6.5 Turbo no boost

[Pstyckiewicz]

So I installed a boost gauge on the truck and I am not really generating any boost. Maybe 1 pound while driving up a hill. In addition I made an adjustable waste gate and adjusting it appears to not change anything.
The majority of the time it’s running slightly in vacuum.
I took the line off the back of the gauge to ensure it wasn’t blocked. I could blow some air through it by mouth.
Will a small exhaust leak on the exhaust side of the turbo cause it not to boost. When I rev it up I get a small amount of exhaust from a v band joint.

 

[Barrman]

The boost gauge will be on the intake side. It sure reads as if you have several small leaks. There are ways to check for leaks. Here is a video of doing that:

Since I think you have the center mount turbo. You can pressure test through the turbo and into the 3 piece intake.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

I do have some black soot around the flexible parts of the exhaust side leading into turbo. Not sure if that’s enough to not spin up the turbo enough

 

[TOBASH]

Is the turbo cartridge spinning?

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

I attempted to fix a leak on the driver side V band. Opens a can of worms there. Got the flex pipe on driver side off and stuck a bore scope up the but couldn’t get it far enough up there to see turbine. Slapped it back together the best I could so I could drive it. But I’ll need new v bands. And maybe a new flex pipe.
Anyone replace the flex pipe with somthing aftermarket? The cost of replacement is kinda crazy. The one I have appears to be leaking around where the flexing part meets the pipe.

 

[Mogman]

If you are talking about where the flex pipe joins the flange that bolts to the manifold or the turbo I have seen a ton of them in the civy world that were brazed.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

So it leaks around the joint circled in the picture.

 

[Mogman]

So it leaks around the joint circled in the picture.

Yep. Can you see the defect or exactly where the leak is?

 

[Mogman]

I locked the other thread as there were double posting on your boost issues.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

I can see the spot it on the pipe where it is leaking. I put a hose clamp on it but it didn’t help much. So I need 2 new v band clamps due to them falling apart. Also the cast iron on the exhaust manifold and turbo are corroded. I’ll need to use some gasket maker.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

So to put all my turbo problems out there.
-Newly installed boost gauge appears to only read vacuum. Also checked flow by blowing into it by mouth.
-Newly made adjustable waste gate was adjusted. No difference.
-
-While installing boost gauge noticed a black oily residue in intake manifold just above turbo. Oil leak in turbo?

Other condition I have that could be indicators of something.
- cold start after sitting results in heavy smoke. Looks white/blue kinda smells like unburnt fuel but also can’t rule out burning oil. Looks like uncle bucks car if i start it and drive when cold.
If I plug it into block heater for an hour no smoke.
-get blinking wait light as well.
-All the condition above the truck starts right up.

My thoughts but have no knowledge of. Could the seals inside of the turbo go bad causing the oily residue in my intake and the heavy smoke on start up?
In hindsight I should have stuck a camera do

Any thoughts

 

[TNDRIVER]

So to put all my turbo problems out there.
-Newly installed boost gauge appears to only read vacuum. Also checked flow by blowing into it by mouth.
-Newly made adjustable waste gate was adjusted. No difference.
-
-While installing boost gauge noticed a black oily residue in intake manifold just above turbo. Oil leak in turbo?

Other condition I have that could be indicators of something.
- cold start after sitting results in heavy smoke. Looks white/blue kinda smells like unburnt fuel but also can’t rule out burning oil. Looks like uncle bucks car if i start it and drive when cold.
If I plug it into block heater for an hour no smoke.
-get blinking wait light as well.
-All the condition above the truck starts right up.

My thoughts but have no knowledge of. Could the seals inside of the turbo go bad causing the oily residue in my intake and the heavy smoke on start up?
In hindsight I should have stuck a camera do

Any thoughts

Before any more remedial work i would pull one side of the turbo or the other down to the point you can get a finger on the pin wheel in the housing and make sure it spins freely. From your explanation i think it's frozen. Turbo seals can and do leak.
The exhaust side gives you oily smoke, the intake side, if bad enough, can give you a runaway engine. Or smoke. At this point I believe the pinwheel moves to the front of the list for now. My 2 cents.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

Probably the easiest way to see if it spins is on the intake manifold side. Should it spin really easy with no resistance?

 

[Mogman]

I have seen oily residue in the intake of virtually every turbo diesel I have ever worked on.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

That’s promising. Hopfully it’s just my exhaust leakage

 

[TNDRIVER]

Probably the easiest way to see if it spins is on the intake manifold side. Should it spin really easy with no resistance?

Yes and it should not drag an any edges. No lateral play at all.

 

[Mogman]

Yes and it should not drag an any edges. No lateral play at all.

All turbos have radial play, some as much as .040" that feels like a ton to your fingers, they ride on a thick film of oil, most should have very little axial play.

 

[TNDRIVER]

All turbos have radial play, some as much as .040" that feels like a ton to your fingers, they ride on a thick film of oil, most should have very little axial play.

I stand corrected on the smaller ones. I believe my CAT turbos had little to no play though.

 

[Pstyckiewicz]

I’ll take the pipe off from the air cleaner to the turbo, put my borsecope down there and blow some air in there to see if it moves. I don’t think I can get my hand in there to feel movement. And taking the 3 bolts holding that extra piece on is another can of worms. I’m not trying to snap bolts if I don’t need to haha

 

[Gcelevator]

I’ll take the pipe off from the air cleaner to the turbo, put my borsecope down there and blow some air in there to see if it moves. I don’t think I can get my hand in there to feel movement. And taking the 3 bolts holding that extra piece on is another can of worms. I’m not trying to snap bolts if I don’t need to haha

At this point, and all ypu have explained i would pull the turbo out to carefully inspect. Good time to replace the 8 gasket and the bridge gaskets as well. My opinion.