How do u recognize a down/broken turbo?

[NLduffyNL]

I think i might lost a turbo, but how can i check that?

Reason of thinking?
I've got a Tweaked ecu from John.
Since the beginning i was hearing the turbo's whistle. (could be coming because i got hard piping)
(Boost is 0.9/1.0 with peak of 1.1bar)

For 2 weeks ago i got a pressureleak and i fixed it. Since then i heard the Turbo's whistle a bit less and the car reacted a bit better. But i could still hear the turbo's whistle good

Now ive driven a few day's easy... and today i wanned to throttle a bit more.
Uhmm the car was'nt going that smooth/fast as it was before... I Took a look at the boost gauge and its going max. to 0.5bar

Now i thought right away: pressure leak... but ive searched today but i couldnt find one :S

Btw: Today was the first time that i noticed the turbo's didn't whistle anymore (it still does... but allmoste cant hear them anymore)

[Nick Mann]

It sounds like a control problem or a boost leak. The turbos usually show signs of wear by allowing oil through the seals so the car starts smoking. Most often this is shown under vacuum, so first indications are using low gear to hold you speed down a long hill. The car will smoke like a git then if your seals are going. For your turbos to get to the point that they aren't spinning enough to achieve the boost, you must have some astonishing wear on the bearings....

[NLduffyNL]

Ok, tomorrow i'll go drive a bit, going to a hill.. and i drive it down in 4th of 5th gear and dont use my gaspedal. I doing it right then?
And if the car is smoking then the oil seal from the turbo(s) needs replacement?

Isn't it normal that you hear the turbo's wistle more if u got a pressureleak? (because the last time the whistle was going a bit less when ive fixed the pressure leak)

[Nick Mann]

Some cars whistle more than others. I have never seen a correlation between good/bad cars and whistles!

4th or better 3rd, you want a nice high vacuum, revs around 2000 or higher, so the injectors aren't firing. Anything coming out of the exhaust isn't petrol at that point.

[NLduffyNL]

Ok thanks, thats clear, going to check that tomorrow!

[Mark 4]

I have had a whistle for some time. At the rolling road day Gareth suggested thet my dump valve might have been leaking so I adjusted it a bit and the whistle was still there. A couple of days ago I parked in a space which had quite a high kerb at the front, as I reversed out I ripped the front bumper off on the drivers side. Slightly embarassing.

While I was fixing that I noticed that there was an oily patch on one of my hard pipes and thaught that this was a sure sign of boost leak. I checked the hose clamps and they seemed pretty tight. Nevertheless I gave them a bit more just to be sure.

Whistle has not been heard since.

[TAR]

0.5 bar sounds like wastegate pressure, it may be a faulty boost solenoid?

[adaxo]

Some cars whistle more than others. I have never seen a correlation between good/bad cars and whistles!

4th or better 3rd, you want a nice high vacuum, revs around 2000 or higher, so the injectors aren't firing. Anything coming out of the exhaust isn't petrol at that point.

So, slight whistle sound from turbo in VR4 does not indicate wearing of turbo and basically is nothing to worry about??
Asking because i was told by few car mechanics 'if you can hear turbo is going to die', but it was VAG group diesel engines in question.

[Nick Mann]

I have had turbos die on my car and there was no whistle. Just lots of smoke on overrun. Contrary to that I know of a car that has whistled for years but is till racking up the miles.

I'm not saying there is never a connection, but whistling in itself is no big concern from my point of view.

[NLduffyNL]

Ok, so weird, today i checked everything in the engine bay and it was all looking good.

Started the engine... went for a drive to the hill.... Huh? I got my boost back :S
A well, i did what nick said, just to try and no smoke at all.

Still weird why ive had 0.5 boost yesterday.. and today ive got 1.0/1.1 back :S

[NLduffyNL]

I'm kicking this one back up again.
The problems with the boost are getting worse.

First i had this a few (2 or 3) times in 1000km.
Now i got this every day! (on long distance but on short too)

Today ive checked the whole system again and only found a little leak, i fixed it, but didnt had any result on the boost. (no changes at all)

I got memoscan, i can read my ecu with that
It was giving me the following troubles that i cant delete:
(some might be given because i dont got 4wd and the tweaked ecu)

53: IG. SGNL 3
21: CLT TEMP. SNSR
23: CAM POS. SNSR
24: SPEED SNSR


The second time (15min later) i read the ecu again and this time i get:
32: BOOST SNSR
21: CLT TEMP. SNSR
23: CAM POS. SNSR

I keep seeeing a change between those readings (had them both several times on diffrent dates)

By the way, can someone tell me what this part is? I can turn that black "button" left/right but ive no idea what it is (in the middle of the first pic)
pic1 : http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-JVKPI8QR.jpg

GroteFoto-JVKPI8QR.jpg
pic2 : http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-QFSCBZQG.jpg
GroteFoto-QFSCBZQG.jpg

Oh and i got a printscreen from ASA (i dont have that programm but i had the printscr on my computer.
I like to know where those red marked this are going to. because i dont have the lowest one connected and i cant find out where that other one is going to.
Printscreen ASA : http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-QAX6VVR3.jpg
GroteFoto-QAX6VVR3.jpg


Hope you guys can help me a bit further.

Cheers, Mark

[Nick Mann]

The photos are of the Fuel Pressure Regulator Solenoid. The Boost Solenoid is to the left in the same photos. On the boost solenoid, both pipes go to the same side of the solenoid body - on the fpr solenoid they are opposite sides.

[NLduffyNL]

by the way, when im checking the ECU manually (by reading the check engine light) It does not give any fault at all.
(so its possible that memoscan got it wrong )

But still got the problem with the pressure thats way to low...

[KwS]

wouldnt a cam position sensor code throw the car into limp mode?

[NLduffyNL]

Your proberly right KwS, i dont think the ecu is giving me errors, i think memoscan isnt reliable

On the FPR i got the hoses connected good, im sure about that.
But im not sure about the hoses that ive got connected to the boost selenoid. (cant follow them easy)
I want to know where these go to so i can check that.

But that still doesnt declare how it comes that i dont got my boost anymore. (most of the times)

[apeman69]

I'd wager your turbos are OK and you have a boost leak in the small pipes of the boost control system.

After I had RPW downpipes fitted I noticed a pronounced increase in whistling. Even when gently starting from stand still I can now hear the turbos spooling up (and down).
I have had this whistling with my old turbos, which were replaced for reconditioned units, and with the recons.

I'd check and replace all the small vacuum hoses of the boost control system. There are at least 12 vacuum pipe connections including a couple of t-pieces. Many of the original pipes will have curly plastic shielding which could hide a problem. See the much-used diagram below where the boost control system is highlighted in red.

[NLduffyNL]

Thanks, ok going to search this week i think.
If i can get my hands on some new hoses i'll give it fresh new ones right away

[elnevio]

A lot of error-code scanning software is unreliable on these, as while we DO use an OBD-II port, the Mitsi diagnostics are not actually OBD-II-compliant.

With the manual check, were you also checking the other flashing lights, e.g. A/T N light (if automatic), TCL OFF and skiddy car lights, AYC lights, etc. for errors?

[NLduffyNL]

I've checked all the vacuuum hoses, they were all fine.
There is only 1 thing i saw, that is the vacuum hose that is going to the airfilter, isnt connected to anything. (Ive got an open air filter so i cant connect it to the filter)

There is my next question right away:
Is it possible that the MAF is reacting on the open air filter, giving it weird data and thats the reason that i dont got my full pressure.
I dont got the original filter when i bought this engine so i cant try if its over with the original one

[mattnz]

Just skimmed over the thread, so sorry if someone has asked, but have you got the expected vacuum reading (-20mmHg)?

When I had worn turbos I was getting full vacuum but only about 4psi, whereas when I had a boost leak I was getting lower than expected vacuum and boost.