Boosting problems please help

[paroxysm]

Hi all, I have a 96 wrx and about a month ago it started running like crap.

was struggling to keep at 100ks and if you floored it, it would loose power.

took it into subaru winger and they said it was the "turbo valves"

I was puzzled so I looked up the error code and it said wastegate duty solinoid valve.

I grabed a second hand one because they wanted $400 for the part and it solved my problem for about 2 days then it started messing up again.

Not as bad as before but still crap. Will only drive properly if i lengthen the actuator arm but then its only at like 3 psi. any tighter and its crap.

Any ideas on what it could be?

[WRXONP]

You have solenoid plumbed up properly ? Still getting a fault code ? When in limp mode (CEL O) it wil only boost 7pound.

[WRXONP]

Waste gate should be set so its pre loaded so it has some tension holding it shut . . And thats how it should stay . You should never have to alter it

[paroxysm]

Solinoid is in exactly the same as last one. Dont know about code, took it into subaru to get that and dont wanna shell out more money.

I swapped the actuator with another one as I have a turbo I want to replace the old one with as it whines really badly.

Its supposed to have a 10psi spring but ran 5-7psi like my old one. Old ones back in now but i read up on preloading gates so tryed to ajust it.

Now it wont run right if the actuator arm is pulling the internal gate flap closed. if theres a bit of room it drives normally with hardly any boost and if its pulling the flap closed then it is really slow for like 2000-3000 rpm after you floor it and then it starts pulling really hard.

But not just slow. like moving nowhere at all. really horrible

[WRXONP]

Sure there not a problem with your turbo ? You say it whines ? Damaged fins ? You can check fault codes your self for free . I would do self diagnostics then reset ecu and check codes again .

[Pappu1]

I Wud also say do as he described above

Also there are 2 tests u can do to see if the actuator is bung or if turbo is playing up

1

Put the boost hose strait to wg actuator and see how it runs

2

Have nothing on the wg actuator and see if it boosts better. Note that this is fairly risky stuff so back off the throttle as soon as u get to more than say 14-15 psi as after that u Wud be boosting into danger zone

Report back on all ur findings and maybe there cud be sense to ur issue

[paroxysm]

Thanks very much guys.

Will do first thing in the morning.

So if the line goes straight to the actuator and is running fine then its the factory boost control?

and by have nothing on the wg actuator do you mean have the actuator on but no line going to it?? or no actuator connected?

[Pappu1]

Yea bro with the wg connected strait with turbo it's running wg pressure and bypassing any controllers

And with wg port un connected it runnin unlimited boost mode hence why dont let I overboost like I listed before

Basically checking to see if the turbo is able to boost fully

[paroxysm]

Looked up checking the ecu myself. hooked up the black wires like it said to get it into diagnostic mode, no check engine light came on and it said if there was no problem it would come on and flash repeatedly...

I unplugged the lines from the turbo and actuator where they go to at the solinoid valve. Then put one line between the turbo and actuator.

With the actuator arm loose like I said before (the only way the car would drive properly) there was no difference.

With the arm tightened halfway the car was running like ass and it was showing like 4psi on the gauge

Then I tried unplugging the line from the turbo. So the actuator, turbo and solinoid valve have no lines between them ( i hope this is what you meant)

In conclusion still only ran fine with the arm really loose, like the wastegate flap (if u know what i mean) is allready open a bit

Basically same results apart from when the arm was tightened halfway it was showing 7+ psi but still driving horribly and slowly.

[paroxysm]

Any suggestions would be appriciated as my car is running so badly..

I do have a spare turbo. could changing the turbo fix it as it seems that without any boost control its still horrible

[DRFVDR]

If it is crap with no control then it is either the turbo ( including a waste gate issue) OR the issue is something unrelated

[Pappu1]

If u have a spare turbo then chuck it on

Chances are if u lucky then that was it

Also maybe check spark plugs and coils before doing that as well as maybe try a different fuel pump

These all Wud be the easier to sort options so hopefully that works our for u

Let us know how things go bro

[paroxysm]

Ok so good news.

Reset the ecu as per internet inscructions. Tighternd actuator arm to halfway so flap was closed and it drove perfectly at 4-5psi!!

Tried the wg to turbo and that was the same and with the turbo and wg not connected it ran 5psi

I am going to try different actuator arm lengths and the other actuator over the next cpl days as i get time and will report back

But is it wierd that it only made 5psi with nutn connected? i would have thot it would have kept climbing or sumthn?

The car ran 5-7psi when i brought it. 7 in 4th and 5th gears

[DRFVDR]

sounds to me that the wastegate is not closing,either it is warped,OR the turbo is toast

[Pappu1]

Swap the turbo u have and hopefully that ought to fix

Be good to ge back to boost eh bro

[paroxysm]

Ye tried tightening the arm a couple times last night. More boost but less speed.

Ima try the other actuator 2day but i think i jst need to leave it at 5psi untill new turbos in and c wat happens from there.

But yes. amazing to be back in boost.

[WRXONP]

With the actuator arm holding the flap shut (how it should be set) with no hose on you should be getting unlimited boost (spool until you hit fuel cut). This is the only way you should have the actuator . It should never be cracked open . Just shut hard . If 5 is all you can get either ya turbo is stuffed or the waste gate isnt shut properly hence it cant make much boost . . . . You should have 7 or 8 on waste gate spring any way ? Not 5

[paroxysm]

When the flap is shut you can tightern it alot more. the tighter the arm the more boost it has (in theory, or so ive read) it shows the higher boost on the gauge but it runs like ass and i can hear a sound like sucking in air really fast.

I knew it should hold it closed it get the basics of wastegates. I just had it open to drive it propery when it was screwed

Does anyone know how tight the arm should be?

Should i try tigherning it fully and running it with no hose?

[Pappu1]

Let's just say if after full tight on flap and no hose it should easily boost more and of u don't get more than 10 then it's a possible toasted turbo

Assuming everything else is sweet on the car

Like plugs and fuel system

[WRXONP]

Sucking of air ? This noise coming from the pod . . . I dont know how to set an internal 100% to the book but my logic says it should be shut enough that your not pulling huge amounts on the actuator but its enough tension that the flap is help shut . . . How are you adjusting this btw ?

[WRXONP]

Also if waste gate flap is fully shut with no hose on the waste gate you should just wind out to fuel cut (16 odd pound on old model , around 22 pound newer) . . . . If turbo cant make boost with waste gate fully shut then either turbo is stuffed or the engine is running like mud making it not able to spool boost . . . . A blowen turbo should not make engine run like mud . . Just have not much or none boost . . If your running crappy its probably not turbo related

[Guest]

seems more like an ignition issue

the more load (ie boost) = higher load on plugs/leads/coils etc

I'd be looking at the basics first

[WRXONP]

Could be some thing as simple as spark blow out . Or coil getting weak etc. . .. . Thats why I said to set waste gate correctly and see whats up cos you shouldn't have to fluff around with the actuator once set

[Guest]

 WRXONP said:

Could be some thing as simple as spark blow out . Or coil getting weak etc. . .. . Thats why I said to set waste gate correctly and see whats up cos you shouldn't have to fluff around with the actuator once set

Indeed - waste gates for road use are fine set as is from factory

[paroxysm]

Jst wound actuator to tightest possible setting and ran it with turbo and actuator lines disconnected

Made 10-12psi but ran like crap.

Only way so far it worked really well was after resetting ecu and arm closing the flap but not too tight. made 5 psi.

Ye i dont know what the problem is and dont have that much mechanical knowledge so I took it to subaru winger and they said wastegate solinoid valve. By replacing that and setting the actuator to default (i think) setting it ran like it did when I got it.

But i have been told it should be higher than 5 pound. My mate tried to put a boost tap in it to see if we could change it when it had the old solinoid valve and it didnt change a thing.

So i read about being able to raise the boost with the arms and i thought id try to get 7 psi.

But when its running over 5 it runs like crap.

I have a spare gate and a spare tdo4l turbo so if its the actuator or the turbo i could change them. But could it be spark plugs or fuel pump or something like that? i suspected that before i took it to mechanics. ie ran properly without boost but with the increased air and not enough fuel it was running like crap. I have no real basis for this, it just seems kinda logical

Can anyone give me a solid idea of what to do next? I dont wanna spend lots of money but I love my wrx so gta do something haha