Technical 2011 500 twinair 875cc - loss of power

[MarkS77]

Hi all. New to forum so hello

Need some advice/guidance regarding my twinair 500. It was driving normally a few days ago but it has now lost all its power that used to be present - as if it is in some kind of limp mode!

The car is struggling to turn over on first attempt, and when it does get going once I work its way up to 3rd gear the revs will not go over 2500...this noticeable when I was last on carriageway as the car would not go faster than 40mph

I took the car to my local garage, where they have said it looks like the turbo is sucking instead of blowing?. And mentioned the pipes connected to it were vacuuming in (like as if being crushed)

They advised it to be taken to another garage, but they cannot look at it until 3rd Feb. I have booked it in with them

Is there anything I could check in the meantime to see what could be causing the issue? Like any blocked pipes etc

Thanks

 

[John202020]

Welcome I've no knowledge of the twin air however check the air filter and intake for blockages ? Or remove the air filter and try driving a short distance only to see if there is a difference? The turbo only works in one direction but if there is a restriction it will suck to the point of collapsing the non compression side ie input side?

 

[MarkS77]

Welcome I've no knowledge of the twin air however check the air filter and intake for blockages ? Or remove the air filter and try driving a short distance only to see if there is a difference? The turbo only works in one direction but if there is a restriction it will suck to the point of collapsing the non compression side ie input side?

Cheers John. I will take a look to see if this is causing it

 

[John202020]

Sounds like a serious lack of air, not sure I'd go back to the garage saying the turbo was sucking rather than blowing.
It's possible the turbo has seized can you hear it spin up with the bonnet up and you rev it? If it does spin up look for blockages first.

 

[MarkS77]

Sounds like a serious lack of air, not sure I'd go back to the garage saying the turbo was sucking rather than blowing.
It's possible the turbo has seized can you hear it spin up with the bonnet up and you rev it? If it does spin up look for blockages first.

Will check to see if turbo spins up as well

 

[MarkS77]

Sounds like a serious lack of air, not sure I'd go back to the garage saying the turbo was sucking rather than blowing.
It's possible the turbo has seized can you hear it spin up with the bonnet up and you rev it? If it does spin up look for blockages first.

Hi John.

Just took the air filter off and ran the car. It does as normal up to 2nd gear and as soon as I go into 3rd the power loss occurs like the engine is being starved

To check if the turbo spins up do I need to take the car for a drive or should it still spin up when revving in neutral?

 

[A3jeroen]

Twinair.... How is your oillevel?
A split hose (or even intercooler) shpild be relatively easy to find when listening under the bonnet (beware of fans and belts) while someone is pressing the accellerator.

gr J

 

[Goudrons]

You might be having wastegate problems on the turbo, which will account for the engine struggling to breath in (sucking) and the lack of power.
The wastegates default setting is open and as the car starts it creates a vacuum in the actuator that pulls the arm and closes the wastegate.

Rev the car up high and the vacuum goes as the pressure evens out so the arm opens the wastegate to limit boost until the pressure changes again and it re closes.

The TA has been know to have wastegate problems, the hole in the cleat on the end of the actuator arm can wear oval limiting the pull, the spindle into the turbo's wastegate can get all worn and loose and of course there could be a split in the vacuum pipe.

 

[MarkS77]

Just a quick update. Took air filter off, checked pipes and no blockages found.

Test drove the car it goes well in 1st & 2nd gear climbing above 3000rpm. Then when I engage 3rd is when the it struggles, loses power and revs drop

 

[resurface]

Did you get any answer on this @MarkS77

???

 

[jrkitching]

Did you get any answer on this @MarkS77

He's not been seen on the forum since January 2022.