Turbo Problem

[billabong101]

I have a 1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo FWD and seem to be having a problem with the turbo and the wastgate acutator. Basically when u try to accelerate you go nowhere and the car sorta bogs but still maintains speed. So i brang the car to a friend who's dad is a mechanic and he unhooked the rod going to the wasgate. when the rod is off the car runs hell of a lot better but the boost is so small and it only hits decent boost in high rpm's because the car has to make up for the leak. I unhooked the wastgate actuater and checked to so if it was broke but it wasn't so now i get barly any boost and want to fix this badly!!!

Any advice would be helpful!!

peace

 

[1993eclipseGS]

Hook your wastegate arm back up first off...

Then, Check all the connections on your intercooler piping to make sure no clamps are loose or an ic pipe blew off the connection. If that doesn't help, Do a boost leak test.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Test if the actuator is still good by putting something like 10 psi of air into it. If it moves about an inch then its still good. Then test for leaks by pressurizing the intake system and listen for leaks. The reason why you get so little boost is beacause you unhooked the actuator arm so the flapper door pretty much will be forced open by the exhaust which will bypass the turbine inlet, so basically no boost.

 

[billabong101]

the wastegate actuator is working properly beacuase i used an air compressor to check and it moved up and down. i guess i'll have to make one of those home made boost leak testers to see if there is a leak.

 

[oldman]

1. Hook up the arm and test run without the factory bcs hooked up by connecting the nipple on the turbo outlet directly to the actuator nipple. You should see a solid 10-12psi of boost. If problem solved, bcs is probably creating a huge leak so leave the system as is and for now and get a mbc if you want to run more than 12psi. If problem persists, go to 2.

2. Test run with the actuator nipple open and plug up the compressor nipple with a nipple cap. You're looking for all out boost so make sure you let off the throttle at about 15psi. If in fact you're getting all out boost then the actuator is opening prematurely and you need to replace it. If problem persists, go to 3.

3. A complete boost leak test, never do a visual inspection. If problem persists after you fixed all leaks and the system is able to hold 20 psi for a reasonable amount of time, it would be fairly clear that the turbo is on it's way out.

My guess would be a major boost leak some where but check step one and two first since they are simple to do. However, keep in mind that boosting with huge leaks can easily over-spun the turbo and killing it so keep these test runs to absolute bare minimun. Good luck.

 

[billabong101]

hey im going to build a boost leak tester and make sure there isn't any leaks!!! just curious where can u buy the valve stem that hooks onto the compressor?

 

[oldman]

hey im going to build a boost leak tester and make sure there isn't any leaks!!! just curious where can u buy the valve stem that hooks onto the compressor?

Any auto parts store should have it, ask them for tire valve stems. I used rubber ones so I can squeez it through a smaller hole and seal nicely.

 

[96GSTSTT]

hey oldman.... alright im haveing a simular problem now. i just put my 14-b in and it cured the smokeing problem but im not building any boost. infact all it is doing is sputtering. i checked for boost leaks and everything. i unhooked the wastegate arm and it seems to run fine. i hook it back up and it starts to sputter only when im trying to build boost. i have no shaft play and i have checked all vacume lines and no leaks. all i have left to do is change the plugs and wires and hope to god my maf isnt toast. i went to wiggle the connector on the maf and my car jumped idle alot. would the tps cause my car to sputter if its not reading right? also the kit that i ordered doesnt have the nipple on the j pipe so where do i hook up the vacume lines to the wastegate? sorry to jump in anyones thread but i figured since it was kina on topic i would post to maybe help out billabong to check other things. hope someone can help me out... oh and the old turbo was smokeing so i was also wondering if i have to change my o2 or my pcv valve?

josh

 

[oldman]

Hey Josh,

i checked for boost leaks and everything.

I'll assume you have done this correctly since we have discussed the proper procedure and the conditions which constitutes a successful test many times in the past. With that said, the problem you're describing sounds very much like a boost leak so if you need to come clean about the boost leak test do it now.

the kit that i ordered doesnt have the nipple on the j pipe so where do i hook up the vacume lines to the wastegate?

T off the intake to BOV line. Do you have a mbc or the factory bcs?

i unhooked the wastegate arm and it seems to run fine. i hook it back up and it starts to sputter only when im trying to build boost. i have no shaft play and i have checked all vacume lines and no leaks.

Two more test for you to run after you hook the arm back up.
1. Bypass the mbc or bcs and hook up the new T from BOV line directly to the actuator.
2. Leave the actuator nipple open, Remember to feather the thrttole as we are looking for all out boost.

Post back results.

all i have left to do is change the plugs and wires

I thought you have done that long ago.

and hope to god my maf isnt toast. i went to wiggle the connector on the maf and my car jumped idle alot.

This usually means that there are leaks around the couplers resulting in system sucking in unmetered air but could also also be a bad maf, remind me why you thought the maf may be fried, it's been a while. I do have an extra 2g maf you can test with if you pay the shipping charge and $100 fee for running to the post office. If it solves the problem we can work out a price for it, if not you have to ship it back to me as I like to keep extra stuff around for testing purposes.

oh and the old turbo was smokeing so i was also wondering if i have to change my o2 or my pcv valve?

pcv sure as it's cheap but not o2 unless it's throwing a code. Question is did you remove ic and piping for cleaning? I suspect not.

 

[96GSTSTT]

z yes i did do a boost leak test. my neighbor let me barrow his compressor. i have no gauge other then the one onthe compressor and i pumped it to 25lbs and nothing. i dont have a mbc cause i dont have an after market boost gauge yet ( on order). so im trying to keep the boost low till i get the gauge so i can have transpertation to work. so im guessing i go from the wg nipple to the t.. then from the t one line goes to the bcs and the other to the the intake and bpv. this is the way i had it and it seemed to make things worse. i undid the vacume and put it back to the bpv and the car idled alot better but i cant drive it with the wg open like that. as for the plugs and what not.... my order from sbr got stolen so i had my gf pick up some plugs from western auto but she picked up the wrong ones. as for the maf.. the car seems to be acting like it does when you unplug the maf when you have a boost leak but it sputters. it doesnt show signs of it stalling or anything it just sputters. im goin to try and put some sylicone around the connector and see if that helps any with that. im actually glad that its running and that the turbo was the main problem and im ok with being patient but ive come to the end of my rope. the one thing i remember is.. when i bought the car and i drove it home it idled and drove fine but smoked due to bad turbo. i drove it down to my buddys house which is a distance of 2blocks. by the time i got to my drive way it started to sputter. i got it up my driveway and it sat there till i put my turbo in it.

josh

 

[oldman]

so im guessing i go from the wg nipple to the t.. then from the t one line goes to the bcs and the other to the the intake and bpv. this is the way i had it and it seemed to make things worse. i undid the vacume and put it back to the bpv and the car idled alot better but i cant drive it with the wg open like that.

Like I said before, bypass the bcs and just hook up the T from BOV line directly to the actuator and see what happen. More often than not the bcs is a source of boost leak as it's a bleeder type valve. Just run the actuator setting(10psi) for now until you get the mbc.

 

[96GSTSTT]

ok well heres what i found on the vacume lines...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/josh_1983/mbc_inst.jpg
now without the mbc i guess it just goes strait to the wg and the 3rd line goes to the manifold. i think youde get a kick out of the part # on the spark plugs my gf picked up pfr6j-11 check em out. i had to give her props for trying...

 

[oldman]

ok well heres what i found on the vacume lines...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/josh_1983/mbc_inst.jpg
now without the mbc i guess it just goes strait to the wg and the 3rd line goes to the manifold. i think youde get a kick out of the part # on the spark plugs my gf picked up pfr6j-11 check em out. i had to give her props for trying...

That would be correct. When I ask my girlfriend to pick up parts for me I usually call them first and tell them exactly what she'll be picking up.

 

[96GSTSTT]

the thing is that i sent her to the store with the part # and everything and she still got it wrong. she paid 50 dollars for these plugs and theyre not right. i asked her to get me a gapper to and the ladie at the counter said that a spark plug gapper doesnt exist. z!!!!
oh well..

josh

 

[billabong101]

i just finishied building the boost leak tester and i hooked everything up and when i turn on the air compressor the car builds no pressure what so ever!!! It's not the boost leak tester i made sure that works properly so im confused on what to do next!!!

 

[oldman]

i just finishied building the boost leak tester and i hooked everything up and when i turn on the air compressor the car builds no pressure what so ever!!! It's not the boost leak tester i made sure that works properly so im confused on what to do next!!!

1. Disable bcs, it's a bleeder type valve and you're probably loosing a good amount of air there.

2. Open the oil cap and tell us if you feel or hear air.

3. You probably have a lot of leaks, try locate and fix whatever you can then repeat test. Be patient with it, it's going to be a loooong process.

 

[billabong101]

does the car need to be running to perform the test? i also have the intercooler out of the car with all the plumbing disconnected beacause i was goign to clean out the intercooler and when i took the pipes off the intercooler it was eroded and bits and pieces all in the piping. goign to need a new intercooler!!

 

[oldman]

does the car need to be running to perform the test? i also have the intercooler out of the car with all the plumbing disconnected beacause i was goign to clean out the intercooler and when i took the pipes off the intercooler it was eroded and bits and pieces all in the piping. goign to need a new intercooler!!

You dumbass, ! repeat the test again after you put everything back. And "no" the car have to be off during the test.

 

[billabong101]

i can't put the intercooling back on because there is no place to hook the tubing that leads to the tb, its all been eroded and turned into white powder!!! couldn't i just seal up the compressor outlet pipe the proceed with checking for leaks?

 

[oldman]

when i took the pipes off the intercooler it was eroded and bits and pieces all in the piping.

Hold up, bits and pieces of what? metal shaving from the intercooler or rubber from stock ic pipes? This is important.

 

[cfisher]

WOW! That's all I have to say is WOW!!

 

[oldman]

couldn't i just seal up the compressor outlet pipe the proceed with checking for leaks?

No, then all you're testing is the turbo seal. The purpose of a leak test is to ensure the entire intake system is leak free, which goes from the turbo to intake manifold and all vacuum hoses connect to it along the way. I think it's time for you to look into metal ic pipes.

 

[billabong101]

the part of the intercooler pipe where u attach the tubing is basically gone, u can't attach any tubing to it!! i wish i had a pic to show u guys

 

[oldman]

the part of the intercooler pipe where u attach the tubing is basically gone, u can't attach any tubing to it!! i wish i had a pic to show u guys

Don't worry about getting laugh at right now, trust me you deserved it. In fact, when you get more familiar with how a turbo system work, you will be laughing at yourself for trying to do a leak test without ic and pipes. Now let's focus on the task at hand.

1. Are you talking about metal or rubber shavings? Bits and pieces of what?

2. Exactly what parts are erroded? If this is important enough for you, go borrow a camera and show us.

 

[billabong101]

thanks alot for helping me and posting back so quickly oldman!! i did actually try a boost leak test before i unhooked the ic pipes and intercooler with a quick home made tester i made in 5 minutes and still no pressure. i then unhooked all the ic pipes and found out that the intercooler metal piping had deterioated inside the rubber piping, no rubber shavings just deterioted metal!!! then i went out and actually bought all the parts for the boost leak tester and i will get a pic asap of the intercooler.