300tdi turbo pickup

Having rebuilt my 300tdi powered D90 i'm really unhappy with the power of the engine.

The old turbo was knacked so I sent the whole thing off to Turborebuild.co.uk who sent me back a nicely cleaned up manifold and housing with a new core.
Here it is, after the usual oil-pipe wrestle ...



I also fitted a dual inlet manifold ..



The engine is a JLR refurb with about 12K under its belt.
I also have a full width Alisport intercooler (see other fred).

At this point I am expecting loads-a oomph, urge, go, power (all those superlatives) ...
Flat it is, wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Come off a roundabout put the foot down and it's like a NA draggin the handbrake.
There is some life there but you need to boot it and keep the revs up .... not how I like to drive my landrover.
I had another, same age, same engine (older), original Garrett, the fatter Alisport intercooler and that was like driving a sports car in comparison. Not quite Tesla scalded cat but compared to this new one it were like sh*t off a shovel.

I don't have a rev counter but the older car picked up (I think) a lot lower down than this new turbo.
At what revs should the turbo 'kick in' ?

iirc about 1800 rpm.
Are you sure everything is reconnected correctly and you have not left the turbo to FIP pressure line off?


Cheers

neilly said:

..... and you have not left the turbo to FIP pressure line off?

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+1. Cheapo boost gauge off the bay might be worth it .... or a proper one if you're feeling flush

+1 to the above posts...

more boost and no fuel = no power (& melted things)

also,

stupid questions maybe but....

airfilter clean?
turbo working - making the infamous whistle? (ie. making boost?)
exhaust somehow blocked? (whould wheeze / whistle under load?)

Rich.

Zed. said:

more boost and no fuel = no power (& melted things)

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Why melted things?

Cheers

neilly said:

Why melted things?

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exhaust gas temperatures can get a little warm, same happens with too much fuel

diesels are interesting things, the pre-ignition engine


I see in your photo's theres an egr blanking plate, looks to have a nipple to accept an egr thermocouple?

do you have one to fit????


Rich.

Thanks for the replies ...

FIP timing spot on (checked by third party)
Turbo FIP line replaced with new
Same with or without an air filter - currently a new, lightly oiled K&N fitted
Boost pin and ring fitted, new fuel lines + Delphi lift pump + fuel filter, plenty of fuel inc a bit of black smoke
Haven't got a boost gauge
Haven't got an EGT gauge either

1800rpm seems high ?
The turbo does kick in but you have to drive like a bank robber fleeing the scene.

What sort of boost pressure should I see at the inlet manifold ?
I asked the turbo guys to set the lift @ 17psi

Are you sure what you sent off was a standard turbo?

lynall said:

Are you sure what you sent off was a standard turbo?

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It came off the engine and went straight to Turborebuilds ........ How could it be 'different/wrong' ?

miktdish said:

I asked the turbo guys to set the lift @ 17psi

Click to expand...

What do you mean by this?

Cheers

@miktdish

What you need is a boost guage......or two.


Cheers

neilly said:

What do you mean by this?

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The boost pressure ... I reasoned that 17psi (1.2bar) would be above 'normal' to accommodate the larger intercooler fitted.

neilly said:

What you need is a boost guage......or two.

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Is that one off the turbo and one off the inlet manifold ?
What boost do you get sitting still when you rev the engine at around 2000 ?
What do you get when at full chatt going uphill ?

miktdish said:

It came off the engine and went straight to Turborebuilds ........ How could it be 'different/wrong' ?

Click to expand...

I was wondering if maybe the one you sent off some sort of hybrid unit by a previous owner, and you got back a std 300 tdi unit?

To be fair I reckon all the 200/300/td5 are as flat as a fart at low rpms, a vgt would be the dogs whatsits.

not related but whats the dual inlet do?

It sounds like you're not getting any boost from the turbo. As has been said, you really need a boost gauge, they're not that expensive and easy to fit. You could run the pipe to the cab and just have the gauge temporarily 'fitted' until you get it checked out and sorted.

miktdish said:

Boost pin and ring fitted, new fuel lines + Delphi lift pump + fuel filter, plenty of fuel inc a bit of black smoke

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so, inclding the turbo rebuild theres a lot of cash spent?

miktdish said:

Haven't got a boost gauge
Haven't got an EGT gauge either

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why? not expensive and easily fitted as a temporary addition - will tell you whats going on in the inlet & exhaust manifolding...

also, the 'boost-pin', was this fitted at the same time as the turbo? if so was it fitted correctly as (I'm guessing it's an offset-taper design?) can possibly be fitted to give less fuel

Rich.

lynall said:

I was wondering if maybe the one you sent off some sort of hybrid unit by a previous owner, and you got back a std 300 tdi unit?

To be fair I reckon all the 200/300/td5 are as flat as a fart at low rpms, a vgt would be the dogs whatsits.

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Odd. I’d say they (TDI’s) tend to rock at the bottom end. Esp when modded. Almost pull from nothing. Td5’s on the other hand much more of a mid range turbo shove.

flat said:

not related but whats the dual inlet do?

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Meant to make it smoother and maybe a bit more shove. I have one on mine and it made a huge difference to smoothness (subjectively) and certainly feels more peppy with some performance timings showing a trend of slightly more performance. Not been on a dyno with it due to COVID cancelling the event.

miktdish said:

The boost pressure ... I reasoned that 17psi (1.2bar) would be above 'normal' to accommodate the larger intercooler fitted.

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OK, I was wondering as you wrote "lift"

miktdish said:

Is that one off the turbo and one off the inlet manifold ?
What boost do you get sitting still when you rev the engine at around 2000 ?
What do you get when at full chatt going uphill ?

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Yes and Yes,
Sitting revving it, very little turbo pressure.
Full chat 29 Psi.

Cheers