Actuator stuck? s14 t28

[corey240]

So I was driving, no problems at all with this turbo, switched over to high boost (only 10 lbs) and the boost just stoped. I have no boost. The car runs fine, other then being a turd now. It idles and everything fine. Ive been through 2 turbos befor this, its pretty obvious when they go out. Ive had actuator arms pop off befor and thats how this is actiung. So from thes pics, is mine stuck in or out? Can this be fixed or do I have to buy a new one?

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h225/corey240_photos/S7301248.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h225/corey240_photos/S7301249.jpg

[SoSideways]

That's in the closed position.

If your actuator is indeed stuck in that position, you would get unlimited amounts of boost until your turbo or engine blows up, whichever runs out of steam first.

That leads me to believe it's a vacuum line or something else leading to the WG actuator itself, like maybe your boost controller.

[corey240]

Please tell me this couldnt be the Boost controller valve. I have a Profec B-Spec 2. I switched it to Hi, boost said bye. Stupid bitch. Im gona go look at it now. Its snowing so its allways fun.

[SoSideways]

It could be that your actuator's diaphragm is busted, and so the actuator takes no effort to open.

If that's the case, then you could also have no boost because the valve would open anytime it sees any sort of pressure going to it.

Grab the actuator arm and try to move it backwards as if to open it by hand. If you don't feel any sort of effort to open it, then your actuator is bad.

I have one just sitting here if you need it. Came off of an S15 turbo.

Just check out your stuff and report back here.

[corey240]

I took unhooked the boost controller, still did it. So I pulled the intercooler pipe and checked the wheel, its got shaft play, and it sounds like, loos inside. Could my turbo have just went out like that? It doesnt make sense to me. Its an s14 t28. Isthat rebuildable? Im pissed.

[Sileighty_85]

you can send it off to be rebuilt, but there are no rebuild kits that are sold for them

[SoSideways]

I took unhooked the boost controller, still did it. So I pulled the intercooler pipe and checked the wheel, its got shaft play, and it sounds like, loos inside. Could my turbo have just went out like that? It doesnt make sense to me. Its an s14 t28. Isthat rebuildable? Im pissed.

Pretty much all ball bearing turbos have a little bit of play on their wheels, just due to the nature of the ball bearing center cartridge itself.

Now if it's significant, then yeah, I would have to say the turbo itself is out.

But... did you look at the wastegate actuator itself yet?

[corey240]

Yea I tryed to move it, its not moving at all. If it is "stuck", then can I unstick it? I dont want to buy another actuator if my whole turbo went up. Can I test the actuator somhow? If my trubo went out, why does it still run ok? Lat time the car ran like piss when the seals went out.

[SoSideways]

Yea I tryed to move it, its not moving at all. If it is "stuck", then can I unstick it? I dont want to buy another actuator if my whole turbo went up. Can I test the actuator somhow? If my trubo went out, why does it still run ok? Lat time the car ran like piss when the seals went out.

You can test the actuator by sticking a hose on it, and hook the other end to an air compressor with an air regulator on it, then make sure the the actuator moves or opens at 7psi.

If it doesn't do that, then it's fubar.

[corey240]

Well, I went out and poped the arm off, and it went in, and the flapper thing the arm holds went straight, as you can see in the picks its forward. well it backed off. So I pulled on it, I could pull it out enough to re-install the arm but I couldnt push it in and out. It was kind of hard to pull it out too. So then I turned the car on and it still didnt work. So I pushed the arm towards the rear and it sounded like somthing was moving like whisping. But still nothing.

[SoSideways]

So you're saying the flapper arm on the turbo is binding up?

Because the flapper is supposed to move freely in the opened and closed positions.

[corey240]

The metal piece the arm sits on? It moves fine. The arm itself doesnt stay out. I have to pull it out to get it back on thsw flapper and it still isnt straight. Ironic thing is, the vinyl I ordered was cut today. Hi boost deuces.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h225/corey240_photos/S7301253.jpg

[SoSideways]

I don't get it.

So the wastegate actuator itself is fine. Moves freely, and has pressure on it.

The wastegate flapper on the turbo itself is fine, and moves freely.

You're concerned about the flapper not reaching a "vertical" position from the outside? You do realize that the flapper needs to be completely flat on the wastegate hole inside the turbine housing to seal it and create boost right? The pics you posted in the first post show the flapper close to being 100% shut, judging from the pic itself, but I cannot tell unless I am there or you tell us it won't go forward anymore.

Anyway.

Have you tested the wastegate actuator itself to see if it'll hold any pressure yet? Supposed to hold 7psi, then it opens.

Other than the wastegate actuator, I guess we've pretty much eliminated all the other possibilities other than the boost controller...

I would say, in that case, ask one of your friends if you could put your boost controller on their car for a test, and see if they also get no boost.

[corey240]

I unhooked the boost controller. Connected the vacuum line from intercooler pipe to actuator. Correct? Then I turne dit on, nothing. How do I connect and air hose to somthing like the actuator?

[SoSideways]

I unhooked the boost controller. Connected the vacuum line from intercooler pipe to actuator. Correct? Then I turne dit on, nothing. How do I connect and air hose to somthing like the actuator?

From an air compressor that has an air regulator hooked up to it?

I don't know.

If you eliminated the boost controller from the equation and still got no boost, then it's either your turbo or WG actuator.

[corey240]

How much would you want for yours? It wouldnt hurt to replace the actuator and try that.

[fliprayzin240sx]

Get an air compressor and use the air sprayer nozzle on it. Then stick a vacuum line on that and the other end to the actuator. Crank down the PSI on the on the compressor to 7-10 psi and see if the actuator extends. If it doesnt extend out, its fucked up.

But then again, I dont see why you would have no boost unless its stuck open. Sounds like the actuator is doing what its supposed to be doing, by being tight that its hard to get it back on the flapper, it would be keeping the flapper shut. Your problem with no boost, usually comes from the flapper being wide open when its not supposed to be.

Dont think it would be the turbo, as long as its spinning, it should be making some kind of boost. Only way your turbo wouldnt be making boost is if all the impeller fins on the compressor are fucking gone. I dont see that happening unless the shaft play is so bad that its touching the housing. I've never heard of a T-28 grenading like a GTR turbo tho, so that cant be it. GTR turbos dont like to be boosted over 14 psi due to the ceramic fins.

[smelly240]

i seen the exh wheel break from the shaft and bounce around in the turbine housing. acted just like you are saying yours is.

customer was pissed that the turbo needed replacement.

[SoSideways]

i seen the exh wheel break from the shaft and bounce around in the turbine housing. acted just like you are saying yours is.

customer was pissed that the turbo needed replacement.

Would that not make a bunch of funny noises?

[corey240]

Well needless to say, im fucken pissed. I tryed an actuator off another s14 turbo today, and it still didnt work. So tomorow I guess, im gona take the outlet tube off and see wtf the flapper is doing. I call shops that know sr's, and they just say bring it in. Im 2 hours away from the closest one. This is pissing me off now. Ive had 2 turbos go out, 2 t25's. It was obvious, with a tunnel of smoke behind me and light smoke for a short time until the blow. Ive had an exhaust side wheel break off. Even then, it created some sort of boost.

I dont understand how the hell my car runs so good, even as its slower then a moped, and the turbo be bad. Uusally the car runs like its been stabbed 20 times. If that flapper is working properly, then im baffled. What should I look for when checking the flapper visualy/mechanically inside the outlet tube? I will take pics and what not when I do it. Hopefully tomorow or friday.

[SoSideways]

There might be an obstruction in the inlet tube...

[corey240]

So I finally Got the turbo outlet off. I tryed to turn the wgeel, it was stuck. So I wedged a screw driver in there and carefully loosend it. Here a video of how the thing turns, and how much play it has, would you say this turbo is done?

Turbowheel done on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/2317064)

[Sileighty_85]

Dude that turbo is toast

probably the reason there is not boost is cuz it pushing down the exhaust wheel causing the compressor wheel to bind against the housing

Soooo yeah time for a new turbo

[corey240]

Awsome. Thanks for the help. If this loan goes through, gt2871r and some supporting things like injectors and maf and tune will be here in a month or so. What would happen if I ran the 71R with stock injectors and maf? I mean how much boost could I run on that without that stuff? Not oging to, but I wonder what it cant ake ya know?

[Sileighty_85]

if you ran the 71R without proper tune it will run like crap
(Lean condition) you can bolt up the 71R but I would unhook the W/G flapper to run no boost, to just get around until you get tuned.

i beleive the stock 71R W/C act. is set to 14psi, so that would be a no no

[corey240]

So how bad would it be if I installed the 71R with the injectors and mafs and used an afc to compensate? I might not have enough at the time to get the tune also, so could I do that? I can get an afc for cheap. What size injectors at a minimum should I run?

[SoSideways]

If you want to take full advantage of the 2871R then I would say at minimum get 740cc injectors, just so you have plenty enough for a full tune down the road, as that turbo, with the right combination of parts, have been able to pump out 400hp to the wheels. Not saying it will on every car, but it has been done.

If anything, I would just toss the S14/S15 WG actuator on the 2871R for now, so at maximum you'd be pushing 7psi, which should be safe on stock injectors/MAF/tune.