stevejmason

Hi all,

Firstly apologies for not joining sooner, today is the first year anniversary of owning my 2002 WRX!

Panicking slightly as i'm due to be (sensibly) driving around the Nordschleife 3 weeks today, and I seem to have developed a metallic sounding rattle at idle. Perhaps not just at idle, but I can't here it over the sound of the engine/exhaust at any higher rpm.

It sounds like it is coming from the downpipe/turbo. Most audible from the driver side (UK) front under the car. Doesn't seem to be heat-sheild, I've been around the manifold, uppipe (STI decat), and downpipe with a rubber mallet to hold, no luck. Perhaps a gas leak? I didn't replace the DP gasket last time, but it was replaced last Aug.

Video of the downpipe/noise here:

Having dropped out the DP this morning (Cobra 3" w/ 200cell sport cat & wideband lambda welded into bell mouth), there's no debris in the DP/turbo, but the wall around the exhaust-side turbo turbine doesn't look particularly healthy.. like the wall has started to corrode away around the turbine. Shaft spins ok and doesn't seem to catch on anything. When driven, car held 1.3bar boost (ECUTek map) fine, except the occasional 0.5bar max in 2nd gear, although i'm wondering if this had anything to do with the fact I'd only just re-attached the battery after having it out for a day or so to charge.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0k...ew?usp=sharing

Unless accused of being insane, my current plan is to put the car back together and head on over to Germany on the 1st of May...

Any opinons? Please.

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Only a couple of things I've seen, One is to check the wastegate flap is under tension and closed firmly and that the penny washer isn't loose and rattling.

The only other is the up-pipe pre turbo cat has broken up and started to go through the turbo

stevejmason

Thanks for the reply!

1. Yes could be the wastegate button, seems that I can spin it very easily, and certainly makes noise when fingering it. Should it be tight to the turbo when engine is off? New actuator required?

2. I'm running STI decat uppipe so no pre turbo cat.

Cheers.

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Yes it should be tight when the engine isn't running an at idle. You may be able to adjust the tension depending on your model of turbo this is sometimes possible and sometimes not, look at the rod on the wastegate, if theres a locking nut on the fitting loosen it and remove the arm off the turbo and screw inwards until you get half a hole open up so you have to pull the Rod back onto the wastegate arm

williams.84

Mine sounded the same as this not to long ago I found a hole in the bottom of the gasket in the down pipe.
Can you feel any gases/pressure coming from around the down pipe that attaches to the turbo?

stevejmason

I have tightened the wastegate arm by one full rotation and the button is no longer rotating. Time to put that dp back on.

@Williams.84, gasket "looks" ok, (I know that means nothing lol, it's fairly recent) Ill put it back together now without the heat shield and have a feel.

stevejmason

Seems to have cured the noise! Thanks.

Boost seems more consistent in all gears (before it was a bit hit and miss). Assume that the increased boost from the ECUTek map is putting a lot more wear on the actuator spring. I'll add replacing the actuator to the todo list for later on this year! Where would be the best place to source one? I'm scared of all these Chinese TD04s etc. on eBay .....

rob84

iTrader: (5)

I wouldn't worry too much about replacing the actuator, Most likely its a bit of wear with age on the actual turbo housing. Most likely last for many years to come now you've adjusted it.