Turbo / boost problem

[Salvo]

All of a sudden I lost that kick that I love so much. I am not sure what the reason is
The boost gauge doesn't move just sits on "0" apart from that it seems to run ok.
Any ideas as to what's wrong? Or what else to look out for?

[Nick Mann]

Is it standard? If it isn't boosting and it is still running well then I'd hazard a guess at a jammed turbo. A big boost leak will cause a lack of boost, but the car won't drive well. Is it possible that the car is still going quite well but the boost gauge is broken?

[Davezj]

hopefully it is only a small vac/boost that has come off.

[Salvo]

Hi Nick, the car is standard and its running smooth. I think a jammed turbo
Is a good guess, don't think it's a broken gauge its just not boosting.
If it is a jammed turbo would it be safe to drive till I find
Time to get it to a garage?

[Salvo]

Hey Dave, I'll try have a look tomorrow problem is
I have to get to Leigh in the morning hopefully it will be ok

[Davezj]

i wouldn't drive it with a trashed turbo.

easy to check the turbos, just take off the inlet pipework and give the compressor wheel a wiggle and a spin.

[Salvo]

i wouldn't drive it with a trashed turbo.

easy to check the turbos, just take off the inlet pipework and give the compressor wheel a wiggle and a spin.

That's easy for you to say but it needs to get me to work in the morning
And I don't have a garage myself might have to get myself a second car

[Davezj]

don't worry, it will only be a pipe popped off probably on the boost gauge.

[Salvo]

Checked that Dave all ok there I'll check under bonnet in the morning

[Davezj]

check the elbow that fits on the throttle body, it is a prime candidate for coming off under any kind of boost and then when you lift off the throottle it gets sucked back on to the throttle body.
car runs fine but no boost and no power. but check all the other turbo pipework between the throttle body and the Y pipe coming from the turbos.
just make sure clamps are tight.

[Salvo]

Thanks Dave will do

[Salvo]

Problem solved. Small silicone hose split and come off

[Nick Mann]

Was the silicon hose affecting the boost gauge reading?

[Salvo]

Yes Nick it was the one that diverts to the boost gauge no wonder it split, it was too tight, had a job getting it back on first chance I get I'm gonna replace it with one that fits better

[Erni902]

Was it the clear hose that you get with most boost gauges? I hate the clear ones, they simply can't take the temperatures. My old boost gauge would stick sometimes or not register anything at all. When I checked under the bonnet the clear hose was all shriveled up, warped and solid. Replaced with a proper vacuum hose and all was good.

[Davezj]

so is it boosting normally now.
if so the car could not of been far off normal boosting when the pipe had split. a small leak like that would not make that much differenceto the power of the car.
you said the car was creating no boost and was slow. not giving the kick you love. now the pipe is back on the boost gauge is it giving the kick you love again.
do you think it was just a psychoalogical effect of seeing the boost gauge showing no boost that you thought the car felt slow.

[Nick Mann]

It would have been enough of a leak to knock the fuelling out so the car would have been slower. However, I agree that it would still have been boosting. I have had a stalled turbo and the car was very slow. A 1.8gdi would have left me standing in any gear. That's why I askedif it was the boost gauge hose, as that is enough to make the car a bit slower, stops the boost gauge working and would cause the car to lose a bit of performance.
Now the boost gauge is working again, notice the vacuum on idle. It may help in the future to see if the vacuum changes with a future boost issue.

[Davezj]

Well said nick, and very nicely put. You have give more information, and explained the reason why you think this is true, unlike some, that just say no your wrong.
I agree with what you say above, the furling would get pushed out of its normal operating conditions and would probably feel a little slower.

Thanks for being nice about it.

[Salvo]

Okay I got my laptop back from repairs so I can do a bit more typing than on my iphone.
it was a blue silicone vacuum hose that split and came away. It it's got a "t" section one goes off to the gauge the other don't know where.
Thanks for that explanation Nick. The car was definitely slower and that "kick" was missing which is why I said that it wasn't boosting. I'll put it in another way,
previously when cruising in 5th (mine is an auto) go a bit hard on the pedal and two things happen simultaneously it drops to 4th and it boosts, ease off slightly and it goes back to 5th but the boost stays on probably at 4k rpm at this point.
With that vacuum hose off, same speed in 5th but when i put my foot down there is no drop into 4th and no kick it just picked up speed gradually and that's the best I can describe it.
Dave now I have a smile on my face again

[Confused]

Usually the boost gauge is T'd in to the pipe coming from the inlet plenum to the fuel pressure regulator, as this is the most easily accessible pipe, and is a fairly short run.

If it had split between the plenum and the T, then the fuel pressure won't have risen as it should - potentially resulting in less fuel pressure, and less fuel, which could explain the drop in performance.