Hey guys!
I know, there are plenty of other threads out there, with a lot of things to try. However, I have tried the most things I've read on forums and tips I get from the Saab community (Absolutely love it, by the way :cheesy: ), without solving my problem.
Long text, but please bare with me! ;ol;
My car is a 9000 CSE -95, low pressure turbo. I got help from Richard Labarre with a new ECU with more power. Great guy, really helpful!
So I installed the ECU, together with the T7 MAC valve and cable adapter that Labarre hooked me up with. If I understood it correctly, he converted the ECU to T7 so that I can run a T7 BPC valve, which is much cheaper than the T5 ones. The car is running great, but lacks boost. No change. Pity! I let it be for a while, but I am now trying to fix the problem. It's supposed to boost like 15-16 psi, but I only get base boost (6-7 psi). The base boost was even lower at first, but I could with some instructions shorten the wastegate arm so that when running base boost only, I get 6-7 psi.
The car has problems holding even this low boost too, so I guess there is a leak but I haven't found it yet. :roll:
This is what I have done/checked:
Wastegate and Turbo:
Bypass Valve (/Blowoff Valve?):
Vacuum/Pressure Hoses and their connections:
Manifolds and throttle body:
Intercooler:
I'm all out of ideas. Maybe it's a ECU problem, but I've checked fuse #17 (someone told me that was the one for the APC, but I'm not sure because it doesn't say APC at any fuse in the glove compartment). And I rather keep believing Labarre did his job well. Many people have praised his free service (yes he did program ECU's free of charge at that time, before people started using him and not returning the old ECU's), so I hardly think there is a problem in the programming. The car runs great otherwise.
If you know any more tests, or have an idea of what could be wrong, please share it with me! =)
Thanks for taking interest!
//Adam
I know, there are plenty of other threads out there, with a lot of things to try. However, I have tried the most things I've read on forums and tips I get from the Saab community (Absolutely love it, by the way :cheesy: ), without solving my problem.
Long text, but please bare with me! ;ol;
My car is a 9000 CSE -95, low pressure turbo. I got help from Richard Labarre with a new ECU with more power. Great guy, really helpful!
So I installed the ECU, together with the T7 MAC valve and cable adapter that Labarre hooked me up with. If I understood it correctly, he converted the ECU to T7 so that I can run a T7 BPC valve, which is much cheaper than the T5 ones. The car is running great, but lacks boost. No change. Pity! I let it be for a while, but I am now trying to fix the problem. It's supposed to boost like 15-16 psi, but I only get base boost (6-7 psi). The base boost was even lower at first, but I could with some instructions shorten the wastegate arm so that when running base boost only, I get 6-7 psi.
The car has problems holding even this low boost too, so I guess there is a leak but I haven't found it yet. :roll:
This is what I have done/checked:
Wastegate and Turbo:
- The arm hasn't fallen off, the pin is not broken. I can move the arm with a little bit of force. Click here for a video of it.
- I removed the vacuum hose from the BPC valve (the MAC one) on the wastegate and GENTLY applied throttle. Nothing happend, were too much of a chicken. However, when driving home and not remembering the "mod", I gave it a bit more. Geez! Lost all traction for a half of a second before letting go by reflex. Haven't tried it since, but that should mean the turbo isn't the problem, right?
Bypass Valve (/Blowoff Valve?):
- Can't see any cracks or rips in the membrane. Can't hear any high pitch sounds of leaking air from it when idling/revving the engine without load.
- Unplugged it from the turbo inlet and checked the functionality. Seems fine...I think...please take a look.
- Unplugged both connections (but not the vacuum hose from the manifold), plugged the hoses and gently tried it. The boost did not increase, but rather decreased. Guess that rules out a BPV leak, right?
- I did try to test the BPV off the car before though, and it leaked at 6-7 psi. So I though that was the problem, but then I read that the spring inside it needs pressure from the intake manifold (the vacuum hose) to keep closed which made me believe my test was no good.
Vacuum/Pressure Hoses and their connections:
- I have listened, felt and looked for cracks and leaks. I have used soapy water, no signs of leaks.
- Hose clamps and zip ties have been added where vacuum hoses didn't have any.
Manifolds and throttle body:
- I've used start gas around the intake manifold, throttle body and at the fuel injectors. The engine did not run different (apparently a sign of a vacuum leak).
- I've used soapy water around both manifolds, the throttle body and everywhere on the motor where I suspected a leak.
Intercooler:
- I have looked for cracks and listened for leaks. I do however need to do a more thorough inspection of the frames and connection before I am sure they are tight.
I'm all out of ideas. Maybe it's a ECU problem, but I've checked fuse #17 (someone told me that was the one for the APC, but I'm not sure because it doesn't say APC at any fuse in the glove compartment). And I rather keep believing Labarre did his job well. Many people have praised his free service (yes he did program ECU's free of charge at that time, before people started using him and not returning the old ECU's), so I hardly think there is a problem in the programming. The car runs great otherwise.
If you know any more tests, or have an idea of what could be wrong, please share it with me! =)
Thanks for taking interest!
//Adam