Garage Storage Organization and Garage Cabinets

finnman1 · **turbo glowing red hot?**

hi, just bought my first 2.5 turbo 91' shelby daytona today on impluse, took it for a short test drive, turbo sounded fine, (still does), boost gauge worked fine, so i bought it. car has 120,000 miles, no smoke.
anyways, went home, later went on the highway and top speed was 50mph! it didnt matter which gear i would put it in, if i gave it any gas, it would bog down. no acceleration power at all. car started to overheat. i stopped, let it cool down, made it home doing a top speed of 30 to 45 mph, and let it cool down.
later on tonight, put some fresh coolant in it, drove it around town, when it started heating up again after a few blocks, same thing, bogged down n didnt matter how much gas i gave it, no more acceleration. too much gas and the engine would make noises. babied it home, by this time it was dark out. so i popped the hood, and whaddya see? something glowing red hot down below between back of the engine and the firewall. is this the turbo. if it was shot, why is it still spooling and the gauge working fine? is my engine done or is there a place where i can find a cheap used turbo if this it the problem? any help would be appreciated. i just had a baby boy and dont need anymore stress in my life. thanks guys!!!

myplasticegg · 12-30-2004, 11:18 PM

maybe your T stat is stuck closed? i'm told that it is normal for the turbo to glow under boost for awhile, it is going at what? 130k rpm??

Una · 12-31-2004, 12:16 AM

Check the cam timing. Is your coolant system pressurizing and holding pressure for a while after shutting down? (Squeeze the upper radiator hose by hand to check for pressure) Sounds like a stuck closed thermostat or blown head gasket. Or both due to the first. Easy fixes, welcome to the TD world.

www.thedodgegarage.com Click "Turbo Database" and you'll find world's of information.

xrattiracer · 12-31-2004, 11:22 AM

check the spark timing (distributor). sounds like it and/or the cam are too retarded.

finnman1 · 12-31-2004, 01:45 PM

yeah ive read on the forums that it's normal for the turbo to glow a little too. but, im pretty sure the previous guy didnt do anything to the cam. so why would the timing be off if it hasnt been messed with? i just went out and test drove it again. same problem. but no overheating. the coolant hose seems to be the same pressure whether or not the engine is running, however i can feel a little bit of fluid running through it when its running. also, the boost gauge idles at 14vacuum and goes up to 7 or 5vacuum when i rev it up to 3500. it only achieves 0 or a little boost when i mash on it hard. sorry guys, but this is my first turbo engine, (my 4th dodge)

eyeball · 12-31-2004, 02:08 PM

The timing belts are notorious for jumping a tooth or two. It's fairly common.

As Una referred you to:
http://www.thedodgegarage.com/

got to "turbo database" then to the reference section to find out how to check your cam timing. Afterwards, set your ignition timing.

I'd also rec. you check your fuel pressure under a load if you have the means. Lastly check the exhaust for a restriction. This is assuming that the headgasket isn't blown and the engine is not misfiring due to ignition problems.

finnman1 · 12-31-2004, 02:36 PM

well, im definitely going to try to check the timing if i can figure it out, but i saw a similiar problem on another thread engine popping and hesitating on accel and dying at a stop tII glh
and it wasnt the bad ground. i went out, checked it and found out a vaccum hose of somesort was disconnected, pluged it in, idle went to fine, thought yes!!, drove it, fine for the first few blocks like usual, then the motor started to warm up, and bam, there we go again. extremely shitty driveability. barely made it home, started reving it to 3000 rpm and POP! everytime i would rev it, it would pop, engine started to overheat, i think i about gagged from the smell of exhaust? coming from between the intake and head, some smoke, not kinda swirling like smoke from a cigarette does. if it was the timing wouldnt it be shitty performance all the time, not just after it warms up after a few blocks? heh heh, what next?

CowtownBooster · 01-01-2005, 01:14 AM

Had a similar problem with my spirit when i bought it. Turbo would glow like mad and it had no power. Fuel pump was SUPER weak and it was leaning out something fierce.
Just my experience, individual results may vary!

finnman1 · 01-01-2005, 02:53 PM

checked the exhaust system, rusty, but everything turns out ok. the major thing that stumps me is say ill drive it for a few blocks and power seems slightly sluggish, but ok, then after a few blocks, something happens and it loses most of its power and bogs down and i hear a knock if i rev it up past say 3500 rpm or so. then ill pull over, shut the car off, restart it, and it will run fine for a few blocks! then it happens again. is it something with my ecu? i mean obviously the motor isnt making full power any of the time, but when i restart it, it helps a little bit for the first few blocks. also, when i get back home n pop the hood, ill manually give it gas and i can hear it popping everyonce in a while back by the turbo and it just doesnt sound healthy at all. any ideas??

turbometh · 01-01-2005, 03:17 PM

I'm with Chris---Check the cat. Unbolt the down pipe at the turbo and go drive it. If it helps the cat. is melted/broken. If not the cat then it sounds like it could be running very lean. Lean enought to burn it up if you are not careful. If the cat. is ok you need to take it to a professional to get it diagnosed.

finnman1 · 01-01-2005, 03:46 PM

ok, good news!! i read on a diff post about a bad ground that was causing shitty drivibility. "minimopar" helped him diagnose the problem.. anyways, i was looking for the ground that goes from the intake to the firewall n seen no wire. upon further inspection, i found the end that snapped off where the wire is supposed to be. YES, i feel some more initiative! but seriously, does any body know for sure if this should fix my prob? i have no wire whatsoever, and the store isnt open til monday. anybody know for sure?

Una · 01-01-2005, 10:54 PM

That wire is quite important.

finnman1 · 01:47 AM

ran the codes and got 12, i think 15, and 55. 12 and 55 are nothing, but the 15 im concerned about. at least i think it was a 15. it went
FLASH....FLASH FLASH
FLASH....FLASH5x
then FLASH5x...FLASH5x
is that single flash before the first 5 flashes a intermittant one, or do i really have a "no speed/distance signal sensor?" if so, what the heck is this thing? any ideas where it's at and how to fix it?
Also, sometimes she doesnt want to start, ill have power to the accessories, but no cranking when i turn the key. i know i have shitty cables, but sometimes the jump will help, sometimes it wont, it seems like every 5 times i start it or so it needs a jump. ARGG!! any ideas yet??

finnman1 · 01-02-2005, 01:42 AM

about the no starting thing, yes i cleaned the battery and starter connections.

01-02-2005, 01:58 AM

All good prior tips!

Just a few more to add to the list!

Pull the spark plugs and roll the engine over with a ratchet/socket to see if she rolls through all four cycles. While the plugs are out check them to see if any of them look washed clean (water).

If you get the started motor to work, you may want to do a compression test WYIT.

On another note, I once had a Cat. converter break down stopping up the exhaust track that just about took out an old mitu turbo.