So I have a 2003 X50, chipped, fabspeed, diverter valves and I just had the EVO 1 bar wastegates put on about 3 weeks ago. So the car was running hard, doing 1.0-1.2 bar all day. Went for a drive tonight and in third gear, about 5.5k rpm the car just lost power, went back down to 0.8 bar. So I tried a few more pulls and I can't get past 0.8bars and the car just seems "flat" at 4k and up. Is this some kind of pseudo-limp mode? A boost leak? Should I just unplug the battery and reset? Can the software just spontaneously revert to stock? I'm puzzled. Thanks in advance

 

Sounds like limp mode. Do you have a CEL?

 

No CEL light

 

How does the car feel below 4k? Who did the wastegates? 1.2 bar spikes?

 

Car feels normal till about 3800-3900RPM, not very noticeable in the first 2 gears. But 3rd and up it just chokes...1.0-1.2 bar on K24's

 

Limp mode for sure. That goes to show that just buying upgraded WGs without proper setup can cause problems. Actually the real trick, and trust me I had 3 different WGs, is to get them to go as far as u want them without going into limp mode. I wish tuners that sell these actuators would mark with paint on the spring where to leave it at... at least u have something to go on.
But it gets worse. Set them up wrong and u have one working harder then the other.. thus one turbo will produce more the other less... not good either.
The real way is use a pressure system to actually set them accordingly.. but who knows where to set them up??? especially if one does not have prior experience.
good luck,
markski

ps. On colder days u will have more problems... thats why some of us use EBC to do just that- controll the WGs from the cockpit.

 

Stock hoses?

 

Stock hoses....and what's the cure for limp mode?

 

Sounds like limp mode, but I am surprised that you can see .8 bar. Whenever my car went into limp mode (which used to be a lot), my car would never boost over .4-.5 bar. I would unplug the battery for a few minutes and see if that resets it.
If not, I think you have a boost leak. I also do not think the car can revert back to stock mode once it is chipped.

Actually, I had a similiar problem a few years ago with mine. It was the small L-shaped hose connected from the plenum to the frequency valve had split on one end causing a leak....and high boost levels....but no power at all.
Here is hopefully a picture of the hose circled in red.

 

When we first did my wastegates, I got an occasional limp mode with a CEL under WOT at about 5500 RPM's. I cleared it with a scan tool and was all set again for a while (days or weeks), but then it would eventually occur again under WOT. Finally, I backed off the actuator rod adjustment by one turn on each wastegate and it never happened again. This could be your problem, but I would think you would have the light. Mine lit up immediately when it went into limp mode.

You can and should presure test each side, as Mark mentioned, in order to make sure they are both working approximately the same. Connect an air source with a gauge to one wastegate and slowly give it air until the rod begins to move. Note the pressure where the rod begins to move. Now do the same to the other waste gate. They should both begin to move at the same pressure. Call your tuner and inquire as to what pressure they should begin to move and set them accordingly by fine tuning with the adjustment nuts. I went through this and it is pretty simple.

 

No light, and this limp mode is pushing 0.8. I'm gonna try the battery thing in a little bit

 

Hey Jay. Does your car feel a lot weaker as well?

It could be that one of the wastegate pressure hoses has popped off, cracked or maybe even the actuator rod retainer clip has fallen off leaving one of your wastegates always open. Any of the above scenarios will have you basically running on one turbo.

BTW, You'll need the radio reset code if you unplug your battery.

 

I'm guessing MAF.... Mine went recently, and the symptoms were
that the car drove OK in normal street driving, but getting on it
hard made it go limp.

 

I had the same problem with a boost leak. It eventually turned into the hose coming completely off, and then the car would freak the f*** out! A small leak will show high boost pressure, but the power is not what it ought to be

 

Yeah, no clue where my radio code is...I remember some people saying the radio was fine after disconnecting..
Hey Ari, I'm going to check all those tomorrow....just when I was starting to have fun...this happens....oh well