huge loss in power

[Volvosean]

Another problem with the Volvo still getting the vvt coming up as a fault the car is running slow extremely feels like a 1ltr could the vvt solenoid make the car run like this?

[jamesy12345]

Depends what you are used to...they are not light cars but a '99 T5 should be quick enough, no VVT would reduce power but not by that much

Fuel consumption OK?

[Volvosean]

Its hugly down in power bud its like the turbo isn't working atal if I put my foot down you can feel the turbo trying it might burst into life or nothing atal car sounds like its down in power to

[Spooky]

invest in a boost gauge and pod dude and check your pressure. Easy way to check it and you also get a boost gauge into the bargain ;)

[Volvosean]

I have a boost gauge mate boost is just over 6bar

[kmb]

I think you mean psi (14.5 psi to a bar) 6 psi is well down on the standard T5 where you should be around 10psi of boost in standard form, if you mean 0.6 bar this is also a little low but sounds not too far off the mark...

[Volvosean]

Sorry yes 0.6 bar

[stribo]

VVT only affects the power over 4-4,500 rpm, and not by that much. Although .6 bar is a bit low, it shouldn't feel gutless.

[Volvosean]

Must be something else which isn't throwing a code just drove it about and it was running with power again turbo quite noisey well loud air realeasing noise. When car was losing power I couldn't hear turbo noise it felt like I was driving against 300mph wind starting at 0mph in 5th gear!

[martin_r_smith]

Sounds like a split boost pipe to me.

[LeeT5]

Sounds like a split boost pipe to me.

I fully agree ^^^^

If your getting a 'loud air releasing noise' as you put it, then you clearly have a boost leak.
Check your hoses have not come disconnected first where the jubilee clips are.
Second, check all your hoses and squeeze them. Your feeling for a split in the pipe.
Thirdly, if all above ok, then your likely to have a split IC. (More common than you think) look for oil residue on the back of the IC, at the sides, This is the give away!
Otherwise, it's your Turbo.

Good luck!

[Volvosean]

Hoses are fine new samco ones fitted a couple of months ago.

What is the ic? Intercooler? I only have the air releasing noise if car is running with power if no power I hear no air leak

[martin_r_smith]

Even if they were new it's still possible a jubilee has come loose, personally I'd still check them all.

[LeeT5]

Hoses are fine new samco ones fitted a couple of months ago.

What is the ic? Intercooler? I only have the air releasing noise if car is running with power if no power I hear no air leak

IC = Intercooler.

Just because you've fitted new Samco hoses, as Martin says, doesn't mean they're not split. I can tell you from experience that silicone hoses are notorious for coming off especially when using those crappy wide band clamps! The clamps don't bite into the hose as a normal jubilee does and they will pop off if the clamp is not tight enough.

What do you mean....'with power, if no power no leak'? Do you mean you only get air rushing noise when under boost ie your foot to the floor accelerating?

[Volvosean]

When the car is running with power is when I can hear the air escaping when I put my foot down

When the car is running as fast as a 50cc moped I can't hear air escaping

[Joolz_850R]

I had really low power when I first got my R. Would not boost at all. Changed all pipes relating to vacuum. Turned out to be a blocked cat. Exhaust was not allowing the turbo to spool up. Have you had a misfire at any time?

[claymore]

When the car is running with power is when I can hear the air escaping when I put my foot down

When the car is running as fast as a 50cc moped I can't hear air escaping

Of course you can't heare any air leaking when you are going slowly, you aren't boosting then, when the turbo boosts is when you will hear the air leak as the pressure is opening up a split or an incorrectly fitted pipe.

[Volvosean]

I had really low power when I first got my R. Would not boost at all. Changed all pipes relating to vacuum. Turned out to be a blocked cat. Exhaust was not allowing the turbo to spool up. Have you had a misfire at any time?

Yes when I first braught the car it had a misfire but dusapeared after new plugs

[Volvosean]

Of course you can't heare any air leaking when you are going slowly, you aren't boosting then, when the turbo boosts is when you will hear the air leak as the pressure is opening up a split or an incorrectly fitted pipe.

My foot is to the floor fella upto 5k revs

[darzmat]

Of course you can't heare any air leaking when you are going slowly, you aren't boosting then, when the turbo boosts is when you will hear the air leak as the pressure is opening up a split or an incorrectly fitted pipe.

I think he means sometimes the car runs well and other times its as slow as a 50cc moped. Not that he's driving slow.

So when it is running and the turbo is spooling he is getting the air release sound.

And when its running really bad and slow he's not getting the noise

[stribo]

Might be worth checking the actuator is opening and shutting as it should, and it's still connected to the wastegate.

[Joolz_850R]

Could remove actuator vac pipe just to prove that ithas full boost available. Again this was something I did to prove a theory.

[Spooky]

Long shot but I have had problems with no boost and your problem sounds similar to mine. Fixed mone last night... was a blocked air filter. Cleaned it last night and this morming she's like a new car!

Just an idea buddy.

[LeeT5]

Another problem with the Volvo still getting the vvt coming up as a fault the car is running slow extremely feels like a 1ltr could the vvt solenoid make the car run like this?


Its hugly down in power bud its like the turbo isn't working atal if I put my foot down you can feel the turbo trying it might burst into life or nothing atal car sounds like its down in power to


Must be something else which isn't throwing a code just drove it about and it was running with power again turbo quite noisey well loud air realeasing noise. When car was losing power I couldn't hear turbo noise it felt like I was driving against 300mph wind starting at 0mph in 5th gear!


Hoses are fine new samco ones fitted a couple of months ago.

What is the ic? Intercooler? I only have the air releasing noise if car is running with power if no power I hear no air leak


When the car is running with power is when I can hear the air escaping when I put my foot down

When the car is running as fast as a 50cc moped I can't hear air escaping


My foot is to the floor fella upto 5k revs

Ok Sean, look. Please don't take this personally but your description of the fault, in terms of the symptoms, is shockingly bad which is why none of us can make head nor tail of what's wrong with your car!

One minute you're doing 5000rpm the next you're as slow as a moped - so which is it?

Can you answer 'Yes' or 'No' to the following:

1. When I start the car it idles normally with no 'hunting' (rev gauge going up and down)?
2. When I drive the car from cold it drives ok but once warmed up it starts being erratic?
3. When I clear the fault codes from the car and drive, the same fault code/s come back?
4. The car drives absolutely fine until I put my foot down and the turbo starts to boost hard?
5. I get a 'rushing of air' noise when the car is boosting?
6. After the car has made the 'rushing air noise' it starts to drive slower with reduced power?
7. The EML (Engine Management Light) is on?
8. The next day, when I drive the car from cold again, it drives normally and boosts normally until the 'rushing of air' noise?

Can you please copy/paste the above questions into the thread and answer them accordingly. This will help in our diagnosis and won't involve any Mopeds!

[Volvosean]

1. When I start the car it idles normally with no 'hunting' (rev gauge going up and down)?yes
2. When I drive the car from cold it drives ok but once warmed up it starts being erratic? Sometimes
3. When I clear the fault codes from the car and drive, the same fault code/s come back?yes
4. The car drives absolutely fine until I put my foot down and the turbo starts to boost hard?no
5. I get a 'rushing of air' noise when the car is boosting?yes
6. After the car has made the 'rushing air noise' it starts to drive slower with reduced power?no
7. The EML (Engine Management Light) is on? Yes and no comes on when I put my foot down goes offif driven wensibly
8. The next day, when I drive the car from cold again, it drives normally and boosts normally until the 'rushing of air' noise?no

Sorry lads rush typing at work only other problem I have is a jerky furst gear pull away and inti second

[LeeT5]

1. When I start the car it idles normally with no 'hunting' (rev gauge going up and down)? yes Suspect air leak
2. When I drive the car from cold it drives ok but once warmed up it starts being erratic? Sometimes
3. When I clear the fault codes from the car and drive, the same fault code/s come back? yes Then you have a definite fault. The code is??
4. The car drives absolutely fine until I put my foot down and the turbo starts to boost hard? no Could be air leak, not necessarily a split Turbo hose - probably PCV pipework or vacuum tubing
5. I get a 'rushing of air' noise when the car is boosting? yes Does sound like a split hose, Cracked IC
6. After the car has made the 'rushing air noise' it starts to drive slower with reduced power? no Then the car is not going into limp mode - not severe enough
7. The EML (Engine Management Light) is on? Yes and no comes on when I put my foot down goes off if driven sensibly suggests that an air leak is present under boost conditions/under load and limits not exceeded when driving normally
8. The next day, when I drive the car from cold again, it drives normally and boosts normally until the 'rushing of air' noise? no Fault is present under all conditions

*Sorry lads rush typing at work only other problem I have is a jerky furst gear pull away and inti second

*If you have an air leak then your will get erratic driving under load and this will be felt more in lower gears. It is not a separate fault but a symptom of the fault you already have!

OPTION 1

Drive your car (carefully avoiding boost conditions as much as possible) to your nearest Dealer or a good Indy that has a smoke leak test machine (all dealers have them).

That's it. If you do anything else other than OPTION 1, then your wasting all our time, yours included. If you cannot see an obvious air leak (split hose etc) then you're never going to find it. My bet is, you have more than one air leak and I also bet that your PCV one way valves are leaking.

Common areas that cause the symptoms your getting are:

MAF to Turbo hose.
PCV blocked
Faulty/contaminated MAF (Mass Air Flow sensor)
Contaminated ETM (Electronic Throttle Module)
PCV one way valves leaking (not detectable on a smoke leak test)
Split vacuum hose
Split TCV hose
Leaking PTC nipple on MAF to Turbo hose
Cracked IC <<<<< THIS IS OFTEN OVER LOOKED BUT VERY COMMON>>>>>
Leaking IC to ETM hose
Intake manifold gasket leaking
If you have a boost gauge....then the Manifold to gauge tubing splits too, especially if PTFE.
etc, etc.....

OPTION 2

Some of the above can be diagnosed using a Mityvac, but these cost £80 for a decent Vac/Pressure type and likely you'll not find the leak anyway if you don't know what you're doing.

There is one test you can do that will eliminate your Turbo, wastegate and CBV. Disconnect the TCV plug and check to see that the car boosts to about 5 psi. It should do easily and not go higher (unless you have a mechanical CBV with a stronger spring). If you do have a mechanical CBV then the car will struggle to achieve the rated spring pressure, if it's not a stock Green spring. It should achieve 5psi easily, which is stock CBV pressure, even with an air leak. If your car does not achieve 5psi, then it means you have a BIG leak! Meaning your Wastegate is set incorrectly, Turbo is physically knackered or more likely the rubber Turbo hose has a 3" split or it's physically hanging off the metal pipe/IC shroud. This would be obvious anyway.


Other than that, it's OPTION 1, off to a garage mate....preferably the Dealer.

[Volvosean]

I think he means sometimes the car runs well and other times its as slow as a 50cc moped. Not that he's driving slow.

So when it is running and the turbo is spooling he is getting the air release sound.

And when its running really bad and slow he's not getting the noise

This is exactly what I meant sorry for the confusion and thanks for the help.

[thetroublemaker]

I think he means sometimes the car runs well and other times its as slow as a 50cc moped. Not that he's driving slow.

So when it is running and the turbo is spooling he is getting the air release sound.

And when its running really bad and slow he's not getting the noise

well i have no idea if that is right or not.

but if it is then faulty BCS perhaps.