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Boost pressure


Justin

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I have just fitted my digital guage. I'm not very impressed with my high score:mad: (13.5 psi). I thought that with my straight Nur spec, HKS de-cat etc I would be at least around 17 psi.

 

Question 1. Does this sound right?

 

My guage indicates that the pressure is around minus (-7.0) at idle and only goes above 0.0 when I accelerate to over 2500 rpm. The display can go down to -11.0 during driving. It gets to 13.5 when I'm red lining it.

 

Question 2. Should the psi start at zero when idling (ie my guage is not reading right) or are the above readings correctish?

 

Please educate me.:stupid:

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It's normal to show a vacuum when idling - the turbo is not spinning as there is not much exhaust flow, so the engine is relying on the suction of the pistons to vacuum the air into the cylinders.

 

Your boost pressure does sound a little low if you have lost both cats. Also, you should hit max boost at about 5k rpm after the 2nd turbo has come online, and then possibly a slight creep upwards as you head towards the redline

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Justin - Your boost guage is plumbed into to read the boost at the manifold, or what the engine is actually getting as apposed to what the turbo's are producing.

 

When you start your engine it will show a negative pressure, then, when you drive off the guage will still read negative untill the turbo does come on-line and start to force air into the engine instead of suck it in. Nothing wrong with it.

 

Have you had boths cats removed or just the one.? If its just one then thats probably why its only reaching about .9 bar.

 

:baa:

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Eh? That can't be right - mine has the lardier steel internals and I get positive boost from as little as 1000rpm, and that's near-identical mods to yourself. Have you checked for a boost leak?

 

Stu - where's my boost guage plumbed into? Is it at the turbos or the manifold?

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Phil, sorry to call upon you again but I feel I might have to take you up on that. The situation is rather distressing for me after all the flippin money I spent on exhausts and de-cat pipes etc. MUST HAVE MORE BOOST!

 

I am hoping that the t-piece is not tight enough or something. Would that cause low readings?

 

Let me know if/when I can pop round if only for you to cast your experienced eye over what I have done.

 

I don't want to have to buy a boost controller just yet!

 

:mad:

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When I had both CATs removed I didn't get any extra boost only a descrease in the turbo lag. It spooled up far quicker.

 

It was only when I went for a complete new exhaust system that things made a big jump.

I believe it was a collapsed or damaged rear end of my exhaust.

 

If you have a complete straight through system then it may still only be indicating that your car can maintain stock boost control, which in a way is good.

The boost only normally rises due to a failure of the car to maintain stock boost levels due to boost creep, wastegate problems etc etc.

 

Getting boost up is a piece of p*ss! controlling it is another matter.

 

If all you want is cheap boost increase do the following.....

Buy a "T" piece and insert in to the pipe from the top of the wastegate actuator to the turbo bleed nipple. Simply cut the pipe and insert the "T" piece. Now to control boost you need to control how much of the boost is bled away to atmosphere from the "T" and how much is allowed to flow as normal. For this you will need a small valve, opening the valve 100% will give MASSIVE boost and will probabaly kill the turbos. SO!!!! Start with the valve CLOSED. Now start to gradually open the valve and keep trial running the car. You'll notice the boost should be increasing a little at a time.

 

Don't go mad, just a 1/4 turn at a time will do. You don't need much air bled off to increase boost.

 

You can get a combined "T" piece and valve and I think Chris Wilson or others will be able to source you this for about £30-£40. (Guess!)

 

SUMMARY.

There's probably nothing wrong with you car.

Make sure all pipes are on and air tight, as even small leaks can cause boost drop.

Check that you get an increase in boost between single and twin transition.

 

If all the above are fine then fitting a cheap bleeder valve will get you as much boost as you can handle.

 

BUT!!!!!!! BE WARNED. The bleeder route is potentially dangerous as you have no way of controlling boost dependant on ambient conditions. So if it's raining be careful (too much BHP) and if it's really hot be careful (to high EGT temps) etc etc

 

Regards

Pete

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When I got my car off JB, its could quite easily hit 1.5 bar (@ manifold) and that was on stock j-spec turbo's. :eek:

 

Probably why my turbo decided to spit its dummy! I've now had a restrictor plate put in the exhaust to limit it to .9 bar untill I sort out the fueling.

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In standard form with both cats in place but with a free-flow exhaust I was getting around .85-.90.

I can have boost coming in just over 1200rpm if I floor it or 0.00 if cruising at 3000rpm.

I hardly got any boost whilst parked... It seems to only go up properly when the engines under load.

 

Get a boost controller. that way you can dial in how much boost you want from inside the car at any time. Mine, (Blitz DSBC), has a warning function that you can set to whatever you want and when you hit that point, it automatically reduces boost to save your engine/turbos.

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Originally posted by Keith C

Eh? That can't be right - mine has the lardier steel internals and I get positive boost from as little as 1000rpm, and that's near-identical mods to yourself. Have you checked for a boost leak?

 

Stu - where's my boost guage plumbed into? Is it at the turbos or the manifold?

 

Not 100% sure but think it's the manifold.

Leon fitted that guage so he will know for sure.

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Thanks a lot Pete and everybody else too. I'll check for leaks but it's looking like I 'll need a flippin boost controller next :mad:

 

Could I do the following with a boost controller fitted:

 

a) Keep it at 14 psi when raining

b) Put it up to say 18 when I need/want to hammer it.

 

Is 18psi a safe limit with stock cooling system?

 

Cheers:

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Most boost controllers hold multiple presets...so preset one runs at 14psi, 2 at 16psi and 3 at 18psi...

 

The Blitz DSBC has 4 "channels"

The Blitz SBC-id has 4 but it can be mapped to the speed your travelling at through the powermeter-id. So it ups the boost on the fly taking advantage of the extra cooling you get when traveling at high speed. It also means you don't have to take your hands off the wheel.

 

For quick boost most boost controllers have a scramble mode.

 

This is thumb operated on the Greddy Profec B

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Guest Martin F
Originally posted by Keith C

 

/runs off to get a spare turbo and some sticky-tape

 

Left over from his last Supra!!!! :D

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry Keith, just couldn't resist.

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Could I do the following with a boost controller fitted:

a) Keep it at 14 psi when raining

b) Put it up to say 18 when I need/want to hammer it.

 

Is 18psi a safe limit with stock cooling system?

 

a) This will be what ever the MINIMUM is now! So If after changing the mechanicals like exhaust and intake etc you get a maximum boost of 17psi then this is your new minimum without boost control. You cannot control below the minimum mechanical boost levels of the car. Well you can try and a lot of effort can get you to something reasonable.

In summary your LOW boost controller setting cannot go any lower than what you would get if you had it turned off.

 

b) Yes this could be your hammer mode :)

and yes 18psi would be about your limit without any further cooling mods.

 

You could have OFF = 14psi (or whatever your minimum is)

ON setting A=16psi and setting B=18psi if the boost controller has two settings. Again the power of a simple bleeder valve should not be forgotten, it's just a fiddle getting under the bonnet each time you want to adjust something.

 

I only run 18psi knowing I have my water injection system as well.

Be careful on very hot summer days.

You'll soon tell as the power will drop off dramatically. Don't be tempted to just up the boost without first thinking of the consequences of doing so.

 

 

Regards

Pete

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Perfect info Pete thanks a million.

 

Do you think my stock air box is preventing me from getting an extra psi or 2? I was thinking of the Blitz SUS induction kit with dust sheild plate. Would this be a good idea better than the standard system or not worth bothering with?

 

All the best

 

:)

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I have the Blitz SUS (with a homemade cold air intake) and it looks and sounds lovely.

 

Filtration is only average though - the best cone filter out there is currently the Apexi one, available from Paul Whiffin, this seem to have the best flow AND the best filtration.

 

It doesn't look as good though . . . . :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Im toying with the idea of fitting a bleed valve! I've searched the tech forum and found a few articles on the subject... BUT

 

could someone just explain the process again :D

 

I know the more air you 'bleed' off increases the boost, i also know its not the easiest way to control boost!

 

Where do i put the T - piece? any pics?

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