Could Your Turbo Problems Be the Result of a Faulty Wastegate Hose?

Many manufacturers fit a turbocharger to their diesel engines to make them more efficient and to enable them to fit smaller motors for cost and weight purposes. For their diminutive size, these turbochargers can be quite powerful, and in order to regulate their effects and avoid damage to the engine itself, they need to be fitted with a safety bypass. However, from time to time these components can play up. and if you're experiencing some turbo-related problems on your vehicle right now, this could be something to do with the wastegate hose. What is this and what could be going wrong?

How It Should Work

When a turbocharger is in full flight, it will build up a great deal of pressure, and only a certain amount can be handled by the engine under full load. Any excess pressure needs to be diverted, and this is the job of the actuator, which is essentially a pressure release tube.

For the diesel engine to work properly, boosted air needs to be introduced to the fuel injection manifold before being forced into the combustion chamber. To help control this performance, the wastegate hose is added to the turbo configuration, and it will open or close according to the expected levels of performance.

Fault Code

If the wastegate hose begins to wear out, it can lead to a number of problems. To begin with, you may notice a dashboard warning that is triggered by the engine control unit and based on the amount of pressure being introduced to the engine. The system will be configured to work within tight parameters, and once the actuator begins to fail, a warning code is generated, and the ubiquitous check-engine light will flicker into life.

The Poor Performance

You may also notice problems with performance, especially when you're trying to overtake a slower vehicle. If you glance at the turbo boost gauge, you may see that it is below where it should be, and this could be due to a blockage in the wastegate hose or associated damage.

More at the Pump

Don't be surprised if you visit the fuel pump more often during this time as well, as the vehicle will burn more fuel in relation to its performance while the wastegate hose is bad. This is another reason for you to get the problem checked out as soon as possible. You should take the vehicle to a diesel repair shop for professional assistance.