turbo running at 15psi worried

[mike dahl]

my 1990 dodge shadow 2.5 with a stock rebuilt turbo 2 years on rebuild is running at 15 psi.Some say it may be my wastegate but need more suggestions. if it is the wastegate is it bad to run the car at high speeds such as drag racing.

[Paradox]

Check all the vacuum lines going to it. Get a vac tester, if the ECU does not see that much boost, it wont open the waste gate.

[86LaserXE-XT]

if there is any vacuum leak to the wastegate it will not open at the factory preset of I think 5-7psi
no it won't harm your engine to run 15 or so PSI so long as your map sensor is sensing the boost and adding the appropriate amount of fuel to go along with it.
if it's not sensing the boost then yes it will run lean and you'll melt or break a piston in no time at all.
if you were running a true 15psi you would hit boost cutout that is at 14.7 I belive.
if your boosting 15+ psi and not hitting cutout I would stop ASAP and fix your vacuum lines.
the wastegate arm is known to pop the clip off but then you wouldn't build any boost.
I would guess 99.9% that it's bad vacuum lines that aren't tight and leaking. or cracked factory lines. them hard plastic lines get real brittle and break with the slightest movement. do a couple searches on this forum for the vac lines and just redo all yours
it's pretty simple most the lines just goto a straight manifold vacuum source.
and if you fix them and want more boost to get back near the 15psi mark you can build a boost bleed. I've done that but you better make sure your running the "good" fuel.
not the cheapest stuff you can find at the pump.

[crazymadbastard]

Stop running it and diagnose the problem. Don't make me post a picture of the "piston lady".

[Paradox]

too late..



But yeah, the wastegate can't stay open past 14 or so PSI and the ECU will cut out at 14.whatever but if it is a leak past the map, you'll smoke something. Get a vac tester just to be sure and redo the plastic ones with Silicone ones

[mike dahl]

thanks will do

[johnnyfive]

yes please do NOT drag race it. I recently just blew a head gasket because my car was over boosting. Check all the vacuum lines related to the waste gate actuator. Make sure the WGA (waste gate actuator) rod is connected to the waste gate. If the lines are good and the rod is on the waste gate check the WGA control solenoid ( I wish I knew how to do that )

[mike dahl]

i have to drive the car its my daily driver but wont run it hard.

[86LaserXE-XT]

have you checked the vacuum line to the wastegate? on all the TD's I've owned the turbo oil line leaked and caused the line to swell and fall off easily or at least not seal good and they would overboost.
don't want you to toast your engine over 10 bucks worth of new vacuum lines and T's
you can just rip out all your old lines and hook up new ones pretty easily.
then you wouldn't have to worry about blowing up your engine

any updates to what you've checked and if you've found anything/

[crazymadbastard]

Someone else JUST had the same issues, I think he ended up toasting a piston. I am sure his looks like mine:

[mike dahl]

how much will a vacumm tester cost? havent really checked the hoses but the guy i got it off said there is a hole in a line

[Paradox]

should be cheap enough

[mike dahl]

fixed it it was a vaccum line but now need to know how to get more power out of my turbo its only running at 7psi when i hit the gas

[crazymadbastard]

Look up grainger- two good places are thedodgegarage.com and Gusmahon.org
R.I.P. GUS!

[crazymadbastard]

oops