Cheers for that.

Yes, we've checked all the main hoses, dumpvalve, inlet and thos from the boost solenoid. Everything is fine. Just took it up the motorway now. Got SOME boost only about 0.2 bar though.

Cheers anyway.

Rich

 

Try these:
1/ Try de-gunking you boost solenoid with brake cleaner.
2/ Check your hoses/jubilee clips from Turbo to intercooler and hose/jubilee clips from intercooler to intake plenum.
3/ Check boost hoses for splits, loose connections and that the restrictor is where it should be.

Worth trying everything b4 you have to pay dealership labour costs.

Jacko.

 

with the engine OFF and cold, take the inlet pipe off of the compressor side of the turbo, you should be able to feel inside and using two fingers see if the turbo spins freely, my escort was off the road for 3 months and when i started it up and run it i had no pressure at all, the boost guage showed teh vacumn on tickover and went up to 0 whilst driving, i checked the inside and the wheel was hardly turning at all and took a lot of pressure to turn it, the bearing housing expands a little when it heats up making it even harder to spin up, also if the car is producing VERY low boost on the motorway or continous driving then this could be because there is constant pressure on the impeller and may manage to turn it a bit... then again if you can hear the turbo spin up properly then the problem lies elswhere....

 

I had exactly the same prob on my legacy,

it turned out to be the circlip from the actuator arm to the wastegate had popped off. The arm had risen out of the wastegate linkage and effectively was doing nothing, leaving the wastegate permanently open with no boost.

You've probably looked at this already but just check the linkage under the heatshield is intact.

To check the boost solenoid is not the problem just link the turbo nipple straight to the actuator (with the solenoid out of circuit) with a T-piece going to your boost gauge. If solenoid was problem you will get boost until you hit fuel cut (so try and moderate the accelator as not to overboost).

Rich

 

Thanks Folks,

Richard was right. It was the circlip that had popped off the actuator rod. Couldn't see it at night with the heatshields on.

My brother is relieved now. Cost 10p rather than £1k

Thanks for your help all.

Rich

 

Great tip & glad it's only 10p

One little thing just to be annoying ...

>>If solenoid was problem you will get boost until you hit fuel cut (so try and moderate the accelator as not to overboost).

I would have thought that you would see 0.5 to 0.6 bar boost in this case ? Am I wrong ? The solenoid/restrictor system is delaying/lesseing the amount of boost the actuator sees, with a straight pipe from it would see all boost and hence open wastegate at 0.6 bar (depending on spring) boost ?

 

Evil,
It depends on which way the solenoid was knackered.
If it was closed permanently and not working then you would get what you described but if it was permanently open and not working then you would get overboost as the actuator wouldn't be seeing any pressure and hence the wastegate would remain closed.

Andy

 

Andy, sure, I explained badly ... I was on about the suggestion of fitting a straight pipe from the turbo outlet nipple to the wastegate actuator (effectively removing the whole solenoid control from the system).

 

Evil,
Yeh, and I should have read the whole of the above post as well.

I agree with what you're saying.
If you connect the turbo nipple straight to the wastegate actuator you will not overboost at all but get less than standard boost because the wastegate actuator will be seeing the full boost pressure and opening earlier than if you were bleeding air from the line.

Andy

 

Now actuator is working properly, boost is ok.

0.9bar held.

Circlip must have been off a few days and the actuator rod had been waggling about

Cheers
Rich

 

Rich,

Exactly the same happened on my UK94 (which you looked at) ages ago. Heart wrenching moment as there was just no acceleration. Checking gauges ~ same no boost.

No bang, no smoke ~ just no power.

Took car up to the paddock, checked hoses. Waggled the actuator rod and it was just swinging freely.

Yep a 10p fix (well free as I got a circlip off my brother !)

Cheapest fix I've known on my Scoob !

 

Yep guys your right regarding solenoid check.

got my pressures **** backwards

Oh well - At least the circlip info was some use.

Rich

 

Not on MINE before the old "too much boost brigade" start!!

My brother's car (UK 97) has been stood for several weeks while he was out of the country (only being run occasionally). Recently he's been getting underboost AND overboost. Suddenly last night, he put his foot down and nothing happened. No TURBO.

There was no bang, no smoke it's just stopped working. The boost gauge builds up from -ve to 0 and just stays there.

What could this be?

I reckon his wastegate might be stuck open. Perhaps the actuator has seized due to being stood for a long time.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cheers

Rich

[Edited by RICH WILD - 3/6/2002 8:49:14 AM]

 

Rich,
Have you checked all of the intake pipework and hoses?
It could be that you've blown off a hose and that's why you're not getting any boost pressure.

Andy

[Edited to say that I doubt it's the wastegate as even with it fully open, you will still develop some boost pressure. The wastegate isn't big enough to bypass all of the exhaust gas flow.]

[Edited by EvoRSX - 3/6/2002 12:59:00 PM]