Do I need a new turbo?

[mondo]

Hi, I know i've asked this question a few times, but maybe with recent discoveries you guys might be able to offer more advice?
Ever since I bought my truck the green turbo light has never come on whilst driving, although it does when I turn the ignition on. The truck is completely gutless, no torque, no speed, and barely goes over 3000 rpm in gear unless im going down hill. It doesnt smoke or burn oil, but when you put your foot down, there is nothing there. Ive driven my friends, which is exactly the same as mine and the difference is phenomenal! When you put your foot down, on pops the green light and the truck just flys away like a dream (obviously it doesnt fly, its not a magical truck, but you know what I mean).
Anyway, everyone has suggested vacuum pipes slipping off etc, but ive checked over and over and they all appear to be in place!
However, I took all my air pipes off yesterday to take my rocker cover off, and the pipe(s) that run from the air filter into the turbo all had a dirty, oily black sludge in them, and the metal outlet pipe from the turbo had a little bit of black oil in it but nothing much really. So what does this mean? Is my turbo knackered?Is this why my truck has as much power as an electric toothbrush?!I can hear the turbo whistling up when im driving, it just doesnt seem to work!
Oh and I found a random black wire with what looks like a spade that should attach to a sensor, coming out from a main loom of wires on the passenger side, right at the back of the engine bay near the fuel filter.....any ideas?
Sorry again for the essay people!
Mondo

[JUDWAK]

you can get tubos tested ya know most good places test stuff like that
well they do in yorkshire anyhow

[stormforce]

There should be a longish plug thing that plugs into the pipe from the air filter so it maywell be that you got there

[Apache]

It'll be the usual problem of the wee pipe coming off the sensor. Loads of people have had that problem - me included, though being a 3.0 owner, I probably have more power than you when your truck is working with my turbo not boosting

[NiftyNev]

As above. Probably the hose from under throttle, from manifold to the Turbo Sensor mounted to the Air Filter housing. Got a pic of this wire and the area it's in? Don't worry about the oil in the intake unless it's excessive or you are burning oil.

Nev

[mondo]

Anyway, everyone has suggested vacuum pipes slipping off etc, but ive checked over and over and they all appear to be in place!

Ive checked that one and he is firmly in place!Any other ideas? I will take a photo of the wire later today and put it up here!
I just spoke to a place and they said the only way they can test my turbo is by sending it off which could take 2 weeks!!
What a nightmare!

[mondo]

ok, heres a picture of the stray wire (Red arrow) and the loom it goes into (blue arrow). Any ideas where its meant to go or is it just another random wire that the previous owner decided to play with. This seems to be the biggest problem with my truck, its had so many random hacks done to it, especially the wiring, that I dont know whats right and whats wrong!
In the third picture, is this the hose that always slips off and gives people turbo problems?If it is, as you can see its in place, so i'm stumped as to why my truck is gutless!
Cheers for all the help!

And for those of you with a keen eye you will spot my incorrect fuel filter in the last picture...another thing I did not know was incorrect when I bought the truck, but for some reason the previous owner took the bracket off, fabricated a new one out of 2 bits of box section, and stuck a tiny little filter on!Bizarre!!

[NiftyNev]

At the bottom of the first pic you will see the turbo pressure sensor. Is the hose connected to the underside of this? The one from manifold (in third pic) goes to a small filter then a smaller hose to the sensor. Not sure about the wire but will have a look at mine sometime.

Nev

[mondo]

Just had a look, and yes, the pipe is attached to the turbo sensor..... This is a very frustrating problem. And thanks storm force, but I cant find a plug on the pipe from the airfilter?Am I being thick??(you dont have to answer that!)
The only thing I can find is a trickle of black oil that is coming from the top of the short rubber air hose that joins the metal turbo outlet pipe that runs across the rocker cover, into the rest of the engine....suggesting that the pipe is split and blowing a little bit.Would this make much difference to my turbo power?I cant feel any air coming out of it! But i'm really at my wits end as to why my truck performs like crap!
Thanks alot guys.

[NiftyNev]

Test the turbo sensor. With ignition on apply about 5PSI of pressure to the sensor via the hose connection. The light on dash should come on. If not the sensor is faulty or there is a problem with connector or wiring.

Nev

[mondo]

Right, ok thanks alot nev, i will try and get that done. Do i put 5psi straight through the tiny little vacuum pipe on to the sensor? Also,does anyone have a diagram of the vacuum pipe set up,just to make sure that mine are connected up correctly. Cheers!

[NiftyNev]

Check the Aussie Tech Site for diagrams. Yes, apply pressure via the hose that goes to the bottom of sensor. Just don't overdo it, as excess pressure may damage it. If you got a good set of lungs you may be able to just blow into the hose and apply enough pressure to activate the light. It should only take a couple of PSI.

Nev

[mondo]

Cheers Nev.
Just blew into the pipe, pretty hard, and the light came on!So......Does this mean my turbo is knackered?Also, should it work if I suck on it since it is a vacuum pipe?
My engine was running, and I could feel some suction on the connector that I pulled the pipe off....just in case thats of any use!
Cheers

[NiftyNev]

It's mainly a pressure port. The only time there is vacuum is at idle (which is a very small amount) or when the throttle is closed quickly.

Get yourself a combination Boost/Vacuum gauge and install it. This will help you determine if the turbo is boosting properly.

Nev

[dieselboy]

Just had a look, and yes, the pipe is attached to the turbo sensor..... This is a very frustrating problem. And thanks storm force, but I cant find a plug on the pipe from the airfilter?Am I being thick??(you dont have to answer that!)
The only thing I can find is a trickle of black oil that is coming from the top of the short rubber air hose that joins the metal turbo outlet pipe that runs across the rocker cover, into the rest of the engine....suggesting that the pipe is split and blowing a little bit.Would this make much difference to my turbo power?I cant feel any air coming out of it! But i'm really at my wits end as to why my truck performs like crap!
Thanks alot guys.

i would try and repair or replace the split hose. normally, if the turbo is supplying boost and the boost is leaking, you can hear this under accelleration. sometimes it might sound like a wet fart. else, it might sound like a very loud turbo noise.