Car stopped making boost about halfway home from school yesterday. I can hear it whistling as though its spooling, and when I checked the intake side of the turbo it spun freely and had very little shaft play. Im guessing from those two the turbo is fine, but its like its not spinning fast enough to make boost, as my boost gauge doest even go into boost(about half a lb before 0 vacume reading off the intake manifold). I used an air compressor to see if the wastegate was stuck all the way open, but it seemed to open and close fine. Is it possible that its not sealing all the way and that bit wouldnt allow for boost? Its an HKS external wastegate. At this point the only things I can see that could be wrong is eithor the wg isnt sealing all the way or that theres something wrong with the exaust half of the turbo. Any other suggestions?

 

The wastegate not sealing all the way would still allow for some boost, it would spool slower however. Did you do a boost leak test?

If the turbo is not spinning "fast enough," check for pre-turbo exhaust leaks.

Pressurize your pipes/intercooler with the compresser, regulated of course. From your description, sounds like a big boost leak, i/c cracked or..

 

Yes. You've lost an IC pipe connection somewhere. That whistling is the turbo blowing all the boost right through the gap where the pipe is disconnect. I'm all too familiar with that sound.

 

Whistling or this?

http://www.magnaflowonline.com/catal...load/spool.wmv

 

i recently blew out a gasket from the exhaust manifold to the turbo it slowed my spool considerably and chopped down my effective boost as well, i would check there and then look for cracks in the manifold as well as checking if the wg sealing surface is damaged or not engaging fully.

 

hmmm.... do you lose any boost from your maxium boost point? I need to track down a 1 - 1.5 boost loss this weekend.

 

yep sure did.

 

Interesting sound clip! Near identical sound when I added to much nitrous with the turbo and made the clutch slip.

Do agree with other posters that is more probable to have a leak in the intake tract. BTDT many times. If still using the stock plastic crossover suggest checking it for splits in the accordian pleated section.

 

That's what it sounds like when you buy a poorly built turbo and the blades hit the compressor walls.

 

Found out what it was. I recently hooked up my intercooler. Stuck the reciept in the intake of the intercooler when i got it......and so forth......

 

That's awesome!

 

So it was a boost leak, right?