< 10k on new evoIII16g = Fail???

[Black99GST]

i do not really know how to explain the situation... i guess, just recently something have become noticably different, it idles, and runs just fine. accept during spool, the spool sounds different, it has more or a "whirl" sound to it, and sounds uneven. the car still pulls, and my boost gauge still reads 21psi when the wastegate opens. i havent had time to pull anything apart and have a look because of school, with the semester coming to an end and all. my question is this. has anyone ever heard of a true MHI EVOIII failing after less then 10k miles of use on a street driven car? i reach full boost MAYBE once every few drives, so the turbo is rarely used (this is because i am still waiting on a new clutch... oem clutch FTL ) i drive the car mostly now to visit my parents in Austin for a weekend or so roughly once a month, which is roughly 120 miles from College Station, where i currently am attending school. i didnt have any problems with the turbo until just recently (meaning the last few weeks to maybe a month or so) on the drive to Austin, i have noticed my EGT to be roughly 1450 deg. F. @ 80-85mph, however, its held their for about 2 hours. could this be the cause of this issue? again, i haven't had time to take a proper look at the car, im just curious on what you guys would think the possibilities could include.

another thing that i changed was my oil, i have been running 5W 30 Mobil 1 synthetic since i installed the turbo, and last month ish, getting ready for warmer temperatures, and this time paying attention to what i was doing, i changed to 10W 30 Mobil 1 synthetic, and it seems that right at the point i changed the oil, this "whirl" issue showed up. could the heavier oil have this effect on the turbo?

that is about all the information i have on this subject. its roughly 75-80 deg F outside, and gets cooler throughout the night, maybe into the high 50's to low 60's (deg F) the way spooling sounds just seems wrong to me. i can attempt to capture the sound on video, however, with the absence of a cat, the exhaust will more then likely be louder then the spool in the video. i know this is a long shot, but any information anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated. the earliest i can begin any type of work on the car wont be until May 13th after about 6pm (last final). should things be ok to continue to drive the car when needed until then? or should i re-frame from driving it as much as possible until i really know whats going on with it? the drives will consist of to and from school, requiring minimal boost... but boost none the less. (speed limit is 65, and their is ALWAYS traffic, so i cant pull out on the road, and cruse up to 65... i got to get up and go...)

[david-b]

I would say check from leaks first. When my DP decides to lose a bolt or something, it's a significant change in sounds from the turbo. Same with any gaskets on there too. I would play with all the nuts & bolts and see if anything changes. The run your hand across everything looking for any kind of leaks.

The rest I don't know.

[SilvrEclipse]

Those EGTs sound normal for interstate driving. Mine usually hang around 1450-1500*F. I know you dont have much time but I would try and pull the intake off and check shaft play. If there isin't any and you see nothing wrong with the compressor wheel I wouldn't worry about running the car. But there could be massive shaft play and you may end up destroying the turbo by driving it. It wouldnt take long to check for it.

[Thor06]

+1 on checking for shaft play. Is it smoking? If it still pulls and isn't smoking I wouldn't suspect a blown turbo, but check for shaft play anyway. Has spool time changed at all? Have you taken any logs to see if there is something else goofy going on? If you are hearing an unusual air sound like that I'd do a boost leak check.

[vanilla gorilla]

Though yes, it wouldn't hurt to pull the intake and check for shaft play.....Im with dave....it sounds to me like an exhaust leak. I have open downpipe on my car, which is loud. The downpipe to O2 housing bolts on my car are notorious for loosening up, and causing a post turbo exhaust leak. Even with my loud exhaust I am still able to hear the change in spool sound when the DP is loose and leaking. So this diagnosis sounds very probable for your situation. Do you have a wideband? If so, is it showing leaner than usual?

Also, oil shouldnt have anything to do with anything. Sounds like a coincidence to me.

[Black99GST]

Dave called it.... damn... huge exhaust leak at the manifold to the turbo... tried to fix it really fast... key word is tried... stripped 2 of the manifold/turbo bolts in the process.... finals, this car, $, F my life... good call Dave! now i just need to re-tap 2 of the holes in the turbo housing, get new bolts, gaskets, washers and put it all back together! if i cant find the parts locally tomorrow, I'm going to have to let the car sit, and hopefully get to and from class with my roommate.

[steviek]

you can still drive it fine with an exhaust leak! just don't push it.

[Thor06]

Or pull one like the guy that had my DSM before me... use a C-Clamp . When I got my car home I was a bit horrified to see that I had overlooked the C-Clamp holding the water neck to the thermostat housing. Yep, should have taken the hint.

[SilvrEclipse]

I had a gasket blow out like that. It leak so bad the turbo would even spool, and I had to drive it for a week before I could take it apart. The leak was starting to melt the starter wires so I bent some tin and use a coat hanger to hole it in place to keep it from melting any wires. Worked perfect but sounded like ass.

[Thor06]

One time I made an exhaust gasket out of a layer of corrugated cardboard and an ass load of aluminum foil. The first one lasted a good long while, the second one.... not so much.

[LandoAWD]

There is a discussion on the DSMLink forums about running gasketless from turbo to mani. It is actually quite interesting, but I'm more likely to buy on from FFWD than run with no gasket.

[david-b]

Originally Posted by Black99GST

Dave called it.... damn... huge exhaust leak at the manifold to the turbo... tried to fix it really fast... key word is tried... stripped 2 of the manifold/turbo bolts in the process.... finals, this car, $, F my life... good call Dave! now i just need to re-tap 2 of the holes in the turbo housing, get new bolts, gaskets, washers and put it all back together! if i cant find the parts locally tomorrow, I'm going to have to let the car sit, and hopefully get to and from class with my roommate.

I rocked that shit.

My DP lost 1 bolt at the North meet last year in the Mall of America parking garage and was loud as hell coming back to the camp. Significant change in sound from the turbo. I blame Tim Foti.

At least it's not too hard of a fix, even though you stripped the 2 bolts. Good luck!

[SilvrEclipse]

Evo3 exhaust housings are known for stripping easily. Helicoil that shit and it will be all good

[Black99GST]

Originally Posted by SilvrEclipse

Helicoil that shit and it will be all good

Helicoil? never heard of that can you fill me in?

Originally Posted by SilvrEclipse

Evo3 exhaust housings are known for stripping easily.

this will be the 2nd time i need it tapped since i got the turbo... first time, the bolts broke off and where stuck in the housing... (cheap bolts)... sent it to slowboy to be ported, and to get the bolts out... needless to say, they charged me and said their was nothing they could do to get the bolts out... they said the part was "too old and worn out" the housing had about 200 miles on it... took to it a local place, they got the bolts out and re-taped it. i bought some hardened bolts locally, and they worked fine until well... now... lol what is this Helicoil? how does it work? and are their any other options other then re taping the exhaust housing? like running longer bolts with nuts lock washers? im sick and tired of this B/S... should have just sucked it up and went the the FP3065....

[Black99GST]

Originally Posted by LandoAWD

There is a discussion on the DSMLink forums about running gasketless from turbo to mani. It is actually quite interesting, but I'm more likely to buy on from FFWD than run with no gasket.

could i get a link to this? i am a member of DSMlink forums.


EDIT: NVM, Found it... thanks!