just cant build boost

['97-2.3L-ranger]

i have everything installed with a pretty good tune. but no boost i idel at 20 psi vac at full throttle i only hit 0 on the boost gauge. i checked the fire ring on the waste gate. and i know the waste gate is closed. i know the boost gage is correct and i know there is no leaks in the intake manifold. the egr valve was removed and i placed a piece of flat steel w/ gasket. my intercooler holds air no leaks. could it be my turbo? i'm going to remove the waste gate and put a piece of flat steel and liquid gasket on it. i will very carefully start the truck and run it to where i can swee if it will build boost. this will tell me if its a bad waste gate or if its the turbo. wwwwwwww

tell what else you can think of. i'm know wishing i never would have started this project i hope things turn for the better.

['97-2.3L-ranger]

i took the waste gate off covered the turbo manifold wastegate hole. i drove it it did nothing. i still cant build any boost. could this mean bad turbo. i can hear it spool up just no bosst.

[bruiser]

hmmmmm thats weird i have no idea what that could be the problem...sorry man you should get on rangerpowersports they have alot more active turbo members...including jess

but i did check another forum some guy had the same problem with his 3000gt everyone said

it was either wastegate stuck open
turbo is cracked between wastegate and main outlet
or drawn crap into compressor wheel thats shattered the impellar fins
i would check out your turbo and wastegate to check for any indication of these

[Top Notch]

Remove the wastegate and tie the wastegate flapper with a piece of wire closed. i've done this with my T3 and Holset and they both built boost. Let me know what happens. Man you'll figure it out. Jess should be able to help you too.

[freebyrd24]

I dont think its wastegate though since he said he took off the wastegate and plugged the hole and it still won't build boost

Do you have a blowoff valve? And are you sure you have your wastegate lines hooked up correctly? MY wastegate has two ports. The top port vents to atmosphere, and the port on the side is what i hooked into. That line goes to a connection just before the throttlebody

Where did your turbo come from?

The only other thing I could think is that you need to try a different tune. How did you tune the truck?

Don't get discouraged, I was having the same problems but eventually got it straightened out. We'll get it fixed!

['97-2.3L-ranger]

does it matter that i dont have a muffler or cat. i mean does it need back pressure right know i have a down pipe 90 degree and another 90 degree going toward the back of the truck and another 90 degree dump down

thanks for all your guys help i know will get figured out. i dont think it's the bov. i can remove it plug the hole and try that. but i think its a bad turbo it spools good the bearing seem good. at one point i thought it built 2 pounds in third gear. i checked the impellers to make sure they were turning the same. i just cant think of anything anymore. i'll sit back and come up with some more ideas.:banghead:

i have tuned it out pretty good. i't needs a little work but i dont think the tune is that far off to cause this problem.

how free are the bearings supposed to spin. i can spin the impeller and it will continue to spin for a second or two. after i shut the truck down it will spin for like 20 seconds

[freebyrd24]

If its spinning that long after the truck shuts down, that sounds like the bearings and working excellently! So it does not really sound like the turbos the problem, but don't eliminate that as a possibility yet. I would definately check and recheck those vacuum line hookups. I had to do a lot of trial and error in hooking up my BOV and wastegate lines. My truck wasn't making boost and sounded like the issue you have now. I believe my truck has two ports on the BOV but I only used the larger one and hooked it up after the TB to make sure it kicked on as soon as it saw vacuum.

Other thank that I'll keep thinking about it and hopefully others will too!

[bruiser]

any exhaust leak before the turbine housing?

['97-2.3L-ranger]

wirh this problem we cant forget it runs and acts the same with a waste gate on then when i take it off and 100% plug the hole.

[Jesshwarren]

I am almost 100% sure you have a boost leak in the intake or some place. You mentioned something to me about cutting in and out when you where trying to make boost that is from metered are leaking out and that causes it to go rich enough to cut out.

['97-2.3L-ranger]

i think my turbo is too big. i called a local turbo service center here and the said a t70 t3/t4 hybrid is too big and wont spool untill over 6000 rpms. i'm thinking this is right be true becuse when i give it hell it will only hit 0 with a not perfect tune. he said my turbo is more for like a small 8 banger. what do you think?

[freebyrd24]

Whoa a T-70?!?!? If I remember correctly off the top of my head that is a good turbo for a high horsepower v-8 application. Thats probably your issue. Either others can give you suggestions for a good sized turbo, or you can calculate what you will need. For instance I run a t04e 57trim, which is muuuuch smaller than your t-70. Most people on here run a holset which spools very early in the RPMs

['97-2.3L-ranger]

it has an unlimited 1 year warenty

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/T3-T4-Hybrid-T04E-Turbo-Charger-Chrome-w-oil-line-kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ007QQitem Z170227918648QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

wow
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TURBONETICS-T3-T04E-50-HYBRID-TURBO-STAGE-1-0-63A-R_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ023QQitemZ3 60060907771QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[freebyrd24]

Those turbo's should easily support your 8lbs of boost that you want. My calculations were for about 10psi, you should be fine at 15psi too. what are your boost expectations? I wouldn't want you to get a turbo that will only handle 10psi and then need to buy another one to get more.

50 trim is a decent size, I'd try to get a little larger, like the 57 trim. The first link seems too good to be true since it is chrome and also comes with the necessary oil lines. But if it works it would be great. I'm not too sure though. The second one seems very legit with the warantee and everything.

I would really aim for the 57 trim if you can find it, and especially if they offer a warantee, that makes it even better and more legitimate. Let us know what your boost expectations are for now and future use.

I personally picked a very cheap turbo up and it has worked excellently so far, but I do not know how it will fair in longevity. There is a post in this forum about it as well.

I did many calculations and compared them to compressor maps and found one that worked and got a great deal on one. Sorry I'm rambling, but let me know how much boost you would like to make. A higher AR number means that it will take a little longer to spool up. so a .63 will take longer than a .50 AR

[freebyrd24]

I'm just linking this as a reference to the size of the turbo that I have, and know that the size works perfectly

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/T3-T4-T04E-T3-T4-Hybrid-Turbo-Charger-A-R-50-57-Trim-TC_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ025QQitemZ 380036203765QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[Riddle_Rob]

Had a friend buy one of those ebay turbos. He said, it was useless. Then he bought another one. Found out that they came straight from manufacturer UN BALANCED. Not sure what his issues were, I'll ask. Not sure if balancing the turbo is what is wrong but yea just what I have heard about ebay turbos.

['97-2.3L-ranger]

i've had some people say it's not the turbo but i can use an air compressor to blow into the intercooler piping at the turbo and it will show on the boost gauge. that tells me no leak in the intercooler piping and intake. right? it has to be the turbo

[freebyrd24]

Based on the size of the turbo, along with your test reading boost, i personally think the turbo is way too big. My personal opinion, you are so far to the left on the compressor map that you cannot produce enough pressure thru the exhaust to spin the wheels at a high enough speed to produce boost. That's my .02, hopefully someone else will chime in and agree to give you a second opinion on here.

[Riddle_Rob]

Did you try driving it?
Stupid question but I remember another thread saying you won't build boost unless engine is under a load.

['97-2.3L-ranger]

jesse was right i had a huge boost leak. i got it to 5lbs boost. i think i'm going to remove the upper intake eliminate unnessary vac lines and doulbe check everything. i'm positive their is still a loss some where. a little more tune work needed but this week end this ranger should be good to go.

[taknotes]

glad you got it partly figured out man

[freebyrd24]

Wow where did you have the boost leak? I still think the turbo is a little big, but it you can get it to work then I hope it works out for ya! All these vacuum lines every which way can get confusing. You gotta check those about 4 times, then check again. They are tricky! keep us posted!

['97-2.3L-ranger]

i forgot about the vac line that comes out with the break boost. i removed it and didn't plug it. now i have air sucking through the bov at idel. thats why i can only build 5 lbs boost. it's all pouring out of the bov. i'm going to remove it and that should be all. with the exception of fine tune. i'll have this bastard done this weekend. no bov though i wont have the funds for one those for a month. 100.00 wtf. also i have another problem those 33in tiers brought me up to a 270 gear from the stock 342. b4 the turbo install i couldn't use 5th gear until 75mph becuse i could build high enough rpms. strange enough though those tiers only dopped about 3 to 4 mpg. i hope i'll have enough wheel hp to push the tiers. i figure i'll almost double what i had b4 120hp to now 220 with 10lbs with methanol and intercooler. we'll see keep in mind 1st gear with 33inch tiers took off really fast, way faster than my other 97 2.3 with 373 gear.

['97-2.3L-ranger]

t70 turbo is to big.

!! ITS IN STONE YOU CANT RUN A T70 ON A 2.3L !!
it will pull 5lbs at 3500 rpms

i know its a cheap ebay turbo but i think i'll try this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200235040314

[salating]

get a holset

that turbo is tiny

['97-2.3L-ranger]

what would you say would be that the right turbo could you give me anexample. if i used the the turbo i'm looking at could i spool faster make 15-20 lbs boost?

[salating]

yea you can but its not efficient and the price would steer me away from it plus its a no name

i would go with a holset hx35 or hy35

or find a t3 off of a turbocoupe

[66muskrat]

A t3 or a t4 or a holset are all common to see on 2.3L. try looking on craigslist for a used turbo. look in junkyards. and also ask around. I bought a garret t3 from my friends friend, (A/r .48, has no shaft play and in good condition for $125.) what ever you do dont by a turbo off ebay!!!