Hello everyone. Let's get right to it I have a 03 PT cruiser GT turbo. This little gem just loves to throw a smoke show randomly. And it gives me a code that's not listed anywhere on the list of 1188 from what I understand this is a waste gate fault in the turbo can this be caused by a simple vacuum leak? Recently I've had the pleasure of alternator replacement and I had my hands all down inside all those vacuum hoses I wonder if this new wastegate issue is related. When this 1188 code gets thrown the engine stumbles runs terrible and gives me (and anyone behind) a great smoke show from the tailpipe. The smoke quits after a minute or two still chugs and stumbles. can that be caused by a vacuum leak?
btw. Nice to have this forum. Nice having an outlet

 

The smoke may be a separate issue. I'll circle back to that.

Yes, it sounds like the wastegate isn't dumping when it's supposed to, so the engine is seeing improper boost under partial throttle conditions. Not an over-boost situation, but almost like an under-boost situation caused by over-boosting...if that makes sense? Basically the turbo keeps building after wastegate should be open and alleviating the pressure on the exhaust side of the cylinder side. Meanwhile the intake side of the turbo also increases pressure up to the blow-off/recirc valve limit. That causes an imbalance in boost where the pressure "backs up" on the exhaust side/cylinders/intake manifold making it have higher pressure on the engine side of the throttle plate than on the air intake/turbo side of the throttle plate. Potentially catastrophic to the engine, and PCMs/ECUs don't like it at all.

#1 cause is probably the wastegate solenoid or one of the vacuum lines going to it. It is possible the vacuum connection to the wastegate is bad, or the internal seal on the wastegate has gone bad. Since you specifically said it started after having your hands all around that area with those hoses, that's the #1 first place to start before pulling out the vacuum tester or smoke machine to see what's leaking and where.

That brings us back to the smoke.

• It's possible the smoke is due to the PCM/ECU freaking out from seeing boost conditions it was not intended to see. Something like improper air/fuel, improper spark timing, or both.
• It's also possible that it's something completely unrelated that is only revealing itself under these abnormal conditions. Valve stem seals? Maybe?

 

What a learning experience. I took the turbo out to find out turns out the oil delivery port was too small with a smaller fitting and a good amount of coking the unit self destructed putting coolant ( and oil) into the intake filling charge air with oil and cooking the coolant into steam and thick white smoke. I put on another turbo checked and machined the oil ports big enough to make enough oil flow to the bearings. That did it and some other noises went way too.