LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

What's the current go-to for an inexpensive manual boost controller? Currently making 3 psi on weakest WG spring and looking to turn that up slowly as I work on the tune. Don't really feel like cobbling together my own setup. I found this bad boy on Amazon Racing. Thoughts?

rjm27

I use this, works great, seems like a better quality piece than those cheap manual boost controllers for only $10 more

PneumaticPlus PPR2-N02BG-2 Miniature Air Pressure Regulator 1/4" NPT - Gauge, Bracket, Instrument Pressure (3-30 PSI)

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

I had one of those cheap brass ones, never used it because it looked like the spring
would hang up on the internal threads. Some do have good luck with them, but i ended
up with a Hallman controller i got off Ebay.

LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

Hmm, that's a nice one. In terms of setting your boost, do you start with it fully closed and then slowly open it (regulate down a bit at a time) to see where the boost ends up? Does the turbo outlet get plumbed to the bottom of the wastegate with a tee going to the MBC, then on to the top of the wastegate?


Thanks, I am trying to avoid a rinky dink Home Depot setup but don't want to spend a ton of money. I'll look into the Hallman.

1slowvw

Just go buy some fish tank valves and be done with it.

stevieturbo

If you want cheap and easy....they are as cheap and easy as you can get.

Although with only a 3psi spring...I wouldnt have high hopes.

LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

I slapped in the 2 larger springs that VSR includes with the 44mm WG. Making 8psi now on spring alone, I ordered the high resolution regulator in the link above and plan on "regulating" down to 5-6psi...that should put me at 11-12 psi in the manifold

LetsTurboSomething

You can not use boost control to get less psi than the base spring pressure, only more. You can double the psi of the springs installed. But the lowest you will ever make always be base spring pressure.

The weakest spring in that pack for the VSR wastegate is 5.5psi, the middle weight one is 6.5 and the strongest one(happens to be the smallest diameter spring in there) is 7.5. Though before i put my controller on, I could not make really steady numbers with just spring, it would spike a lot. 2-3psi over the spring rate.

stevieturbo

He isnt saying that.

He's saying the "regulated" pressure the gate will see....will allow him higher boost which is what he wants. He's just worded it all a little differently than most would expect.

LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

Yeah maybe I explained it oddly, this stuff is all new to me.

I am using the 30psi regulator to feed a weaker signal to the wastegate which will cause it to open later and run higher boost in the manifold.

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

Wastegates have always been that thorn in my side using a turbo, springs, hose routing, etc.
I have had 3 diff turbo cars, I think each one I routed the hoses diff. I know pressure on the bottom
helps open the valve, pressure on the top helps keep it closed. Seems the most common is direct
pressure to the bottom, tee to a controller, then to the top. At the most you can equalize the
pressure top and bottom. The one that seemed to work the best was run from a cont. just to
the top, so I could raise above the spring only boost.

LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

In that last setup you mention, you're saying there's nothing connected to the bottom port? What's causing the wastegate to open then?

I currently have a hose from the intake manifold running directly to the bottom port which is opening the gate once the manifold pressure overpowers the spring. I think I'll tee off that line and then run to the 30psi regulator, which will be regulated down to 2psi to start with, and connect the output to the top of the gate. That 2psi of extra force up top should make the current 8psi spring feel like a 10psi spring.

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

For some reason I was thinking exhaust pressure was opening it, since I hear people say
they run on gate alone, but maybe your right, the bottom port does need something to
even. allow it to open so you don't over boost. My Prochargers were easy, just swap pullies, lol

LQ4-E39

iTrader: (7)

Yeah blowers are easy but I would never want to deal with all the BS of those (belt slip!!!)

According to the sloppy comprehensive boost control class (see youtube), it IS possible for exhaust backpressure alone to overpower the spring. Probably a lot easier for a crappy hotside with a lot of bends.

This stuff is simple for a lot of people and probably has been beat to death but it’s good information for the newbies like myself to really understand the mechanics of it.

stevieturbo

Lots is just choice of wording...or wording because there is an expectation those working with such systems actually know what they're doing.

but there are very many ways boost control can be configured, but for teh most part it is very easy.

I would almost never use intake manifold as a source of air pressure for wastegate actuators. And absolutely never if introducing leaks into that system ( ie, boost control devices )

jayyyw

How does a 4-port control solenoid function in idle state? Does it vent constantly until the BC tells it to do otherwise? Would explain my hanging idle after I connected the 4-port to my vacuum block that's being fed from the intake manifold.

stevieturbo

Depends on plumbing and your controller.

Simple check is clamp the line.

But the intake manifold is not the correct place to get an air supply for wastegate control.

jayyyw

Mind sharing your reasoning behind that? Lots of mixed opinions on this. Ready to learn.

stevieturbo

It's obvious, why would anyone deliberately introduce air leaks to their inlet manifold ? It's dumb

TastyBacon

iTrader: (1)

Wastegate signal should be taken from somewhere between the compressor wheel and the throttle plate, simply because there's no point in having the wastegate diaphragm see vacuum as it would if you plumbed it from the intake manifold. If you have a MAF, you'll want to take it from in front of that too, especially if introducing a leak via a boost control device as stevieturbo mentioned.

That said, the amount of air actually leaking through a boost controller is vanishingly small compared to the amount of air the engine is ingesting while in boost. If you are running a speed density tune with MAP sensor only, I can't see it making any difference. If you're using a ball-and-spring controller, the orifice for air to leak through would never be exposed until you're making enough boost to overcome the ball and spring anyway, so it shouldn't matter...but be a good boy and plumb it from in front of the throttle plate anyway

Back to the original question, I'm using a Grimmspeed MBC. It's similar to the aforementioned Hallman. Not super cheap, but I decided that boost control was something I didn't want to be frustrated by, so it's one of the few parts in my setup I bucked up for a brand new USA-made part, and I haven't regretted it.