0244 waste gate solenoid code

cerickson

cerickson

fullpull108
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
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Pulled our travel trailer to Nashville yesterday from sw Missouri with the wifes 06. Truck was doggy as all get out. Have anarchy efi tuning on the truck. Every other time we pulled trailer it ran fine. This time not so much.

Would not boost over 20 psi. Did code scan with my edge cts. Came up with 0244 code. Cleared it and it came right back on. It was smoking quite a bit while pulling the hills. Never done that before.

What should I be looking for. We will be here in Nashville for a week. Did some research. Might just crimp off waste gate with pliers to get back home.
Will this be feasible for the 7 hour trip. I know I will have to keep an eye on the boost gauge. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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I would look at the charge air system, air filter, turbo, etc. Make sure all the boots are good and nothing is torn. Truck run good otherwise (idling, free rev, etc)?
 
Quick google search shows a common failure is the wire to the WG solenoid. I haven't heard of it, but take a look.
 
Will look at the wires. I googled the problem as well. I did have a little mouse problem couple months ago. Maybe one of the little bastards chewed my wires. Will take a closer look. Other than that truck runs just like normal empty.

When hooked to trailer boost was stuck at 20 psi. Haven't rodded on it empty to see if it builds more boost.
 
Maybe the mouse built a nest in your air box.
I leave packages of rat bait on top of my batteries. Especially in the winter time. The critters like warm batteries with a trickle charger.
 
Will pull lid off air intake and look. Just had it off 2 weeks ago when I replaced both batteries.
 
Not nest in filter box. Took it to grab some dinner. Gave her a little rip. Told the wife to hold on. Full throttle max boost is 25. Will get under it tomorrow and check wiring. If that checks out I will be looking at the vice grips.

Correct me if I'm wrong but dont efi have a boost fooler built into the tuning? Figured it did since it used to run great pulling the trailer. Hardly tell it wasn't running right before we pulled the trailer. It's the wifes truck and it's pretty much babied.

On a side note found a broke weld on exhaust. Now off to fleetpride monday to get a new clamp.
 
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Did some more delving at problem. Wires look good at connector. Tried a small c clamp on the watste gate. Still only building only 27 psi with the efi on the number 5 setting.

Anybody got any other suggestions?
 
I know you are seeing a waste gate code, but what does your fuel pressure look like?

I didn’t mention this before because you stated in the OP that the truck smoked quite a bit when pulling heavy. Black smoke from not enough air I presume?
 
The code came back right after you cleared it? Or you had to drive it first?

If the wastegate solenoid and circuit check out ok, get the wife to brake stall it in 4x4 while you listen for boost leaks. If you don't trust her, just spray around all the boots / clamps with ether while the engine is idling
 
Red Sleeper said:
I know you are seeing a waste gate code, but what does your fuel pressure look like?

I didn’t mention this before because you stated in the OP that the truck smoked quite a bit when pulling heavy. Black smoke from not enough air I presume?
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Will have to take it for another spin and pay closer attention to the fuel pressure. I have just changed both filters on the fass 2 days before we headed for Nashville. Yes it was black smoke. Not like rolling coal, but more like a heavy haze under load. Heavier than it usually does when accelerating.
 
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JWhite said:
The code came back right after you cleared it? Or you had to drive it first?

If the wastegate solenoid and circuit check out ok, get the wife to brake stall it in 4x4 while you listen for boost leaks. If you don't trust her, just spray around all the boots / clamps with ether while the engine is idling
Click to expand...

I cleared codes before driving it yesterday. Drove it about 3 miles while getting on it. Would hit 26 psi boost. Stopped checked to see if the codes came back. No codes.

Kept driving for awhile longer, stopping every so often. Checking to see if codes came back. Still no codes. At the end of the drive. I did a few brake stands to let it build boost, just letting the tires break loose then rolling into it. Will still smoke the tires at will.

Drove back to the campground, checked for codes and the damn code was back. Cleared it. Guess I will check for boost leaks now. Hard to do on vacation with limited tools. I have the basic tools with me, but not a full toolbox.

I leave for home on Friday. May just have to limp the ol girl home and really look it over.
 
Its probably the rod/lever stuck. Hows the truck rust-wise? Here in the great white north where they salt 9 months out of the year its really common to see the actuator rods seize up where they meet the lever. Just try giving that a little tap with a small hammer if you can get at it and see if it closes a little more. Then go for a ride with the tube pinched off with some vice grips. See what it does. If it builds more boost than those are starting to seize up.
 
bigstacks95 said:
Its probably the rod/lever stuck. Hows the truck rust-wise? Here in the great white north where they salt 9 months out of the year its really common to see the actuator rods seize up where they meet the lever. Just try giving that a little tap with a small hammer if you can get at it and see if it closes a little more. Then go for a ride with the tube pinched off with some vice grips. See what it does. If it builds more boost than those are starting to seize up.
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Will look into that when I get it home. Pouring rain here in Nashville today.
 
JWhite said:
The code came back right after you cleared it? Or you had to drive it first?

If the wastegate solenoid and circuit check out ok, get the wife to brake stall it in 4x4 while you listen for boost leaks. If you don't trust her, just spray around all the boots / clamps with ether while the engine is idling
Click to expand...

I did notice yesterday that the manifold gasket on the #1 cylinder is leaking. Could this be the culprit?
 
cerickson said:
I did notice yesterday that the manifold gasket on the #1 cylinder is leaking. Could this be the culprit?
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Depends on how bad, if it's just a little soot tracking and only in one port, I doubt it.
 
JWhite said:
Depends on how bad, if it's just a little soot tracking and only in one port, I doubt it.
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Not bad at all. Just a little black but nothing that would make me believe it would cause lack of boost.
 
Got the truck back to Missouri. It ran really good having the wastegate clamped shut. I never let it run past 37psi and it ran the coolest pulling the trailer than it ever has. Will check ohms in the plug today.
 
That link you posted is only the plug. Sounds like you are needing the solenoid as well. Correct?

For reference, I run a stock turbo and solenoid on my 05 with a quadzilla boost fooler. It has worked good for 9 years. And for 9 years I’ve wanted to install compounds on the truck.
 
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