Car will not make boost. Need some help

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
The other day I was out doing some logs for Lito. Everything was going great but he wanted me to lower the boost until we got the tune more dialed in because I'm still on my stock plugs. I was at 9psi but decided to bypass my tru-boost and just run wastegate pressure for now. I unhooked the boost solenoid and ran a line direct to the wastegate. During my log my boost skyrocked and triggered the alarm so I let off. When I got back to the shop I noticed I put the wrong line into the compressor housing. I accidentally ran my boost reference to the top port on the wastegate. After putting it right it will not build any boost.

If the wastegate is unhooked from both ports and the compressor port is blocked it will build about 8psi. If the compressor port in run to the top of the wastegate with the bottom port open it goes as high as you'll let it. Smoke test didn't reveal any leaks
 
Last edited by a moderator:

JoshK

Modder AKA Fuel
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Posts
6,118
Reaction score
24
Location
Nebraska
To run just gate or spring pressure, you need to run a line from the compressor to the bottom port of the wg.

Completely elimate any lines going to or from the EBC until you have it figured out.
 
Last edited:

mikeyfitz

Senior Member
Joined
May 4, 2011
Posts
8,538
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston, TX
Sounds like a cold side leak.

Check all your piping in cold side. I had a issue with mine blowing off the piping from the turbo to the cold side.

Weird that it happened when you said it did, but as long as you have your line from the compressor to the bottom port of the WG you should be fine.
 

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
I hooked my smoke machine up to it and got no leaks. I'd think I would hear a hot side leak that large. The turbo still seams to spool pretty loud. And without anything on the wastegate it will build 8ish lbs
 

Stinger

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Posts
100
Reaction score
1
Location
Shawnee, KS
There are only a few possibilities here and most of them have already been covered. A boost leak is the most likely culprit. A stuck wastegate is another possibility, though it's not very likely. Since you say you can unplug both lines to the wastegate and only get 8psi, that almost certainly points at a boost leak. Reason being, you should get 20+psi in that configuration since there is nothing to open the gate in that configuration.
 

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Wouldn't it have to be a pretty large leak to make zero boost? Not even 7psi. None of the couplers are off. I'd think that smoke would find a leak of that size.
 

one eyed willy

Pizzle fo shizzle
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Posts
7,533
Reaction score
26
Location
Lakeland FL
What spring is in the wastegate?

You have it hooked up correctly, compressor to the lower port on the WG.

That means it will open based strictly off of spring pressure. So what spring?

Exhaust pressure will push the WG open even with nothing hooked up to ot if you have a small spring in there. You can have 15-30 psi in your hot side depending on your back pressure....which will push the WG open.

The fact that you had it hooked up backwards and it made alot of boost should tell you , you don't have a leak.
 

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
What spring is in the wastegate?

You have it hooked up correctly, compressor to the lower port on the WG.

That means it will open based strictly off of spring pressure. So what spring?

Exhaust pressure will push the WG open even with nothing hooked up to ot if you have a small spring in there. You can have 15-30 psi in your hot side depending on your back pressure....which will push the WG open.

The fact that you had it hooked up backwards and it made alot of boost should tell you , you don't have a leak.

It is suppose to be a 7psi spring. But it build zero boost when hooked up correctly
 

ctt326

Brenspeed Hater
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Posts
1,083
Reaction score
0
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
Something doesn't make sense. Where is your source coming from that you have hooked up to the WG?

Like one eyed willy said, seeing a lot of boost when it was hooked up incorrectly means you don't have a boost leak. If your vacuum source is hooked up correctly the only place for there to be something wrong is inside the wastegate.
 

one eyed willy

Pizzle fo shizzle
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Posts
7,533
Reaction score
26
Location
Lakeland FL
So just so I got this right....

After the boost spike with it hooked up incorrectly, it no longer makes boost?

Sounds like the excessive boost popped a pipe off somewhere.
 

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
So just so I got this right....

After the boost spike with it hooked up incorrectly, it no longer makes boost?

Sounds like the excessive boost popped a pipe off somewhere.

I thought the same but after hooking up my smoke machine I found two small leaks. BOV and intercooler coupler leaking from one end. Repaired both leaks with no change.
 

one eyed willy

Pizzle fo shizzle
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Posts
7,533
Reaction score
26
Location
Lakeland FL
Does the car feel like its making boost at all or does it feel just normal? Possible the boost gauge hose popped off?
 

Sprayer84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Posts
1,821
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
It's a tru-boost. Still reads vacuum, gets to about .5-1 and that's it. I can hear it spooling but the boost never comes
 

ctt326

Brenspeed Hater
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Posts
1,083
Reaction score
0
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
Ok if you hear it spooling then you either a.) have a leak somewhere in the coldside or b.) the wastegate is dumping all of it.
 

Support us!

Support Us - Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Back
Top