All of a sudden today my car ('90 talon tsi) started running like crap. It idles well but
at speed (2000-3000) rpms it misses occasionally. Also the turbo seems to be almost non-functional. I get no boost at all untill about 3k rpms but It never goes above 7 on the boost guage and I have to get to about 4500 rpms to even get that? Any suggestions?

John

Check for the infamous broken cotter pin on the wastegate arm. Also you might have some serious crack around the wastegate itself.
Might be a simple as a broken vacuum hose going to the wastegate actuator or a boost leak some where in the IC pipes.

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'91 Laser RS Turbo-"Sound Advice" guy.
www.geocities.com/motorcity/speedway/5051
Turbo + Intercooler = The replacement for Displacement

I checked the cotter pin on the wastegate arm. That happened to me once before and I tied it down with some heavy duty wire. Just out of curiosity how long do turbo's usually last? I have 100000 miles on this one, not sure how many kilometers that is..

John

100000 miles is approx. 160 000 kms.

I've got 215 000 kms on mine, and counting..

I think it depends more on how well you take care of it (relegious oil changes, cool down, etc..) and how much/high you're into the boost. (ie: if you're running 11 psi and mashing the pedal once in a while, it'll last longer than 20 psi and racing everything in town ...



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1992 Eagle Talon Tsi FWD
Superiority after 60'..


ICQ # 9622983
www3.sympatico.ca/steve.kinnaird

I think my timing may be on the fritz (for the 4th time in a 18 months). Is there any way to check your timing that doesn't require taking anything major apart or buying expentives tool(s)?

John

Does it miss/hesitate/stutter at boost, but even out when you let off the gas a bit? Sounds the infamous spark plug wire stutter to me. When it happened to me, I was convinced the turbo was gone. Satan just changed the spark plug wires ("only" $150, what a relief!) and life was grand again.

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Marta
dsmgrrrl@hotmail.com
92 Talon TSi AWD (take two)
and soon to be the "NV" of Quebec-DSM (figure *that* one out!)

Sounds like what my car was like when I got it. No boost until around 5000rpm, and only about 5lbs, I'd hit 8-9lbs at redline, and thats was it, boost came on VERY slow. It was a cracked exhaust housing.

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91 Laser turbo White, FWD
16psi
"DSM TURBO"

http://members.aol.com/gofastcnm/turbo/turbo.htm

There's some info here about troubleshooting a bad turbo.

Good luck

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Fast & Awesome Handling
'90 AWD
$h!tbox

Sounds like a miss to me also Marta. Wires, plugs or coil pack.

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Shawn (Really my wifes car) Basso
Love those f-bodies

I replaced my plug wires yesterday and that did no good. I'm reasonably sure it's bad timing (I've had to replace my belts 4 times in the last year so I know the symptoms well). After all these replacements I'm sick and tired of my mechanic not doing it right and still charging me every time, so I'm wondering how difficult is it to replace the timing belts and or adjust the timing yourself? By difficult I also mean does it require any special equipment or tools?

Just wondering

thanks
John Hall
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'90 Talon TSi
Captain timing.

when that crap started happening to me i took it to the mech's and got my ignition timing set and the problem went away.

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Shaun "Skywalker" Bratzel
90 TSi AWD
"May the boost be with you"

Shaun, your lucky man when I went to the dealer with some engine electrical problems, The service manager swore up and down the the ignition timing could not be set on these cars! This was a Jeep/Eagle dealer where most other dealers in the GTA would refer you to if you had Talon problems. $85 later and nothing done "needs a Throtle body $465 + Tax" Came home and got on the internet, an hour later I had my ignition timing set and the car ran perfectly!
Moral of the story: Screw the dealers.

[This message has been edited by Ken Barkhouse (edited February 25, 2000).]

So where did you find this info on ignition timing? Sounds helpful!

John Hall
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http://www.myzero.com/engine/timing.htm

You would do well to go to http://www.vfaq.com/FAQlocator.html and see what all the other FAQs and VFAQ are available for DSMs.

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Marta
dsmgrrrl@hotmail.com
92 Talon TSi AWD (take two)
and soon to be the "NV" of Quebec-DSM (figure *that* one out!)

[This message has been edited by Marta Cepek (edited February 26, 2000).]