Wastegate solenoid....

[BLACK MAGIC RACING]

I was wondering....What would happen if the wastegate solenoid (i'm assuming that's what it is, on the pass. side valve cover) were to die? Would the car spool up as normal, and then at around 13-14 lbs of boost, start to sputter and backfire as the boost guage goes crazy? i let off immediately, and haven't driven it since. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Russ Merritt]

Your vacuum lines are leaking! Check all the lines that connect to the solenoid (3)

 

[BLACK MAGIC RACING]

3? i count 2, one line comes out of the solenoid, and splits, one to the turbo, one to the actuator, but I could be wrong...

 

[Russ Merritt]

Exactly, all three. The one that I've seen go the most is the one coming off the compressor housing, If they all look good, unplug the wires from the solenoid and go for a ride. Low boost means the valve/lines are good, high boost means there is a leak either the lines or the valve.

 

[BLACK MAGIC RACING]

Ok, thanks Russ, i'll try that and get back to ya.

 

[BLACK MAGIC RACING]

Ok, so I unplugged it, and went for a ride. This time, boost didn't go past 7, no more backfiring. What do you think is wrong?

 

[Russ Merritt]

OK, now we're getting somewhere. Do you have a scan tool? Your lines and solenoid are working. Sounds like its running too lean, What's the fuel pressure WOT? What do you mean about the boost gauge going crazy? Your prob could be alot of things, usually a backfire/pop is an ignition prob, a miss is usually the computer pulling timing.(detonation)

 

[BLACK MAGIC RACING]

fuel pressure at WOT is unknown, just got the scanmaster today, haven't had a chance to try it out. I think i may have gotten a bad pump, or maybe I lost a connection in my hotwire somewhere.. the boost guage jumps up to like 30 lbs. fpr a split second, and shakes around for another split second during a backfire.

 

[Russ Merritt]

Only takes a minute to hook up the scanmaster, do that and see what the 02's are, sounds like not enough fuel/too lean, but it could be a bunch of stuff. coilpack/module, maf, Ignition wires, ect,ect. The scanmaster will tell how rich/lean it is then we'll go from there.

 

[John Larkin]

Russ woulda gotten to this, but if your boost gauge is going to 30psi and backfiring, it's a bad thing. Leave the solenoid wires unhooked like you did and work to figure out the problem.