop using q-tips cus i think i might have shanked my brain to dead

It should have been one of the first things i checked, it just didn't occur to me since it started right after i changed the turbo... anyways, its my pleasure to be able to help others with my idiocy