HELLO GUYS JUST GOT A 87 T2, THAT I'M GONNA USE TO MAKE MY 88 GTU A TURBO. NOW THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR IT HAD NO BOOST PRESSURE, BUT THE TURBO WAS WORKING BECAUSE YOU COULD HEAR THE WASTEGATE AND IT IS ALOT FASTER THAN MY N/A. ME AND A BUDDY USED A COMPRESSION CHECKER AND HOOKED IT INTO THE INTERCOOLER AND STILL GOT NOTHING. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM, IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THE 7 WITHOUT IT WORKING?

 

I would say that it is not safe to drive the car without knowing what is going on. A compression tester probably doesn't have the range to check boost pressure, and even if it did you aren't likly to see a good bit of boost in neutral. Does the factory boost gauge move at all? At idle what does it say? What does it say with just the key turned on? The vacuum line running toward the boost pressure sensor might have popped off or cracked. (passenger side strut tower, little black box) If this sensor is bad or the vacuum line leading to it is bad then the computer does not know how much boost the car is running. (VERY DANGERIOUS!!!) If the ECU doesn't know how much boost, it won't comenstate with fuel and ignition timing changes and could cause you to pop the motor. Basically you need to trace down this problem before driving it under boost again.

Good luck,

 

HEY BRIAN THANKS FOR THE ADVICE, WELL THE BOOST GAUGE WILL NOT MOVE IN NEUTRAL OR WHEN I WAS RUNNING THE CAR HARD. BUT I WILL CHECK OUT THE SENSOR AND VACUUM HOSE AND SEE IF IT IS DRYROTT OR SOMETHING.

 

Buy an autometer boost gauge for $50. They take 10 minutes to install, and it will let you know for sure if the boost is there. You should hear a slight at WOT when the turbo is kicking in, like it is building up.

Perhaps the stock boost gauge simply stopped working. A somewhat common function.