Technical => Engine Tech => Topic started by: trever on August 25, 2007, 04:22:42 PM
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: trever on August 25, 2007, 04:22:42 PM
I recently acquired an '88 turbocoupe, its an automatic, just shy 0f 200,xxx miles. It drives great, gets ok mileage sounds quiet and drives very smoothly; stops quickly. My only real issue is low power, I noticed that the hood scoop duct doesn't connect to the turbo intake. That is, its loose, so when you step on the gas and the turbo automatically kicks in, you can hear it his as it seems to suck air from around the hood s. If i fix this, will it help, or is it time to get a replacement turbo. (There's no knocking sound, just a smooth hiss...)
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: daboss351 on August 25, 2007, 04:28:22 PM
whats the boost read?? Automatics had less boost then maunals, because the a4ld was JUNK.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: bhazard on August 25, 2007, 05:13:21 PM
The scoops duct air to the intercooler, not the intake. Also ditching the stock airbox and clamping a cone filter right to the inlet of the vane meter helps a LOT.
Title: well...
Post by: trever on August 25, 2007, 08:32:45 PM
Forgive me for lack of understanding, but what I'm getting from you guys is (it's got a K&N intake) that the air coming from the hoodscoops is what cools the intercooler...? This is what doesn't connect, btw. The car is an automatic, and the boost gauge doesnt read... but it hisses like I said. I don't believe its that the turbo doesn't engage, I believe its just the gauge. It definitely kicks in, but I often find myself flooring the car to get it moving...
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: turboranger91 on August 25, 2007, 10:36:10 PM
sounds to me like you've got a hell of a boost leak. it also sounds like this is your first turbo car, and that you don't have a full understanding of what you're dealing with. my first suggestion is to check ALL of your vacuum lines and fittings. then check the hoses that couple the intercooler to the throttle body and the turbo itself. then report back. also, read. read as much as you possibly can about turbo cars and how they work.
my money is on the intercooler being detached.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: bhazard on August 25, 2007, 10:37:19 PM
Got any pictures?
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: Billyf17 on August 26, 2007, 12:51:14 AM
I scored a TC rear just recently by fixing a friends newly purchased TC. His problems were misrouted vac lines and his lower intercooler line wasn't clamped on right(caused loud hissing). Fixed both of those problems and the bird flew. Double check those. The vacuum line routing can be a bit confusing with a pic. The tech section at NATO has a crude diagram on how it should look.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on August 26, 2007, 01:30:04 AM
boost leak.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: Carpimp1987 on August 26, 2007, 02:44:42 AM
i will have 2 say boost leak but if you need the underhood replacement part that works with the scoops i got on i have not used in 2 years and i would sell it pretty cheap.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: turboranger91 on August 26, 2007, 09:07:45 AM
Quote from: Billyf17;172073
I scored a TC rear just recently by fixing a friends newly purchased TC. His problems were misrouted vac lines and his lower intercooler line wasn't clamped on right(caused loud hissing). Fixed both of those problems and the bird flew. Double check those. The vacuum line routing can be a bit confusing with a pic. The tech section at NATO has a crude diagram on how it should look.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: Billyf17 on August 26, 2007, 10:56:19 AM
^ That's it...haha
Title: oh no
Post by: trever on September 01, 2007, 04:49:06 PM
So i finally got back to the car, to find that it has an exhaust manifold crack.... is this my problem? I've checked all the lines for tightness and unless something is misrouted its vacuum boost/seems tight. The hiss i mentioned is now gone. It is a thin crack, on the third cylinder counting form the front... how much will it cost to get this replaced? Is there any sort of temp fix I can use? Does replacting involve removing the engine? (it looks like if i remoed the intercooler there is enough room to get @ at...) if its going to be difficult I may as well get the engine rebuilt at the same time, as its at 200k...
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: ipsd on September 01, 2007, 05:41:55 PM
You can get a exhaust mani on E-bay or over at http://www.turboford.org. Yes you can replace the mani without removing the motor. The hardest part is hooking the oil return line back up after the swap. Those turbo nuts aren't to fun to get at. Also with a crack in the mani the turbo isn't going to build as much boost. That is most likely why you are down on power.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 01, 2007, 06:38:14 PM
When the engine is running, do you feel exhaust flowing through the crack?
Title: yes
Post by: trever on September 01, 2007, 08:48:40 PM
The exhaust is visible ona cold day... but its not a ton, just visible. It makes sense, the crack is right before the turbo. How much will replacement be? Approx? Good to hear i can get at it w/o removign the block....
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: 460 turbo truck on September 01, 2007, 10:53:58 PM
it's the common E3 mani problem, i grounded mine out, and welded it shut, no more crack. that's the cheap fix atleast !!
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on September 01, 2007, 11:33:26 PM
Unless it has a substantial leak(noisy) it ain't going to make much difference...
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: bhazard on September 01, 2007, 11:45:00 PM
88 tc isnt gonna have an e3 manifold
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on September 01, 2007, 11:52:06 PM
Quote from: bhazard;173864
88 tc isnt gonna have an e3 manifold
True, at least it isn't supposed to...
I've seen the E6 crack as well... Didn't really seem to hurt it...
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: jcassity on September 02, 2007, 01:23:13 AM
take it off, grind the crack a little deeper then weld it. Cast iron needs cast iron rods.
if it aint broke, dont fix it, the motor should stay put if it runs fine. Your best advice so far was given to you already,,,,, read up and learn about this car and how it works. You just stumbled into a gold mine of a web site, we all love these cars.
When someone replies to you about your turbo coupe,, i can assure you ALL of them know their stuff.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: 460 turbo truck on September 02, 2007, 02:34:56 AM
Quote from: jcassity;173876
take it off, grind the crack a little deeper then weld it. Cast iron needs cast iron rods.
if it aint broke, dont fix it, the motor should stay put if it runs fine. Your best advice so far was given to you already,,,,, read up and learn about this car and how it works. You just stumbled into a gold mine of a web site, we all love these cars.
When someone replies to you about your turbo coupe,, i can assure you ALL of them know their stuff.
wait wait wait ......except me, i'm kinda a guessing guy,
true cast iron needs cast iron rods, but, that's for things that have to hold up a house, there's no excsive force on this thing, so it shouldn't matter, ( were still assuming that it's a full leak and not a crack,
I would like to see a manual vac/boost gauge reading, on this thing, for 1 or 2 trips to 60 MPH at WOT, see if it really is boosting,
The hissing, is it coming from inside or outside ? (was thinking brake booster, seen them make loss of boost )
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 02, 2007, 11:15:32 AM
87-88 TC's dont use a vacume booster. Its a hydraulic setup using electric pumps.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: 460 turbo truck on September 02, 2007, 02:06:23 PM
see, i told you,
Title: great
Post by: trever on September 03, 2007, 10:02:27 PM
I don't have a shop, so I think I will just grab a "new" manifold off of something @ pull a part.
The "hissing" noise, although gone, seems to still blow through the vets inside the car when the turbo is boosting...
How long will/should manifold replacement take? I'm pretty experienced with fords (I have a '67 302 mustang) as is my g/fs father, who will be helping me; he owns a bronco. But I have to admit this is my first non carbed car, is there anything I should know?
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: stuntmannick on September 03, 2007, 11:34:27 PM
Look under your dash, or pull the cluster. The rubber hose that goes to your boost gauge probably came off. If I remember it right, the hose has a red stripe on it.
Title: 88 (turbo) thunderbird has low power
Post by: trever on September 07, 2007, 02:43:51 PM
The crack is what I am going to deal with for now, I've bought a manual and I'm looking for a manifold at junkyards in my area.