Where do you think I should begin with this problem....

[s14_sport]

The RB issues NEVER END!

I have 96 240, RB25DET, Walbro 255lph, Z32 MAF, Q45 TB, Apexi PFC, Brand new turbo. (not sure the exact trim and size, but, it fits on the stock manifold and has an internal gate. Just like stock only slightly larger, beefier).

I took my baby to a shop to diagnose my knock level issue and get a tune. Turned out my stock turbo was bad. They replaced it with the turbo I described above. AN fittings and stainless steel lines for oil and the standard water hoses.

I picked up the car last night. I brought the shop owner out with me to go start up the car and look at the work. We started it up, let it warm up to operating temp and revved it up a bunch of times. Everything sounded beautiful. I left the shop to go to work with the car and it was running pretty good. turbo spooling up nice, pulling nicely, i was easy on it. I got on the highway and decided to give it alittle bit more gas to see what it could do. It was good for alittle while then all power seemed to die. The turbo wasn't spooling up anymore no matter what rpm I was at. So I went to work for about 2 hours and when I was done checked fluids and stuff, looked around to see if any missing vacuum lines, or if any piping was loose and warmed my car back up again for the ride back home. Same thing...nothing from the turbo for most of the way. Then almost home I got the turbo to spool alittle bit....at 4500rpms! it didnt kick in until 4500. And when it kicked in it just made noise....didnt give me any power at all. So I got home, parked it and decided to deal with it in the morning.

Next Morning

Tried to start the car.....nothing. Can't get it to start. And the PFC is giving me a flashing check engine light when I try and start it. I checked all my sensors on the PFC and everything seems to be in working order.

Not sure where to go with this. Talked to the shop owner and he wants me to bring the car by, I would like to get it started, before having to get it towed...

[Yellow4g63]

Make sure your knock sensor is not unpluged.

[Jesse J]

What you described to me sounds like a BIG boost leak, check all your couplers on your intercooler piping for holes/looseness, if nothing is obvious then do a boost leak check with an air compressor.

[240z4u]

Good suggestion on the big boost leak. Maybe you blew off a coupler partially or something too. I have done that. The turbo makes a little noise and thats it.

There is ALSO the possiblity that your wastegate arm is stuck or the turbo came loose from the exhaust manifold (although the exhaust leak would be bad).

Check that wastegate actuator.

Evan

[gawdzilla]

Make sure your knock sensor is not unpluged.

with the PFC, the engine doesn't skip a beat without the knock sensors plugged in. i've run mine without plugging in the lower subharness before.

i'd say it's some sort of boost leak. not sure on the flashing CEL though. does your sensor/sw screen show anything out of the ordinary?

[shally2186]

yea it sounds to me like a boost leak...i blew off my charges tubes before and i had the same issue...boost leaks are the worst,with a leak you WON'T BUILD ANY BOOST

[rbsileighty]

I agree with the boost leak logic, but don't rule out an exhaust leak between the turbo and the manifold (would only cause your lag/boosting problem)... especially with a new turbo as someone might not have tightened the bolts on the bottom enough as they are hard to get to with some turbo/stock manifold combo's (I have a wrench I made especially for this task)

Here is a good way to rule out a boost leak:http://www.dsmtuners.com/forum....html

This is one of the "better" setups I've seen...

Good luck!

[s14_sport]

Excellent! thanks for all your help so far....I just checked it all out in broad daylight and was able to find that the wastegate arm was disconnected. Now I'm hoping the reason I'm not starting is some boost leak. I just made my own boost leak tester and about to try it out.

[s14_sport]

Wanted to follow up on this one. Turns out that I had just installed my carbon fibre vented hood and that night it rained hard....water got on top of the engine and since I have no coilpacks anymore the water seeped right into the valley between the valve covers. It was cold, very cold the next day and the water iced up around the spark plugs and spark plug wires. I had to melt the ice and soak up all the water. Then it started...

[Darius]

Good update, we were all WRONG. Pssh shoulda guessed it. It makes sense that they water would ground out the spark signal to the head though.

[Shocker]

fix the hole in your hood! lol or dont park outside.

[s14_sport]

hahahaha....i should have taken pics of the spark-cicle pops!

now i park inside the garage!