No more boost.

D1onysus

New member
For some reason when I got in my car and drove home from school today I had no boost. I have an autometer boost gague and the needle won't even get into the PSI, the closest it would get to was neutral or zero psi. It didn't want to produce any kind of power when I first started it and it nearly died a couple times. Then, no boost. Worked fine on the way to campus this morning. I haven't torn it apart yet, I'm waiting for the engine to cool down. Nothing -looks- unusual though. Any ideas?
 

D1onysus

New member
Lovely, can I check that without pulling the turbo off? Most of my tools are back in Colorado and my friend's don't seem to have the sizes I need. Assuming it is seized is there somewhere other than questionable ebay places I can get a replacement? Local junkyards don't have anything and the parts stores can't get it.
 

D1onysus

New member
Alright, finally got the intake side off to try and inspect the innards. The compressor side turns freely and smoothly and I see not signs of debris or damage. Can't take the otherside off right now, roommates tool set is missing most of the wrenches and sockets I need. Which is to say all the useful ones. Really wishing I hadn't needed to leave my tools in Colorado.

This is why the world of forced induction scared me for so long.
 

D1onysus

New member
Yeah, that's my working assumption. Found something online about the wastegate actuator. Any advice on diagnosing that? I can't find anything wrong with a just a visual check. Of course I can only see half the bloody turbo with that heat shield covering it.
 

underscore

Well-known member
Wastegate could also be stuck open but a vac/boost leak would be more common. Try to get a boost leak tester and run that for starters.
 

phattyduck

New member
A boost/vac leak would generally cause lots of stumbling, loud 'whooshing' noises (if big enough to cause the problems described) and the boost would generally still get just above atmospheric.

I would guess busted turbine wheel.

You can probably have somebody else start the car with the turbo inlet removed (it would only run for a few seconds) and see if the compressor wheel turns.

-Charlie
 

mx6er2587

New member
If there car won't build any boost at all a vac leak isn't likely. Now if the compressor wheel is spinning freely there's a much better chance that your turbo is not f*!cked.

Waste gate stuck open is the next logical place to check.
 

warracer

New member
^ so basically check every single part that could be the cause. Personally I would operate like so,
First, get a vaccum/boost leak tester. (either the inlet home made one (be careful!) or the Napa tester way) if the car can hold consistent boost and vacuum, check these steps, if it can't, look for the leaking hose/plug by ear or with the smoke method.


1. remove intake part, tubes and maf
2. inspect the impeller intake side, see if it spins **almost** freely, if so, also check if the impeller is spinning concentric to the turbo housing.
3. If these steps were successful , good, you know your impeller assembly **might** be still good. Wrong news, you have to investigate further.
4. Remove the down pipe, if you have the stock cat, its a pain...
5. Check the exhaust impeller wheel like you did previously for the intake, its good? continue reading.
6. Check if the wastegate flap is open, if so, your wastage diaphragm or rod is defective.

Hope that helped!
 

D1onysus

New member
Thank you everybody, I will be checking back in soon. I am just waiting to borrow tools from a friend right now, so it's going to be a process. I'm really hoping my turbo isn't the faulty part here because I really don't have the money to replace it and the car is my only form of transportation. I can borrow enough money to fix other problems (probably). Spent all my emergency money just getting the last problem fixed. (That was a corroded fuse box. Car had been in storage for awhile.)
 

mx6er2587

New member
warracer":1crgxjrk said:
^ so basically check every single part that could be the cause. Personally I would operate like so,
First, get a vaccum/boost leak tester. (either the inlet home made one (be careful!) or the Napa tester way) if the car can hold consistent boost and vacuum, check these steps, if it can't, look for the leaking hose/plug by ear or with the smoke method.


1. remove intake part, tubes and maf
2. inspect the impeller intake side, see if it spins **almost** freely, if so, also check if the impeller is spinning concentric to the turbo housing.
3. If these steps were successful , good, you know your impeller assembly **might** be still good. Wrong news, you have to investigate further.
4. Remove the down pipe, if you have the stock cat, its a pain...
5. Check the exhaust impeller wheel like you did previously for the intake, its good? continue reading.
6. Check if the wastegate flap is open, if so, your wastage diaphragm or rod is defective.

Hope that helped!

....So OP has stated he's at school with minimum access to tools and your advice is to fist somehow acquire a boost tester. Then he is to:

1. repeat step one of my advice. (hint he's done that already)
2. remove the down pipe (with tools he already told us he doesn't have) which you admit is a giant pain in the ass.
3. check the wastegate (like I told him to do) which is a much simpler and quicker test than 2

My advice was based around probable causes of his issue and prioritized by ease of test method. If his wastegate and turbo check out (things he can do with available resources) then its time to hunt down that boost checker and/or some additional tools.
 

warracer

New member
I am in the same exact situation has OP, full time college + part time job, very little to no tools...

Look, you can easily make yourself a DIY boost leak tester for 10$ with random stuff from the Hardware store.

http://www.homemadeturbo.com/fabricatio ... $9-115647/

And removing the downpipe is possible within a day, you only need a ratchet, some sockets (10-12-14mm) and pliers, it ain't rocket science, sure its a pain, but you might damage more stuff if you continue to drive the car.

I wrote this step by step because I was in this situation at some point and It turned out that my turbo was seized.
 

underscore

Well-known member
phattyduck":36kd1umf said:
A boost/vac leak would generally cause lots of stumbling, loud 'whooshing' noises (if big enough to cause the problems described) and the boost would generally still get just above atmospheric.

I would guess busted turbine wheel.

You can probably have somebody else start the car with the turbo inlet removed (it would only run for a few seconds) and see if the compressor wheel turns.

-Charlie

That's not how I recall mine behaving with my leaks. Either way it's a very simple test.
 

warracer

New member
I had a vacuum hose ripped off for some reason, well the maf was acting up and either the car would start up but die or it would run very lean and cog when accelerating... Couldn't even possibly achieve boost
 
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