EGR leak???

[billspreston01]

List of problems and what I've tried so far, car is an 89 turbo with a 5spd swap, completely stock minus the K&N FIPK.

-Exaust leak in the back of the engine bay, sounded like it was coming from the exaust manifold/turbo and I'm also only getting 3psi of boost. So, I pulled the turbo and exaust manifold, cleaned everything up, helicoils in the head, used a different exuast manifold, made sure it wasn't warped or anything, made sure the mating surface was flat, put everything back together using gasket spray on every surface, torqued everything down, started it up and I still have the leak. It could be coming from either side of the engine, or maybe directly from the back of the engine, i don't know. I have EGR block off plates on the way just in-case it's coming from the drivers side, and I'm ordering new gaskets for them too.

-When I jacked the car up to do the turbo I drained the radiator and block. Then I let the car down to do some work, and when I jacked it back up I had coolant leaking from somewhere behind the 2 fans on the drivers side of the radiator, and it was running all the way down to the drain plug, down the drain hose onto the ground. It hasn't happened again but I have no clue what's going on there.

-When I start the car in the morning it hesitates and bogs down really bad, if I don't give it some gas it just dies. After I get it up to temp it idles on it's own but at 1100rpm. i'm gonna check the isc today, but could that cause the car to die out, and then after it warms up cause it to idle really high?

-I drove the car to dragfest last night (just to watch, not to race) and about halfway there I lost almost all power, as in like...it took me a minute to get to 55mph, so I just put it in neutral and let it coast down hills and every now and then just to let it idle a bit. On the way home I had the heater on and the temp gague didn't budge (40% up and never goes higher) I'm still using the old thermostat, but I'm gonna swap that out today. Anyways, the heat was blowing so hot that the 'nut blower' under the steering wheel (as I call it) was seriously beginning to burn my let. I'm pretty sure I have a bad heater core because even with the heat off I get tons of really hot air around my feet, and the windshield gets all filmy on the inside.

-My birdcage coolant light came on on the way home and when I drained the radiator this morning I only got 1/8 gallon of antifreeze (yota red) and I got maybe 1/2 gallon to 3/4 gallon outta the block, I get a coolant leak damn near every-day. I'm swapping the thermostat and housing today and re-clamping ALL hoses with worm clamps since I hate those spring clamps.

-Turning corners almost takes 2 hands, and with 1 hand it can be quite difficult at low speeds (not reallly really hard, just hard enough to make me mad) there is NO free play in the steering wheel, but I'm gonna swap the power steering pump today and hopefully take care of that.

my turbo has around 105k on it, never rebuilt as far as I know, and no signs of cracks in it, the wheels spun when I had it out, but no more than maybe 5-8 revolutions when spun by hand...I don't know how free it's supposed to spin, but I've got a stock rebuilt turbo coming soon.
I think I'm gonna just go with a new radiator. Probably the cheap $115 koyo off ebay...anybody opinions of these? I'm also thinking about getting the silicone vacuum hose kit and the coolant piping kit from horsepowerfreaks.com, again...opinions?

this car is my dd and I'm missing a lot of work because I can't drive it, which is costing me the money I need to fix it so...I really really really need help getting it back on the road PLEASE!

Thanx for everything guys, I don't know what I'd do without a dedicated website like this to help people like me with all the stupid problems associated with working on cars

I love you all!

 

[boost fiend]

just do yourself a favor and get the egr blockoff plates. do ya really wanna suck burned up gasses back into your engine? why not just make it a lil more efficent. it cleans the hood up a lil too. well worth the money, trust me.

 

[billspreston01]

bump, rewrote the whole thing listing all my problems. I pulled codes 24, 51, and 52 about 2 weeks ago and haven't pulled since, the cars torn apart right now so I can't go pull them. thanx!

 

[mkIIIman089]

just do yourself a favor and get the egr blockoff plates. do ya really wanna suck burned up gasses back into your engine? why not just make it a lil more efficent. it cleans the hood up a lil too. well worth the money, trust me.

He has already said that he has some coming on the way.

First things 1st, I would eliminate all those codes. If you didn't know yet here's what they all pretain to:

24- AFM (IAT) sensor, try to get a new AFM and make 100% sure that its plugged in all the way. Not having a properly working AFM could have something to do with your dramatic power loss.

51- For me it was the TPS, remove the throttle body and with a good ohm meter calibrate it as per the TSRM. Should get rid of that as long as wiring is good.

52- knock sensor, normally is solved by a knock sensor rewire. There is a writeup on SOGI (www.supras.com) unfortunately for you it is down. But if you do a search for "knock sensor rewire" there is a good amount of info out there and I believe even a rewire kit (MDCmotorsports MIGHT have been the one, but I don't remember for sure.)

-depending on the condition of the car and the previous owner; replace EVERY coolant line there is on that thing, and I prefer to use T-bolt clamps where ever possible. Tighter hold, and don't shred hoses like worms. I hace actually priced them before from Champion Toyota:

Engine Small Water Hoses:
16267-42010 List 19.01 Cost 14.11
16282-42010 List 15.05 Cost 11.13
16283-42010 List 16.21 Cost 11.99
16284-42011 List 13.73 Cost 10.25
16285-42010 List 7.54 Cost 5.63

Radiator Hoses:
16571-42010 List 19.98 Cost 14.77
16572-42010 List 41.87 Cost 31.03

Efi Water Hoses:
16261-42010 List 16.29 Cost 12.10
16264-42040 List 27.47 Cost 18.29

Heater Hoses:
87245-1b251 List 35.55 Cost 26.29
87245-1b220 List 18.52 Cost 13.83
87245-1b262 List 26.84 Cost 19.84

Thermostat/gasket
16341-35010 List 2.00 Cost 1.48
90916-03078 List 12.41 Cost 9.18

-PS problem - sry don't know.

-exhaust leak if you are sure that its not the manifold; check the EGR cooler in back of the head, and like you already know, the rest of the EGR system.

Good Luck

 

[billspreston01]

thanx, I'm swapping in a different AFM when I put the whole thing together, and I'm gonna check the ISC later today when I finish a few other things, so that should get rid of 24 and 51....Shaeff was supposed to be makin me one of his knock sensor rewire kit things but I haven't heard from him!!!! haha. That's cool, I might just try to rewire it myself. I'm gonna get a full coolant hose kit when I get my cheapo koyo radiator.

I was thinking EGR cooler, but I really really don't want to pull that engine out again. Should only take about a day or so to pull the engine foreward a foot or two but that's a day I don't want to waste.

Thanx for the help

 

[mkIIIman089]

Small hands can get the cooler out

 

[billspreston01]

I've got small hands and NO patience, I was gonna put a new gasket on it before...but I got too damn lazy and forgot. When I use EGR block off plates do I have to do anything with the EGR cooler? or just leave it alone. Also...how could I go about bypassing my heater inside the car, because my heater core is blown (I'm assuming) and I only drive the car in the summer anyway..just run a hose from the back of the head to the pipe in the drivers side firewall????

thanx

 

[boost fiend]

you got the idea about bypassing the heater core. as far as a egr cooler, im lost. i took out the egr valve and didnt even think about a cooler for it. time to look.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Unless you bought the plates from JBL you didn't get a cooler plate. So its not really a need to worry. I did it fairly easily when I had the trans out; But thats about it unless you have the engine out I think.

 

[boost fiend]

i just blocked off my egr and been just fine. one thing though, if there is a egr cooler, where is it mounted? i didnt see mine or mabye i overlooked it.

 

[supraguy31]

Ok. My car is doing the same things as the First thread... Im thinking mine is on the Drivers side rear of the engine.... Question is, If you have the EGR Block off Plates, Dont you still need that Plate that covers the Holes on the back of the Head for the Exhaust to go back into the engine...

Reason Im asking is that when I got my motor, It didnt have that plate and the EGR setup was installed. All the Builder did was take the Blockoff Plates and covered the holes in the rear of the Head.. So Im sure that is where my leak is... But anyways, Again, Even if you dont have a EGR Setup and you have blockoff Plates installed, Dont you still need that back plate to cover the holes? Wouldnt something leak out of it if nothing is covering those holes?

Robert

 

[billspreston01]

not quite sure. The egr cooler is on the back of the head....rectangular. I'll go take a pic and repost..brb

 

[billspreston01]

That's it. Whenever I get my plates I'm gonna try to get them on while the engine is still in the car, and if I still have the leak after I put on the new turbo, dp, and egr plates I'm gonna pull the engine out a few inches and replace the gasket on the EGR cooler, I helicoiled the head so the exaust mani shouldn't be the problem.

Running out of ideas, my radiator also took a shit last weekend so...awaiting parts so I can actually drive my car for the rest of the summer.

Anybody got any other ideas on what could be leaking? also, if I'm gonna bypass the heater core, where do I run the hoses???

 

[supraguy31]

Thats it. The small Plate with the 8 bolts holding it to the Head. So Its called a EGR cooler. So I have learned something else today.

So will anything come out of the holes if you dont have that Plate installed and you have EGR Blockoff Plates. If nothing does, Im going out today and remove all the EGR Stuff I have and get that Leak fixed.

If something does come out of the holes and I do need a Plate. Would someone out there have one that I could Purchase.

Robert

 

[billspreston01]

I think you just leave the EGR cooler on there and remove the piece that goes from the head to the intake manifold. Not sure though

Anybody out there know how it's done???

 

[supraguy31]

So does anyone have any Idea weather this is needed or not. I dont want to mess with it unless I definitely need it.

Robert

 

[GrimJack]

You need the cooler with the block off plates. You need a working gasket on the cooler too, or it'll leak. Figuring out if that is the leak is easy - start with a cold engine, stuff your extra small ninja hand down behind the head and rev the engine a bit. You should be able to feel the exhaust leak if that is the problem.

The other possibility is to take off the cooler, thread the holes under it, and install a big bolt in the holes. Of course, removing the head just for this is a major pain in the ass.

 

[Mk3 TurboS]

Cansomeone maybe do a post on exactly how to and or what effect/benefit doing the whole EGR blockoff plates thing will do. Pics of the process would be nice to. If there already is one, sorry.

 

[supraguy31]

Dam, So i do need a EGR Cooler Plate.... So does anyone out there have one for sale or anything like that.

Robert

 

[GrimJack]

Your engine should have one. Unless you're across the pond or something - where are you located?