Hi Guys

I figured I would run this by you and see what you think. This is an epic tale so I have to take you back to March. When I returned home from Daytona I had a big puddle of oil in my drive way. Yep you guessed it, oil pan rotted through. Did I mention that NYS uses more salt on the roads here than the US has debt? Anyway, I towed it to a shop and they pulled the engine. Not only was the pan bad but the exhaust manifolds were rotted almost through, dipstick tube was holy-er than thou and fuel rail lines had to be replaced. $2500 later, and I supplied the parts, the truck was back on the road. BTW the turbo pedestal orings were replaced and the nipple broke off the wastegate vacuum actuator and that was replaced with an aftermarket type.

So.. In June I am taking my plow to a buddies garage to sandblast it. My truck shes a no wanna go no more. The front pump seal blew and the loss of fluid caused the clutches to burn out. To the tranny shop we went. Got the tranny
rebuilt (4R100) to the tune of $2500. Back on the road again.

Now here is the good part....

I was moving my son back to school and pulling a 14 foot motorcycle trailer dual axles. Seemed like everthing was fine. Then on my first grade the transmission kicked down my tubo was whistling dixie, at the same time it appeared that my RPMs were locked around 2K even with a foot to the floor and my speed dropped way down. I thought I was not going to make it up the hill. This happened several times during the trip. I had to use a lot of speed and momentum to make it up the hills. I did a test by taking the tranny in and out of OD. It seemed that without overdrive the problem was worst and the truck went right into the whinning turbo, dropping speed, lock RPM situation. What the heck now?

I never noticed the truck doing this before. It seemed to drive and shift fine. But then it was the first time this year that I have towed anything or have been at highway speeds for extended periods. However afterwards, on an in town hill climb it did do the same thing.

I called the tranny shop and the owner told me that he did not think it was a tranny related issue. That the tranny only does what the computer tells it to do.

I just noticed this when I had something in tow.

Anybody else run into this? I appreciate the input before I take it into the shop. If the replacement wastgate was not set right, it this something that would happen?


my NPSD has 97K on it.

Thanks all
Pat

 

I was going to guess you have a fuel restriction and need to do the in tank mods, but the turbo whine doesn't fit.

Any chance you just need to change your air filter?

 

I have a reusable filter. Thats a good thought I will check it in the morning. The truck runs fine and starts good. It was only towing that I noticed it. So not sure if it is related to the tranny work or the engine pull.

I don't understand why the power drops right out but the turbo is whinning up a storm. Also it seemed to get worst when OD was off. Unless that was because the lower gear caused it to pull more.

 

One more thing. If the waste gate is opening too early would that cause a power loss and let the turbo spin faster? Or would dumping the exhaust slow the turbo down?? Or neither?

 

Wastegate opening early should cause the turbo whine to stop sooner and bleed off boost pressure. (less whine).

 

Have you checked your intercooler boots for a tear or hole?

 

I am leaning toward a boost leak. Explains the lost of power with added pressure and either you are hearing the turbo by the leak or the leak is making the noise.