2nd turbo not operating when car at full temp - Any ideas?

[notf1ack]

Can anyone help?

The problem I have is as follows, when the car is cold it runs perfectly, however when the engine is at full operating temperature the second turbo doesn\'t operate properly.  You get to the rev range when it should start working and then lose all power.  The car struggles to accelerate between 7,000 and the buzzer.  The next time the car is driven, it is fine again until the engine reaches full temperature.  Then once it is at temperature there is the same problem again.  Has anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.

[Donato]

One thing i would say is that you really dont want to be using the second turbo until you are up at operating temps, its not good to drive a cold engine hard.

As far as your problem is concerned i dont know, im sure someone will be along soon that can help...

[fro]

It could be a failure of the double throttle system. This should stop the second turbo kicking in when the engine is below working temperature but allow it when the engine is hot (and you really shouldn\'t be using full throttle and high revs when the engine\'s below 82 degrees C).
A simple way to check it is to pull the vacuum pipe leading to the actuator on the double throttle and plug it. The pipe is near the bulkhead directly after the throttle body it\'s attached to a round actuator which operates the second throttle butterfly.


edited to add pic (sorry it\'s not very clear, the pipe is attached to the circled red thing on the intake.. just pull the pipe and block it with something and test the car gently until warm)

[Jake]

Just a quick question regarding the 82 degrees C.  My car warms up and pretty much sits at 79 degrees C all the time unless I\'m using WOT when it\'ll start to climb to about 85 degrees C at the most.  Even if I\'m cruising on the motorway for hours it\'ll quite happily sit at 79 without getting any higher.  Should my car be hotter than this when cruising and would the temp being 79 cause any issues?

[fro]

Sounds fine and dandy I picked 82 degrees as the thermostat should open at 82 (my memory is pretty bad though)

Just a quick question regarding the 82 degrees C.  My car warms up and pretty much sits at 79 degrees C all the time unless I\'m using WOT when it\'ll start to climb to about 85 degrees C at the most.  Even if I\'m cruising on the motorway for hours it\'ll quite happily sit at 79 without getting any higher.  Should my car be hotter than this when cruising and would the temp being 79 cause any issues?

[ScuttleRX]

not exactly knowledgable when it comes to turbos (!), but I hear of people having trouble with pipes collapsing due to heat/age...maybe would fit in with the \'only when its hot\' problem?

[Spotlamp]

The symptoms sound exactly the same as a problem I had.  Took it to Geff\'s and it worked fine after...  

No seriously though, it was something to do with the vacuum champer, either not holding enough boost or vacuum or something.  Sorry it\'s not more helpful I know, but the problem was exactly the same, fine cold, crap warm.  Most problematic in 1st and 2nd, 3rd and up was usually OK.

H

[clive]

Have a look at the triangular box in the middle of the engine between the strut brace and the plenum as this could be split and opening only when hot.

BTW this is a popular place to look for 2nd turbo not working as quite often a pipe pops of this box.