Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

Ok heres my problem, I have be having trouble see no boost on the gauge. so I take the line off the wastegate. The line is still on the turbo, while the car is running, I feel slight to no air coming out, so rev it pretty good. I feel air coming out but its not strong. The runs the same with or without that line hooked up, (I didn't drive the car on the street like this) so than I move the flaper on the exhust side and theres no difference, so I disconnect wastegate arm to the flapper still no difference on boost presure or the way the car runs, so is the turbo shot or the waste gate? can anybody help me out?

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

Thats a tough one to figure out. You have a leak somewhere wheather it's vacuum or a charge pipe leak I'm not sure. I wouldn't drive it on the street without the wastegate being hooked up though. Without the wastegate you could over boost the motor... But, you did say your not getting any boost, so I would say theres a problem with the charge pipes. Check em' out and see what you find. Make sure all your vacuum lines are hooked up correctly also.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

did you drive the car at all?

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

yea I drove the car, it does fell like it pulls, you can hear the turbo spool, I checked the charge pipes for leaks, I capped the turbo off and blew 40psi air threw the pipes with a compressor,than I put soap/water around the pipes. and the only leaks that I seen were from around the turbo. But I never checked to see if the intercooler leaks, when I bought it, it was pressure tested for 30 psi, but than I had other pipes welded on it, But the guy who welded it is a good welder and filled the intercoller up with water to keep it cool.where should I hook my boost gauge? I have it hooked after the TB. The boost gauges reads -20 than when I get on it it goes to 0.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

I've heard the Fuel pressure regulator vacuum line is a good spot to tap into for boost guages etc. Yeah, it doesn't sound like the turbo is the problem. Turbo's will spool basically until they die. And you'll know it when it dies!!! I don't know man, it just sounds like a bosst or vacuum leak to me. If you figure it out let me know what it was.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

yeah this sounds like a leak somewhere...
try tapping your boost gauge somewhere else, and make sure your wastegate is closed and the actuator is properly positioned.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

ok I tapped the Fuel pressure regulator line, and other places on the manifold, and I still had the same problem, -20 vaccum and when I rev it, it only goes back up 0. and Iam pretty sure I have no leaks on the pipes. Iam going to check all the pipes again, and I have a auto meter boost gauge. and its brand new, But I wonder if its a faulty gauge? damm you car >:( lol

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

you can't make boost in neutral....

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

I would drive the car and test new spots while driving, but I have to get the car inspected, and the last the time I had the car on the street the cops seen I had no inspec, and were out to get me. so I have to wait till wednesday to have it on the street. thanks for the info

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

8) Or you could do it the sneaky way and do it Night Rider style. Try it at night somewhere you won't get caught.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

haha, I tryed that, all the cops around where I live know my car. so I thought I was going to be slick and take the car from my mom and pops house up to my apt. it was like 2 blocks up the road, just to see if I can get the gauge working, so I Parked the car in the parking lot, and sure enough there were teh cops waiting by my car, waiting for me to come out. he waiting for like 30mins, he couldn't do any thing because it was in the parking lot. but than he got another call and had to leave. (police scanner). so I had get the car back down to parents house. but than again, at the time I didn't have it insured, or registered, or inspected. and he ran my plates haha so I got one over the cops. But wednesday I will 100% ready for the road.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

did u ever check the exhaust for a leak?

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

why would a exhaust leak have anything to do with the boost gauge not reading boost? But I will check the charge pipes and the exhaust, maybe Iam leaking at the manifold, I should re-snug them up. see if this helps, thanks

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

Well if your exhaust isn't going through the turbo it won't be giving u any boost.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

You can hear the the turbo spool, and if you stick hand if front the turbo intake it sucks it fast. and I can feel the car pull when I drove it.

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

So at 0psi does the car feel fast or not? try removing the intercooler, and putting a straight pipe in. What size of a turbo setup are we talking here, and what kind of manifold?

We had a very odd case with our first b16a turbo project, that sounds to be similar to yours.

Jeff

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

I have a 92 prelude, f22a, garret t-3 internal wastgate, fuel rail, dsm injectors, S-afc, f-max IC piping, starion IC. turbo xs rfl bov. custom log manifold. and when I drive the car you can feel the car pull when the turbo kicks in, and the bov opens and its screams that sweet sweet sound. I will ty the removing the IC. see if this helps. thanks

Re:Is my turbo shot or the wastegate?
 

would a turbo manifold leak cause this type of problem?