setting a boost controller?

[joshman]

hey guys, gals and everything in-between,

i've got a boost controller and a boost gauge ready to go into the nav.

my only query is how do i set the boost controller? i'm looking to set it around 17-18 psi.

the only thing i can think of is to install the boost gauge, wind the controller wide open, get someone to step on the gas and get the RPM upto 2000 and slowly wind the boost controller in till the gauge reads 17psi. is this possible? or is there a better way?

thanks!

 

[tweak'e]

thats it roughly.
tho need to rev up to 3000rpm for it to make that much boost in neutral.
then test drive it, see what it does, adjust, test drive.
btw its probably peaking at 18psi at the moment. i would set boost control to 15psi. that ample unless your highly chipped.

 

[joshman]

thats it roughly.
tho need to rev up to 3000rpm for it to make that much boost in neutral.
then test drive it, see what it does, adjust, test drive.
btw its probably peaking at 18psi at the moment. i would set boost control to 15psi. that ample unless your highly chipped.

not highly chipped, but it's in the works, after body lift and intercooler.

 

[RustyNav09]

Is yours not intercooled yet josh? I thought it was. Oops better get it done Hehe. As tweake said maybe rev at 3000 rpm and just keep adjusting and driving.

Good luck

 

[joshman]

Is yours not intercooled yet josh? I thought it was. Oops better get it done Hehe. As tweake said maybe rev at 3000 rpm and just keep adjusting and driving.

Good luck

nah, not intercooled. i'm leaving the chip till absolute last, because it's gonna get a dyno tune, and i want to get the best out of it, so get all the engine mods done first, then hitup a chip and dyno tune.

the EGR and 80 series airbox's together made a massive difference to the performance, can't wait to see what a chip will give

 

[joshman]

ok, gauge and controller are in, boost seems to max out at 15psi, have seen it spike at 16psi, but i was driving it pretty hard at the time.

i've left the controller wide open, now when i'm going to actually set this, whats the process for doing it? i get someone to step on the gas and get the boost up at 15psi, then i start to wind up the controller just till it starts to climb above 15psi.
then i know the controller is set at 15psi.

does that sound about right?

 

[Bryce]

Joshman

No point in winding up boost.
My nav is intercoled and chipped, 80 series airbox. I wound the boost up to 19psi whilst on the dyno, It made a 1kw difference as apposed to the 15psi stock boost. So i then took out the boost controller and left it stock.
If you still want to wind up the boost you have to be driving the car as if you were making max boost and make small adjustments. Just remember that anything over 20psi will trigger a total cut in fuel till the event passes.
Ive got my chip turned all the way up and its still not getting enough fuel to make an increase in boost usefull.

Hope this helps
Bryce

 

[tweak'e]

yes thats about it.

boost contoller is still usefull as that will limit wastegate creep, so boost should come on a bit quicker.

 

[dr13b]

I find with mine set at 17 psi it spools up alot quicker and pulls hard on good hard boost. Can the zd30 run 19 psi with exhuast and egr mod safely???

 

[joshman]

thanks guys! i'm not too interested in winding it up too high, maybe take it to 16 or 17 and leave it there. its more to make the boost come on earlier and keep it up there.

but my method for winding it up is correct, yes?

 

[dr13b]

Just plumb it in along with a boost gauge. Go for a drive up your street as the reading needs to be taken under load. Stop and adjust a little, keep doin this until you get it right.

 

[joshman]

Just plumb it in along with a boost gauge. Go for a drive up your street as the reading needs to be taken under load. Stop and adjust a little, keep doin this until you get it right.

Plumbing is easy. Knowing the right spot to stop when I wind it up is what I'm having trouble with.

 

[dr13b]

theres no real way, you just have to drive and adjust, it takes like 5 mins. if its a turbosmart controller its about 2 turns too 1 psi. its all trial and error

 

[joshman]

Ok, finally have time to set this bloody thing. First problem. When you plumb a gauge AND controller in, make sure you go
Turbo>gauge>controller>wastegate.

That way your gauge will give you accurate results, instead of just the pressure thats made it through the controller.

Second problem, first windup was WAY too far, saw it spike at 20PSI, and that wasn't even pushing it super hard. Have wound it out a half turn and have yet to see how that runs (dinner time!)

 

[joshman]

FYI, that half turn did the trick. She peaks at 16PSI, and no matter how hard I push, I can't get it to spike above that. Can i set it higher? Am I at about the perfect spot?

 

[tweak'e]

you don't want any higher boost without an intercooler. 16psi is more than enough for the amount of fuel your putting in.

 

[joshman]

you don't want any higher boost without an intercooler. 16psi is more than enough for the amount of fuel your putting in.

Thanks. An intercooler and chip are on the cards for future mods. Might also look at aftermarket guts for the turbo as well. (maybe a bigger turbo even?)

 

[bigkev]

Hey just wondering I just got my self a boost controller and boost gauge the gauge reads 15psi but as soon as wind the controller out the boost gauge reads lower I have a yd25 I have installed the gauge after the controller before the actuator which wondering if I have the boost gauge in the wrong spot