I have a 93 civic with the DZ16Z motor. I have a Garrett TB03 turbo off of a Volvo 760 wagon. My problem is I am only getting 1-3 psi of boost into my motor. I have checked my intercooler, my charge pipes and evn wired my wastegate shut, and nothing seems to get me anymore boost. I am thinking about rebuilding my turbo or getting a different one. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice before I do anything.

 

check carefully for boost leaks, try soapy water

 

how the ---- would u use soapy water?

put it on then put a video camera on the coupler while driving?

 

Pull the throttle plate open with your hand smart ***.

Unless you have god's gift to ----- engines, you oughta be able to make something positive on a reasonable turbo, even if you are out of gear.

 

 

smart idea if you want to suck up soap and or water. that ***** not gonna bubble out. there isnt any pressure to make bubbles

 

i could boost 5-6psi free revving on my 14b setup,

but most likely you've got a coupler with a split in it somewhere that you cant see.

or

you've got a pre-turbo exhaust leak.

 

see that's strange, cause on my on my buddie's WRX you could hear the BOV (not sure if it registered boost) under no load, and on my civic, you don't hear the BOV (or boost) when you rev it under no load. Yet i still get 5.8Psi on the street, and you definately hear the BOV. Any theories on that?

 

wrx has bigger motor and a smaller turbo.

 

Are you kidding me? Out of all the turbo's ive put on sohc's Ive never got more than the sound of the bov.

And what I do to check my charge piping for leaks is buy a rubber cap they sell at home depot in the plumbing dept and punch a hole it it just big enough to put an air gun into. clamp the rubber cap on the beginning of your charge piping and listen for leaks. This way you dont have to have your engine running and making small leaks hard to detect. And do like DJfob said use soapy water in a spraybottle to find leaks, I was tought to use Ivory because it has the least amount of additives and will help detect even the smallest leak.