Jump to content
SAU Community

Installing A Manual Boost Controller


R338OY

Recommended Posts

hey guys. thanks for all your help. i just needed to have the guts to turn it up a few turn a just carefully boost and see how far it went. i re wired my switch to earth on one of the terminals so that the light worked on the switch. i mounted it on the bottom of the ashtray so it was out of site. bit of stuffing around to get the ashtray in once the gearboot facia peice was in, but after a little bit of filing and some jiggling it slotted in nicely. i mounted mine on the front of the strut tower. easy access to put a nut on from inside the wheel arch to hold the bracket on and there was already a thread just next to it for the earth to go on. i just sanded off some paint around the bolt hole.

now all i have to worry about is trying to control myself and not have it on the high boost setting all the time. so tempting though.

thanks for the tip on the dump pipes as well. i guess i'll just go in there and buy whatever i think is right at the time. i'm assuming they all have the right mounting holes for the oxygen sensor and all that?

Good to hear you sorted it out Matt. Now you can kick back and enjoy it :cheers:

Re the dump pipe, they come with a slot for the O2 sensor so it's a straight bolt-on. There's a dump pipe DIY in this section as well if you're keen.

cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, i'm trying to install a controller on a r32 GTR and cannot find a solenoid that looks like that!

The only solenoid looking thing i could find is below.. my old gtst one was piss ez to find (no solenoid, i just traced the house) this 1 i got no idea.. this thing on the left sorta looks like it has boost lines running into it, but i think it's fuel, and this circle where it should be is where i'd expect it to be, but where it's not.. any ideas? ty

post-26886-1210847124_thumb.jpg

post-26886-1210847258_thumb.jpg

post-26886-1210847500_thumb.jpg

Edited by GTAAAH
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did my 32 Godzilla last week, there was no solenoid that I could find :spank:

Anyways, I took the filters and pipes off, pretty much exposing most of the turbochargers, and found the vaccum lines that went from the compressor side of each turbo to 'something'.

On the front turbo, it went to a waste gate, on the rear turbo, off to a metal pipe that vanished off somewhere.

For me, I got myself enough vaccum pipe to link from the turbo compressor on turbo A to the same on Turbo B, then cut half way and fitted a T-Piece.

I did the same with the Waste gate and the metal pipe.

Then, from the T-piece, I ran a Vaccum line to the boost controller bleed valve, remembering that the air travels from the compressor to the waste gate in direction.

Boosted up an extra 2 - 4psi roughly, and holly sh1t it's quick!!

Hope this helps.

B.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OH ok cheers, so i'm lookn for a pipe with a yellow circle on it, anyone got a link with a pic of a pcm valve? hehe.. hmm someone said it's on the drivers side in another post, maybe i'll have a squizz over there.. that danny dude in one of those threads didn't end up getting a photo of it either ^^ can sum1 circle where it is on the pic i put up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm wondering if its possible, in an R33 GTST, to use the boost solenoid in conjunction with a manual boost controller.

From what I can tell, the boost solenoid, in a stock setup, seems to take about 2psi off BEFORE the actuator, and passes it back to the BOV plumb-back pipe. Cos I don't have a boost controller, I've done that solenoid hack of Pauls. But I did the relay/switch method so I can open this solenoid whenever I choose.

The way the boost controller is setup in this thread seems have the line from the IC return, to the controller, then straight to the actuator. But the solenoid hoses are either removed or blocked.

Is it possible to, say, set the boost controller at 9PSI, then run a line BEFORE the controller to the solenoid, and then feed that back into the plumb-back? The theory, at least in my head, is that the solenoid (when activate) would take a further 2PSI off the actuator line. This would mean the actuator wouldn't open until 11PSI is reached (9PSI off the boost controller + 2PSI off the solenoid).

Being switchable would give a form of High-low functionality to those using the manual boost controller.

Does that makes sense and would it be likely to work?

Pictures speak better than I can:

Stock setup

post-48549-1210914434_thumb.jpg

Normal boost setup:

post-48549-1210914419_thumb.jpg

Combined:

post-48549-1210914406_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd really like to know if this is possible, as it is what I want to do with mine. but from the searching I've done it seems the stock solenoid has a max boost of 8psi, so putting anything more than that into it will become pointless as it would reduce it anyway....(i think! i hope I'm wrong!)

Installed my turbotech controller today, very easy to do thanks to the great threads here!!!

The only problem is that when i put my foot down, boost comes up to about 10 psi then drops to about 9 and settles in the middle. it is solid after this without change...Is this a sign of a leak somewhere or what??

Aside from that, boost comes on noticably quicker but I don't know if it feels like more boost or not, though I haven't been too hard on it yet..

Here's a pic to show it is installed correctly.

gallery_40758_1969_1010280.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, thats true. People have said that when they bypass the solenoid completely (without a controller) their boost was spiking to 20PSI, etc. Maybe it does operate like a bleed-valve or something.

Maybe if the solenoid goes in between the controller and the actuator. I've read that the stock actuator spring is 5PSI. If so, the controller must have to stop another 4PSI to get the boost to 9PSI, or 6PSI to get the boost to 11PSI. If thats the case, and if the solenoid does have a max PSI, we could put it after the boost controller, so that the solenoid only receives a max of 5PSI anyway.

Then, the solenoid can be opened to take out another ~2PSI just before the actuator. I dunno. When I get my gauge and controller, I might give it a go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm wondering if its possible, in an R33 GTST, to use the boost solenoid in conjunction with a manual boost controller.

From what I can tell, the boost solenoid, in a stock setup, seems to take about 2psi off BEFORE the actuator, and passes it back to the BOV plumb-back pipe. Cos I don't have a boost controller, I've done that solenoid hack of Pauls. But I did the relay/switch method so I can open this solenoid whenever I choose.

The way the boost controller is setup in this thread seems have the line from the IC return, to the controller, then straight to the actuator. But the solenoid hoses are either removed or blocked.

Is it possible to, say, set the boost controller at 9PSI, then run a line BEFORE the controller to the solenoid, and then feed that back into the plumb-back? The theory, at least in my head, is that the solenoid (when activate) would take a further 2PSI off the actuator line. This would mean the actuator wouldn't open until 11PSI is reached (9PSI off the boost controller + 2PSI off the solenoid).

Being switchable would give a form of High-low functionality to those using the manual boost controller.

Does that makes sense and would it be likely to work?

Thanks for throwing some ideas up :blink: . I haven't tried it yet, but from what's been mentioned it isn't a good mod (spiking is one reason apparently ). Paulr33 (scholar of high boost-mode) wasn't enthusiastic about it either (it's in a thread buried somewhere). To make this mod work the TT valve would need to come first in the equation, tricking both the solenoid AND actuator into making more boost.

If you give it a try we'd love to see some results! I'll try as well, just need to replace my hacked-up vaccuum lines from the old setup :)

Installed my turbotech controller today, very easy to do thanks to the great threads here!

The only problem is that when i put my foot down, boost comes up to about 10 psi then drops to about 9 and settles in the middle. it is solid after this without change...Is this a sign of a leak somewhere or what??

Aside from that, boost comes on noticably quicker but I don't know if it feels like more boost or not, though I haven't been too hard on it yet..

Great job on the install. It's normal for the boost to trail off a couple of PSI near redline. If it's losing boost before that check for vacuum leaks and that the spring inside the TT valve isn't getting stuck. Also double check you've notched it up enough (it tricked me at first). You'll feel a much better midrange with this mod.

yeah, thats true. People have said that when they bypass the solenoid completely (without a controller) their boost was spiking to 20PSI, etc. Maybe it does operate like a bleed-valve or something.

Maybe if the solenoid goes in between the controller and the actuator. I've read that the stock actuator spring is 5PSI. If so, the controller must have to stop another 4PSI to get the boost to 9PSI, or 6PSI to get the boost to 11PSI. If thats the case, and if the solenoid does have a max PSI, we could put it after the boost controller, so that the solenoid only receives a max of 5PSI anyway.

Then, the solenoid can be opened to take out another ~2PSI just before the actuator. I dunno. When I get my gauge and controller, I might give it a go.

Do you mean the stock actuator operates like a bleed valve? Well it does, recirculating the intake signal charge back into the intake system via the BOV plumb-back pipe.

Yes you're right, the TT valve should theoretically go before the solenoid and actuator in a dual-setup.

Also just to clarify, the Turbotech ISN"T a bleed valve in the traditional sense. It doesn't slowly bleed air toward the wastegate actuator. This can cause spiking. The TT has a steel ball-bearing inside that blocks airflow with a tensioned spring holding it in place. The more pre-tension on the spring (set by YOU), the more boost is needed to lift the ball-bearing. So it's more on-off in operation, hence the reduced chances of boost spiking (i've only experienced it a few times in 6 months).

Cheers

:blink:

Edited by R338OY
Link to comment
Share on other sites

so the TT doesn't have have a linear output while the boost is rising? It just hits the preselected pressure, then it flies open instantly popping the actuator? And when it does that, is it throwing all the boost at the actuator (9PSI, rather than the 5 it would take to trip the actuator)?

if thats the case then there is no point using the solenoid after the controller. It would bleed too little so the pressure hitting the actuator would still be high enough to leave it open anyway. Plus, the spiking.

Edited by Legumis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

so the TT doesn't have have a linear output while the boost is rising? It just hits the preselected pressure, then it flies open instantly popping the actuator? And when it does that, is it throwing all the boost at the actuator (9PSI, rather than the 5 it would take to trip the actuator)?

if thats the case then there is no point using the solenoid after the controller. It would bleed too little so the pressure hitting the actuator would still be high enough to leave it open anyway. Plus, the spiking.

Yes that's how it works. Once enough boost is made to lift the spring it hits the actuator and the wastegate opens, of course once the actuator passes it's threshold amount of pressure (7psi from memory, not sure). So the TT valve just delays when the actuator begins operation. You can see a little port on top of the TT- air escapes through there, it also reduces air pressure between the ball-bearing and actuator, minimising spiking.

You might be right about the TT/Solenoid setup. Only one way to find out :happy:

Edited by R338OY
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the help guys, just an FYI for GTR owners, it is the middle picture in my post above on the drivers side, and it says CAS or something on it.. has two pipes coming off of it with yellow rings around them approx. 1 inch from where they join the solenoid (which looks like a D battery)

I'll be installing a controller in a few days, the only problem is gonna be whether the top or the bottom hose goes into the controller/out of it

Edited by GTAAAH
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the help guys, just an FYI for GTR owners, it is the middle picture in my post above on the drivers side, and it says CAS or something on it.. has two pipes coming off of it with yellow rings around them approx. 1 inch from where they join the solenoid (which looks like a D battery)

I'll be installing a controller in a few days, the only problem is gonna be whether the top or the bottom hose goes into the controller/out of it

Thanks for pointing that out. Post results when it's done (picsorban) :teehee:

On a general note many GT-R owners remove the PCM valve restrictor (a hard object in the yellow-striped tube going toward the plenum), throw on a full exhaust, and they can make approx. 1 BAR of boost.

Either the PCM can be replaced with a boost controller, or the factory lines can be binned completely so the boost is controlled by a few small vacuum lines + controller between the turbo's compressor housings and the actuators (said above by turbo_brian).

Here's a pic of a GT-R engine bay:

PC300324.jpg

The PCM valve is the silver cylinder in front of the driver's side strut tower (on the left). It has two hoses connected.

Cheers :geek:

Edited by R338OY
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Thanks for pointing that out. Post results when it's done (picsorban) :action-smiley-069:

On a general note many GT-R owners remove the PCM valve restrictor (a hard object in the yellow-striped tube going toward the plenum), throw on a full exhaust, and they can make approx. 1 BAR of boost.

Either the PCM can be replaced with a boost controller, or the factory lines can be binned completely so the boost is controlled by a few small vacuum lines + controller between the turbo's compressor housings and the actuators (said above by turbo_brian).

Here's a pic of a GT-R engine bay:

PC300324.jpg

The PCM valve is the silver cylinder in front of the driver's side strut tower (on the left). It has two hoses connected.

Cheers :blink:

Do you have allready installed de MBC?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
This would work for a 34gtt also, sample principle i guess, ?

Does anyone have a pic of a 34gtt?

As far as i know mate it wont work a 34, one of my mates from tafe put a boost controller on his 34 and all it did was cut every time it hit boost. keep in mind this was a NEO motor. It feels like a fuel cut or something, as soon as it hits boost it cuts and spits, then if you disconect it and put it back to stock boost its fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
thanks mate, i was just about to start a thread about this.. cheers.

No worries. If you have anything to add feel free to throw in pics etc.

Thx R338OY....I find this guild very helpful. :down:

Cheers!

Do you have allready installed de MBC?

Yes, i've installed de MBC.

This would work for a 34gtt also, sample principle i guess, ?

Does anyone have a pic of a 34gtt?

Yes, all wastegate+actuator equipped turbos would work off the same principal.

As far as i know mate it wont work a 34, one of my mates from tafe put a boost controller on his 34 and all it did was cut every time it hit boost. keep in mind this was a NEO motor. It feels like a fuel cut or something, as soon as it hits boost it cuts and spits, then if you disconect it and put it back to stock boost its fine.

It should work. He's probably running too much boost and the ECU is shitting itself - so wind the boost down. Other than that he could regap the plugs to 0.8mm or go get a retune to get the A/F ratios right. Upping the boost can cause flat spots in the power curve as you might already know.

Post updates guys, would like to hear how the extra boost is coming along haha :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...