So, tell me this is a boost leak.

[Talek]

My brother has a 97 TSi with I think a dejontool uicp and an hks bov, if I remember correctly. The car only has 34k miles. I've been driving it recently, and noticed some hesitation when boosting ~10lbs merging onto the interstate a couple days ago. Since then I can't push more than a couple lbs before it bogs and makes a low warbling sound, the car vibrates slightly when it happens. I tested it for leaks and found several noticable ones on the UICP, so I adjusted the couplers and tightened them, I think they're fixed now. But, the problem persists, and the car is only pulling ~12-16hg vacuum at idle. (It does have a faulty idle control actuator, so I take odd stuff at idle with a grain of salt).

I know the TB gasket is leaking, soapy water foams on the sides, but if this is a leak it would have to be a pretty serious one to bog like it does, right?

Basically I just wanna know if this is a leak or not so I know where to focus my attention, and hopefully I didn't break anything serious.

 

[93_tsi_fwd]

Did you check the timing? sound similar to the thread.http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/pro...-gst-has-no-pull-especially-top-end-help.html

 

[mccurdy]

Actually, you'd be suprised on how small leaks can really affect you big time.

I used to blow lower IC couplings all the time (the ones just off the FMIC going towards the TB) and usually I would find cracks in the rubber couplings about an inch long. Sometimes half an inch. This alone would make my car not even get past 3 or 4 psi.

Usually you can tell if its a leak if: The more you gas it, the more the car bogs out.

The more air your trying to force thru the system, the more the air is going to want to push out through the crack/hole (making it bigger) and less likely to hit your TB.

Go get a leak test kit. Plug it onto your turbo and pressurize the system until you hit about 15-20 psi. Kill the pump, and listen/look around all couplings first. Then around the turbo and intercooler, and continue to the less likely leaking areas.

If you have a profec B boost controller (or any other electronic BC) then check the rubber lines AND filter that runs to it. I had a nasty leak that i couldn't boost more than 9 psi, and it was a ####ing cracked profec B filter just outside my firewall. Hard as hell to find the little bastard. Fixed it, and BAM, pulled 17 psi like no ones business.