R33 Boost Issues

[BRADR33]

Hi everyone, recently I installed a turbosmart boost tee on my series 1 r33 skyline and have been having issues when I reach full boost. Before the boost tee, I installed a new larger fmic to replace the stock side mount. Due to the larger size of the new cooler the car was only running half of the standard 7psi boost it had with the side mount. I was told this is normal and installing a boost controller to wind the boost back up to 7psi would be the go. So I followed a thread from this forum to install the boost controller and everything seems to be installed correctly but when I come onto full boost (7psi) the car splutters repeatedly until I let off the throttle I found that if I remove the boost tee and connect the standard boost solenoid back up the problem goes away. Although the car is now only running 3.5psi. If anyone has heard of this or has some idea as to what's going on and how to fix it let me know. Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks

Edited January 7, 2015 by BRADR33

[BRADR33]

Picture of my install.

Edited January 7, 2015 by BRADR33

[GTSBoy]

Your 3.5 psi is nothing to do with the larger size of the new cooler and everything to do with a massive boost leak that you have somehow managed to introduce, probably by not doing up an intercooler hose clamp properly.

It is also conceivable that you bumped/dislodged something else whilst installing the cooler.

Your poor old turbo is now spinning like a Mofo to try to make boost, regardless of the boost controller. Put the boost controller on and it is now spinning even harder. It's sucking lots and lots of air through the AFM, pissing it out into the breeze through the leak, and the ECU is calling a halt to proceedings when the AFM signal gets too high. It's called R&R.

I strongly suggest you take a long and close look at the pipework and do a lot of reading and research on the topics of R&R and the death of ceramic Skyline turbos when overboosted before proceeding.

[BRADR33]

Originally I thought the same when I first installed the new intercooler. I triple all my connections and the tightness of all the hose clamps but found no leaks. I took it to a mechanic to see if they could find the leak and they ran it on a vacuum tester. According to them there is no leak and the size of the cooler is why I'm not getting as much boost. They were the ones who suggested installing a boost controller to me.

[GTSBoy]

Well, it's simply not true. The "size of the cooler" has no impact on how much boost you make unless it is tiny tiny tiny and causing a massive pressure drop (like blowing through a small hole). As the situation is actually the opposite way around (a larger cooler should have less pressure drop), it would have to be a terribly poor quality core with massively bad design to cost you an extra 3.5 psi.

There is one other possible explanation. The time honoured "rag in the intercooler pipe" could do it to you.

[defari]

have you got a proper boost gauge?

[BRADR33]

No just the factory boost gauge at the moment.

[defari]

just putting it out there but I reckon you have wound the boost up far too much... its hitting R&R.. the factory gauge shouldn't trusted all the time..

either that or boost leak..

Edited January 7, 2015 by defari

[BRADR33]

Ok thanks mate, will look into getting a new gauge

Also aren't boost leaks supposed to be quite loud? Car doesn't sound any different than it did before the install. Even under high boost

[Ben C34]

Boost leaks don't follow rules on what sound to make.

Vacuum testing for boost leaks is the opposite of what you should do. Pressure test. Report back.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

The stock gauge is not in PSI, that 7 you're reading is 1 bar

[niZmO_Man]

Standard gauge is mmHg, not psi. As per GTSBoy's response, 1bar causing the ECU to freak out.

No point pushing the standard turbo that hard anyway. Save up for an aftermarket option + ECU + tune, you'll be better off.

[Blackkers]

This will end in tears if you don't address the boost issue. Listen to GTSboy.

1. remove the boost tap until you are 100% sure you're not overboosting.

2. pressure test the intake - very different to vac testing. However a minor leak is actually normal. the stock BOV has a hole in the side of it.

3. use an aftermarket boost gauge and don't go much over 10 psi if you value the life of your stock turbo.

4. Let us know how it goes

[BRADR33]

It appears I need to get a new mechanic haha

Alright I'll take out the boost tee, get a pressure test and get back to you guys

[BRADR33]

Hey guys, sorry I took so long to get back to you but lack of funds kinda prevented me from doing so. Just recently I picked up a genuine autometer mechanical boost gauge of a mate for cheap and installed it into the car. I've tested both the stock and after market intercooler set ups and I am running the standard 7psi on both. So problem solved, no leaks, the standard boost gauge is just a lying piece of shit thanks for all the help guys ?

[niZmO_Man]

I found the standard boost gauge to be pretty accurate compared to a GReddy one that came with my car. So I ripped the GReddy gauge off .

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Hey guys, sorry I took so long to get back to you but lack of funds kinda prevented me from doing so. Just recently I picked up a genuine autometer mechanical boost gauge of a mate for cheap and installed it into the car. I've tested both the stock and after market intercooler set ups and I am running the standard 7psi on both. So problem solved, no leaks, the standard boost gauge is just a lying piece of shit thanks for all the help guys

Standard boost gauge isn't a lying piece of shit ... it reads in torr / mmHg, which many mistaken for psi.

7x100 mmHg = 1bar OR 14.5psi, so if you're seeing it at 3.5 x100 on your dash then happy days.

[GTSBoy]

Standard boost gauge isn't a lying piece of shit ... it reads in torr / mmHg, which many mistaken for psi.

7x100 mmHg = 1bar OR 14.5psi, so if you're seeing it at 3.5 x100 on your dash then happy days.

Not quite true. 1 atmosphere (or bar, close enough) is 760mmHg, not 700.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Not quite true. 1 atmosphere (or bar, close enough) is 760mmHg, not 700.

hahaha thanks mate, I was close enough

[niZmO_Man]

Was gonna say, 700 mmHg is like 13.5psi