So today while I was finishing my pcv replacement on my wagon I discovered a torn and I mean torn hose coming from my turbo into the intercooler, which would explain why i had such inconsistant boost....anyways after i got it all back together i went to start it and it started and died immediatly. After a few tries i got it to start and run but it was either a play with the throttle to keep it alive or it would rev to about 3500 rpms before i shut it off. my boost/vac gauge is showing that i have no vacuum and if i get it to stay alive long enbough to get it in gear, i have hardly any brakes. now my question is where would the most likely place to look for a vacuum leak be? and how big of a vac leak would it have to be to cause all those problems? thanks guys
--Nic

 

Sounds like a little more than a vacuum leak. Are you sure you have all the turbo hoses attached? MAP sensor?. Check the idle control valve for a broken hose.

 

+1

That would be the largest vacuum leak ever. I would check all the intake hoses and the vacuum tree for leaks. Did you install a new manifold gasket when you did the PCV? Even if you did, I would take a look at the manifold too.

 

just got done looking at it again, and for some reason the manifold didn't seat right. so now i have to pull it back off and see why....

 

*update* there's a bracket on one of the lower manifold bolts, somehow i let it get smashed between the block and the manifold instead of being on the outside of the manifold. (i feel like a dumbass) anyways that it explains why it didn't seat right, got it fixed, all is well