Boost solenoid

[Phunk]

I got it from ebay to be honest, mine is the VSK and I used silicone fittings for both sides of the pipe as the intercooler side has this weird clip contraption from factory.

This is the clip version - Clip Version Link

This is the non-clip version I bought and used the silicone hose to connect instead - Non-Clip version

 

[Skourias]

 

[Old.Tony]

You'll know if it's the electronic actuator. On the vacuum-operated turbocharger there's a round gold-coloured widget that has a vacuum hose coming out one side and a solid arm coming out the other heading to the middle of the turbocharger. If you have this with its 3mm internal diameter vacuum hose attached, you have a vacuum-operated actuator. If your actuator has an electrical plug attached, it's an electronic one.

Nissan did do a recall on the electronic actuators because they were behaving erratically and not providing boost consistently. Check to see if yours has been recalled. If not, contact Nissan and see if they'll still do it. If they won't (or if they want your first born child as payment), you'll probably be better served by getting a turbocharger from a wreck and switching over the actuator.

 

[Rickorous]

You'll know if it's the electronic actuator. On the vacuum-operated turbocharger there's a round gold-coloured widget that has a vacuum hose coming out one side and a solid arm coming out the other heading to the middle of the turbocharger. If you have this with its 3mm internal diameter vacuum hose attached, you have a vacuum-operated actuator. If your actuator has an electrical plug attached, it's an electronic one.

Nissan did do a recall on the electronic actuators because they were behaving erratically and not providing boost consistently. Check to see if yours has been recalled. If not, contact Nissan and see if they'll still do it. If they won't (or if they want your first born child as payment), you'll probably be better served by getting a turbocharger from a wreck and switching over the actuator.

Thabks Old Tony,
Ill have a look Tomorrow. I just find it weird that it haens more when the car is hot.
Cheers

Richard

 

[Rickorous]

You'll know if it's the electronic actuator. On the vacuum-operated turbocharger there's a round gold-coloured widget that has a vacuum hose coming out one side and a solid arm coming out the other heading to the middle of the turbocharger. If you have this with its 3mm internal diameter vacuum hose attached, you have a vacuum-operated actuator. If your actuator has an electrical plug attached, it's an electronic one.

Nissan did do a recall on the electronic actuators because they were behaving erratically and not providing boost consistently. Check to see if yours has been recalled. If not, contact Nissan and see if they'll still do it. If they won't (or if they want your first born child as payment), you'll probably be better served by getting a turbocharger from a wreck and switching over the actuator.

It would seem I have the Vacuum-operated turbo. I have changed all the 3mm vacuum lines in the hope that is the issue. Time will tell.

 

[Old.Tony]

It would seem I have the Vacuum-operated turbo. I have changed all the 3mm vacuum lines in the hope that is the issue. Time will tell.

Ok, the other common culprit is the Boost Control Solenoid (BCS). Easy (and free) to test, just have to be careful ... take a couple of tools (screwdrivers mainly) with you, you might need 'em!

Unplug the hose off the top of the actuator and tie it somewhere safe. Find the hose that comes across the top of the engine and unplug this one from the BCS that's on the intercooler's hard intake pipe. Plug this hose onto the actuator.

What you're doing here is directly connecting the vacuum source to the turbocharger, which will pull the vanes of the turbo to the "max boost" setting. You will know very quickly if this is working, and this will discount faults with the turbocharger, the hose across the motor, the vacuum pump AND the brake booster. But - here's the tricky bit.

If you start accelerating under full boost and you suddenly lift your foot off the throttle, engine revs will fall quickly but boost pressure won't, so your intake manifold will be highly overpressurised. On my car, it popped the hose off the intake manifold that comes from the intercooler. It could go the other way, it could burst your intercooler (has happened on some V9Xs) or pop a "hot" (pre-intercooler) hose off.

So the trick is to find a stretch of road where you can accelerate hard enough to ensure that the turbo is working ok, but be able to slowly lift your foot off the throttle and allow everything to slow down gracefully.

Now, IF the turbocharger behaves well in that configuration but not when the BCS is connected, it's BCS-bye-bye time. You have several choices.

* Genuine article from Nissan. It's about $280 last time I enquired about it. Really easy to replace yourself.

* Aftermarket on eBay (example here). $40 will see one delivered wherever you want it.

* Dump the BCS idea and go for a Dawes or Tillix valve. They're similar beasts. I went the www.tillix.com.au way and haven't had any problems with it.

Some people prefer the ECU-controlled path. It seems less reliable (I've changed my BCS twice) but more flexible with boosting levels (not by much, it's just a feeling I get).

 

[Scott52]

Goss make a high quality BCS for our Nissan's. My first try was a $40 eBay type and it was terrible. It vibrated and buzzed constantly and was clearly low quality. The boost was all over the place.

Once the Goss unit went on it was like chalk and cheese ... quiet and controlled the way it should be.

https://www.goss.com.au/products/vacuum-solenoid-valves/
I paid about $130 at Veale Auto Parts. https://vealeautoparts.com.au/cgi-bin/pseprod/src.d/www.p

Veale is a West Australian company but you can buy Goss parts from Repco, Supecheapauto and many similar retailers around the country.