Blowing

Over the last month or so, my car’s been playing up – any time it went over 2,500 rpm and the turbo kicked in, the entire thing went to crap: Losing power, slowing down, finally cutting out.  It was booked in for a service and MOT anyway, so for the time ’til the service, it was OK so long as I didn’t go over the 2,500.

In honesty, I thought that either the turbo was knackered, or one of the pipes to/from the turbo had split. I’ve had that happen before, and the symptoms were the same. I’d done some internet searches, based on the idiot lights and the circumstances, and that seemed to be the conclusion. Well, either that or the engine was completely fucked, which I was pretty sure wasn’t the case, as it was fine until turbo time.

Anyway, Tuesday was the day of the service and MOT. I was surprised when the garage called me back and said it needed a couple of things doing – but nothing about the engine. Instead it needed a new exhaust, and a new bonnet catch.

With the new exhaust, all is fine again. I’d never thought it needed that doing – I knew it must be about ready to have a new exhaust bit, as I’ve had the damn thing four years now, but it didn’t connect in my head – there was no noticeable extra noise when running or anything, just that power loss.

I’ll know for the future, of course.

But in the meantime, yeah, I feel like a bit of an idiot – but also very pleased that the problem was easily fixed – and considerably cheaper than a new turbo / engine.