Turbo BS Thread

Both with and without the boost controller I was initially hitting 10psi, because after the controller went in, I was basically using it as a way to ensure I didn't overboost further. Then to give myself some wiggle room, I'd turned it down to 9. Since more than 10 would result in me being too lean.

Now it's turned down to 7, but the last two days, only once on first WOT pull in either 4th, 5th, or 6th gear (not all, just one of them), it'll reach 8-9 and immediately taper to 7. Can't replicate it afterwards lol wonder if one of my actuator arms gets a little stuck after sitting overnight and then figures it's life out after a pull. Just weird that it happens like 10min/3mi into my drive to work, on the on ramp to the freeway, after it's seen 1-3psi a few times by then.

It's a Phantom boost gauge. Can't remember the brand.

No wideband. Didn't get one because Mat had said it wasn't necessary, he just recommended a boost gauge at minimum.

Boost gauge is tapped here:

 

An afr gauge is always a worthy addition. As you can real-time monitor what is happening. No different that a coolant temp gauge, fuel gauge, or other. Necessary, no. Recommended in my view, yes.

 

Yeah, my initial goal was to keep things as minimal and unobtrusive from a driver's perspective as possible, because my previous big turbo car I had three gauges and with pushing 29psi and having all sorts of other stuff going on with it, I found it very distracting, always feeling the need to keep an eye on everything, and I didn't want that sort of distraction with my Tacoma. Which is why I didn't get a boost gauge until I was having some serious overboosting issues (hitting 12-15psi, ended up being an incorrectly installed actuator arm as the oversimplified explanation).

 

This morning it didn't spike high and then taper, just smoothly held 8psi until I let off. Which is safe, my tune is good for it, just not specifically where I want to be.

This weekend I'll likely just throw the OE y-pipe back on to reclaim that backpressure and call it good

 

Like @Torspd said you NEED an afr gauge to monitor your engine. If you're running stock fueling on a turbo kit and are having issues with overboost a 200 dollar gauge save you thousands.

I dont thinks its your y pipes causing this. With it being sporadic and unable to recreate it sounds like ur boost controller or wastegate. Get a smoke machine when the truck engine temperature is at ambient temp. Run the smoke through your vacuum lines and see what happens. You can build one from harbor freight supplies:
New paint can
Soldering gun
Baby oil
Bike pump
shrader valve
a nipple to hook vacuum line to

Stinks like shit, but works like a champ

Ive seen fuel/vacuum/ boost when its cold leak and seals when it heats up.

I dont know what turbo you have, is it internally or externally wastegated.

Ive never seen drive pressure overcome the waste gate in a mild performance truck.

I wouldnt give up on the y pipe

 

On another note almost finished with my truck. My wife got the old wuhan wheezer so im quarantined for two weeks. So im trying to get this done.

 

Turbos are internally wastegated

 

Are they stock actuators or aftermarket? Im guessing they have been bench tested?

 

I suppose they're technically aftermarket.

The turbos are Garrett's OE replacements for when the f150 Ecoboost stock turbos go out

 

So you went from 4.5 springs to 7 psi springs. You install yourself? Bench test? The thing is more then likely the wastegates are working correctly like they should.
Im leaning toward an air leak from the engine to the boost controller, or air leak from ebc to actuator.
Smoke test my man, way easier then removing a y pipe

 

I never changed the springs. I just happen to have 4.5psi springs in my garage in case they were necessary to use/swap to lol

 

So if you have a more restrictive exhaust would that not make it easier to build boost (less efficient boost but boost none the less) I just think about it like having an air compressor with a 1/4" line vs a 3/8". The psi will maintain mush easier in the 1/4" because only so much can escape, if the exhaust is in the way of the engine pumping air, then building pressure should happen faster/more right? Open exhaust boost would be more CFM but if psi is all that is measure, then it shouldnt boost more... Physics people chime in

 

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will comment but I'm under the impression that free flowing exhaust setups can have you overboost because there's less back pressure, so the turbo spins easier, letting it spin faster to provide more boost

 

@mZiggy has the right idea.

Turbos, specifically turbines (the exhaust side of things) like low back pressure. The lower the better (unless you can't control the boost). Low back pressure aids in spool up and overall power.

 

The turbos are nice and small anyway. Even with the OEM pipe I'm sure they'll spool quickly.

 

Maybe someone can help me out here. I get how the Wideband works, and this is certainly useful information, BUT under high boost and load, our high compression engines will ping to their death. Our only safeguard is to enrich with additional fuel to reduce combustion temps and eliminate pinging. So Rich Best Power (13:1) at some threshold is going to start pinging. How do you identify when you have reached the threshold that requires richer fuel mixture, and how do you know at a given RPM and Load, what the necessary AFR is?

So is an aftermarket knock sensor a better investment? Maybe with auto retard like a J&S Interceptor?

 

I would recommend closer to 11.8 to 1 afr for Wot/peak torque. 13 to 1 is asking for trouble on a boosted engine. Also retard the timing, this makes a huggge difference. Only run high octane fuel. Methanol injection definitely cools things off. Ultimately a dyno session with a experienced tuner is the best bet.

 

On the 3rd Gens, with the OEM ECU being tuned and using the OEM knock thresholds to protect the engine, being able to see if your fueling is staying where it is supposed to is more important.

Are they both important? Yes. @mZiggy hasn't upgraded the fuel pump system. In his scenario, knowing what his fueling is doing would be critical to prevent his engine from being damaged, in the scenarios he described.

However, not sure how rich the oem sensors read. They may read in the 10's, or the OEM ecu may read no richer than 12's, similar to the 2nd Gens. If they do read lower, an OBD connected gauge or app may be a more preferred option versus a stand-alone gauge. It all depends.

 

Lowest I've seen reported is 0.82 lambda, which is about 11.8afr

 

Returned y-pipe to stock this afternoon for good measure. Just to commit to eliminating that variable. Test drive had it maxing at 6-7psi, but it's hot outside. Confirmation will be required when it's cooler out, in the morning.