Something to watch out for: loose turbo bolts!

[Jmac]

Must be a cheap mis shaped 17mm spanner you guys are using. The size of the bolt head is 16mm and no typo guys. Ive taken 3 out today from a K04 and they are 16mm. I have longer replacements for an ATP manifold and they too are 16mm. Ive just bought 3 new replacements for a standard Manifold from Dub and they too are 16mm. I have made a spanner to fit. Buy yourself a cheapie super cheap jobbie and bend and cut till your hearts content.
Cheers
Jmac

[mikepologti]

Hi guys.
Being a newbie here, i'm also a little concerned with my Gti (07, 30,00kms) which i bought just a week ago - with these loose turbo bolt issues.
Last night i lifted the hood up and tried to find both the turbo and these bolts.
Well, i didnt even get as far as the turbo! So many hoses and things. I knew roughly where to look (between manifold and firewall) but boy oh boy...
Would someone be ok to post a photo or two of both where the turbo actually is, AND these bolts (and what actually needs to be moved out of the way to actually get to them).
Many thanks in advance...

the turbo is actually quite dificult to see from under the hood. personally i found it easyer to get at from under neath. like people said i like you shouldnt be worried about it cos there covered under waranty. and i understand the noise is very obvious. so once it starts see vw

[Jmac]

There is no need to be looking from below with reference to these mounting bolts. The turbo mounts from the top through the manifold. Use a mirror and you will see the 3 bolts in question. Access is not the best but by far not the worst job. Until i go to wire lock them that is
Cheers
Jmac

[insanekiwi]

Jmac is correct. Tried 17mm one today. Too big!! well it can be used, but it's not a tight fit. I would say 16mm is the size as Jmac pointed out in previous post.

Another thing. With the shortest rachet / spanner that can be angled etc, I couldn't reach it properly from the bonnet up. It's just too small place.

I remember seeing the turbo clearly when the car was up on the hoist.

It's finger tight currently on all 3 bolts. Looks like a trip to VW specialist to get it have it looked at.

[Jmac]

Ive cut down a crappy spanner mate, with a nice goose neck. This is good for checking and loosening, but on tighten up with new bolts and gasket you really need to torque them up to 40 NM, with high temp assembly paste, so the spanner wont help you there, but at least itll do to check them.
Cheers
Jmac

[Jmac]

Ive cut down a crappy spanner mate, with a nice goose neck. This is good for checking and loosening, but on tighten up with new bolts and gasket you really need to torque them up to 40 NM, with high temp assembly paste, so the spanner wont help you there, but at least itll do to check them.
Cheers
Jmac

Just to add i fitted new bolts today and they were 17mm. This is the second 3 to be replaced. Last ones were 16mm go figure? They must have a batch of both. Good thing is the 16mm swan neck i made up was the other half of a 17mm swan so 2 tools made up for the price of one FTW.
Lockwiring them tomorrow by the way drilling the hardened bolt heads are a large job and will take ages. Nearly 2 hrs to drill 3 bolt heads!!!! im drilling another set next size up so drill should be cheaper.
Ill let you know when it happens
Jmac

[Catfish]

Don't want to start a bidding war on this, but my turbo bolts (06 build) are DEFINITELY 17mm. So maybe some cars have 16 and some 17 - seems strange though ..................

[Timbo]

Yes, I know I'm a dodgy mechanic, but I have the barely sufficient competence to recognise when I'm using a 17mm spanner on a 16mm bolt

Hope your solution works, Jimmy!

[gtimk5]

Rather than drilling the bolt heads it might be easier to make up a lock plate?
Cheers,
Andrew

[Eddy]

Hoyhoy.

Me still as tight as a virgy with the drilled & wired bolty's.

[Jmac]

Yeah old ones which were VAG were 16mm and the new ones straight from VAG are 17mm, crazy hard as coffin nails. i have them all drilled, latest ones i drilled for 20 thou lockwire, i did this by mistake, but the spec i used when in the aircraft game was 31 thou. i have another set of bolts being drilled 35 thou to accomodate 31thou wire. My recent ones im gonna run with 25 thou see how it goes. I am however heaps more confident with the 35 thou as i have along with an aircraft engineer tested it with extreme heat direct and took a bit to snap. Lets remember it isnt direct heat but transfer, im gonna use a infrared thermo on the turbo to see exactly what it is for fun.
Stay tuned , and like a good friend sayed today im sure my new lockwire pliers are gonna be busy
Cheers
Jmac

[Kai]

http://www.ausrotary.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=179974

Ill be watching this thread.. See what some rotor geeks come up with.

[Jmac]

After LOTs of pondering i am visisting an engineer tomorrow to confirm if my new idea is going to work, in my minds eye its a belter. i have successfully lockwired a K04 with 31thou lockwire and as ive already mentioned im having a longer set that with go onto a meaty manifold and K04 being drilled out to 42 thou for 35 thou lockwire, and ive also mentioned i spent some valueable time at an aircraft shop with the engineer testing the wire with heat. i figure this with my new fix if i pull it off will then become a 2 lock system thus making it hard for the bolts to loosen
By the new fix isnt studs or tabs, very different
Stay tuned

Here is sneak peek at the lockwire, but like i say there is an extra marvel going in there soon hopefully

Jmac

[mikepologti]

awsome jmac nice work.

[Jmac]

Took my latest idea, and by the way i have thought this one up lying in bed so blame the subconscious mind for this one!!! I ran it past the engineer today and he actually smirked and said mate is going to work. I am pretty exited about it, stay tuned for this, i will test run it on K04 install that will be happening soon and then i will offer it to any casualties, otherwise let sleeping dogs lie, ive seen Pogs with 90k and the bolts are good, and seen them low kss loose. Ive seen locktabs mentioned, wirelocking which i still might do as a secondary anyway and studs and nuts, This one is close to locktabs but not quite this one is one more level over that.
Thats all for now
Jmac