Surging turbo

6speedsd

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Replaced my turbo over the weekend with a used unit. Pulled it apart and cleaned it, previous owner had taken it apart and applied antisieze, but went a little overboard so I cleaned most of that up while cleaning. Got it installed and went up the road. Immediately started surging 2-4psi when accelerating. Just cruising (below 10psi) it doesn't do it. Stopped and changed the tune, and the surging stopped. Figured it was just the tune...never surged again that day. Get in today for work..first time it's been driven since the day of install, and it's surging again. I've driven 40 miles and it's still doing it. You can hear it spoiling up and down, and feel it as well. I'm thinking vgt solenoid, but don't have the laptop with me to watch the numbers. Why do y'all think? Just seems weird it stopped all of a sudden the other day when I shut the truck off. This solenoid was on the turbo when I bought it, and I have my old one at home. But, none of that does me any good as I'm 40-50 miles from the house where that and AE is!


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HeavyAssault

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Sounds like you already have a good plan. Swap the VGT and run the AE. Sucks to be away so I hope it all ends well.
 

KCTurbos

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6speedsd said:
In the past mth I've swapped in a 06 turbo...my original has a good bit of shaft play. Started off with with VGT solenoid that came with it...boost surged 3-5 psi with any load on it. Swapped my original solenoid back on, and the surging was gone. But a day later, I'm back to all the lag. Like it'll shift to 2nd before I ever get to 5psi...that's how laggy it is. Normal average acceleration from a stop it won't build over 10-12psi. If you go on and mash on it, she'll build up to around 25psi. All this lag has thrown all my shifts off (timing and harshness). Part of me thinks my original solenoid is just acting stupid, but before I buy another one, I want to rule out everything else. I've monitored MAP, BARO, and EBP KOEO, and they are correct. MAP was like 14.6psi, with the other two within .5psi of it. I've cleaned the EBP and tube (neither were really that dirty). This new turbo I cleaned before I installed it, so it's not sticking. Can't find a boost/exhaust leak anywhere. Checked the MAP hose and fitting in the intake...neither were clogged. No codes at all.

What would happen if I unplugged my EBP sensor? Would the truck still run/drive/boost as normal? I read somewhere if you unplug it, it'll revert back to other inputs, and thought maybe I could either confirm or rule out an EBP problem that way. I haven't watched MAP/BARO/EBP while driving. If it is actually a bad solenoid that's fine, but I don't just start throwing parts at stuff. Is there a way to test the solenoid?

If it matters, truck is an 05, no cat, IDP tunes. And it's not tune related. Does this with Erics tunes and I have one from Matt that it does it with as well. Have any opinions or suggestions?


First thing I would do is to monitor what the VGT duty cycle is doing. I have had weird issues on trucks before that even with a new solenoid, wiring, etc... that the vgt duty cycle was not cycling. Your vgt duty cycle should cycle between .15 and .85. It should change as you drive and if you mash the peddle, etc... if it is just stuck on one number then you have narrowed it down. If it is cycling then you know that the solenoid is functioning (just not sure if it is functioning correctly).


I know the rule of thumb is that you only need to do a vgt relearn on early models... but I have had issues with later models that were fixed by doing a vgt relearn. I don't think it is because it needed a "relearn" but that maybe another sensor was out of whack and caused the vgt to "learn" wrong and got confused... this is not your "acutally" vgt relearn but it is what I always do.


turn head lights on
unplug both batteries
touch battery cables together (negative to positive)
let sit for 10 minutes
hook up batteries again
turn off headlights
start truck and let idle for 10 minutes
shut off
start truck and let idle for a few minutes again
test drive nice and easy to make sure everything is working
gradually increase your driving style up to WOT
There are so many things that can cause the issue that you describe. It could be because the vanes are stuck, solenoid is not working right because it is bad, or another sensor is reading incorrectly and causing the vanes to get out of whack.


These are a few of the more common problems. I can tell you that TONS of guys are running around with these issues right now and don't even know it. Go through them all and check them out.


Exhaust leaks are a big problem. Bigger turbos will usually make leaks worse. Check the ypipe bellows and the ypipe to turbo connection. Those are very common. An easy way to check it would be to have someone stick the truck in drive, hold the brake, and give it some gas. Push the pedal as hard as you can without causing the truck to move. Look for any smoke coming out from behind the turbo. If you see any smoke then you need to find and fix the leak.


Boost leaks are also a big problem. The most common areas are the boots on the charge pipe, plastic ends on the intercooler, and the plastic hot side charge pipe on the drivers side. If you have a plastic charge pipe on your drivers side then replace it ASAP. They will not hold up under high boost. You can check for boost leaks in the same way as an exhaust leak. MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS COLD. Have someone stick the truck in drive, hold the brake, and give it some gas. Push the pedal as hard as you can without causing the truck to move. Use your hand to follow the lines from the turbo to the intercooler and then from the intercooler to the intake manifold. Feel for any leaks. Some people use soapy water too.



Pull and check all of the following sensors. Use your programmer to make sure they are reading right.

MAP sensor located on passenger side by the air box. Make sure the tube going from the sensor to the motor is not cracked. Make sure the tube and sensor are clean and not plugged.

MAF sensor is located between the air filter and turbo. make sure it is clean and plugged in.

EBP sensor is located off the exhaust manifold on the drivers side. There is a tube going from the exhaust manifold to the sensor. It is very common to clog and have issues. Clean out the tube and make sure the sensor is not clogged.

IAT sensor is connected to the top of the intake manifold near the fuel bowl/oil filter area. Pull it out and make sure it is clean. It is very common to get covered in crap. Clean it and make sure it is connected right.

Baro sensor is located under the dashboard. Make sure it is plugged in and reading right.

VGT solenoid. The vgt wire/pigtail are very common to have cracks, slices, and breaks in it, especially right where it plugs into the solenoid. Double check everything to make sure it is working right. An easy way to check and see if it is working right is while the truck is running. plug and unplug the sensor. You should be able to hear the exhaust sound changing when you do that.


Unison ring - if the slot in the unison ring is wallowed out then it can cause weird uses with the vgt vanes

Worn out unison ring actuator arm - after the unison ring wears out, the actuator arm that goes inside the unison ring can also wear out an become worn. This can mess with the vane position.

Internal turbo issues - I have seen where something was inside the that got caught in the gears, or vgt cavity and cause things to stick





Hope that helps a little. I know it was a lot of info but it should help to find the problem
 

6speedsd

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I've actually checked just about every one of those things. MAP hose and fitting are clean. EBP sensor and tube are clean. Turbo is clean. Unison ring is new and actuating arm shows no wear. Already replaced the plastic cold side pipe with a metal one with new boots. No soot anywhere on or around the uppipes. Checked vgt wiring yesterday...found no worn wires or cracks. I can cycle the solenoid with AE and it works open and closed. Truck does not have a MAF. I pulled the IAT a while back but I need to again just to make sure.

Something I've noticed is when the truck is cold, it doesn't act this way. Boost is instant and normal. Once temps get up to normal, it gets laggy. Not sure what causes that.


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KCTurbos

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watch your vgt duty cycle while driving to see what it does. I have had trucks that the vgt would work for a while... and then out of no where it would stop cycling.
 

6speedsd

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Will do.

It is cycling. Like I said, you go in and mash on it and boost comes up immediately and hard. But never over 25psi. It's just lower pedal % where it is most noticable. 30ish% pedal from a stop, and it'll shift to 2nd before I get to 5psi.

When it locks the TQ, should boost drop? Like when I go through the gears and it locks, pressure will drop 2-4lbs as soon as it locks with no change in pedal position. Seems like lockup puts extra load on it, which at the least would hold boost if nothing else


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6speedsd

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Coming home from work today, pull away from an intersection, accelerating as normal, truck shifted to 5th, was holding right around 13-15 psi like it has been lately, and all of a sudden it spooled and shot up to about 25psi. I'd say maybe 40% pedal. After that the lag was gone. 70mph I was seeing about 10psi, hit a long hill and it'd climb to 15 (before I'd see 5-7 at 70, and maybe 10-12 on same hill). Next couple times through the gears were perfect. Shifts felt better, pressure built fast and smooth. Figured maybe there was some trash in the solenoid and it finally blew it out. I was smiling from ear to ear!

BUT...then I hit traffic. After a couple stop and go's at traffic lights, I'm back to lag. Rest of the way home it acted like it has been lately. Really starting to think its the solenoid.


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sootie

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boost will fall a little because the rpms drop quickly.
 

KCTurbos

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I don't mean to beat a dead horse... but you should watch your vgt duty cycle to see if it changes/freaks out when the problems happen. That might be able to tell us something
 

KCTurbos

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what you are doing is watching the affect (change in boost)... you need to start looking for the cause! Watching boost will simply let you know what happened... not what is causing it to happen.


Watch these parameters while the problem is happening to try to find a cause. If one of them is out of whack then it should help you to narrow it down. Do not check them at rest or with Key On Engine off... because that is not when the problem is happening. You need to watch them while the problem is happening to see which one of the is possible bad/shorting.

ebp
vgt duty cycle
map
maf
iat
etc...


watching boost will tell you very little at this point. It is just a result of what the other sensor are doing.



Also there is a chance that your vanes are still sticking. Maybe something got gummed up again
 

6speedsd

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I'll watch them one day this week when I can get someone to ride with me.

Gummed up again after only 2 weeks? I cleaned the piss out of this turbo. It looked damn near new when I got done with it.


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6speedsd

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Haven't had a chance to put AE on it yet, but did monitor with the X3 on my way home. About the only thing I can monitor on that list is IAT and MAP...

Idling...
IAT would climb pretty fast from what it was when driving.
MAP was about 105kpa (not sure of the conversion)

General driving IAT stayed between 88-92.
At 5psi MAP was about 130-140kpa, 10psi 170-180kpa. MAP climbed and dropped with boost as well.

What are normal values for IAT? Never really paid much attention to it in the past.
 

6speedsd

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Ok, put AE on it today. Not sure what numbers y'all are wanting so I'll give a few. If there is something more you need, just tell me what it is.

Idle, truck at temp..
EBP voltage 1.15-1.19
EBP absolute 17.4-17.6
EBP desired 2.3-2.5
Map 15-15.2
Map voltage 1.36
VGT % 66.2-69.7

1600-1700rpms, TQ locked in OD
EBP voltage 1.1-1.4
EBP absolute 17.1-21
EBP desired 2.5-5.3
Map 15.5-18
Map voltage 1.4-1.6
VGT % 44-50

Highest rpm I got was 3300...
EBP voltage 3.67
EBP absolute 46.1
EBP desired 31.5
MAP 38.68
Map voltage 3.61
VGT % 20.91

VGT didn't seem to be fluctuating at a steady pedal position. The variation I listed was just maintaining roughly 50mph. Map always climbs with boost, as does EBP. Not sure if any of this is helpful, but that's what I got!
 

KCTurbos

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I am unsure of what to tell you at this point. It gets really hard to diagnose this stuff sometimes through the forums.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I had it do it on my truck before. It was weird because I could tell it was doing it just by the sound of the turbo while cruising even with the cruise control on at 65mph on flat ground. I could hear the whistle in the exhaust note kept changing and when I looked over at boost I could see it going up and down slightly... Then i did a complete overhaul with new sensors, new turbos, new injectors, etc... and the problem went away. I never really found out what was happening.


There is a slight chance that there is slop in the unison ring and vanes. This would cause the computer to command the vgt to a certain point... but because of the slop it would be slightly off and the ebp/map would read high/low so the computer would compensate by adjusting the vanes... but then the slop would go back the other way and reverse the problem. That is the only thing mechanically I can think of... other than that I would think it would be a sensor malfunctioning somehow
 

6speedsd

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I was getting bad fluctuating with the solenoid that came with this turbo. I put my original one on it and that stopped. But the lag returned just as it was with my original turbo. Part of me thinks it's just my solenoid, considering the other sensors seem to be functioning correctly, and that solenoid is the only other part that is the same with the new turbo installed. Like I said the other day...at random times while accelerating, it's like flipping a switch and it'll clear right up and spool perfect until you come back down to idle. Then it gets laggy again. 70mph I'm seeing 5psi... When it clears up, same mph I'm seeing 10-13. Truck obviously runs 100% better when it clears up.

Unison ring is new, vanes had no visual wear in them at all, nor did the actuating arm. Seems like all the internals are in perfect working order. When I had it apart, rotating the ring by hand was easy and smooth with no binding or catches at all. Sure I could just buy a new solenoid and put it on. But then I'm just throwing parts at it, and that gets expensive quick. And that's why I bought AE....so I can actually figure out problems and not just throw parts at it like most mechanics around here.
 

6speedsd

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What causes a VGT solenoid to fluctuate duty cycle like mine did? Trash, or just faulty electrical in the solenoid itself? Can one be cleaned that you suspect has trash in it? If yes, then clean it with what?
 

6speedsd

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Anyone know what causes them to fluctuate? The one I'm currently running is starting to surge in the higher boost levels. The other one did it all the way through the boost range. All I hear is that those solenoids rarely go bad...


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HeavyAssault

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IAT is reading from the intake housing sensor or the sensor in the intake manifold. My own experiences show the current monitors read the housing sensor. SO at idle IAT will climb due to engine bay heat, while driving it should get closer to the OAT.
 

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