Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Fiat 500s with Terbows.
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Outoway
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Your Car's Year / Make / Model: 2013 Fiat Abarth

Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Outoway » Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:51 pm

Ok, mods first the what’s going on and plan of attack:
v4 intake
chipbox with the fiat tech tune
dv+
turbosmart actuator
defi boost gauge

ok, the prob: boost maxes out at 19psi @ wot and the drops to 14 within seconds. I know it should be at 24psi at wot. Mia does stumble a bit as it drops.

initial plan: bypass the chipbox with the plug to rule it out as a possible problem. Does anyone know what boost should be stock with sport button?

next is checking the turbosmart to make sure all is good

then take dv+ apart and clean and relube it. (Got to do an oil change soon anyway!)

and of course check for boost leaks. Plan has been to get a fmic this spring anyway. So seems like I might step into one sooner.

is there anything else that I may want to check? Or even the order in which to do them?

thanks!

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texanbrit
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by texanbrit » Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:42 am

I think that seems like a decent plan of attack. The dv+ needs lubricating from time to time.

From what a remember stock boost is 18psi, but it's been a long time so my memory could be off.
2013 Abarth 500c (NGen Turbo'd) - Isabella
2012 500 Pop (broken, engine rebuild on hold) - Popabella
2014 500L (Daily workhorse) - The Hulk
2013 Abarth 500 (broken engine, current project) - Abby

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Outoway
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Outoway » Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:56 am

texanbrit wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:42 am I think that seems like a decent plan of attack. The dv+ needs lubricating from time to time.

From what a remember stock boost is 18psi, but it's been a long time so my memory could be off.
Thanks for the reply! I have eliminated the chipbox as the culprit... took it off and used the bypass plug.... results were in sport mode, 14 psi with a drop off to 9-10psi. So on to the next on the list!

Romanoaf
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Romanoaf » Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:04 am

14 psi is also the boost limit when the ECU is in knock protection. When this has happened to me, changing fuel suppliers corrected the condition. Shell 91 is usually a safe bet. After refuelling, give it 20-50km and it should lift the condition, if it’s fuel related.
13’ Abarth

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Outoway
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Outoway » Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:40 am

Romanoaf wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:04 am 14 psi is also the boost limit when the ECU is in knock protection. When this has happened to me, changing fuel suppliers corrected the condition. Shell 91 is usually a safe bet. After refuelling, give it 20-50km and it should lift the condition, if it’s fuel related.
Wow that hadn’t even been a thought... I had recently filled at a station I don’t use regularly. I have always used the highest octane they have.

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MadFiat
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by MadFiat » Sat Feb 08, 2020 2:25 pm

Outoway wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:40 am
Romanoaf wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:04 am 14 psi is also the boost limit when the ECU is in knock protection. When this has happened to me, changing fuel suppliers corrected the condition. Shell 91 is usually a safe bet. After refuelling, give it 20-50km and it should lift the condition, if it’s fuel related.
Wow that hadn’t even been a thought... I had recently filled at a station I don’t use regularly. I have always used the highest octane they have.
Some unscrupulous independently owned stations will try to slip in lower grade as premium with the mistaken belief (supported by "journalists" who don't know any better) that no cars actually "need" premium fuel.
2015 Rosso Abarth 5MT - MAD FIAT - EC Phase 2 + Supporting Mods
2015 Granito Lucente 500T 6AT - Projecto Estupido
2017 Fiat 124 Spider 6MT - Another one???

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Outoway
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Outoway » Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:13 pm

Ok, I think I may have found my problem. And this should have been the first thing I checked.... I decided to take the intake off and take a pic of the fins to see if they were any worse from my other post. And they are :( Plus now when I turn the impeller by hand I hear a scratching sound that wasn’t there before! So now it time to replace it..... Dang.... shucks..... YES!!!
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texanbrit
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by texanbrit » Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:52 am

You might have a boost leak that is causing the turbo to overspin. That does look gnarly though. On the positive side you have a great core to provide when you buy your new upgraded turbo!!!

Which turbo upgrade are you thinking of getting?
2013 Abarth 500c (NGen Turbo'd) - Isabella
2012 500 Pop (broken, engine rebuild on hold) - Popabella
2014 500L (Daily workhorse) - The Hulk
2013 Abarth 500 (broken engine, current project) - Abby

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Outoway
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by Outoway » Thu Feb 20, 2020 3:19 pm

texanbrit wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:52 am You might have a boost leak that is causing the turbo to overspin. That does look gnarly though. On the positive side you have a great core to provide when you buy your new upgraded turbo!!!

Which turbo upgrade are you thinking of getting?
Thanks for the reply! Decided I was going FMIC when I replace as well. That way don’t have to worry about stock plumbing.

As for turbo, I went with this:

“ OEM replacement Turbocharger for 2013+ dodge dart / FIAT 500 Abarth with 1.4L turbo engine.

factory overhauled GARRETT GT1446GLSZ.

includes wastegate actuator

available with and without diverter valve

UPGRADE VERSION STG1 features 48mm BILLET wheel with 2mm larger inducer AND exducer, adjustable billet wastegate actuator. Direct bolt-on, works without suporting mods or tune, but ecu tuning necessary to exploit the full potential of this turbo.”

And it came in today, it’s Christmas in February!
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Re: Turbo pressure not what it should be! :(

Post by MadFiat » Thu Feb 20, 2020 11:22 pm

What tune are you planning to run with that?
2015 Rosso Abarth 5MT - MAD FIAT - EC Phase 2 + Supporting Mods
2015 Granito Lucente 500T 6AT - Projecto Estupido
2017 Fiat 124 Spider 6MT - Another one???

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