Car Shows boost but doesnt pull

[sakrafice]

Okay, im so puzzled on wtf is going on with this car. Long story short I recently did 6bolt swap in my 2g, had head rebuilt since cylinder 4 intake side valves were leaking. Anyway I get the car all back together and it runs perfect at idle and drive.. but.. When I get on the gas a little it was at first trying to build boost really fast without me being on pedal much. Found out i had a nice leak at my tb for not tightening down the bolts . Anyway, I do know i have some exhaust leaks, but i think there down past the turbo/mani... just on the downpipe to testpipe..
I replaced both tb gaskets, injector seals, intake gasket, manifold gasket. Did a boostleak test and am only seeing 1 leak thus far from my jpipe nipple that i welded on, but i know that there is no way in hell this is keeping my car from building boost. (did test on the turbo only) at 20psi pressure.

I don't know what to do, my 14b turbo sounds weird even when its trying to boost, but there is 0 in and out and side to side play. I have my boostguage hooked up to the fuel pressure silinoid as i herd this is a good spot for a accurate reading. when car is at idle im getting anywere from 10-12 vac while at drive about 20 if not on the gas. But as mentioned if i turn the boost up from the MBC i can actually hit 30psi on my 14b and the car i think hits fuel cut or pulls timing.. but again the car has no power at all while its doing this. car runs fine, even under boost but no pulling power like the turbo is there just to make a phssht noise as i let off the pedal... i am recirculating my bov as well (1g BOV)

Please help anyone. thank you. Jesse

 

[94Jettameowpsst]

I know this doesnt solve your problem, but my good friend had the EXACT SAME problem and am VERY curious to what it may be.
Have a feeling it has something to do with the swap though and nothing else.

 

[boostnhard]

whenever you swap the turbo in our cars (you uswed to have at-25 now you have a 14b)
you most likely have to take your car in for tunning. DSMtuners right?

 

[Whammydill]

did you check your wastegate actuator arm, to see if it came off? When I first got my laser, the car wouldn't build boost but the gauge would do its thing. That was my problem. Simple fix with a cotter pin. Not sure if this will help since i didn't have an aftermarket boost gauge at the time to determine if the car was really "building boost" or if I was getting the wool pulled over my eyes as the stock gauge is fond of doing.

 

[11secDSM]

I had a similar problem years ago...turned out to be a bad coil. Also look into a clogged cat if you still have that on as well as check your plugs.

 

[romeen]

You may want to try an air pressure guage on your boost leak tester so you can compare values with your boost guage (it will make future boost leak tests easier too). If your boost guage is accurate then:

1) I suspect you still have a boost/vacuum leak based on your low vacuum at idle. It should be about 20mmHg. Repeat the boost leak test and in addition to listening for leaks spray soapy water on all areas and look for the bubbles.

2) Did you examine the turbine housing for cracks before install? Most 14b's have seen quite a bit of use and will have cracks especially around the seat for the wastegate flapper. This will allow some exhaust gas to bypass the turbine when it shouldn't.

3) You said that you know that you have exhaust leaks. You need to be certain that they are not pre-turbine. In addittion to looking for the black soot on the head you can run a can of Seafoam through the intake. In addition to cleaning out the intake quite well it does a fantastic job of identifying even the smallest exhaust leak.

4) Maybe your clutch is slipping.

 

[sakrafice]

Car has new plugs, wires, ect. Getting spark on all cylinders.

Now that you mention the clutch, I replaced the slave because i thought it was leaking. Anyway the clutch pedal to me goes in way to easy... (used to be pretty stiff) and dont have to release it much to have the car almost taking off. All i did was got a 6bolt awd flywheel, resurfaced it and put it back together, dont think i put it together wrong else the car woundnt engage at all ?? I reused the stock clutch. it wasnt the greatest but it pulled hard before 7bolt went with a bullseye vtrim turbo on it.

But like i said the turbo it self, when u here it trying to spool up just sounds like its just freespininging super fast but not doing anything. The leak im almost positive it on downpipe that connects to the turbo housing. I bought a gasket for it but havent put it on since i know the car should at least pull a little bit. All it does even with 12pounds the car just feels like there is no drag on the car... but not like it should. And i noticed that the wastegate arm.. the pin that holds it on has been rigged up its like a cloths pin or something on it and the wastegate it self is all rusty.. but i can pull on the arm and have it open but takes quite a bit of strength to do so. I just don't want to buy a turbo if thats not the problem.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

[sakrafice]

car also seems to be thinning oil... i put in royal purple 10w 40 which is fairly thick for this car. I don't have a oil cooler just the stock internal cooler that goes around the filter housing. would this be my problem? also car still don't boost, dont seem to slip since ud think ud feel it.

 

[romeen]

Repeat the boost leak test using the soapy water method as I mentioned previously. These symptoms are highly suggestive of a boost leak:

1) You have low idle vacuum.
2) You have poor power even though you hear the turbo spooling. You even say that it is "free spinning super fast but not doing anything." This happens when the boost leak does not allow proper build up of pressure in the intake to open the WGA for boost control. Exhaust keeps spinning the turbine faster and faster but you don't get the benefit because it's leaking out of the intake.
3) A boost leak will cause you to run rich. The unburned fuel can get past the piston rings (blow-by) and get into the oil. This will break it down and cause it to feel thin.

Also do a compression test. If your rings are worn you will have power loss and excessive blow-by. Make sure that your PCV valve is functioning properly to remove the blow-by.

 

[motomattxxx]

There is an entire thread about this phenomenon on dsmtalk. It seems to be a 2g thing, even with a stock engine and turbo.