I am in hopes that someone reading this thread would be able to identify a part that is missing from my friends 1999 VW Passat1.8L turbo 4cylinder engine. First, here is what I know and have visually seen. My friend called me to have a look at his Passat, as while he was driving down the road his car went from sounding normal to sounding like a 2 stroke dirt bike in an instant. Now, I am standing at the front of the Passat looking into the engine compartment. Leaning over the engine I put my left hand between the back of the left hand side of the cylinder head and the firewall and can feel warm exhaust blowing strongly out of a perfect circle the size of a fat doctors writing pen. I then went and got a mirror to enable me to see what this looked like. Now, standing on the passenger side of the vehicle at about the firewall looking inside of the engine comartment at the back side of the cylinder head. If I position a mirror just above the bell housing and tilt it upward in order to view the passenger side of the cylinder head, I see what appears to be 3 threaded holes. One in the center that is about twice the size of the two on opposing sides that are about the size of a number 2 pencil.

I have looked through the manual and have spent hours searching the internet to find out what part went there and have found nothing. Does this sound like anything familiar to anyone?

 

The only thing I can think of and see is he lost the turbo to exaust manifold bolts.

 

Thanks racerx. I will look in that direction and post a comment if this is it or not. I appreciate the help!