Broken Wastegate Actuator?

[self_slaughter]

Good evening talented folk of SAU

Recently converted my 32 to a neo engine, but after taking it to the pits one day it suddenly lost all boost.
Still runs fine but can never make it to positive boost.

I've tried looking for leaks and replacing vacuum lines etc with no success.
Today I decided to YOLO it and disconnect the hose running to the wastegate actuator.
Surprise, Surprise she started to boost! Then I quickly took my foot off the loud pedal and went home and connected the hose again.

I'm assuming the spring has shat itself as you can see the arm moving when revving the engine in neutral with no load.
Does this sound like a correct diagnosis? and what are my options?
Can the actuator be repaired or should I hunt down a new one?

Kinda regret throwing the RB20 in scrap metal... Despite having a hole in the block I could of at least stolen the actuator off it to try out

Thanks.

edit: engine / turbo is stock rb25det neo gear, sorry if this is in the wrong section. Long time lurker, rare poster

Edited January 27, 2015 by self_slaughter

[GTSBoy]

Options are;

1) 2nd hand RB25 actuator for same same as what you had, with pretty low risk of it also failing.

2) 2nd hand RB20 actuator which would take you to 10 psi which is damn near perfect (for unmodded fuelling & ECU).

3) New higher pressure actuator from someone like Hypergear, but likely that you won't be able to get less than ~14 psi on one of those and therefore need to tune it.

Fixing the broken one is not really a workable/useful option.

[Sklyn]

if it started boosting after disconnecting the hose, maybe the hose is blocked. Maybe try running a new hose straight from source to actuator to be 100% its the issue..

[self_slaughter]

Thanks for the quick replies and good answers, much appreciated. I'll try the hose tomorrow, I think it may of had 2 restrictors in it for some reason. One seemed to be on a bit of an angle so I tried to square it up with a screwdriver but no luck. Will have a better look and see anyway. Still takes a fair bit of effort to pull the actuator manually so you may be right.

Found an rb20 actuator for $50 so I may end up replacing it anyway for the extra bit of boost.

Pretty sure it was only getting 5 psi after the swap into the 32.

edit: just thinking, but if that hose was blocked wouldn't it be more inclined to overboost rather then no boost?

Sorry if that sounds dumb but I'm no mechanic and still trying to work things out as I go.

Spent far too much money getting this thing running again as is. Need to learn how to do more myself.

Edited January 27, 2015 by self_slaughter

[self_slaughter]

Picked up the rb20 actuator and got some boost back finally

Doesn't feel like much though and only registers about half way on the stock boost guage. (nismo cluster)

Do I need to do anything about the stock boost solenoid?

I think that's probably iffy as well as it was only getting 5psi after the conversion on the dyno, unless that was just from the actuator starting to fail

Edited January 30, 2015 by self_slaughter

[GTSBoy]

RB25 actuator is 5 psi. You get 7 when the solenoid is switched. So the 5 you were getting was correct and could indicate that the solenoid is crook. Given that you have a 10 psi actuator on there now, you probably don't want the solenoid to add more boost by bleeding, so you're possibly better off bypassing it anyway (if it's working) and if it's not working, you might as well put it in the shed/bin.

[self_slaughter]

lovin it, thanks for all your help.

I'll rip it out over the weekend. Less crap on top of my engine. Trying to keep it looking as stock as possible to try minimise attention if I ever have to pop the bonnet

[Badgaz]

i had an example of this where i'd put my boost controller back together with the out hose on the in and the in on the out.

[Sklyn]

If running the R32 actuator then bypass the solenoid. It bleeds off from 5 to 7 psi, so is completely pointless being connected.

Make sure you block off the other hose though as if you had installed a boost T.

I'd also say replace the hose with restrictors, no need for that when you have altered the boost yourself.

I am also no mechanic or expert and don't fully know why they are there in the first place.