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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20190

United Kingdom 
Turbo actuator linkage
I’ve had an issue with limp mode and I’m pretty sure it’s due to a sticky linkage on the Electronic actuator to turbo. In fact DTC’s have logged an overboost DTC and it went into limp mode which what seemed like a turbo failure but was not the turbo that has failed.

Anyway, I think the Electronic actuator is getting worn and weaker due to age and linkage pivots dry I usually use 3 in 1 oil on them.

I’m going to think about replacing the Actuator and or get it refurbed, I’m sure it must be due and after lubing the linkage today boost is there and turbo working as it should which is good.

I see on the LR parts diagram there is a grease for this exact linkage with a PN and the price is extortionate! £35 for a little grease tube I think.

Does anyone know what it is and what type of grease it is?
Regardless, I can’t see what would be so critical about a grease type for that but what does everyone use on theirs?
Obviously it’s only a small amount as it gets very hot, the 3 in1 oil I think dries out and maybe gets washed away too over time making it’s action more sticky and making the actuator work harder which isn’t great.

I disconnected the linkage today, took the circlips off and it seemed quite free and movable which I moved it up and down to check being sensible with it of course…

Gave the turbo electrical connectors a clean with electrical cleaner too which I’ve not done before and everything seems back to normal.
I do think the E A, would be best replaced or refurbed though as I doubt doubt 14 / 15yrs @ 87k that it has some wear.
The turbo pulled like a train this afternoon as normal once I did a test run after cleaning out air box, cleaning MAP and MAF. All connects and lubed the EA linages and pivot points.

I’d be curious to know how much play others have in the linkage on theirs, and also the reference numbers on the Turbo EA especially if it’s a later 2.4 as mines an early 2.4 Puma.
It would be interesting to see what reference numbers correspond and to hear what you lube the linkage with on yours.

Obviously a 2.2 and later is different and PN’s will be different too.

I’ll update with reference no on the EA tomorrow hopefully. NEVER SURRENDER! ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️ RED, WHITE & BOOST! 🇬🇧
Post #941338 6th Feb 2022 11:00pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20190

United Kingdom 
I didn’t remember to get the actuator numbers today, I’ll see tomorrow if I remember.

I was looking at greases today and temperature specs, looks to me that Ceramic grease would be best. (Due to turbo high heat).
Silverhook do a ceramic grease with a temp rating up to 1500.C.

The 3 in one oil I have been using does work, but dries up eventually and is rated to about 500.C
It’s good for loosening the linkage up though without making a mess, I see some people on other sites using WD40 I wouldn’t recommend that as it’s highly flammable and with a turbo…. not a good idea at all. NEVER SURRENDER! ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️ RED, WHITE & BOOST! 🇬🇧
Post #941509 7th Feb 2022 11:41pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17248

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Steve,

My actuator is original, about the same age as yours, but I suspect very much higher mileage, and has run without lubrication or any other kind of maintenance for 15 years and 250k miles. The only issues I have had with mine is that one two occasions it has failed to operate due to harness damage, on one occasion locking in the zero boost position (a spectacular lack of power) and the other in the full boost position (terrifying noises from the RAI - think Vulcan with afterburners on - which sent pedestrians running and made small children cry) resulting in spectacular performance and over-boost errors.

The actuator itself seems to be fairly reliable and is a maintenance-free part. It is possible to remove the actuator and carefully dismantle and clean it, but beyond this it is not user serviceable and it is not available on its own as a spare from LR, but is available from OEM aftermarket sources.

If you disconnect the actuator linkage from the turbo, the linkage on the turbo which moves the vanes should move so freely it feels as though it is broken, if there is any stiffness or unevenness you have a problem. The actuator itself is hard to test, but check that with the engine off the operating arm is in mid-position, horizontal, and on tickover it should be (as I recall) fully down. If the vanes are free and the arm position doesn't move between engine stopped and tickover, you have an actuator problem, but if so in the first instance inspect the harness very carefully anywhere it is secured to the engine - I was shocked at how bad mine was and how close I came to a major fire (I could see the copper core of the main and un-fused cable from battery to alternator Shocked ).
Post #941511 8th Feb 2022 12:15am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20190

United Kingdom 
Useful info, thank you.
I had read your previous posts regarding the harness, and I have checked that specifically after reading that and thankfully mine is okay.

On a test run today all was okay, I did manually operate the actuator after disconnecting at the top pivot the other day with engine and ignition off and it felt free and certainly didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with it.

I think this is something that just does crop up on Pumas, I’ve found due to lack of lubrication and linkage becoming dry.

I have known the overboost racket before that you mention, I’ve once or twice had that leaving the driveway and only then and only for a few seconds again I would imagine actuator sticking.

It would be interesting to know the tolerances that the actuator or arms are within, and they do get tested of which there are videos on YouTube of this.
But knowledge of the tolerances and specs would obviously be a turbo specialists skill set and diagnostic kit used as well.

I believe the units are Hella, but as you say are typically aftermarket and turbo specialist recon only. Some are Chinese too…

I am tempted one day to maybe get another aftermarket actuator from a specialist of the exact same type and part number to see if there is any difference in operation.
I am pretty sure all calibration is handled by the ECM only, and EA not calibrated between EA and Turbo it’s self.

Still, I’ll see how it goes and if it isn’t broke don’t fix it I think it’s likely that it’s only lubrication that’s the issue here as the pivots were completely dry.

LR do have a grease listed for it on the Parts diagram, so that’s obviously advised.
Personally I’ll put a little bit of ceramic high temp grease on and leave it at that and that will hopefully last a bit longer than the 3 in 1 light oil.
I except with damp weather and wet, it’s got washed away a lot. I did wash (general bodywork) it a month ago, so that maybe to do with it too.

One of those little lining jobs like the wiper wheel boxes that often get forgotten about.

Certainly made for an interesting drive back home when it went into limp mode, glad that I wasn’t towing.
But had no MIL on dash, and luckily for me had the Alive ATRIC device once home where I could read, record and delete the one DTC.

Other than the overboost fault code, I was pleased to see that was the only one.
The new MAP and MAF sensors I put up a post about on here some time ago have been faultless and working perfectly ever since and no even a ghost DTC flagged up so really pleased with that.

Had no problem at all after the VCV was replaced and that didn’t need programming either so all good.

As I’ve never gently manually operated the waste gate before, it has probably freed it up better to its maximum parameters when the EA operates. It felt free as it should and didn’t feel sticky but the pivot points to the actuator arms were dry so I’m pretty sure that is what it was.

If I remember tomorrow I’ll get the numbers from it anyway, but as you know and say it’s not a part that is readily available unless from specialists. Most of which I would imagine are revamped casings and replaced internal parts.
I’m not very keen on the idea of refurbished items, you just don’t know if it’s just a take off resold.

I also don’t know what’s inside, I imagine some circuitry, gearing and actuator that operates the EA arm. This is what I’m wondering if these gears etc may become worn over time and alter performance character such as smooth acceleration delivery.

Does anyone have a photo of the internals of one, if nothing else it’s interesting but not something that I would fiddle with or disassemble myself.. NEVER SURRENDER! ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️ RED, WHITE & BOOST! 🇬🇧
Post #941514 8th Feb 2022 1:00am
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