Bloomin leaks

[Dr H]

About 2 weeks ago I had my car chipped by Mr N. I haven't said anything to the forum 'cause it caused problems with the car and I didn't want to question Pauls work. After numerous tests (thanks APNess) and emails to Paul N we have decided it is a leak and as I expected nothing to do with the chips - well apart from that the higher boost has found a leak

The car doesn't seem to want to hold boost. It peaks at almost 1.5 bar at 2800 rpm but by 4000rpm it is back at about 0.9-1 bar. It is most noticable in the higher gears 'cause of the overboost and load on the engine.

I have pressurised the system and it does seem to leak from somewhere but I cant hear or see anyhting at the moment. So I need to take eveything to bits. My question is are there any usual suspects for leaks? I've done the O-ring mod already.

Should I change the dump valve whilst I'm at it? Anything else? Any suggestions very much appreciated

Oh yeah..........buy a home fry it definately makes a difference, can't wait to get the full benefits when my leak is sorted out

Leigh

[s2avant]

Welcome to the club, mine was (still is a bit) the same after the homefires were fitted. The additional boost soon highlights any existing problems.

So far I've replaced:
[list=1][*]All the Vac hoses[*]All the clips on the intake pipes[*]The throttle body pipe[*]The WGFV[*]All the PCV hoses[*]The ISV hoses[*]Intercooler O-ring[/list=1]

3,4,7 seem to have made the most difference, and pre-meltdown it was flying again. The boost is held a lot better but still tails off. The only things left to be changed are the main intake pipes. I'll do these when the samco's finally arrive. Only problem I find is that after a couple of weeks it seems to be going slower again, either that or I'm getting used to it.

Ben

[Dr H]

Ben

Which is the trottle body pipe?

'All' the PCV hoses blimey! Are these the ones to and from the cam cover (back and front) and all the ones comming from the PCV valve thingy?

What size hose do you use for the small braided vac hoses?

I'm determined to work out where this leak is.

I reackon you are just getting used to the car . I get used to mine and then I find that when Idrive a different car and get back into mine I realise how powerful it is!

Leigh

BTW do you live somewhere near Carlton? A mate of mine says he saw a ruby red avant at a small garage near his place last week.

[Doug_RS2]

Wastgate Diaphragm - easily checked with a Mityvac - or you can do it with a length of hose on that unused connector coming off the top. Stick the hose on and suck and suck - then hold that vacuum by pinching/bending/sticking your tongue on the end of the hose - stand there for a minute then release it - if you hear a clunk then it is holding some pressure - Not very precise but it will tell you if it is totaly fooked. :wacked:

The hose that goes from the turbo to intercooler had a split in mine.

The short/fat(with t-piece) hose going to the inlet manifold form the big metal tube was split on mine. (throttle body hose)

If you have a boost gauge fitted - pressurise the hose going to the ecu and check the pressure on the mityvac matches that on teh boost gauge.

Are you going to CC?

[s2avant]

Thats the hose I changed too. Mine had been sucked into the throttle body right round the back.

Leigh,

Yes, ALL the PCV hoses. The front ones aren't too bad. The ones to and from the pressure regulator are a nightmare as the PAS pipes get in the way. The ones down the back of the head are easy , if and it's a big if, you remove the strut brace, boost tube, ISV, fuel pressure reg vacuum t-piece (metal pipe that goes from the inlet manifold under the throttle body to the FPR) and air con pipes.

As I was changing the strut brace (after Marytn pointed it out it had a kink in it), the ISV hoses and the throttle body hose anyway and my aircon has been removed it wasn't too bad.

As for the vac hose I used 4mm ID silicone hose form SFS, was about £7 for 3 metres (which is more than enough, I'll have to rest in the boot at CC). I found a hole in the vac hose from the t-piece mentioned above to the green ECU pipe. It was right down the back of the wiring loom running across the bulkhead.

I'll find out soon if I am just getting used to it as I've been driving around in a 68bhp transporter van (0-60 if your lucky, top speed 80mph down a steep hill)

Not sure where Carlton is. My baby has been sat at the Lion Garage in Hinckley since the middle of last week awaiting a new fusebox.

Ben

[Dr H]

Thanks for the advice.

I didn't realise that the throttle body hose could split - it looks too beefy!
I had considered the WG diaphram and will try and check that aswell, but I'm not sure if I want to be sucking on pipes infront of the neighbours .

I don't think I can make it to CC. Pity really could have dome to meet some of you guys. I was with Paul J (APness) yesterday and we were saying that we should organise a meet a bit futher up North some time.

I'll see what I can do over the weekend and let you know what happens.

Cheers

Leigh

@Ben, My mate has jsut moved from Hinckley to Carlton so maybe it was your car. I'm sure he said the Lion Garage.

[audiman]

Leigh, never under estimate these damn cars. Trust me, nearly all parts can and will fail

I have replaced all the PCV hoses at great expense, all the main boost hoses are good and i have done the IC mod. Just got to replace ALL the little hoses and renew all the clips. Sick and tired of it blowing a pipe each week! Doh!

My own fault for running high boost.

[s2avant]

Leigh,

Probably was mine, looking sorry for itself.

The throttle body hose on mine hadn't split. It looked like it had been fitted wonky and when then clamp was tightened it had flatted one side of it. I think over time with it coming on and off boost eventually it had worked its way so that the flat section had been sucked into the throttle body opening.

As Tom says, you'll be amazed how many obscure hose can cause running faults and poor performance. The way the PCV system is designed is a nightmare. It doesn't help that Audi squeezed the engine into a space that was far too small for it. You only have to look under the bonnet of an A100 S4 to see how it should be done.

On the subject of S4s, I persuaded Jason, who runs the Lion Garage in Hinckley, to let me take his out for a spin tonight as he's 'borrowing' my homefried ECU and they are a mighty beast, I could seriously be tempted if they weren't such an enormous car.

Ben

BTW does anybody know of a supplier of decent jubilee clips for the intake hoses. The genuine clips are rubbish. I've got through two sets so far, they keep jumping teeth before they get tight enough.

[Doug_RS2]

Originally posted by s2avant

BTW does anybody know of a supplier of decent jubilee clips for the intake hoses. The genuine clips are rubbish. I've got through two sets so far, they keep jumping teeth before they get tight enough.

The SFS Performance dudes who do the silicon hoses stock the Mikalor(ISTR) clips which seem to be pretty good.

[audiman]

Genuine Jubilee clips aint bad, but i have seen in Demon Tweeks an advert for some proper hard core clips with huge threads. Expensive, need to find out who sells them to DT, and then i can cut out the middle man!!

[Audi Parts Guru]

Originally posted by audiman
Genuine Jubilee clips aint bad, but i have seen in Demon Tweeks an advert for some proper hard core clips with huge threads. Expensive, need to find out who sells them to DT, and then i can cut out the middle man!!

Here you are guys......don't say that i never look after you

Uprated Jubilee Clips