A guy that I know has just got a 300, but its got a problem....no boost. Apparently he can hear the turbo's spooling while he's driving but the boost guage doesnt go past zero, and the car is super slow....

Apparently, theres no smoke so I dont think its the turbo, and they've checked for boost leaks and cant find anything. The only other thing I could think of would be a seized open wastegate - is this viable? appaerntly its last owner was an old guy who crawled round off boost all the time.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I would be suprised if the wastegate would sieze open especially if the car is not being driven on boost as obviously the wastegate would remain shut. I dont know much about the zed wastegate but on my lotus this is waht caused it to over boost and self destruct and as you say the boost gauge stays bellow zero and is slow should think it is not relevent. Sure someone will come up with a suggestion.

Good luck

Glyn

Sounds like its in safety boost, try a search to reveal all!

If it was in safety boost, it would still be positive on the boost guage?

I believe it would still show a positive reading, as safety boost is still around 7 psi, I think, and I don't think the car would be "super slow", in fact in the buyer's guide it recommends an ECU check for safery boost, as it's not always immediately apparent if you haven't been in a Zed before.

 

Could this still be knackered turbos .. after all, I don't think you should be able to hear the turbos spooling .. I can't hear mine.

Tubs tubs tubs..

 

Sorry.. :)

 

The boost guage climbs to 0 but goes no further and he can hear them spooling..

 

If the gauge wanders around in the -ve's off 'boost' and then climbs to 0 when you floor it, then he has one siezed turbo. That's why he can hear 'them' spooling - one of them is still spinning.

 

One turbo on the Z has enough poke to just equalize the pressure in the plenum (via the miracle of the balance bar) at WOT..

 

HTH..

Aaron

Originally posted by AdamR

If it was in safety boost, it would still be positive on the boost guage?

 

Yes, as SB is about 7 psi then of course, teach me to read the post properly! sorry! Does seem to point to a siezure.

As aaron said it is a turbo 100%:(

I'll let him know......still it could be worse - it could of happened to mine:rolleyes: ;)

Will the engine start with both boost pipes to the throtle body off? I know it might not rev properly but I thought it might start and idle - at least then you'd feel the draft from the good turbo side.

 

And if one is siezed - how does it sieze? Is it the wheels corroded to body or shaft in bearing that sticks? Then is it even possible to take off the air inlet pipe to the suspect turbo and try to unsieze it by turning it?

Originally posted by WillieO

Will the engine start with both boost pipes to the throttle body off? I know it might not rev properly but I thought it might start and idle - at least then you'd feel the draft from the good turbo side.

 

I seem to remember using a similar method to the above to check whether both turbos were working on my brothers car. I think what I did was pull the pipe off one throttle body at time, that way the AFM was still registering air flow & therefore the engine didn't stall.

Then I got my brother to put the car in drive (auto) with his foot planted on the brake and at the same time got him to give it some throttle to get the turbos to kick in, something like that anyway.

 

I wouldn't recommend standing in front of the car though whilst doing this :eek: , stand at the side! ;)

Just disconnect the AFM then you can - the ECU goes into limp home mode using the TPS instead to give a rough airflow figure - won't rev past 2.5k rpm though.

 

HTH

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy