very confused about my turbo

[heavy1metal]

Sorry for the long story, but help would really be appreciated.

Well, my setup is a s13 sr20det, bone stock. No BOV or DV.

I decide to go grab a mbc and a boost gauge to crank up the boost. During the setup i realised instead of hooking up the gauge to a vacum line, like the one by the fuel rail, i just put a T on the actuator line. Didnt think it would be innacurate, so i left it.

Turned it up to about 10psi (according to the gauge). Only noticed a spike of 14psi after releasing the gas. Drove around like this for a little under a week. Comming home in rush hour traffic i get super annoyed, like usual lol. I decide to just drive and hold it in first gear around 4,000rpm. I drive like that for about 1 minute, then i get some clearance, decide to just punch it. Well, as soon as i do i hear this weird noise. A fairly (but not too much) loud woosh or sheeer noise appears breifly. As if the wastegate was completely open.(more than normal i suppose)

Never heard it before. Then soon after i start hearing "clicking" noises. To to give an example, lets pretend that only One of the compressor fins were hitting the housing. So a click per revolution. This only happens during open thorrtle. I can go to any rpm and just let go of the gas, leaving it in gear, an no noise. Only under open throttle.

Thought it was valve tap before i noticed that.

So, i assumed "oh crap there goes my turbo." Well i took off the intake hose, and check for some freeplay. None. Doesn't move up and down at all. (Very Very Very minute movement). Barely moves in and out. (Again, very very little) Which i've come to understand is normal.

Well, assuming my turbo was ok, i shoot out to gun it up and down the streets. Hard pulls consistantly. Only difference now is boost doesnt come on until about 4k. (Full boost). At 4k it all hits at once.

And of course right after hearing the clicking i just took the mbc off.

Could it be my actuator stuck open? Would this be causing the noise as well? (Compressor air leaking into the exhaust)

And it's really hard to hear the clicking with the hood up and listening from the engine bay.

again thanks in advance for any help or thoughts.

[95lstegman]

how does your stock SR swap not have a BOV or diverter or bypass or whatever?

how does the car run now? idling, driving, etc. other than no boost until 4000rpm? i'm thinking maybe something cracked? but not the turbine housing. if it did you wouldn't have a turbo. if the wheel hits the housing that's the end of the turbo for sure.

[jdm_master_X]

when you spun the shaft and checked for free play did you hear that infamous rollerskate wheel sound? if so, maybe a bearing was toasted.

just a thought.

[heavy1metal]

I see a nipple for a bypass on the intake. Car runs great, just noisey as hell.

Nope, no noises while i spun it. I know i can't match the 20,000+rpm, but i figure if it is making a noise, it should consistantly.

Maybe a thrust bearing? Thats what some1 suggested locally.

[95lstegman]

for checking a turbo, spray a little WD-40 or a dab of oil or something just a little then hit it with a spray of ~45psi out of a blowgun attatched to an air compressor and it will spin up so you can truly test it.

[heavy1metal]

Just to update some, here are some pictures of my setup:Weird hose, probably where a dv should be



wastegate actuator



Engine



Nipples on intake : Leak



I'll add a couple videos here in a few to show the noise i'm talking about.