Wednesday, March 26, 2014
How to Install a Wastegate on a Turbo
Turbochargers are air compressors that sit on an engines air intake. The turbocharger is powered by the engines own exhaust gases. The wastegate regulates the flow of the exhaust gas in order to control the turbocharger revolutions per minute. Every turbocharger has a slot on the exhaust manifold hookup for a wastegate valve. The previous wastegate valve has to be removed before a new one can be installed. Additionally, you must use a wastegate compatible with your turbocharger setup or too much gas may be pumped into the turbocharger.
Instructions
- 1
Drive the car somewhere out of the way, or tow it if the wastegate is broken. Driving a turbocharged car with a damaged wastegate can seriously damage the turbocharger and the engine. Place the car in park and turn off the car. Pull the hood release latch and then prop the hood up with the prop stick. Disconnect the black wire from the car battery to ensure that the cars circuits are dead.
2Locate the wastegate valve on the turbine side of the turbocharger. The wastegate is a small metal valve bolted onto the turbochargers exhaust feeder pipes. Disconnect the control wire from the wastegate and place it to the side. Use a wrench to unbolt the two bolts that secure the old wastegate to the turbocharger. Pull the wastegate out, being caul not to scrape the sides of the hole.
3Slide the new wastegate into the hole on the exhaust feeder pipe. Slide in the bolts and screw them down by hand. Once both bolts are down, wrench them down flush with a wrench. Plug in the control wire into the side of the wastegate. Make sure there is no packing material stuck in the valve. Reconnect the black wire on the car battery and then shut the hood. Turn on the car and take it for a test drive.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
How to Change Out a Volvo 850 Turbo
The Volvo 850 was the first front-wheel drive Volvo and marked the Swedish car manufacturers shift to Lexus-like comfort rather than BMW-like sportiness. It was Volvos first serious foray into the American market as well, as they installed many luxury amenities to market the 850 as a European luxury car. The Volvo retained some of the sportiness of the rear-wheel drive Volvos with optional turbos. The turbo forces more air into the combustion chambers. Unfortunately, many of the early turbos did not use strong-enough steel and can crack over time.
Instructions
- 1
Put the Volvo into park, preferably in your driveway because you will need room around the front of your car to work on the engine bay. Pull the emergency brake and turn the car off. Pull the hood latch to the left of the drivers column and then exit the car. Prop the hood up with the prop stick and drape drop clothes over the side of the engine bay to protect the body panels from possible scratches.
2Locate the turbo housing on the top of the engine. It will be a coffee can-sized metal shell on the air intake and hooked into the exhaust headers. Detach the air intake tube from the front of the turbo by unscrewing the O-ring clamp from around the tube. Unbolt the four bolts that secure the turbo onto the exhaust headers. Support the turbo while unbolting, so no undue stress is placed on the threads of the bolts. Unbolt the four bolts that secure the rear of the turbocharger to the air intake on the engine. Pull the turbo off and place it to the side.
3Bolt the new turbocharger onto the exhaust header. First thread the bolts through so the alignment is right, then wrench the bolts down flush. Bolt the four bolts to the engines air intake port. Screw the O-clamp onto the air intake tube over the inlet hole on the turbocharger. Close the hood and take the car for a drive to make sure the turbo is working. You should feel the power increase around 3,000 rpm.
