R55 Turbo / No Power / Sputtering Issues
 

All --

I have an 11 R55 that I am working on and I am at a bit of loss. Turbo is hot but does not kick in. What is the first thing that you all do to diagnose turbo issues? HELP!

Thanks!

The easiest thing is to check is the turbine, take off the hose to the turbocharger inlet which exposes the inlet turbine. Grab the center of the turbine and check that it spins freely. There also should be no axial or radial movement.

If it doesn't spin easily or if there is any play in the turbine, the turbocharger is no good.

Also, the turbocharger bypass (wastegate) could be stuck open or not be seating on the turbocharger housing, allowing exhaust gasses past the exhaust turbine without doing any work. You would have to remove the exhaust downpipe/ catalytic converter to see if that is the case.

Either way, the turbocharger would need to be replaced.

DneprDave --

Thanks for the great advice. There is no play in the inlet turbine and it spins freely. When I turn off the engine, I found that there is a huge vacuum leak at the valve cover where the PCV is located. Someone who didn't know better must of though that they could pry off the integrated cover and get to the PCV valve. In the process, the broke off a bunch of plastic and created a huge vacuum leak. I am assuming that that vacuum leak is keeping the turbo from being able to generate enough force to get the turbo to engage? Plausible? Thoughts?

Help!
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...123f7498bc.jpg

The turbo recirculating valve actuator is vacuum operated, if you have a big vacuum leak, it can cause a lot of problems.
Change out the head cover, fix the leak and you'll be alright.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/11127646552/

Sounds good! I will let you know how it goes!

the vacuum in the valve cover is not related to the turbo recirc vacuum. The turbo and brake booster get their vacuum from the machanical vacuum generator. There is small vacuum reservoir under the intake for the recirc valve. The valve cover gets its vacuum from the intake. Replace the cover and reset your codes. Once the cover diaphragm leaks it will mess with your fuel air mixture and send the engine into limp mode. It runs like crap then.

Edit, I wrote this and just noticed it's a 2011 with the n18 engine. My response is for an n14 engine I'm not totally sure they have the same vacuum system.

Hey there, I know this is an old thread, but I have a 2009 Clubman S R55 with the lovely N14 engine (all stock, lot's of work done to it) that just went into limp mode and threw a P2096 code, however it did not show a CEL. The fuel/air mixture and running like crap (Almost didn't make it home, as I was right down the street) sounds exactly like what I had happen.

I let it sit in the garage for a bit, and when I started it again to get the codes, no limp mode, and it seemed to run fine. But I did hear a bit of a whine. I haven't had time to fully look into it, but it seems like it's either a leak, or the O2 sensor.

My question is which cover are you referring to? Are you saying replace the valve cover? Or is there a cover with diaphragm on the turbo recirc valve? Because the turbo in mine seems to be spotty in it's performance as well.

Thank you!!