Ryan8886

Hi Everyone,


I'm not a frequent poster here.....just check in when I have an issue. I have a 2008 RDX with no mods (just an K&N air filter...not the cold air package) with about 155K on the odo. Solid maintenance record. I've done searches a couple ways already and can't seem to find what I'm looking for. Last week, after sitting for about a week while I was on vacation, I was out driving around....nothing crazy just groceries...I did a hard accel...not full throttle...but likely required a 3rd to 2nd downshift and got a "bucking bronco" ride for s few seconds until I got off it. Figured maybe gas had gone a little stale/condensated due to sitting for 10 days. No codes thrown though. Next day...driving to work...pull out of McDonald's after idling through the drive-thru an give about 50% throttle (well warmed up at the time)...same bronco ride and get SH-AWD and Check Engine lights. Car seems weak rest of the way to work...boost won't come all the way up but still there about 50%.


I go to my regular wrench...who is very fluent in imports and never screwed me around. Ran the code and it came back as a "Turbo Overboost". Unfortunately neither of us wrote down the code before he cleared it but we looked it up at the time and it came back as a wastegate issue. After clearing it car has run fine. Driven as normal but with an eye on the boost gauge...no full throttle runs and no codes.


Brought it back as scheduled today for further investigation. He states the wastegate is seized in closed position. He's unable to physically move it and states after an internet search it a common issue. I can't find anything about this problem being common. Anyone have anything similar?? I'm looking at approx. $700 to pull and reinstall the turbo; assuming he can un-seize it. He's an excellent wrench...never messed with me but has limited turbo experience. As we all know...this is about the only production turbo motor Honda has done. any info appreciated.

DDTsx06

https://acurazine.com/forums/problem...system-857011/

Ryan8886

Thanks....read that thread. Different code. Just as general information for anyone with a similar issue....they finally got the turbo off today. Everything good in there but for a little engine oil in the intake. Not bad for 155K miles. Turbo deemed healthy overall. Waste gate was found bound up but not seized. Responded well to some oil an attention. All the valves looked good once the cover came off...no gunking up. Out some heavy coin in labor to take it all apart and now putting it back together is being held up by a $2.00 gasket that is nowhere to be found in Michigan. Expensive fix but could be worse....turbo still solid. 😊

pandaman

Recently brought my car in acura mechanic to replace the exhaust manifold gasket leak and mentioned to check my wastegate actuator if there is any worn in the rod. They said that my wastegate is seized. I am not sure how they tested it but i am not getting any check engine light since i bought the car 6 months ago.

Did you mechanic just clean the turbo and did not fix anything? Is it normal that sometime the actuator bound up?

09RDX2.3T

I just found out today I have the same issue while replacing the upper actuator to fix rattle. When checked the lower actuator it was frozen. I couldn’t get to move. Did you ever get yours resolved? Was it the actuator or the turbo flat ?

yanga001

Does your car run odd ie cannot hold boost or cannot relieve boost? If it is running fine then i would say its not too much to worry about. The cars will readily activate and actuate these controls while running so you will know if there is an issue.

While test driving cars we found overboost occurred while accelerating and resulted in a bucking effect. Underboost could be observed while accelerating and watching the turbo dial. If the dial went up and then went to zero while accelerating then you had an underboost or leak.

Some code scanners from amazon can do tests to actuate these elements i believe, i would try to test it and verify its an issue prior to replacing anything.

hope it helps

09RDX2.3T

On my RDX I have the overboost, and bucking also occurred a few times when the engine is under load getting up to speed on highway. I used to be a Honda tech, so I have a decent computer to pull the codes. The first gen RDX being the first Honda/Acura turbo engine available in the US, on top of it also being my first turbo car, means I don’t have much experience working on turbo engines. I was only getting p2663 at first, and it went away for a while after resetting. Now I’m getting p2663, but this time around I’m also getting p2664 shortly after resetting it.
So I decided to replace the top actuator, after noticing the spring was weak, and the actuator wasn’t holding pressure for very long. Then as I was replacing the top one I decided to also test the lower actuator ( the one connected to waste gate, with the longer arm) and noticed it was frozen in place and the arm wasn’t budging after applying air pressure into it, even after applying over 30 lbs of pressure. So I know for a fact either the actuator or the wastegate is frozen. But now I’m trying to find out if its only the actuator, or if it’s the turbo wastegate valve flap on the turbo. I also wanted to know if i would be able to replace the actuator without removing the turbo, and if turns out to be the valve that’s frozen I would be able to fix the wastegate flap and avoid replace the turbo?
I appreciate any tips or advice you or anybody else who experienced this issue is willing to share.
I’ll try to post some photos of the repair.

jeffsaidso

Did you ever do this repair?

09RDX2.3T

yes but i ended up having to replace the turbo. One I removed the turbo, I found hairline crack on the exhaust side of the turbo.

This is the crack I found on the OEM turbo.