Need Assistance, Car Not Making Boost!
 

I apologize in advance for a long post, but want to be thorough...

I have a ‘13 FRS, original owner, with Treadstone turbo kit (EFR 6258 turbo) and supporting mods, recent clutch change, tuned by HRI Tuning. I daily drive it, with ~88k miles, no other issues.

Tuesday I was driving and it seemed like the wastegate was opening a little early, so I adjusted the actuator.

Wednesday it felt better, but seems to be opening a little early still, so I adjusted the actuator a little more.

Thursday it drove and felt right, so no issues.

Friday I was on my way home from work. I was merging onto the interstate at 45 mph (behind a slow car) in 4th gear. When I was able to I dropped it into 3rd and gave it gas, pretty much WOT. At about 6k rpm, I heard a loud blowoff sound and let off the gas. The car was driving ok, but when I tried to push it, it sounded like a kazoo whistle, and no boost. So I took it easy and got home with no issues. I pooped the hood and didn’t see anything obvious, so I let it cool for a few hours.
Later last night I went back out and sure enough the compressor cover had come loose. I didn’t do anything then because I wanted to start on it in the morning.

Today, I loosened the v-band clamp, reseated the cover and tightened it back together. I did another inspection of hoses and connections and didn’t notice any other issues. I took it for a drive and at first everything seemed ok, until I tried going WOT. The car accelerates but isn’t making boost. No loud blowoff sound, but no turbo spool-up sound either.

So I did a thorough inspections of all vacuum lines, IC couplings and couplers, and swapped out the wastegate actuator. I retightened the compressor cover v-band clamp as well as the IC coupler to the compressor cover. Everything was back together so I took it for another test drive. Still the same thing. Car runs and drives ok but still isn’t making boost.

I’m pretty much at my limit on what to do (other than replace the turbo) so any assistance or advice is greatly appreciated.

I would try replacing just the wastegate it seemed like when u made adjustment to it did something but then later failed. I would replace that first and if that fails maybe it is the turbo.

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I had a medium boost actuator in it and swapped in a low boost actuator but it didn’t make a difference. I also have the high boost actuator but don’t think the low boost actuator was bad as well.

It really sounds like there's an intercooler pipe that's allowing air to escape. Get a smoke test done and put everything under pressure to be sure. Looking at pipe couplers won't get you anywhere

Or the vac line under the intake popped off.

Yea under boost that line tends to pop off since it doesn't have a clamps on it, it's located under the intake manifold to the right of the throttle body

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Here is a link to a video
https://youtu.be/JcdwaN8Ejy4

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Thanks, that’s the only thing I can think of, short of the turbo. I’m going to find somewhere to hopefully get it done next week. I may go over the couplings again tomorrow, nothing to lose.

I thought that as well, but it’s still on

Thanks! I’ll check it out in the am

So I checked both the bov and vacuum hose under the intake manifold and both were good. So I decided to pull off the intake pipe from the compressor cover. Sure enough the compressor wheel was binding. I loosened the v-band clamp and adjusted the cover. I tightened the clamp down fairly tight and ensured the wheel freely rotated. I’m not sure if there’s supposed to be a gasket between the cover and turbo manifold, so I need to figure that out (didn’t see one which is why I’m curious) as well as track down a new v-band clamp. Anyway, the compressor wheel is a little chewed up. I’ll see how it drives tomorrow, but it’s looking like I may just replace the turbo, depending on the price of a rebuild kit.

I wonder where the tips of those vanes ended up after they were grounded off.

Woah dude hope none of that shaved metal ended up in the engine

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Holy smokes. I think you'd better sleep on driving this thing until you can get a new turbo. Would be worth dropping your intercooler core and seeing if you can shake out the shards before they end up in your cylinders