Car is gasping at idle, no codes being thrown?

I started my car yesterday and noticed that at idle, it's acting really strange. I can hear the exhaust going ERRRRRerrrrrERRRRRerrrrr (basically getting loud then quiet in a rhythmic pattern). My RPMs look normal but my boost gauge is bouncing up and down in tune with the weird exhaust sound pattern. I also hear a weird wheezing noise from the engine bay. Nothing looks out of place and I don't see anything leaking when I checked below my car.

I started it again this morning and my car sounds like its about to choke/shut off and then it bounces to life for a second then it sounds like its going to choke again. I recorded a video yesterday and posted it below. If you raise the volume you can hear my strange exhaust sound pattern and at the end it shows the boost gauge bouncing.

Anyone have any ideas what's going on? I drove it down the street after noticing it yesterday and it drives fine. But I'm worried as it seems like it's much worse today.

Bad PCV? Supposedly a whistling sound coming from under the hood is often the result of a bad PCV valve, which is very easy to replace. Not sure why your car would be surging like that though. How does it drive otherwise? It is normal under load?

TheCor said:

Bad PCV? Supposedly a whistling sound coming from under the hood is often the result of a bad PCV valve, which is very easy to replace. Not sure why your car would be surging like that though. How does it drive otherwise? It is normal under load?

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I didn't want to drive it today since it sounds/feels worse. The car would shudder like it's about to stall then pops to life and repeat. It drove fine yesterday and I did a quick pull and the boost levels were like usual. It does feel normal under load.

I replaced the PCV valve with an updated one myself maybe less than a year ago. The surging part is weird and worrying me.

Have you gotten the car to temperature and does it go away?

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Edit: also building boost at idle is odd have you done any work to anything recently? My thoughts are possibly a vaccum leak?

Boscogn said:

Have you gotten the car to temperature and does it go away?

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Edit: also building boost at idle is odd have you done any work to anything recently? My thoughts are possibly a vaccum leak?

Click to expand...

I got it at least close to temperature yesterday and no change. If anything it got worse the longer I drove it so I only took it for maybe 4 miles.

I just looked it up and it seems like I might have a vacuum leak? But I would think a check engine light would pop on for that. I had my turbo replaced a handful of months ago and it drove like a top after. I also had my timing chain tensioner replaced a few months after and no issues after until right now.

??

http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84452


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notovicrious said:

??

http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84452


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Thanks for that. I'll go check for any intake leaks and what not. The weird thing is my RPMs aren't bouncing or moving, just my boost levels.

I just remembered that I attempted to shift the front sub-frame a few weeks ago to get my camber lined up on the front wheels. I wonder if I screwed something up in that process. Unfortunately, my lift and car tools are stored at my parents house which is a 2 hour drive away. I don't really feel confident in driving that far with my car's situation right now. I might try to see if I can make it to a shop.

I just went out again and started my car, the check engine light now came on and I used my code reader to pull the following:

1) Air Intake Leak
2) Engine Cylinder 4 misfire

The engine now sounds likes the cylinders are trying to punch their way out of the engine. I'm hoping its just a bad spark plug or coil pack. Come to think of it, I'm due for a spark plug change. Would it be safe to drive to a shop? I took another video below and you can hear the knocking noise in the background.

Take the engine cover off, look at the arm coming off the intake manifold on the d/s side. Put your finger next to the intake manifold hole and its probably sucking air. If that is the case, it could still be covered under warranty extension for the intake manifold.

jettaglis said:

Take the engine cover off, look at the arm coming off the intake manifold on the d/s side. Put your finger next to the intake manifold hole and its probably sucking air. If that is the case, it could still be covered under warranty extension for the intake manifold.

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I’m sitting in a tow truck headed to a shop now. I’ve had my intake manifold replaced twice under warranty but unfortunately I’m probably out of warranty now with over 130K miles on my car .


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I had something similar to this, it ended up being the gasket on the PCV. If not related to PCV im guessing some other vacuum leak-

Hoping it's nothing serious let us know what shop says.

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