# Wastegate operation questions



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

So I Bought a 2011 Chevy Cruz 1.4 L turbo ATM About 3-4 months ago Three days after I bought it I Immediately found out about the PVC problem that all of these have but hey it was only 3grand and 79k miles and the body and than 45k on the engine So I wasn’t mad about it anyways I started throwing mods on it air intake new oil feed line bypassed the bypass for the turbo, muffler delete and replaced exhaust resonator with a cherry bomb and it was running great for about 2 months with all this done but last night I changed my air filter and than woke up this morning and went out for a drive so normally I get about 15psi in BOOST but today I was only getting about 8-9psi so I opened the hood back up took the turbo/exhaust heat shield off and had my girlfriend rev it up a couple of times and this is what I noticed. The wastegate actuator arm wasn’t pushing the boost wastegate open and closed in fact it wasn’t moving at all!! Does it move when in park/neutral or does the car have to actually be moving for the wastegate to open and close now I’ve tried to look this up many times google YouTube and here Couldn’t find anything but I thought it could be that wastegate actuator piece but then I started looking more into the other parts that connect to the turbocharger like the Solenoids and Bpv could these other parts be the problem or is it the waste gate actuator? Again the wastegate actuator arm isn’t moving and I checked the wastegate on the turbo and that moves back and forth so that isn’t stuck open or closed


----------



## RoninDusette (Aug 21, 2018)

It should only be really moving under load. It takes some work, but you should be able to pull it and have it move. Obviously it isn't going to budge much, but it will move. If it didn't you would likely be having different issues. 

First, check for boost leaks. You will likely find some. Right off the bat, though, it sounds like you are just experiencing the way these cars run on a stock calibration (you aren't tuned, right). These don't have a static boost pressure. They have a bunch of limiters, commanded this and that, and actual this and that,that will in turn set off the limiters. The main thing is with these cars, is all of (most of at least) their tables are based on how much power to limit the vehicle to, how much the driver is demanding, and the safest way to get to it. If you are commanding (with your foot on a nice cool day) 160 lb/ft tq, and the car is starting to hit boost levels (or anticipates that it will) that will put it above that limit, instead of retarding spark, it actually will close the throttle blade (which is why sometimes you floor it and it feels like you are only going part throttle). That is the torque based system doing what it does. It's actually a really cool system. You just have to learn how to mess with it. Unfortunately if you wanna play, you gotta pay. EFI Live and HP Tuners are the only actually REALLY viable options, with HPT being cheaper by a couple hundred. It's not perfect, their documentation is TERRIBLY old, and most info you will find is for V8s, butthe concepts are all the same. In the next 1-2 years, I will have my platform out (Suave), which will alleviate a lot of the gripes I see from other apps, and give me some features none have (again, if everything goes well. It's a slow process coding by one's self). 

But yeah. There are a lot of things to read about this. One of them is something like "Taking the mystery out of tuning the 1.4t" or something like that. I am not sure, you MAYBE have an e78 ecu, but I have seen the earlier models come with e38, regardless the tables may differ,but conceptually you would tackle it about the same way. PM me if you get stuck or confused.


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

Thanks for the advice and input it has gotten warmer outside lately maybe that is the problem I’m going to the in a throttle body spacer today just for the hell of it I’ll let you know if there’s any difference it just sucks that a week ago I was cruzin on the freeway no lag I’d down shift and pass everyone but now It seems that the car won’t push past 5,000rpm in 5th gear and it seems like the gear ratios and constantly changing one day 4th gear will take me up to 75-80 mph and than not even close the next day ugh...and tunes are expensive and then it’s waiting for the equipment to come in to actually tune it I’m very impatient lol but hey thanks for a great reply!! also is there any other add one I can throw at it without a tune? And can I take the heat sheild off or would that burn/melt everything under the hood?


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

RoninDusette said:


> It should only be really moving under load. It takes some work, but you should be able to pull it and have it move. Obviously it isn't going to budge much, but it will move. If it didn't you would likely be having different issues.
> 
> First, check for boost leaks. You will likely find some. Right off the bat, though, it sounds like you are just experiencing the way these cars run on a stock calibration (you aren't tuned, right). These don't have a static boost pressure. They have a bunch of limiters, commanded this and that, and actual this and that,that will in turn set off the limiters. The main thing is with these cars, is all of (most of at least) their tables are based on how much power to limit the vehicle to, how much the driver is demanding, and the safest way to get to it. If you are commanding (with your foot on a nice cool day) 160 lb/ft tq, and the car is starting to hit boost levels (or anticipates that it will) that will put it above that limit, instead of retarding spark, it actually will close the throttle blade (which is why sometimes you floor it and it feels like you are only going part throttle). That is the torque based system doing what it does. It's actually a really cool system. You just have to learn how to mess with it. Unfortunately if you wanna play, you gotta pay. EFI Live and HP Tuners are the only actually REALLY viable options, with HPT being cheaper by a couple hundred. It's not perfect, their documentation is TERRIBLY old, and most info you will find is for V8s, butthe concepts are all the same. In the next 1-2 years, I will have my platform out (Suave), which will alleviate a lot of the gripes I see from other apps, and give me some features none have (again, if everything goes well. It's a slow process coding by one's self).
> 
> But yeah. There are a lot of things to read about this. One of them is something like "Taking the mystery out of tuning the 1.4t" or something like that. I am not sure, you MAYBE have an e78 ecu, but I have seen the earlier models come with e38, regardless the tables may differ,but conceptually you would tackle it about the same way. PM me if you get stuck or confused.


Hey me again so now I have a catalytic converter low efficiency bank 1 code is does that mean that my cat is clogged o2 sensors seem fine I tried to drive at higher rpms the other day I heard a pop noise and instantly noticed I received some power back but now I’m getting no power rpms seem like they want to climb but won’t it’s not a transmission problem otherwise I’d be in limp mode in feel heavily restricted I’m literally considering gutting the cat and removing the second one also I’m down to 2.5psi-3psi in boost it’s pissing me off excuse my language lol but I’m tired anyways lmk ASAP what you think


----------



## RoninDusette (Aug 21, 2018)

Well in my honest opinion you need to, before anything else you worry about, simply start paying attention to and taking care of your car better.. Lol. If your cat is clogged, you have likely been running super rich or have a LOT of blowby clogging it up. First thing I would do is simply check the o2 sensors. The main one that works your short term fuel trims would be the 1st one, but they both matter. So, pull your o2 sensors and check them. Maybe you can clean them (I don't actually know on that one. I always just replaced them). Also pull your spark plugs and see how they look. Are they coated in oil? What color are they? 

The pop, Hmmm. Sounds like it could have been a backfire from running rich or maybe you blew a hose/line/charge pipe off of something. So, do a boost leak test.


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

I just put in new pluggs a week ago 


RoninDusette said:


> Well in my honest opinion you need to, before anything else you worry about, simply start paying attention to and taking care of your car better.. Lol. If your cat is clogged, you have likely been running super rich or have a LOT of blowby clogging it up. First thing I would do is simply check the o2 sensors. The main one that works your short term fuel trims would be the 1st one, but they both matter. So, pull your o2 sensors and check them. Maybe you can clean them (I don't actually know on that one. I always just replaced them). Also pull your spark plugs and see how they look. Are they coated in oil? What color are they?
> 
> The pop, Hmmm. Sounds like it could have been a backfire from running rich or maybe you blew a hose/line/charge pipe off of something. So, do a boost leak test.


I just put I. New plugs about a week ago and I just bought the vehicle 2months ago believe me when I say that I DO PAY THE UPMOST ATTENTION when it comes to any car I own (Cruze is getting extra attention) any ways I through in 104 octane race fuel a few times and that could have been the reason (I just wanted to see how performance would change and it did it significantly had a bit more power any ways cut exhaust off today from the end of the mid cat to the back than installed a test pipe exiting the side of the Cruze and went for a drive and right away I noticed a lot less restriction I think when I got a muff&res delete the welder mess up somewhere going to look more into pipes tomorrow thanks


----------



## Ravenkeeper (Sep 10, 2017)

Cruze11’RS-ECO said:


> Hey me again so now I have a catalytic converter low efficiency bank 1 code is does that mean that my cat is clogged o2 sensors seem fine I tried to drive at higher rpms the other day I heard a pop noise and instantly noticed I received some power back but now I’m getting no power rpms seem like they want to climb but won’t it’s not a transmission problem otherwise I’d be in limp mode in feel heavily restricted I’m literally considering gutting the cat and removing the second one also I’m down to 2.5psi-3psi in boost it’s pissing me off excuse my language lol but I’m tired anyways lmk ASAP what you think


Having the same issue with my 14 Eco. About every 80 miles or so, the P0299 "Underboost" pops, most often with P0420 "Catalyst Below Threshold."


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

Ravenkeeper said:


> Having the same issue with my 14 Eco. About every 80 miles or so, the P0299 "Underboost" pops, most often with P0420 "Catalyst Below Threshold."


Any idea what it could be I just took my car out of the shop because nobody (other than people on Cruzetalk) knows about the Cruze and it’s issues I will do all repairs on my own I paid a bunch of money for basically nothing but a new/used cooling fan lol I blame myself any ways have you figured any thing out because I’m probably going to gut my down pipe cat and reinstall it I’m getting about 1.5psi in boost (if that) I had to hook up my pedal commander just to get some faster acceleration it’s ridiculous


----------



## Ravenkeeper (Sep 10, 2017)

Cruze11’RS-ECO said:


> Any idea what it could be I just took my car out of the shop because nobody (other than people on Cruzetalk) knows about the Cruze and it’s issues I will do all repairs on my own I paid a bunch of money for basically nothing but a new/used cooling fan lol I blame myself any ways have you figured any thing out because I’m probably going to gut my down pipe cat and reinstall it I’m getting about 1.5psi in boost (if that) I had to hook up my pedal commander just to get some faster acceleration it’s ridiculous


Not a clue, like I commented, "having the same issue." I'm wondering if the turbo is screwed? Not too long ago, I replaced the CC (upper AND lower) and both O2s. A couple of my fellow-aircraft-mechanincs are "gearheads," with newer cars with turbo, they don't seem to know what's going on.


----------



## Shroomie (Jan 16, 2017)

Ravenkeeper said:


> Not a clue, like I commented, "having the same issue." I'm wondering if the turbo is screwed? Not too long ago, I replaced the CC (upper AND lower) and both O2s. A couple of my fellow-aircraft-mechanincs are "gearheads," with newer cars with turbo, they don't seem to know what's going on.


Boost leak test, bypass solenoid, bypass diaphragm tear/cracks, weak/stuck spring. Wastegate actuator arm is weak and exhaust flow keeps it open. Charge pipe inlet to intercooler connection, this has a seal in it that seals better with more flow, the pipe has a fair amount of wiggle room. Start eliminating... pull the cat off and check the shaft/turbine


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

Ravenkeeper said:


> Not a clue, like I commented, "having the same issue." I'm wondering if the turbo is screwed? Not too long ago, I replaced the CC (upper AND lower) and both O2s. A couple of my fellow-aircraft-mechanincs are "gearheads," with newer cars with turbo, they don't seem to know what's going on.


So I figured out my situation I loosened up the Cadillac converter from underneath the hood so I vented the exhaust from the manifold to the downpipe instantly got all of my power acceleration and boost so if your having the same issue it’s probably not your turbo but your cat is shot also you said that the code pops up ever 80miles your most likely experiencing a failed cat.. I basically took the whole exhaust off now I’m trying to figure out how I can redirect the heat coming from the space I made between the cat and exhaust headers because I pretty much melted my cooling fan because of the exhaust heat coming out the space I made until a new down pipe arrives 👍🏼


----------



## Ravenkeeper (Sep 10, 2017)

Cruze11’RS-ECO said:


> So I figured out my situation I loosened up the Cadillac converter from underneath the hood so I vented the exhaust from the manifold to the downpipe instantly got all of my power acceleration and boost so if your having the same issue it’s probably not your turbo but your cat is shot also you said that the code pops up ever 80miles your most likely experiencing a failed cat.. I basically took the whole exhaust off now I’m trying to figure out how I can redirect the heat coming from the space I made between the cat and exhaust headers because I pretty much melted my cooling fan because of the exhaust heat coming out the space I made until a new down pipe arrives 👍🏼


I replaced the CC back in March.


----------



## Cruze11’RS-ECO (Apr 12, 2020)

Ravenkeeper said:


> I replaced the CC back in March.


Are you getting any boost? I was only getting 1.5 psi in boost and absolutely no acceleration at all if your experiencing these problems it has to be your cc.. what octane rating do you run? Also a quick friendly tip —> DO NOT PUT RACE FUEL IN THE TANK!! It will definitely kill your cc lol I think that’s why mine is shot I was running about 105 octane vp racing fuel and let me tell ya it was super fun I noticed a huge difference instantly but after throwing some in a few times a week for about 2 months it must have clogged my cc


----------



## Ravenkeeper (Sep 10, 2017)

Cruze11’RS-ECO said:


> Are you getting any boost? I was only getting 1.5 psi in boost and absolutely no acceleration at all if your experiencing these problems it has to be your cc.. what octane rating do you run? Also a quick friendly tip —> DO NOT PUT RACE FUEL IN THE TANK!! It will definitely kill your cc lol I think that’s why mine is shot I was running about 105 octane vp racing fuel and let me tell ya it was super fun I noticed a huge difference instantly but after throwing some in a few times a week for about 2 months it must have clogged my cc


I'm running 91. Don't know about boost pressure, acceleration is weak (at first). Race Fuel is NOT an issue, I don't race, daughter and I have been using it to commute to/from work, I drive it when she doesn't have to work, otherwise I use either my wife's SUV or my Silverado.


----------

