Turbo About To Die? Gurus Help!

[HtwCHACtkh]

Hey guys,

I have a stock (well, FMIC, Pod, no more) R33 GTST (series 1) and I noticed yesterday morning, since starting the car was running really really rough, dips and hesitated through the low rpm like crazy.. 1000rpm-2000rpm was really lumpy, idle was really lumpy.. 3000rpm-4000rpm seemed fine, 5000rpm had a big dip, no noise that I noticed tho at this time..

By the end of the day, around 6pm ish (and replacing a 15 year old battery that just randomly died on me. what a day..) I notice now under high boost (4500rpm+ yes stock boost) I get this really strange rattling sound, kind of hard to explain but I can get a very high quality audio recording of the sound easily. It's kind of like ball bearings in a tin.

I feel like the car is hesitating a little but eventually pulls through, below 4500rpm is fine now, very smooth. Car seems to be running really slow, I used to top out at 170ish in Third now I test it now and it tops out at 140 tops.. Tested on a mates long driveway.

Weirdest thing is problem only started to occur yesterday morning, after having a comfortable and smooth drive home the last night after filling fuel up late at night.

Gurus help! Should I stop driving?

[Benzino33]

I feel like the car is hesitating a little but eventually pulls through, below 4500rpm is fine now, very smooth. Car seems to be running really slow, I used to top out at 170ish in Third now I test it now and it tops out at 140 tops.. Tested on a mates long driveway.

What do you mean it tops out at 140? u talkin about kilowatts or speed? if it's speed, how'd u do that in ur mate's driveway?

But anyway, sounds like a bit of turbo shaft play. I'd stop driving if u wanna save this turbo and get it looked at, or stay off boost. It might be a a small thing

*EDIT* Notice any white smoke coming out of your exhaust?

[HtwCHACtkh]

What do you mean it tops out at 140? u talkin about kilowatts or speed? if it's speed, how'd u do that in ur mate's driveway?

But anyway, sounds like a bit of turbo shaft play. I'd stop driving if u wanna save this turbo and get it looked at, or stay off boost. It might be a a small thing

*EDIT* Notice any white smoke coming out of your exhaust?

My apologies, a number without units is ambiguous!

I mean 140km/h, speed, and my mate has a really really long driveway, everyone including myself pitched in a little to make it.

I haven't checked for any smoke yet, however I will do that first thing this morning once the sun is visible. Do I have to check for smoke under load or would free revving tell a story? Or both?

Also, I think it would help the diagnosis if someone would be kind enough to explain the difference between blue and white smoke.. never really understood that.

Regards

Edited July 6, 2009 by Alinys

[Benzino33]

My apologies, a number without units is ambiguous!

I mean 140km/h, speed, and my mate has a really really long driveway, everyone including myself pitched in a little to make it.

I haven't checked for any smoke yet, however I will do that first thing this morning once the sun is visible. Do I have to check for smoke under load or would free revving tell a story? Or both?

I'd say look for it under load whike driving, white smoke usually indicates a blown turbo. but if its not, i'd say get it looked at asap by a place that spacializes in turbo cars. dont jus go to kmart auto or somethin, they'll tell u to go to a turbo plce too

[trel]

ball bearings in a tin? that sounds like you're describing a pinging sound.

you sure you put the right fuel in the car when you filled up?

[HtwCHACtkh]

ball bearings in a tin? that sounds like you're describing a pinging sound.

you sure you put the right fuel in the car when you filled up?

This could sound viable..

I had one notch of Freedom 98RON E10 left in the car when I filled up with Shell V-Power and the problems started.

What is pinging exactly? Damaging?

[James_03]

If it's going to ping because of fuel it won't be because you filled it up with v-power, normally v-power is fine. The only possibility for fuel to be the cause is that the fuel was bad to begin with.

Seeing has your running a stock ECU, put it into diags and check for any fault codes using the check engine light in the dash. If no fault codes show up I would probably dump the fuel and try again with new stuff. Dump it out into a good can but and keep it just incase it's not fuel related so you can re-use it.

Definately sounds like it's detonating under load/boost which may be caused by low octane bad fuel. Yes detonating is bad, and will eventually kill the motor if you continue to drive it like that.

Edited July 6, 2009 by James_03

[shotter]

Depending if you live / work near any good performance workshops you should be able to take them for a quick drive and they should be able to tell you if it's shaft play in the turbo or pinging. And it shouldn't cost you anything. (but find out before they hop in the car) But i would also say dump the fuel and put different fuel in. Not from the same place.

[quarkgun]

I mean 140km/h, speed, and my mate has a really really long driveway, everyone including myself pitched in a little to make it.

Hahaha, that's awsome You should build a skid pan out the back too

Did you get a recording of the sound?