Hi everyone, I hope to be able to start the install of my STS Twin Turbo kit soon on my '99 Vette, but I have some questions in the mean time. The standard kit has a single wastegate for the system, which is OK for the base setup, but has proven to exhibit boost creep of up to about 1lb. I want to upgrade the kit to two wastegates out back for optimal boost control and avoidance of boost creep. I want to run about 7lbs of boost, as opposed to the 5.8lbs of boost on the stock wastegate springs, so I will probably install a boost controller. I will just want to install a manual controller, because I feel 7lbs of boost will allow more performance than 5.8lbs (and I think that there should be no problems running 7lbs on my stock LS-1 engine) but I really don't want to be messing around with boost levels once I'm at about 7lbs. I'm planning on having a professional street/dyno tune done on the car once I install the kit, and then be done with it and drive it.

I'm thinking about using either a TurboXS HP, Hallman Pro or Turbosmart manual boost controller for the job of boost regulation. Please offer any thoughts on these controllers or any others you may have used and achieved good results. I want something that I can easily set to about 7lbs and then lock it there.

My other thought is this. I'm putting two wastegates on the system to eliminate boost creep, so do I really need add a boost controller or should I just switch the .4bar (5.8lb) springs in the wastegates with some .5bar (7.25lbs) springs and then just simply let the wastegates do the job of boost control, and not worry about buying a controller and installing it and adjusting it to the desired boost level. Is using the wastegates to control the boost to 7.25lbs a good idea, and should this be a good setup for a stock engine? If so, considering my goals, I don't see why I wouldn't just do this.

Would using a manual boost controller show any performance improvement over not using one? Would the turbos spool up alot quicker with a controller? Or would there be other benfits or possibly drawbacks?

Thank you for your time and feedback, and God bless.
Sincerely,
Chris

 

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Chris

 

My first reaction is this: You don't really want more than 5PSI unless you have meth cooling or an intercooler on an LS1. For the boost controller, if your engine is set up for it, (see above), a 7lbspring is better than a boost controller. Spring is a lot more "fail safe" than a **** with a wire and vacuum lines. Less that can go wrong with only the spring. Just my $0.02.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for your reply. The STS kit is for my '99 Vette, and it does have a huge intercoller. And I don't want to add Meth, that's why I want to keep boost to 7lbs (well, 7.25 lbs if I use the springs in the TiAL wastegate for control). I am kind of leaning toward just going with the 7lb springs as you suggest, just to simplify the set set-up and put the money that would have gone to a boost controller to other mods. I just want to get as much feedback on this as I can.
Thanks again,
Chris