Boost solenoid

[Tmhyer]

There is nothing attached to my boost solenoid. I found one vacuum hose coming from the wastegate that is not attached to anything, and no other hoses. There is a brass fitting where the intercooler neck goes into the turbo that has no hoes attached to it. Should there be a hose going from the brass fitting to the boost solenoid, And shared this unattached hose go to the solenoid as well? I just bought this car last month and have not driven it yet.

Thank you for any help you can provide forum

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[Tmhyer]

* should be hose. Damn voice to text


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[mikestertwo]

There is supposed to be a plastic "T" with a restrictor plumbed into the turbo outlet and wastegate solenoid. The way it is now it will most likely over boost. It could be the original owner had the wastegate actuator plumbed directly to the turbo outlet to limit the boost and it blew off. For now I would put the hose on the brass turbo outlet fitting tying it directly to the wastegate actuator so you have some boost control until you get the proper "T" fitting and get it plumbed right.

 

[earlbrown]

Look at your last picture. The hose that runs from that gold can (wastegate) should be going to a brass nipple on the turbo inlet housing (''turner style'').

If that hose is hanging loose, you'll blow a head gasket the first time you floor it (if you're lucky).


....which kinda makes me wonder if you bought a car with a blown engine. And, yes, that one goofy hose can take out the engine if it's not leakfree and zip tied in place.

 

[Tmhyer]

Look at your last picture. The hose that runs from that gold can (wastegate) should be going to a brass nipple on the turbo inlet housing (''turner style'').

If that hose is hanging loose, you'll blow a head gasket the first time you floor it (if you're lucky).


....which kinda makes me wonder if you bought a car with a blown engine. And, yes, that one goofy hose can take out the engine if it's not leakfree and zip tied in place.

OK I need to take the shield off the turbo to get a better view. That hose is just hanging and it looked like it came from the wastegate. Should it go from the wastegate to that fitting on the turbo inlet? Where is the line that is supposed to go on the solenoid come from?


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[ScottHeidinger]

This is what was originally there.


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[ScottHeidinger]

Left end went to wastegate solenoid and one line went to wastegate actuator and other side went to compressor housing on turbo. If you’re going to use stock setup it’s important to get the lines in the right place.


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[Tmhyer]

Left end went to wastegate solenoid and one line went to wastegate actuator and other side went to compressor housing on turbo. If you’re going to use stock setup it’s important to get the lines in the right place.


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Thank you. I definitely don’t have that, and it is stock


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[ScottHeidinger]

So now you have to decide if you’re going to stick with stock setup or buy aftermarket boost control devise. That stock solenoid May or may not work. RJC sells a cheap tuner style devise or you can do a google search to figure out how much you want to spend on a aftermarket setup.


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[Tmhyer]

So now you have to decide if you’re going to stick with stock setup or buy aftermarket boost control devise. That stock solenoid May or may not work. RJC sells a cheap tuner style devise or you can do a google search to figure out how much you want to spend on a aftermarket setup.


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Stay stock. I don’t see that vacuum line listed on highway stars website. Kirban has the y connector, however


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[Nick Micale]

The stock wastegate is not adjustable, so the factory added the solenoid for a little more boost at top end.

When we would modified the stock one to be adjustable, or replace it with an adjustable WG, we bypassed or omitted the solenoid, and we would run a hose from the WG to the fitting on the compressor.

Only reason to retain the solenoid is to keep the car absolutely stock appearing under the hood, and if it does not have an aftermarket chip it will set a code!

 

[Anthony P]

that wastegate line assembly was discontinued Oct 2011 for the US market (Feb 2009 for Canada). just looking around at what's available for you...the pic that Scott posted above of the lines and solenoid is from a current ebay auction for $334. the hose is date coded February 5, 1992.

your original engine compartment pics show a clean stocker...date coded FlexFab MAF hose, stock turbo and inlet bell, wire radiator hose clamp, OE fuel line...

in an effort to stay stock (and factory appearing) there is an original grey plastic "Y" connector on ebay for $22 shipped. seller is not me but he is a good seller and I've bought stuff from him before. see ebay listing here. no offense to Kirban's but if you can find an original part and you are trying to keep your car looking that way....

for the rest of the wastegate assembly hose, just get some 7/32 line. If you want similar GM hose markings, check you local dealer's parts counter guys for a foot or so. Find the plastic 90* fitting from the HELP carded blister packs at your local parts store.

remember the restriction in the "Y" is in the straight section, the longer hose with the formed bent end and connects to the brass fitting on the turbo's compressor cover.

if the wastegate solenoid is no good, there are plenty of options. 84-85 hot air turbo buicks used the same solenoid as the 86-87 turbo buicks. different part #'s yes but the function was the same. they are long since discontinued. I wrote an informative thread about the stock wastegate solenoids replacement solutions here.

there are plenty of folks here on this forum who have good working used solenoids as well. One just changed hands for $30.

 

[Anthony P]

Forgot the foam "filter." its GM part # 801528, AC Delco part 21913 - still available from GM. Kirban's and others have them also for like 3 filters for $5. Ask them to just put them in an envelope and mail them to you rather than boxing and paying regular shipping. rock auto has them too but only find them by part # search and not a search by year, make, model. here

these foam filters are not available from local auto parts stores like Autozone or Advance.

the wastegate solenoid had a metal retaining clip that kept that foam filter in place. the top port on yours does not show any markings from that clip, so I say that solenoid was replaced at some point. the clips only came on the original solenoids, replacement solenoids did not come with that clip. the clip does not even show up in the GM exploded parts diagram.

 

[Tmhyer]

Forgot the foam "filter." its GM part # 801528, AC Delco part 21913 - still available from GM. Kirban's and others have them also for like 3 filters for $5. Ask them to just put them in an envelope and mail them to you rather than boxing and paying regular shipping. rock auto has them too but only find them by part # search and not a search by year, make, model. here

these foam filters are not available from local auto parts stores like Autozone or Advance.

the wastegate solenoid had a metal retaining clip that kept that foam filter in place. the top port on yours does not show any markings from that clip, so I say that solenoid was replaced at some point. the clips only came on the original solenoids, replacement solenoids did not come with that clip. the clip does not even show up in the GM exploded parts diagram.
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Wow, thank you for all that information. Your pictures and descriptions are just what I needed, and the eBay listing is very helpful as well. I may jump on that fitting. I certainly don’t want to buy vacuum hose that is date coded from 1992

 

[Anthony P]

just thought to double check those lines...

actually two sizes - 5/32 and 7/32. that plastic 90* fitting is a reducing fitting. need a 1-5/16 inch piece of 5/32 hose to connect to the boost solenoid. so the plastic 90* is a 7/32 to 5/32. if you can't find one, make a post in the parts wanted. anyone who changed boost control methods probably have the old hose components in a mason jar on their workbench.

those lines from 1992 as NOS may be fine. I have a few NOS ones dated 2002 on a shelf and the lines are soft, pliable and not dry rotted. they have not been exposed to heat, sunlight, or hot oil vapor. the ones in my pic are from 1991 and are fine but I don't drive the car--only added 4000 miles to the odometer since 1992.

it was the long line attaching at the brass fitting that would get soft and oily and decompose at the fitting due to the hot oil atomized in the compressed air, sucked from the passenger side valve cover via the factory breather connected to the inlet bell. while you have it capped at the bell, the throttle blade in the throttle body can have a nice dark oily coating. and the up-pipe from the intercooler to throttle body can have an oily film coating the inside. if you take out the stock intercooler and turn it upside down, you might get a shot glass of oil to drain from it. as you go through things, maybe someday check out the intercooler and mix up some simple green to slosh around and degrease the inside of it. attach a shop vac hose in blower-mode to dry it out afterwards.

 

[Tmhyer]

I just put the breather in the valve cover and capped that off last week. It had the original breather with the tube attached. I was just actually thinking how I need to take the intercooler out and clean it. I know it has never been done. This car is a good original, but the maintenance has been neglected


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[salvageV6]

http://www.gnttype.org/maint/quickref.html

 

[bison]

The factory solenoid is reliable and should be used. It was actually very well thought out and worked perfectly for a stock car.
Deleting it will not make the car quicker. Most attempts to improve performance by eliminating the solenoid result in a slower car.