Checking for boost leaks?

[steved]

Ok, finally going to attempt to locate a strange boost-related noise. Been listening to it for about 100k now, about time to do something. It has slowly gotten worse/louder, mostly under moderate to high boost conditions. I'm thinking its the gasket under the intake horn, but I can't pinpoint it... it started immediately after the injectors were replaced (coincidental?).



What is the size of the inlet and outlet boots? I'm thinking the end caps can be fabricated from PVC? Is there a thread on checking for boost leaks? Any hints or places to look harder at than others?



Boots look good, its got a metal-tanked intercooler, and metal connecting pipes.

 

[JJPage]

I was able to pull the intake tube off the factory airbox, leaving the turbo end connected. Then I took a 4" pvc plug, drilled and tapped in a schrader valve, then just hose clamped it into the intake tube.



Apply 25/35 lbs air pressure, should find your leak if it exists.

 

[CKelley1]

jjpage did it easer than i did. i made a 4"pvc plug with a air chuck on it and a short piece of hose to go between it and turbo. i cut a grove in the plug to keep the plug from blowing off. i used my paint gun regulator to maintain 25 psi

 

[steved]

It doesn't leak through the engine? I assumed at least on set of valves would make things leak across?



Sounds easy enough, thanks for the tip!

 

[steved]

I broke down and took it to Lloyd at Mid-Atlantic Diesel.

After hooking up the pressure setup, Lloyd found the boot right off the turbo slipped part way off and leaking.

After fixing that, he discovered the waste gate actuator leaking internally, probably a ruptured diaphragm. Lloyd has to be one of the most resourceful people I've met. He tried finding a replacement actuator locally (Cummins doesn't stock them because they are Holset piece, Dodge only sells them with the Turbo). So he had a new actuator off from an aftermarket turbo, cut the rod off my defective one, and welded it up. Works like a charm.

I had him run the valves while he was there... its been about 100k since they were done, and he said they needed done.

I also had him get rid of the electronic waste gate control solenoid thing. My solenoid was probably ready to fail at 255k... . it was swelled up from rust, etc. We tried just a boost bolt initially, then tapped the horn for a boost elbow... the only difference was the boost elbow seemed to give a little more bottom end grunt.

My leaks are fixed, the truck runs very different... good fixes. It actually took a few miles for the truck to adjust... hard to explain, but it was very "noisy" for a few miles, and by the time I got it home; it was as quiet as new.

Much thanks to LLoyd for putting up with my junk in his shop!

 

[steved]

Well, figured out my whistle. Turns out that one of my stainless band clamps came loose and it was an exhaust leak. Its a lot better, but I probably need a different clamp.