Zombie's "Quick Spool" valve testing with pics and nerd like graphs
#1
Zombie's "Quick Spool" valve testing with pics and nerd like graphs
Purchased a "Quick Spool" flange setup from PerformMetalWorks on Ebay. The company that made my valve is Performance Metal Works out of Kentucky. The entire valve is built very nicely. It was designed to prevent any binding from occurring due to scaling so it is made out of stainless steel around 5/8" thick.
Since this company just started selling these there was a minor oversight when they sent mine to me. The waste gate actuator was way too strong. Luckily my fabricator 1320 happens to have a bunch of turbo junk laying around his garage. After searching for about 10 mins and him digging up at least 5 stock actuators from misc. vehicles we found one that was really weak and fit the bill. It had a cracking pressure of 5psi and a full open pressure of around 10psi on the compressor. After some quick fabrication on his part he got it installed. I tried to assist with the install by pulling the turbo off so I could at least say I did something, but other than that I left the real work to the professional. We ran into interference during installation testing when the butterfly valve on the flange tried to open. The T4 flange that is welded to the exhaust and inside the turbine housing itself needed some minor clearancing. 1320 broke out the trusty grinder and did all the grinding that was required. Some i/c piping had to be shortened due to the extra space the valve takes up as well.
I plumbed the valve to reference the pressure at the exhaust manifold so it is fully open by 10psi of boost. This seems to work very well.
So now the answers to the big question. How good does it work?
Very good, here is the graph and average spool times to prove it.
I reduced my spool time by 0.8 seconds. It doesn't sound like much but I can assure you it feels like a A LOT! A 33% improvement is pretty impressive in my opinion. Seven data points were picked with the fastest and slowest times discarded leaving five points for comparison.
Test turbo is a SX80 from forcedinductions.com. Specs on the turbo are:
1.25 a/r turbine housing
87mm turbine wheel
80mm compressor wheel
Race Cover with 5.5" inlet
Here are some pics of my setup with the Quick Spool Valve installed.
For those who are going to ask me to post the graph in RPM, don't. Graphing this vs RPM is useless since I have a unlocked converter. It stalls to 3600 without boost and around 5300 with 12psi of boost. The graphs look identical when comparing the valve to without it. I would need somehow lock the converter to compare graphs in RPM. I would guess that the time graphs and gains would be similar for a manual transmission car.
I'm wondering if the 33% gain is coincidence or just how the physics works with sizing turbine housings. It's amazing to me that the number comes out exactly to 33.33% quicker when based on time. I wonder if it is like this for all turbos. Have the a/r and gain 33% faster spool.
Since this company just started selling these there was a minor oversight when they sent mine to me. The waste gate actuator was way too strong. Luckily my fabricator 1320 happens to have a bunch of turbo junk laying around his garage. After searching for about 10 mins and him digging up at least 5 stock actuators from misc. vehicles we found one that was really weak and fit the bill. It had a cracking pressure of 5psi and a full open pressure of around 10psi on the compressor. After some quick fabrication on his part he got it installed. I tried to assist with the install by pulling the turbo off so I could at least say I did something, but other than that I left the real work to the professional. We ran into interference during installation testing when the butterfly valve on the flange tried to open. The T4 flange that is welded to the exhaust and inside the turbine housing itself needed some minor clearancing. 1320 broke out the trusty grinder and did all the grinding that was required. Some i/c piping had to be shortened due to the extra space the valve takes up as well.
I plumbed the valve to reference the pressure at the exhaust manifold so it is fully open by 10psi of boost. This seems to work very well.
So now the answers to the big question. How good does it work?
Very good, here is the graph and average spool times to prove it.
I reduced my spool time by 0.8 seconds. It doesn't sound like much but I can assure you it feels like a A LOT! A 33% improvement is pretty impressive in my opinion. Seven data points were picked with the fastest and slowest times discarded leaving five points for comparison.
Test turbo is a SX80 from forcedinductions.com. Specs on the turbo are:
1.25 a/r turbine housing
87mm turbine wheel
80mm compressor wheel
Race Cover with 5.5" inlet
Here are some pics of my setup with the Quick Spool Valve installed.
For those who are going to ask me to post the graph in RPM, don't. Graphing this vs RPM is useless since I have a unlocked converter. It stalls to 3600 without boost and around 5300 with 12psi of boost. The graphs look identical when comparing the valve to without it. I would need somehow lock the converter to compare graphs in RPM. I would guess that the time graphs and gains would be similar for a manual transmission car.
I'm wondering if the 33% gain is coincidence or just how the physics works with sizing turbine housings. It's amazing to me that the number comes out exactly to 33.33% quicker when based on time. I wonder if it is like this for all turbos. Have the a/r and gain 33% faster spool.
#2
Zombie congrats mate! looks like you really can have your cake and eat it!
it would be nice to try a diffrent turbo and see what the gains where. there may even be somethiong in your 33% thing. who knows. lol
would you recomend these vavles to all guys running rear mount setups? what are going to be your next steps? and plans on fitting a larger turbo now you have proven this will reduce spool?
Cheers
Chris.
it would be nice to try a diffrent turbo and see what the gains where. there may even be somethiong in your 33% thing. who knows. lol
would you recomend these vavles to all guys running rear mount setups? what are going to be your next steps? and plans on fitting a larger turbo now you have proven this will reduce spool?
Cheers
Chris.
#4
A simple valve. Incredible results. I'm sure there's more testing to prove this piece but, more impressed with the guts to do it and then throw it out there for all to see. This is getting more interesting by the day. Keep going Zombie, I'm with you all the way!
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#8
#9
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From: Ft. Irwin, California (But Virginia is home)
Awsome info Zombie. I'm thinking that setup would be of great benefit to a manual trans car where it's harder (near impossible) to build boost off the line.
BTW, I bet many would appreciate a "how-to" write-up to install that valve.
BTW, I bet many would appreciate a "how-to" write-up to install that valve.
#14
And thats why, I will only be buying dividing housing turbos from here on out.
I drove it, and I d say the sx80 drives like an equivalent setup with a 67. This doesnt mean everyone should go buy sx80's, but some with the knowledge, tuning and the ability to make sure the system is worked out fairly well sure can.
Because of this valve, a street set up to me, atleast a 76 with a divided housing and valve. For my owned personal stuff.... I probably wont use something as small as a 76 unless its on my conversion van.
Instead of 500-600 hp street cars, this will make 750-1000 hp street cars drive like the 500 hp cars down low.
I drove it, and I d say the sx80 drives like an equivalent setup with a 67. This doesnt mean everyone should go buy sx80's, but some with the knowledge, tuning and the ability to make sure the system is worked out fairly well sure can.
Because of this valve, a street set up to me, atleast a 76 with a divided housing and valve. For my owned personal stuff.... I probably wont use something as small as a 76 unless its on my conversion van.
Instead of 500-600 hp street cars, this will make 750-1000 hp street cars drive like the 500 hp cars down low.
#16
1. unbolt turbo
2. install valve and fix any problems it creates
3. ...
4. Profit!!
It's going to vary from car to car, can't really do an install writeup.
#19