Since day 1 I've had problems with the car boost-wise... I mean...
I have a turbosmart gated boost controller, and since day 1 with it open ALL the way I couldn't get much more boost...
The other day I pre-loaded my internal 5psi wastegate actuator and saw 9psi of boost for a day or two.
Today, it wouldn't go over 5psi, boost response is crap and really... it seems like I have a leak.
The question is: Where do I begin to find this.... I don't have an exhaust leak I checked that extensively, so I'm left to look at the pipes.
Does anybody have ANY tips to help me out. And yes, I'm using T-bolt clamps.
I'm gonna see what I can do in the meantime.
Thanks.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
check to make sure all your clamps are behind your beads/rolls and that none of your connectors/cobraheads are torn. With silicon, they can hold some boost even with a crack in them. I had a loose clamp once (wasn't even on the connector anymore) and I would make 5 psi and that was it.
<a href="http://www.cavyjason.com/"><img src="http://www.cavyjason.com/photos/night-banner.jpg" border=0></a>
Ok, this morning I went over every line, pipe, coupler and clamp... everything is on 100% and on TIGHT. I took the car for a drive, it now makes LESS boost... barely 3 psi, 4 if I'm lucky.
The turbo doesn't sound like it's spooling up like it was. I cannot physically HEAR any exhaust leaks... I'm completely baffled. If anybody can give me some hints or has experienced this, I could really use the help.
Thank you.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
Do you have another wastegate you could throw on? That's got to be it...
<a href="http://www.cavyjason.com/"><img src="http://www.cavyjason.com/photos/night-banner.jpg" border=0></a>
thats what i was thinking...maybe a faulty wastegate actuator
_________________________________________
450WHP Turbo Ecotec swap in the works...
spin the wheel by hand.... does it spin freely? if its binding up, that could be your problem.
we're having the same problem on our drag car..... but I checked the turbo first, and its fine.
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
My other wastegate is shot... I pulled off this one and it's just as hard to pull today as it was 3 days ago... and it's pre-loaded so the flapper is closed TIGHT.
I'm wondering if it's leaking out at my BOV - the one thing I didn't check. I'm still yet to shim/adjust the bov and the car likes to die at idle...
Hmm... any other suggestions?
Checking the compressor will be hard but I will do it if it comes down to it... the turbo is spinning up just fine, it just literally STOPS at 3-4 psi... like it doesn't keep spinning up anymore...
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
I went for a drive today with NO SIGNAL LINE to the wastegate... only 3psi.
So I know it's not the wastegate, the flapper was shut tight.
Any suggestions, guys?
I'll assume that I'd be able to hear an exhaust leak...
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
Still nothing eh? Damn...
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
Bro... all I know if you've got 3 weeks to find it and fix it and take care of whatever clutch issues you've got so you can kick my ass on the drag strip.
Any luck?
How does one normally diagnose boost leaks in the charge pipes? Do you just listen for where pressure might be hissing out? Is there any way for you to bypass some of the piping and the IC to see if you can eliminate the leak? That might at least help to isolate the problem.
Fastest way is to disconnect a vac hose, connect it to a compressor and fill the system with compressed air and check to see where its leaking out.
I don't have such tools at my disposal.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
www.vfaq.com shows you how to make a boost leak tester from Home Depot.
Is it leaking at the TB? Just because the clamps are tight doesn't mean it's sealing well.
If you have an air filter or intake on the turbo is it clean?
Maybe check the plugs too?? I know when it feels like the cars lost power I regap the plugs and all seems better.
SunfighterGT wrote:Fastest way is to disconnect a vac hose, connect it to a compressor and fill the system with compressed air and check to see where its leaking out.
I don't have such tools at my disposal.
-Chris-
With the car turned off, won't the pressure just go straight through the turbo and out into the atmosphere? Does the turbo seal off the system when it's not being driven? Or do you remove the charge pipe from the turbo and put a plug in it before doing this?
Gotta plug the system at the filter.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
So I'm assuming that Joe much have the equipment to do this, right?
How long would it take? Put a cork in place of the filter... and pump 'er up. Unless I'm missing something, this shouldn't be more than an hour's work or so just to determine whether there is in fact a leak and, if so, where it is.
From there... well who knows what will be involved in the solution... but you'll have to get the diagnosis out of the way before you can start thinking about that.
Simply put a cap on the end of the charge pipe and pressurize the system.
And yes, he has the tools so that is where I am going to go. In the meantime I am going to perform a visual inspection of the whole system at the end of the weekend...
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
