New APR K04 Squeak and Power Loss Issues

[Aries Pope]

So I just took a long road trip (600 miles) to try out the new K04, but I noticed a few issues and hoping someone has a thought to how to diagnose. I have a DSG, I don't have a boost gauge, just Torque which gives straight OBD2 like MAF and other stuff, not actual MAP. But I can log. It's clear I need to invest in a cheap netbook running VAGCOM ASAP.

First off, at low RPM (2000) and higher gears (5,6) if I go WOT I hear a squeaking /chirping (presumably from the the turbo, it's a new sound) a couple times a second. (I'll have to get a video tomorrow). It's like something isn't balanced right, but I kinda worry it's a light surge. There's not much power when it occurs, then it eventually clears up and the power comes on after a few seconds at like 3000+. Mostly I just avoid it by staying low throttle until I hit 3K. It's very reproducible.

Second, a couple times shifting from 5 to 6 under near full throttle I get a loud whoosh sound and total drop in power, feels like a hard shift cuz the car bucks. I lay off the throttle and then ease back into it or drop back to 5th and it's fine again.

Third, on the drive back a few times I'd go WOT in 4th or 5th to pass a slowpoke and I watched the tach just bounce around 3K. It'd climb a little, then drop a few hundred, just fluttering there, no power, no speed increase. I was like WTF? So I let off the gas, downshifted and it cleared up, then BAM, see number 2 above as I shifted 5-6 another power issue. Something was not right. Babied it for a while, then it seemed fine again.

When I got home I pulled fault codes with Torque which said there were none!

I'm planning to try and go for a ride tomorrow with Torque logging MAF and a few other things. What should I grab? I wish I could get the boost levels from the MAP, I'll need to find a VAGCOM. I'll grab a video of the squeak too.

Since no codes I'm guessing not a misfire? Any thoughts what could be causing these issues and how to test it scientifically?

 

[Bandit1]

Sorry to hear that.

The bucking sounds like something ignition related to me (although I’m not sure why you wouldn’t get any error codes). I had a similar issue on a previous 4 cylinder turbo car I owned. It turned out to be faulty plug wires (from the coil to the plugs) it would happen under load/WOT. I’ve read several times where people have had to replace their plugs and/or coil pack after upgrading to a K04. So perhaps you can find some related posts.

Not sure what’s causing the squeaking, but perhaps it’s a boost/vacuum leak (since you noticed a power loss).

Good luck, I know it’s frustrating to have issues when you just spent a lot of money on a nice upgrade.

 

[yoffer]

It sounds like you have a boost leak. The squeaking your describing with loss of power sounds like a boost leak to me. And the hesitation could be your coils. I would change your coils and plugs and see if anything changes and also double check all your boost hoses. Did you have a shop put in your k04? How many miles do you have on your coils/plugs? Either way changing those I think should be part of any k04 upgrade.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Killswitch24]

First off, at low RPM (2000) and higher gears (5,6) if I go WOT I hear a squeaking /chirping (presumably from the the turbo, it's a new sound) a couple times a second. (I'll have to get a video tomorrow).

Does it sound anything like this? Listen to the dyno pull

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYhzpBYwbLU

It's normal for the K04

 

[Aries Pope]

It sounds like you have a boost leak. The squeaking your describing with loss of power sounds like a boost leak to me. And the hesitation could be your coils. I would change your coils and plugs and see if anything changes and also double check all your boost hoses. Did you have a shop put in your k04? How many miles do you have on your coils/plugs? Either way changing those I think should be part of any k04 upgrade.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

Coils and plugs are at 11k miles. I plan to change them out and see.

I might go back to the shop that installed it to test for a boost leak if that doesn't clear it up. The intake wasnt supported well and might have been bending at wot to open a leak pre MAF.

I ran some runs with torque but the MAF curves look flat at wot, but i wouldn't see a leak there if its post MAF anyway, right? I know someone with vagcom, I might try to get a run logging map boost when I get a chance.

What peaks of MAF are people seeing with K04? Be nice to have a comparison. I was peaking around 200 g/s with stage 2, now I'm seeing 265 peaks.

 

[Aries Pope]

Sorry to hear that.

The bucking sounds like something ignition related to me (although I’m not sure why you wouldn’t get any error codes). I had a similar issue on a previous 4 cylinder turbo car I owned. It turned out to be faulty plug wires (from the coil to the plugs) it would happen under load/WOT. I’ve read several times where people have had to replace their plugs and/or coil pack after upgrading to a K04. So perhaps you can find some related posts.

Not sure what’s causing the squeaking, but perhaps it’s a boost/vacuum leak (since you noticed a power loss).

Good luck, I know it’s frustrating to have issues when you just spent a lot of money on a nice upgrade.

Throwing this out there... The rev drops and lack of power to wheels. Sounds a bit like a slipping clutch people talk about. But I have DSG. Can the DSG slip as well? I was on the road a long time and seeing 72C DSG temps, wondering if it got hot and wasn't happy with the WOTs any more.

All the runs I did this weekend were fine... Felt great. Not sure what's up.

 

[Aries Pope]

Does it sound anything like this? Listen to the dyno pull

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYhzpBYwbLU

It's normal for the K04

When running normal mine does sound like this.

The problem sound is more like a washing machine with an off balance load sound. I tried to grab video this weekend, but was having trouble getting the sound. I think I got one good one of it, will post when I get a chance to dig it off my phone.

 

[Arin@APR]

First check for fault codes and then report back if any are found.

Then, check www.goapr.com/support/datalogging.php. Give us a call and tech support can have you run a few of those data logs to help you diagnose the issue.

If misfires are popping up, then it's likely plugs or coils.

If boost is all over the place, then you may have a leak or damaged line to the N75.

It's all stuff we can help you diagnose if you have a vag-com cable.

 

[Aries Pope]

First check for fault codes and then report back if any are found.

Then, check www.goapr.com/support/datalogging.php. Give us a call and tech support can have you run a few of those data logs to help you diagnose the issue.

If misfires are popping up, then it's likely plugs or coils.

If boost is all over the place, then you may have a leak or damaged line to the N75.

It's all stuff we can help you diagnose if you have a vag-com cable.

Cool! I'll see if I can get someone to help me take some logs this weekend. It's been pretty well behaved since I returned from my roadtrip, but I don't really push it in my DD.

Would the misfire codes show up on any OBD2 scanner, or only VAGCOM? I got Torque, so I can see the OBD2 data at least for now, just not canbus.

 

[TurtleJames]

Did you ever get this resolved? I keep hearing cricket chirping sounds as well.. but I don't think I have any boost leaks.

 

[Aries Pope]

Cool! I'll see if I can get someone to help me take some logs this weekend. It's been pretty well behaved since I returned from my roadtrip, but I don't really push it in my DD.

Would the misfire codes show up on any OBD2 scanner, or only VAGCOM? I got Torque, so I can see the OBD2 data at least for now, just not canbus.

Did you ever get this resolved? I keep hearing cricket chirping sounds as well.. but I don't think I have any boost leaks.

Not really resolved. I've been too busy With work to deal with it. Supposed to have a new laptop by this weekend and gonna borrow a vagcom cable to run some boost cycle logs whenever I can and see if the cycle is working right.

When do you hear crickets? I get it at low revs in high gears when I floor it. Crickets during the lag time. Then the boost comes on after a few seconds and it's ok. Its been awesome for DD so I haven't been too worried. I just keep it in the boost rpms and it acts like it should, ballsy. I put in 100 octane over the weekend but left it on the 91 map and it feels a lot smoother.

 

[r0nd3L]

First off, at low RPM (2000) and higher gears (5,6) if I go WOT

I don't have much to contribute, but I would seriously avoid doing the above. WOT at such low revs in high gears causes lot of stress on the motor and clutch. Downshift and go!

 

[Aries Pope]

I don't have much to contribute, but I would seriously avoid doing the above. WOT at such low revs in high gears causes lot of stress on the motor and clutch. Downshift and go!

Yeah, I've stopped doing it. The K04 is much less forgiving about this. It happens near 2500 as well, seems to vanish around 3000. I pretty much modulate the throttle until I hit 3K, then it's go time.

 

[TurtleJames]

Well, I feel stupid. Turns out the cricket chirping sounds was indeed....a cricket.

 

[ina12K04gti]

Well, I feel stupid. Turns out the cricket chirping sounds was indeed....a cricket.

I hope you are able to work this out. I have had mine done for almost a year & have had absolutely no issues. It is an absolute blast to drive.