Umm....stupid question, but...can I rev my engine? I want to hear the BOV to see if it's working, but I don't want to hurt the car. The more I think about it though, the tuning I am doing isn't affecting idle at all, because I think the car stays in closed loop during idle, and I can't see how there would be much load on the engine sitting in place. So, can I rev my engine safely up to 5000 rpm or so? How can I tell if I can or not, will knock sensors go off when idling?

 

There is a load threshold for the knock Sensor and anything below that load the knock sensor is ignored. I have revved my engine in the Past and was able to get a knock count. So maybee proceed with caution.

 

I did as well when you press on it, I get fast knock cel's, or when I do my 2 step at 3500 I can't mash on it to get the turbo spooled, build boost, and whip on cars. But im pretty sure you can rev it really slow to that point.

also to see if you bov is working just push the car to 1-2 psi and keep your windows closed if you hear a pssssh sound then yes its working

 

I just flashed an updated "base lancer" rom to my car that has lower open loop thresholds and slightly richer fuel, as well as small timing smoothing above 80 load. In addition, I scaled load up a bit by combining similar rows so that I go up to 130 in my map now. I took my oil drain off, and cleaned up the old gasket, put a new one, and re-torqued it all...I hope it fixes the leak. If it doesn't, I'm not sure what else to do. I think I am tightening the bolts enough, but I don't want to crank down on them too much.

Speaking of cranking down...I shook the car a little to see if I could here what was rattling the other day, and I did pinpoint it. It was the springs on the downpipe bolts, they were loose enough to wiggle around. So, I tightened them up some, not really putting any pressure on them at all, alternating back and forth every 1/2 turn or so...........and before I knew it, the downpipe flange was bent up a bit. Apparently I don't know my own strength, I wasn't even hardly turning the wrench. Anyway, you guys with stock downpipes and donut gaskets, how tight do you do the bolts, until the springs are snug and don't wiggle, or a specific torque or what?

 

Stupid oil....It's so hard to see where it's leaking, somewhere on the bottom of the turbo, but I can't tell if it's the outlet, or if it's possibly leaking on the seal between the hotside and the center piece (do they leak there or would that mean my turbo is fubared?)

Anyhow, it's a tiny leak, so I went ahead and drove around a bit this evening. I got anywhere from 3-8 counts of knock, everytime I heard the PC yell "warning, engine knock detected" at me, I let off the pedal. I have it set to squawk like that on any knock over 2. Anyhow, the knock seemed pretty consistant, 90 load give or take 5 was knocky around 3000-4000, 50-60 load was knockish from 1000-1750, and I was a little too rich past 4000rpm. So, sorted each of those out I hope, and got a new rom flashed to the car....but not going to drive until tomorrow evening, still taking the buick to work.

How do you guys troubleshoot your oil leak issues, if you've had them? Just see where the leak is, or what if you can't see it?

 

I had that leak before also , it was because either when i took apart the hotside from the turbo i didnt seat it right or the clamp holding them both together wasnt tight enough , but either way i fixed mine by taking it apart and putting it back together .

 

Well...sounds like I might be taking mine apart as well, at least just to really inspect the thing and see if there is any obvious problem. When I took it apart to ceramic coat it, the mating surface was perfect, and I tapped the round clamp down then tightened the nut until tapping no longer loosened the nut. Perhaps first I will just give it a few taps all around and see if it loosens up....if not, I'll pull it, clean all around there, and re-attach it. I've got no plans this coming weekend! and I do not want to have any oil leaks.

 

The easiest way I find any leaks whether it be oil, power steering or whatnot. Is flourescent dye and the 'blacklight" pen. I use this stuff anytime someone brings me a vehicle with a leak

 

i still have an oil leak as well its not really that bad im still at half full of oil in my pan, and thats over a month. But I still prefer no oil. im telling you man the people that sell these used turbos know somethings wrong with them they work for a little bit then bam you have a problem.

my clamp popped off and I tightened it back up but I think the bearing was taking most of the wait for the day causing it to squeak like mitsu kids. but im planning on buying a brand new turbo I can't trust anyone selling thier used turbos.... unless it has under 5k

 

That sucks all you guys are having issues with your turbo's. Mine is still working perfectly *knock on wood* with no issues... yet lol

 

never had a problem with mine but i also bought new. even tho it costs more i will always buy a new turbo...that reminds me i nee to look at a blouch 16g and some new injectors for the soob....


josh

 

I hate to use my thumb to point the blame, but it's probably my fault for not tightening the ring clamp enough after ceramic coating the hotside (it can leak oil from there, right?). Anyhow, I tapped it again with a wrench extension, and it snugged up quite a bit....maybe my tapping, or maybe engine vibration, but something wiggled it in place a bit. We'll see if it's still dripping this evening.

It's actually not what I'm calling a leak, it's 1 drop of oil on the turbo return when i pull into the garage, never enough to actually drip on the floor. I wonder if it's only when the car is put under pressure, and maybe i can rev the engine in the garage to like 3k and hold it so see if it actually drips or anything.

Anyhow, update later this evening.



*F'ing Edit* I did some reading, looked at some diagrams, and I don't think that vband or band clamp, or whatever it is should even be seeing oil.....I bet I have a leak somewhere on that seal between the wheel that the exhaust spins, and the housing. I'm thinking I should pull the exhaust housing off and see if it's hiding on oil covered exhaust turbine wheel.......................................

 

Maaan, I went and did a little more logging after adjusting things, and I think my car is running off the low octane fuel map as expected (on the stock lancer rom) but all the timing values match up with the high octane ignition map, which is not what I expected. I copied the low one I adjusted over to the high octane map in my rom, and the knock was significantly reduced. I'm going to verify that the timing map in use is high or low, and then continue tuning tomorrow. Any insight is appreciated, but as soon as I can work up to a WOT pull, I'ma switch to the Tephra ROM, which will use the high and high maps...and I think even interpolate the low maps in when knock is present.


Oh, and I didn't see any oil leaking after today's rides, so hopefully tightening the drain is all I needed.

 

When entering the highway this morning to go to work, I went through 2nd gear at probably 80 load or so, and then pushed the clutch to go to third and it squeaked...I was like wtf, is my pedal needing some WD 40 or do I have coke or something sticky on my shoe? Then, 3rd to 4th, same squeak......it was the BOV, I just hadn't heard it yet. I think it mighta been froze closed after sitting for a year or so, but she's SQUEAKIN NOW!

 

i hope its not the plastic bro... there cheap things ready to break thats why when i read these forums they told me get the metal one