Low boost and whooshing noise
 

hey guys i have a 93 r1 (90k) with original engine and turbos, but i've got a problem. It is running 0-1 psi up until apx. 4000 rpms. and then only 4-5 psi from there up. (the second turbo). Also when you get up to 2500 rpms. it makes a whooshing sound that sounds like it's coming from up underneth the dash on the passenger side and the noise lasts all the way to redline. Any ideas? I'm thinking vaccum line but i wanted to see if anyone else had this problem.

Replace your high pressure couplings with good silicon ones (the ones from the turbo outlet to the intercooler inlet and outlet). I doubt you'd hear a vacuum hose leak. Probably something big like the high press couplings.

Oh yeah, I see you're in Atlanta, let me know if you need help with it.

The whooshing noise I've had this problem too before I overheated my engine and had a reman put in. The guy who sold me my car told me it was normal fluid noises... but considering how my car is now SILENT... I think he was bluffing me. So I would suggest you check your fluids regularly... maybe even check for oil leaks. First sign for me that something was wrong came in the form of WHITE SMOKE UNDER MY HOOD... so I wouldn't suggest you wait till you get to that point. :)

boost-wise, I think you're on the right track. check the vaccum hoses for this one, especially the one behind/around the intake manifold. (that one always gave me problems...)

Any overly smokin' anywhere? 90k is pretty high... original engine too! Take good care of her! :)

Start with the couplers, then look at your CRV and then start on the ol' vaccum lines. It is certainly a boost leak, just have to find it. With 90k miles on the same hoses you know you better replace them all or you will have this problem over and over again till you 'have' replaced them all.

Its your IC rubber acordian looking hoses. Feel around for a tear or rip. I had the same problem and I found a big tear in one. Trust me, its the IC hosing.

I just went through this....

check out your Y-pipe, the coupler between pipes had a 2 inch tear in it. you might want to think about getting the efini hard kit... you need to remove the dp in order to swap it out, but think of it as a good excuse to get an aftermarket DP.

You do not have to remove the downpipe to install the efini y-pipe! This is however a great place to start as mentioned earlier. The turbos put off a lot of heat and that is the closest coupler to them. Mine, after installing the efini y-pipe was so crusty that it practically fell apart in my hands after I had taken it off :eek:

you got the y-pipe off w/o removing the DP... I am impressed

As far as I can tell there is NO part of the DP that would interfear wit installing the 96+ ("Efini") 'Y' pipe. it has a flat flanged connection to the front turbo and just slips into the outlet pipe from the rear turbo.

Don't be, its not that hard at all. Just loosen the secondary turbo inlet and then you have full access to everthing :)

the car does leak a little oil...but it is coming from the turbo (I think he said the second one)...at least that't what mazcare told the guy before me. the leak is minimal and it only leaks when the oil gets really thin. the leak isn't bad at all and i've been checking fluids everyday. I want to get it fixed but don;t know where to start. do you guys think the whooshing noise is from a boost leak or another problem?

dude what r u talking about?!?! there is absolutely no reason for you to remove the DP in order to install the efini y-pipe

yup,

the DP is very simple to remove, as long as u don't break anything =)

Yes, there's a 98% chance the whooshing is a boost leak.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Definitely either the stock black crappy rubber accordian intercooler hoses or 3 inch coupler connecting the crossover pipe to the y-pipe. There's a good chance you won't be able to see the problem unless you take these parts off and inspect them thoroughly though. Slight chance it could be the hose connecting your y-pipe to the BOV also.

sounds like Y pipe to me, replace it with the Efini Y pipe.

Mike

What are your mods RED??
 

I had a wheezing noise when I took off my smog pump and there would be exhaust fumes in the car. My main cat was burning up because of the absence of the smog pump so I had to install a Midpipe and bam...no more wheezing noise. But if your smog pump is alright then do what everyone else is telling you...check y-piping and all that good stuff. I posted this similar issue awhile back. Do a search under "Dropping boost and wheezing noise...
GoodLUCK

it is a boost leak it is not the y pipe.the y pipe is made of hard plastic.check the accordian rubber lower ic hosing.mine also had a split there 6 inches long.if it helps get the greddy 3 piece hard pipes.u can tell it is a boost leak cuz one u aint gettin no boost. two, that whoosh is the turbo spooling air into the engine bay.

the whooshing noise means the fan is off balanced which is slowly wearing away the insilator which stops oil from leaking. if ur fan is off balance ull notice the turbo will start to leak more and more oil and u will be getting less and less boost. good luck i had that problem too. $$$$

I had the same problem about a month ago. First off, CHECK YOUR VACUUM LINES. The common one to pop off is the one down from the boost gauge nipple. It's kind of a bitch to get to. And forgive me if I sound preachy, spend the money and/or time and do the silicone hoses. You'll be thankful you did it.

Secondly, the whoosing noise ... is it really loud? Or does it sound like someone letting out a shitload of air out of some tires? Here's a test: with the hood open and car warmed up, pull on the throttle cable and listen to where the whoosing sound is coming from. If you feel a bunch of hot air blowing in your face, then it is definitely your IC hoses (the corrugated ones that are in the center of the engine bay). The tricky one is the "S" shaped hose. Pull that hose off ... don't just inspect it for cracks. Squeeze on the rings and see if a crack forms anywhere on the hose. The tricky thing is if you don't squeeze the hoses, you'll never see the crack because the elastic rings will conceal the crack. Like I said ... tricky. ;)

it's loud if you are sitting in the passenger's seat but hard to hear in drivers seat. But you can still hear it in the drivers seat.

dont listen to mazda mike it is an intercooler rubber piping.alot of us have experienced it just look for it.besides i can prove dont listen to him.i just installed a new t78 on my car(which isnt already gonna be broke down).after a few runs on it it started to make this noise and would not get any more than 5 lbs of boost.it ended bein the rubber piping i had to use.i replaced it,whooshing cured.just check ur intercooler pipe on the bottom and see if u cant find a slit and let us know.if it isnt that than keep us posted.

I just had the same noise and boost issue as well. We installed a Pettit lg IC and we had forgotten to tighten one clamp on one coupler. My leak was very small. I could still reach full boost(14psi) but the car was not responsive at all. Flat once the boost leak showed up. And get this, the leak starts at 3psi just after warm up but run the car a half an hour and it wouldn't leak until 8-9 psi. It took me three days to find it! The bottom clamp where the hardpipe connects to the coupler was loose. I felt like a supreme idiot.