Bad wastegate actuator?

[tsitalon03]

Ok here is the problem with my car. It makes no power when the boost kicks in. When I say the car is slow I mean the car can barely keep up on the highway at 75-80 mph. Driving around town is fine and the extra torque from the 2.3 helps alot. Dont get me wrong the turbo starts to spool early (2600-2800 rpm) but when it does it makes a high pitch whistle sound. Boost leaks? I had some at the thottle body and at the bov but rtv'd them shut. Blown turbo? There is no shaft play in/out or side to side. No oil in the intake pipe/intercooler pipes. No extreme smoke blowing out the exhaust when the turbo spools. I recently put on a new fmic and that didnt help. So the last thing I can think of is the actual wastegate actuator....what do you guys think? If it is bad would I still make boost?

 

[rlacasse1]

If it was stuck to where the waste gate was open then you would not build boost. If it is stuck to where the wastegate is fully closed then you would be boosting like crazy. If it is boosting properly then more than likely the wastegate actuator is working properly.

How much boost are you running.

 

[tsitalon03]

I dont have a boost controller so its just SUPPOSED to boost 10psi. But the turbo really struggles to make boost, to the point where I start seeing knock, then I would just get off the gas. Also the car feels like its pig rich. Still have boost leaks? Maybe, but they arent massive.

 

[rlacasse1]

Then yeah if it is struggling to build 10PSI you probably have a big boost leak or the actuator may be bad.

 

[jrohner]

A friend's 1G FWD turbo whined loud like a supercharger at anything 0psi or more, and the j-pipe was leaking at the turbo. Get/make a cap for your turbo compressor inlet so you can do a proper boost leak test. A BLT should always be done after installing an intercooler, intercooler piping, BOV, etc. Do the BLT so your boost gauge shows as much or preferably a little more boost than you actually run. Leaks get worse with more pressure; sometimes they don't even show up at low pressure.

 

[tsitalon03]

A boost leak at the j-pipe is possible....but jeez the car is making NO power at boost. Its not like I have a big gaping hole on the top of my j-pipe . I can see orange rtv between the j-pipe and turbo but I guess I'll pull it off over the weekend and check it out. Also I'm looking to swap actuators to see if thats the problem.