Its Fixed! Turbo is working

[arbell9]

Hi All,

[ original post........my turbo failed yesterday whilst doing normal driving, so any ideas on whats gone wrong? The car drives normally but no boost at 4000rpm upwards. Also is it still ok to run with out it? I have to get back home later today and its about a 45mile trip.]

Two fellas from CNs picked up the car this morning (albeit late, I am sure they stopped off for a bacon butty!). The rattle on the car was really obvious this AM. Well it turned out it was a broken CAT. The insides had broken lose and were twisted round and blocked the free-flow of exhaust. So exhaust fumes were backing uphindering performance. So they have taken it off and are sending it away for reconditioning, they fitted me a CAT bypass pipe as a temporary fix. They will call me when the CAT is returned to them. All fixed under the warranty, and car delivered home this afternoon. All in all quite a good job by them.

I have been out in the car and it runs sweet again. So I will be joining everyone at the NMG hoon on Sunday in the rain.

nice one

Alex

Edited December 8, 2006 by Alex --GT3--

[alan]

Hi All,

my turbo failed yesterday whilst doing normal driving, so any ideas on whats gone wrong? The car drives normally but no boost at 4000rpm upwards.

Also is it still ok to run with out it? I have to get back home later today and its about a 45mile trip.

thanks

Alex

07843555186 ( this is because I am logged on at my parents on the dial up connection so I wont be online long, if its a serious engine failure please call me)

Hi,

I have a similar experience recently. Have a look at the turbo, there should be a metal rod that goes from the turbo to the vaccum wastegate capsule. If this falls off / breaks then you will loose all turbo boost. If it has slipped off at the turbo end you may be able to push it back on. Be careful of course - it could be very hot!

If everything else seems OK (oil pressure etc) then it should be OK to drive for a while without a turbo (other than you may get overtaken by milkfloats).

Alan

[arbell9]

Hi Alan,

the rod is holding in place, I drove back via Chris Neil to get it booked in. They (not the mechanics but Steve) suggest its probably a disconnected pipe and will be ok to run temporarily. They are going to pick it up and fix it next week. Hope its done asap as there is a NMG hoon on the 10th.

It was wierd watch Ford Ka's blitz past, mind you I was nursing it on the roads not knowing how bad it is.

How was yours fixed, what was the solution?

Alex

[Jonathan]

Theres a few things it could be, depending on whether the turbo was spooling or you were leaking air pressure. Stuck open wastegate is one - cracked turbo/compressor housing is another

Driving it slowly wont generally hurt it unless bits fly off into the induction system and get gobbled up by the valves / pistons

My old R5 GTT's turbo cracked and it siezed the turbine - I drove it home, it just had no power.

Hope it's not too expensive.

[Paul C]

Have you got a check engine light?

The engine limits boost under fault conditions, if my SE has a check light lit

then the boost needle will stick solid at the middle position and give me no

boostuntil i get it fixed. Just thought i'd throw that in, probably not though.

I think they might have binned the boost gauge in late Gt3's though, which

was an odd thing to do IMO, so i guess you can only go by feel.

[arbell9]

Hi Paul,

there are no warning lights on, and they did dump the boost gauge so its not easy to tell. Basically, the engine revs like a normal car without turbo.

cheers

Alex

[Artie]

Hi Paul,

there are no warning lights on, and they did dump the boost gauge so its not easy to tell. Basically, the engine revs like a normal car without turbo.

cheers

Alex

Do you hear rushing air? Perhaps you simply blew a coupler off of the CC inlet or outlet! Not uncommon in cool weather when the air density is higher. Also, could simply be the wastegate actuator rod as suggested. Did the car produce a lot of smoke? IF not I'd think it is more a mechanical fault as opposed to turbo failure.

ARtie

[arbell9]

There is no rushing air, and no smoke. When I start it up now there is a loud rattle which was not there before. I tried recording it on my phone to upload the sound file but its rubbish quality.

Alex

[Paul C]

There is no rushing air, and no smoke. When I start it up now there is a loud rattle which was not there before. I tried recording it on my phone to upload the sound file but its rubbish quality.

Alex

Am not a tech head, but you 100% sure its the turbo, as with all my replies this

probably won't help, but i had loss of power and funny noises on my supra when

the cambelt jumped...

Could the rattle be bits of the turbo impeller, can they do that?

[arbell9]

Am not a tech head, but you 100% sure its the turbo, as with all my replies this

probably won't help, but i had loss of power and funny noises on my supra when

the cambelt jumped...

Could the rattle be bits of the turbo impeller, can they do that?

I am not a tech head either, but the whining spin of the turbo has gone.

[Jonathan]

Sounds like the wastegate but obviously hard to tell without seeing it - that would flap around like a rattle in a can if the control rod has come off or similar - would ring true with there being to puff either.

Could also be the compressor / turbine.

If its' the turbo just get it re-conned if possible - wont cost you that muchin the grand scheme of things, the turbo's pretty easy to work on once the boot floor is out.

[arbell9]

Sounds like the wastegate but obviously hard to tell without seeing it - that would flap around like a rattle in a can if the control rod has come off or similar - would ring true with there being to puff either.

Could also be the compressor / turbine.

If its' the turbo just get it re-conned if possible - wont cost you that muchin the grand scheme of things, the turbo's pretty easy to work on once the boot floor is out.

I am hoping that it wont cost me anything ( or v little) as Chris Neill including one of those 12 month insurance warranties with the car. It will be interesting to find out what its worth this week. Fingers crossed.

Alex

[rens914]

You could try to take off the hose from the inlet side of the turbo

takes about 1 minute

then you can see the wheel

put your finger on the bolt in the middel. it must be steady (you musn't be able to wobble it to the left or right)

then take a flash light and look if the wheel is still intact and if it turns nicely

you even could take off the exhaust pipe on the other side (tekes a bit longer)

both wheels are connected and should be ok and turn together

gr Rens

[kyliesmith.com]

Hi hope its not too bad....I had same problem as you about two months ago although mine more serious. I got a cracked turbo housing...Ouch $$$$ Any mechanic should be able to do a pressure test for you and see what psi is left and go from there. I got the waste gate actuator refurbished while the turbo was being done. Fingers crossed for you

[karluk29]

if there is no smoke then its prob not the turbo, im no expert but i have had 2 turbos on the gt3 (both my fault), and now i run one with a 360 degree bearing and its fine, but a refurb turbo is only around

[david]

I had a good look at your GT3 when it was up for sale in Chris Neils - looks a goodun! Congrats.

Are you in the Cheshire area - spotted a green W reg GT3 on the A556 on Saturday. Unfortunately I was in the family car so if it was you and you saw some idiot in a Volvo give you the thumbs up that was me.

Chris Neil are pretty good with warranty work by all account I've heard so hopefully you won't have too many problems getting it sorted apart from the inconvenience.

[arbell9]

I had a good look at your GT3 when it was up for sale in Chris Neils - looks a goodun! Congrats.

Are you in the Cheshire area - spotted a green W reg GT3 on the A556 on Saturday. Unfortunately I was in the family car so if it was you and you saw some idiot in a Volvo give you the thumbs up that was me.

Chris Neil are pretty good with warranty work by all account I've heard so hopefully you won't have too many problems getting it sorted apart from the inconvenience.

Hi David,

that was me before the turbo/boost broke! Didnt spot you in the volvo so apologies there. I have loved the car so far and reckon its in the top two things I have owned. I live in Middlewich, whereabouts in Cheshire are you based? My car goes in on Friday to be sorted and I am hoping it doesnt require a part ordering. I am hopefully going on the NMG hoon on Sunday all being well.

cheers

Alex

[Paula&Marcus]

Hi Alex,

Sorry to hear of your problem.

If you get not boost at all it could be alot of things:

- stuck open wastegate

- broken wastegate rod or arm

- faulty turbo bearings (very likely)

- loose "red" pipe/hose between turbo and c/cooler or the one between c/cooler and plenum

...

BTW, there is NO control line that when disconnected will lower or shut down boost !!! If the boost control lines get disconnected you will experience the opposite scenario !

Cheers

Marcus

Hi Alan,

the rod is holding in place, I drove back via Chris Neil to get it booked in. They (not the mechanics but Steve) suggest its probably a disconnected pipe and will be ok to run temporarily. They are going to pick it up and fix it next week. Hope its done asap as there is a NMG hoon on the 10th.

It was wierd watch Ford Ka's blitz past, mind you I was nursing it on the roads not knowing how bad it is.

How was yours fixed, what was the solution?

Alex

[arbell9]

Thanks for all the suggestions and tips, it goes in on Friday to be checked out and so I will post a report on progress/resolution on Friday evening (hopefully with big smilie face).

Its been wierd driving around in the volvo again, its like driving around on a dining room chair!! Good views though. On the plus side it does have a bond gadget, when I floor-it I use my enemy diesel smoke screen and choke the evil villains behind Hahaha!!

cheers

Alex (sniffing the diesel this week)

[snuffy]

My GT3 had it's turbo blow up a few years ago. I did get a loud scream as I booted it in first, then no power at all but still driveable. Then, as I was putting it away in the garage to wait for Chris Niel to pick it up I scrapped it down the side of my garage.

[david]

Hi Alex,

I'm in Holmes Chapel so very local.

Looks like I'll be able to join in the NMEG get together on Sunday so can easily give you a lift if required. PM me with your details.

If you've got your car back, we could meet at Sandbach Services, possibly with Mat too.

[superdavelotus]

Hi Alex,

Just had a quick word with you know who and they have an nearly new/ very god used GT3 turbo in stock.

[arbell9]

Hi Alex,

Just had a quick word with you know who and they have an nearly new/ very god used GT3 turbo in stock.

[tfi204]

Glad to hear it was not a major undertaking. Good luck with the rest of it and enjoy the event on Sunday, if its raining.

Chuck

[Jonathan]

Crikey that must have been appraoching dangerous back pressure