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GU Problems

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 9:40 am
by Gruntahunta
Not having a good run with my '05 4.2TDI ute.

Problem No 1:

Pulled off the highway on a grass verge to do a u-turn. Bit of a rise onto the highway so gave it a bit to get on top without spinning wheels and the left rear trailing arm bent like a banana, deadset 45+ degrees straight up. Had to pull it apart on the side of the road and flog it straight with a lump hammer. They are made of really thin crap and obviously can't handle the torque. When i returned home i cut them both off and replaced them with about 4mm seamless tube........Problem No 1 fixed.

Problem No 2:

The 25mm pipe that goes from (under) the exhaust manifold around the back of the motor to the intake manifold broke off at the intake side flange, spewing exhaust gasses directly onto the firewall. To cut a long story short i cut the pipe out with the gas axe and blanked off both ends on the engine with 1/4" plate. Apparently it is to do with emission controls to recirculate burnt gasses back through the motor, which i am sure would do the motor a world of good.
This problem particularly affects vehicles like mine that spend a fair bit of time off road and on corrugations. If yours is a town car you probably won't have a drama with it. The pipe has a convoluted vibration dampener in it which "DOES NOT WORK" as i found out. Problem No 2 fixed.

I am not advocating interfering with the emission controls on your vehicle (which is illegal) but when this pipe breaks, (and they do fairly regularly apparently), you don't want to be sitting on the side of the road 4hrs from home trying to fix it like i did. The pipe is gone and i never have to worry about it breaking again, that is a job i don't want to repeat.............

I will be away for 5 days with work so if you have any questions i will be back on next week.

Cheers.......................Pete! :)

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:34 pm
by Dick
Hmmm nasty !
I have same ute... didnt think the trailin arms were that weak ..
Have heard of the pipe issue and will block mine off before it does break..
Hows your perfromance / fuel consumption ?
I have only had mine for a short time and it came with some minor mods - 3" exhaust, boost controller and pump tweak. Goes real good and seems ok on fuel. 11ks per 100 last check ..

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:16 pm
by Rhett
The builder I work for busted that pipe only three weeks ago his ute only has 20 000 on it and was only used on bitumen roads towing the tool trailer. I was dissapointed. Does my 2000 model have this pipe?

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:28 pm
by Gruntahunta
Hey Rhett, just check at the back of your motor and you will see it, about an inch round with flanges either end.

Cheers.................Pete! :)

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 8:16 pm
by petejbanno
the pipe is for egr (exhaust gas recirculation) only on intercooled models came out in 2003

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:29 pm
by steel
I would guess that the trailing arm had suffered from a impact prior to this breakage.

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:18 pm
by badger
i would agree with steel. but id also never ever keep the standard arms on a patrol ive seen heaps break n alot not even doing extreme stuff or having ever done any

jump on ebay n buy some of hobzees ones at the very least