No boost, no spooling, wtf?

[Catnip]

Driving the car yesterday, it was alright. Has some boost leaks, but will hold 15psi. No problems with the turbo.

Today, I drive the car conservatively until the temp is up and it's running smoothly. I get onto a stretch of straight road and no cars, true, not gonna go fast, but to be on the safe side. Anyways, I do about 50% throttle. SNAP! Where the hell is the spooling noise? Ok, well one more try to watch the boost gauge, the highest it goes is 2 psi vacuum, not even 0.

So I baby the car the rest of the way to work, stay a few hours, and baby it back home. I pull the intake off to check for it being seized or something. Spins freely and no shaft play. Check all the hoses, everything seems good. Idle is normal at 11 psi vacuum (cams). Check the oil, it's halfway, but I add some since I'm already there.

Again, no turbo sounds at all, no spool whistle, no blow off, no boost, no smoking, everythng looks feels/fine. Any ideas what's wrong or what I could check for?

[DeeAOne]

should have got some new muffler bearings like i told you..

[Revmaynard]

I know a solution.

[Benefit]

intercooler piping blew off

[Catnip]

intercooler piping blew off

nope.
DSM's without maf translators won't run like that at all, mine won't spool.

[bebop]

I've never heard of anything like this happening without some kind of visible reaction. Hm, if you can't build boost nor hear the turbo spool then you have a serious issue and need to check everything you possibly can before you drive it again. I think it could be an intercooler or wastegate problem.

[Benefit]

check to be sure...check wastegate also

[Catnip]

what exactly would I be doing to check the wastegate?

[redrumracer]

what exactly would I be doing to check the wastegate?

well one make sure its not stuck open some how, or take it off and test it with an air hose

[Catnip]

Guess I'll be doing option #2 as I made sure it's not stuck. lol

[redrumracer]

Guess I'll be doing option #2 as I made sure it's not stuck. lol

well if its not stuck open then #2 wont do you any good, unless somehow the spring the the wastegate broke and just opens freely, but then you still wouldnt need #2 to see that. it has to be leaking boost somewhere, or an exhaust leak before the turbo.

[Catnip]

well if its not stuck open then #2 wont do you any good, unless somehow the spring the the wastegate broke and just opens freely, but then you still wouldnt need #2 to see that. it has to be leaking boost somewhere, or an exhaust leak before the turbo.

It's definitely not freely, I had to use pliars to grip it, and it was still very springy.

I know it's boost leaking, but that doesn't explain the all of a sudden loss of turbo noises. If there was a pre-turbo exhaust leak, wouldn't I hear it and find traces of black sut around it?

[redrumracer]

It's definitely not freely, I had to use pliars to grip it, and it was still very springy.

I know it's boost leaking, but that doesn't explain the all of a sudden loss of turbo noises. If there was a pre-turbo exhaust leak, wouldn't I hear it and find traces of black sut around it?

id hope you would be able to hear if there was an exhaust leak, and there might not be immediate black soot. just go through and check all your connections and make sure you didnt blow off a connector. not sure about the turbo noise tho.

[redrumracer]

or hell check to make sure there isnt a hole in a connector.

[Catnip]

or hell check to make sure there isnt a hole in a connector.

as in a coupler? like I said, I know it's boost leaking, but it won't even run if it's too bad.

[Catnip]

oh, and I don't hear/see an exhaust leak.

[AnthonyF]

hmm...this is an odd problem that would be easier for most of us to figure out if we saw this. We've given you the easy things to try out, try going to a professional shop.

-Ant.

[Ronsam2006]

This happened to me the first time I boosted high. Trust me the way that sounds, its a boost leak. Its probably a coupler. If you have aftermarket intercooler piping...check that when someone is revving it up a little to see where the air is coming from. It might just be a slit in the coupler. Plus, does it shudder when you are full throttle when it doesnt go above 2 psi vacuum? If it does, thats a boost leak.


And what do you mean DSMs wont run like that without MAF translators?

[Catnip]

This happened to me the first time I boosted high. Trust me the way that sounds, its a boost leak. Its probably a coupler. If you have aftermarket intercooler piping...check that when someone is revving it up a little to see where the air is coming from. It might just be a slit in the coupler. Plus, does it shudder when you are full throttle when it doesnt go above 2 psi vacuum? If it does, thats a boost leak.


And what do you mean DSMs wont run like that without MAF translators?

Thanks man, we'll see what happens when i replace these couplers and boost leak test it again.

As in it will be sucking in air after the maf, so it won't be measured... therefore it won't run. I've blown a coupler off and once almost off, and it wouldn't run unless I held it above like 4k at a steady RPM. Kinda like not having the recirc off, but wayyyyy worse.

[Ronsam2006]

Thanks man, we'll see what happens when i replace these couplers and boost leak test it again.

As in it will be sucking in air after the maf, so it won't be measured... therefore it won't run. I've blown a coupler off and once almost off, and it wouldn't run unless I held it above like 4k at a steady RPM. Kinda like not having the recirc off, but wayyyyy worse.

Dont just replace the couplers...they are expensive...and thats one thing our car isn't. lol. Just check to see if the clamps are tight...and not over tightented. Because when they are over tightened, they tend to bend and let some air out when being pressurized.

Measured or not by the MAF...when an intercooler pipe blows off...your car runs rich...really rich. Especially when there isn't steady flow of air going into the intake manifold.

[Catnip]

Dont just replace the couplers...they are expensive...and thats one thing our car isn't. lol. Just check to see if the clamps are tight...and not over tightented. Because when they are over tightened, they tend to bend and let some air out when being pressurized.

Measured or not by the MAF...when an intercooler pipe blows off...your car runs rich...really rich. Especially when there isn't steady flow of air going into the intake manifold.

Well I know for a fact that one needs to be replaced and another one need to be moved. But I don't get why it would change over night.
Not trying to be hard-headed, I'm just not really udnerstanding.

[Ronsam2006]

Well I know for a fact that one needs to be replaced and another one need to be moved. But I don't get why it would change over night.
Not trying to be hard-headed, I'm just not really udnerstanding.

Cmon man you have had a turbo car before...shiit happens. Vibrations, pressure, etc causes things to get loose or pop out. You know depending on the angle you put the coupler in...determines how long it will stay in place. I actually had waaaay too many problems with couplers and piping popping off in the middle of the highway, etc. So now, I just put a drop of super glue between the coupler and piping...just enough to hold it in...but just enough to pull it out if needed. I have had to take off my bumper on the side of the highway one too many times...trust me you will figure it out. Just take your bumper off and start working things one at a time.

[AnthonyF]

go get an evap test. We have one here, but if u get a fog machine, that'll do the same trick. It'll show u where the leak is at.

-Ant.

[Catnip]

ok, even though last night it was free spinning, today we pulled the intake and the turbo is seized. oh well.

bullseye 57 trim hybrid...

[slostang]

lol @ sig ^^

[redrumracer]

this thread will answer all problems
ATTN: CgEvan

[patrick4588]

seized turbo ftl.

[stephen]

i know you said the turbo was seized, but just for future reference...you can always check for leaks with carb or maf cleaner. just let the car idle, and start spraying any pipe/or hose connections. you'll know when you have a leak when the motor tries to choke out. JUST FYI

[Catnip]

i know you said the turbo was seized, but just for future reference...you can always check for leaks with carb or maf cleaner. just let the car idle, and start spraying any pipe/or hose connections. you'll know when you have a leak when the motor tries to choke out. JUST FYI

thanks bro

I have a boost leak tester though

[patrick4588]

do you know why the turbo seized? have you checked your oil lines to make sure they are ok?

[Catnip]

Had to have been operator error.
Said person raced a MK2 supra with 2 bad couplers, we're guessing it was overworked.
lol