[onefastdoc]

This is nothing new but I thought I'd let everyone know that I am but another casualty of the infamous failed wastegate actuator. For anyone who suspects they have this, I'll just explain the symptoms I experienced.

My car started making an annoying metallic rattling noise from the engine bay, the exhaust became louder, and I lost at least half of the horsepower. The turbos would not spool up and the car was slower than a Prius. If I floored the throttle, I would get a check engine light. My suspicion was that the wastegate actuator failed from the other posts I've seen on the forum, and when I took it into the dealer, that is exactly what the problem was.

It is apparently not an uncommon problem.

Metallic noise + no boost + no power = failed wastegate actuator.

[satinghostrider]

I have the wastegate actuator problem but i dont experience any CEL light or no boost. Maybe it was is still in the early stages. My car is in the dealership now and i am getting it replaced. Metallic ticking noise is interpreted differently. Most of the time it is the wastegate actuator issue. But i have seen some who have got their camshaft replaced instead of the wastegate actuator. Its better to take it in to get it checked. Before we start any tuner wars again, the wastegate actuator issue and its ticking noise also have been confirmed on cars running bone stock.

[DreM3]

Man.. that SUCKs!!

I'm really sorry to hear that. Hope it gets fixed up asap.

[MarioKart]

Sorry buddy, how many miles on your car?

[AU335]

been there...done that...

14 days in the shop and counting. 2 new wastegate Actuators, gasket, O-ring, vacumm lines, and new boost controller. Hopefully all of that will fix my ticking and COUNTLESS Limp Modes

[akack79]

Hope you get your car fixed asap.

[Mr. 5]

This is weird that you lost so much power.

The wastegate should hold boost when the turbos are creating the pressure on wastegate side. In a sense, the wastegate should be pushed closed by the boost of the turbos.

The only thing that I could see happening is if your wastegate was in the stuck open position.

[sambonator]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

This is weird that you lost so much power.

The wastegate should hold boost when the turbos are creating the pressure on wastegate side. In a sense, the wastegate should be pushed closed by the boost of the turbos.

The only thing that I could see happening is if your wastegate was in the stuck open position.

Isn't the "default" position of the wastegate an "open" position (allowing exhaust to bypass the turbine)? And the actuator must exert force on the wastegate to close it, to turn the turbine to create boost?

[onefastdoc]

car only had 5000 miles

[v2bling]

Today, I heard a sound every so often.. Its a tick or metallic sound that only clicks once and then waits.. This was at idle.. You think I have early stages of wastegate failure? This sucks I wonder what else is jacked up in this new engine

Oh yea and its coming from the left side where the bypass selonoids are... Any ideas?

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by sambonator

Isn't the "default" position of the wastegate an "open" position (allowing exhaust to bypass the turbine)? And the actuator must exert force on the wastegate to close it, to turn the turbine to create boost?

If I'm reading this correctly you are right, but here's the thing:

The wastegate is open when the engine is off.
When the engine is started, the actuator pulls the wastegate closed, therefore the wastegate should be closed during idle and acceleration.

The ticking sound is the wastegate rattling against the seal because it is not completely closed. (kind of like a lid on a jar that is shaking. You'll hear the lid vibrate. If the lid is tight on the jar you won't hear the lid vibrate.)

If the wastegate is so close to the seal, then once the turbo creates enough boost, then the "almost closed" wastegate will become closed due to the pressure build up on the wastegate side.

This is the main reason why you cannot hear the ticking during acceleration.
You can only hear the ticking noise during deceleration (no boost and under vacuum).

Make sense?

BTW, if anyone is having the ticking sound during acceleration/reving up the engine then take a video of it because this sounds like a much deeper issue.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by v2bling

Today, I heard a sound every so often.. Its a tick or metallic sound that only clicks once and then waits.. This was at idle.. You think I have early stages of wastegate failure? This sucks I wonder what else is jacked up in this new engine

Oh yea and its coming from the left side where the bypass selonoids are... Any ideas?

Here's how bad mine was. Notice the ticking sound at idle and on deceleration/engine revving down.

[u2b]ZYz1Flx5X8k&eurl[/u2b]

[onefastdoc]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Here's how bad mine was. Notice the ticking sound at idle and on deceleration/engine revving down.

[u2b]ZYz1Flx5X8k&eurl[/u2b]

Yup, that's exactly what mine sounded like. Actually, I don't think mine was as loud. My turbos did not spool at all, and it felt like I had about 100hp instead of 300hp.

[v2bling]

Im at 12,500 miles.. Dude i had to stop it at one minute. I couldnt bare the sound. Im sorry for that. Did you get fixed yet? I hope i dont get this, mines at idle though. Did BMW end up paying for it?

[onefastdoc]

Originally Posted by v2bling

Im at 12,500 miles.. Dude i had to stop it at one minute. I couldnt bare the sound. Im sorry for that. Did you get fixed yet? I hope i dont get this, mines at idle though. Did BMW end up paying for it?

BMW fixed it under warranty. Car feels great now.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by onefastdoc

BMW fixed it under warranty. Car feels great now.

Me too.
Dealer fixed it by replacing both actuators with the new and improved part.

[hun77777]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

Me too.
Dealer fixed it by replacing both actuators with the new and improved part.

does it have different parts number? how is it improved?

[OpenFlash]

The wastegates are always open somewhat except during spool up when they close for a fraction of a second. So when they do stick, they almost always stick in the "slightly open" position which will, of course, hinders spool-up. Car still makes boost, but it does so slowly and can easily induce a limp for 'boost target not reached.' Depending on the point of "stick" the effects can be subtle or obvious.

Shiv

[oct1285]

After i got my downpipes installed i get this rattling noise at start up and only at start up. It only seems to happen when the car is started after its been driven for a while, so it doesn't rattle on the 1st start of the day. I had a shop look at the downpipes and they aren't hitting each other, the tech said the noise seems to coincide with the waste gate actuator arm closing. I don't feel any lost in power, and it doesn't tick when driving, just start up. I've had the dp's for about 6 weeks and the rattle for just as long, I figure if something was broken it would have broke by now. Is this the beginning of a wastegate actuator failure?

[Kerosene Hat]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

I have the wastegate actuator problem but i dont experience any CEL light or no boost. Maybe it was is still in the early stages. My car is in the dealership now and i am getting it replaced. Metallic ticking noise is interpreted differently. Most of the time it is the wastegate actuator issue. But i have seen some who have got their camshaft replaced instead of the wastegate actuator. Its better to take it in to get it checked. Before we start any tuner wars again, the wastegate actuator issue and its ticking noise also have been confirmed on cars running bone stock.

Similar to my situation. Clicking noise on start up, metallic noise on deceleration (usually while in gear, no brakes) and sometimes acceleration. Dealer comments "Noise coming from the turbos. Bulletin out to apply software fix". Hope this doesn't mean v29.2, BUT what choice do those of us w/ bad wastegate have?

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by shiv@vishnu

The wastegates are always open somewhat except during spool up when they close for a fraction of a second. So when they do stick, they almost always stick in the "slightly open" position which will, of course, hinders spool-up. Car still makes boost, but it does so slowly and can easily induce a limp for 'boost target not reached.' Depending on the point of "stick" the effects can be subtle or obvious.

Shiv

I don't agree with this.
The wastegates are in the closed position at idle and at spool up.
If you are making this statement based on the 335 that you have, then your wastegate actuators are bad as well.

If what you say is true, then everyone would have the ticking noise and it would be normal to hear this noise since they are slightly open rattling against the seal.

[Swoop]

I think I juts had this problem...getting it towed into the dealer on Monday (or is it okay to drive it in?)