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Error Code PO243, Check Engine Light

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My Check Engine Light came on a week or so ago on my 2005 with 98,000 miles on it, so I brought it into my local Dodge dealer. They found the truck was throwing Code PO243 - Wase Gate Pressure Control PWM and told me they would have to replace the entire Turbo at a cost of around $2400. I have a fairly comprehensive extended warranty on the truck, but the warranty folks refuse to cover the turbo. Turbo itself seems fine - spools up, not loose. I've read posts on this error code here, and it sounds like I just need to replace the Waste Gate Control Valve, which I can get delivered to my door from Hoesli Diesel for around $270. Dealer technician checked for loose or frayed wires and found none - they look OK to me as well. Should I order the control valve? How hard is the install?
 
Sorry. Uncharted waters for me. But I can will say that I wouldn't do a whole turbo for that if possible! If its available separately then it can be done.
 
crawl under the truck and disconnect the plug to the solenoid and use a pair of water pump pliers to remove it. I think you will find one of the wires broke near the base. it has been a while since I checked the resistance of it but I think it was around 8 ohms. you can fool the ecm by using a 100 to 147 ohm 2 watt resistor in place of the solenoid. we remove ours and convert them to adjustable boost elbows. it only takes about 45 seconds to remove it and 45 seconds to install another one. I have cut up about 10 good ones, traded my last one for a bad one to cut up. I will paste a how to if you decide to save the $270. if you have hobby skills this repair will cost you $0. 75 for the radio shack resistor and the attached pix to show where it is located
. if you look at the solenoid there are three ports on it separated by two o rings the hole in the end is manifold pressure. the center is to the waste gate. the waste gate spring is set to 20 psi. now look at the portion that has the threads. you will see four holes. this leads back to the intake. inside the solenoid there is a cup with a spring that when no voltages is applied it covers the 4 hole port setting the waste gate opening at 20 psi. when the ecm calls for more air it sends a modulated 5 volt signal to the solenoid to increase opening to the required pressure up to a limit of 30 psi. this is for emissions. if you have excessive air you produce NOX the ecm keeps the pressure just barely enough for combustion thus the smoke. first cut the plug off of the solenoid and get a 100 to 147 ohm 1 watt resistor and solder it to the wires and plug it back in to fool the ecm into thinking the solenoid is ok. remove the three o rings to prevent damaging them and cut the solenoid into about 7/8 inch above the base that mates to the turbo next cut the square part where the wrench goes deeper to make it easier to tighten up. i cut some more of the outer barrel off for looks but you do not have to. Next remove any parts left in the center tube; you will be able to see all the way through the tube. tap the tube with a 1/8 in. npt. braze the tip of the high pressure tip closed and drill a smaller hole in it to limit the amount of air, make a washer out of thin shim stock to cover the 4 ports. next screw a needle valve in where the plug would have gone. take the rubber washer out of the valve and use a piece of copper wire in its place, you do not need a seal, this is only for resistance on the needle. Set the valve to 33 psi waste gate opening, usually takes about three stops in a quarter mile.
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Easier yet, just get a WG fooler and a boost elbow and install them. The WG controller is availble but the cost difference is huge between it and what I mentioned.
 
Easier yet, just get a WG fooler and a boost elbow and install them. The WG controller is availble but the cost difference is huge between it and what I mentioned.
Now that Quad is out of business, who can you get a wg fooler from? Other than a downloader...
 
AFAIK, Quad never made a WG fooler only a boost fooler. TST carries them and the boost elbow, II or any other turbo makes has them also.

They are just a 150 ohm resistor so if a person wants to wire one up himself Radio shack usually has the pieces. You could just buy the WG fooler and plug the boost reference line. There just won't be a WG controller anymore. In normal driving the turbo will self limit to around 37 psi when the DP gets too high. On a stock fuleing program it is not an issue and just provides some more air, running a programmer will require watching boost and adjusting with the right foot.
 
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Thanks for the input. Part of my concern is that I have an extended warranty on the truck that will cover most of it for another 80,000 miles. If they find a resister soldered into that wire or a home made piece of sophisticated plumbing, I'm afraid my engine coverage is out the window. Although, the way those guys bend over backwards to deny coverage, it's doubtful it will ever be worth all the money I gave them. Geno's has the Control Valve, and 240 bucks is a hell of a lot better than the 2400 the Dealer would have charged me to replace the entire Turbo. I'm surprised the dealer didn't try to tell me they had to replace the whole engine - "Check Engine Light is on, we checked it out, and a new engine should make the light go off... " Seems like all they can do is replace rather than repair. So I'll order the Valve from Geno's, install, and hope the damn CEL goes off. Thanks again guys!
 
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