no boost after evo 3 install

Ok so the other day i installed the evo3 16g in the gsx, and today did the fuel pump and injectors. Did a fresh oil change and took it out for a drive. I didnt hit any boost whatsoever. The boost gauge stays at -30 at idle and when u hit the gas right up to 0psi and thats where it stays. I get back and adjust the mbc to have more boost, still nothing. I checked the coolant lines and oil lines to the turbo, it was getting the proper fluids. Then i took off the cold air intake to make sure the turbo was spinning and it was, even checked the shaft play to make sure i didnt mess anything up and that was fine. Took it out and decided to just tach it out anyway. About 4500 RPMS into it the boost started going up by maybe 5000 i was sittin at 7psi and then i let off. With the t25 i had the mbc going to the wastegate and then the nipple on the turbo housing. Since the evo3 didnt have that nipple i just re did it like on vfaq t-ing it off on the blow off valve hose. Im going to do a boost leak test tomorrow, but i doubt it will do much good. With the t25 you could hear it spooling up from a mile away. This one you cant hear anything but can sort of hear the psst of the blow off valve after letting off the gas. I was under the impression that i should have full boost somewhere around 3k rpms. Sorry for the long story but i just wanted to get everything out that ive tryed. Thanks in advance

Sounds like your boost controller isn't hooked up correctly.

I have it hooked up according to the vfaq. with the turbo xs mbc the bottom nipple goes to the wastegate and the other one to the blow off valve T. I guess ill go switch some lines around and see if that helps. Also sorry for the double post this computer and wireless have been actin shady all day.

Well i took it out and made several second gear runs, by about 4000rpms i was at 5psi by 5000 rpms 10 psi from there to redline it shot up to 20 psi. Have brand new exhaust manifold gasket and manifold. Maybe the hose from the mbc to the wastegate is getting pinched by the CAI but i dont think it is. Anybody else have a suggestion on what it could be?

I wouldn't tee into the BOV line, but you can if you want. I went to Home Depot, picked up a nipple in the plumbing section and a tube of JB weld. Punch a hole in your LICP and thread the nipple in....Then wrap the outside of the nipple with JB weld. You could tap the compressor housing, but I wasn't even going there. :)

Other problems could be a malfunctioning MBC, wastegate is stuck open, cracked MBC line, really freakin' bad boost leak. It's tough to tell, but I would start with the MBC.

Well i feel like a dumb ass. I go out this morning to check it out and theres the actuator arm not even connected to the wastegate. I guess when they sent it to me the cotter pin wasnt bent to keep it on there. Now i hit about 10 psi by 3k rpm and through 4k and 5k it shoots up to 20psi. Does that sound about right for these turbos. I've read some people have full boost by a little over 3k. I hit it at about 4500. I wouldnt think id have a boost leak, my upper and lower ic pipes are brand new but still got the shitty sidemount, and it looks pretty corroded from salt back when it was doing its time up north. The FMIC will be in the mail in a couple days, so once i get that on ill boost leak the whole system and go from there. Does that extra 1500 rpm of lag time sound like a boost leak or somthin else i need to check into? Thanks for the quick responses and ideas.

I reach full spool around 3k, so you are definately hitting late. Did you perform a leak test, or are you just assuming that you don't have any leaks because the piping is new? You really need to check for leaks as opposed to just assuming that there aren't any. :)

Well i know for sure i have no leaks from the uicp up to the throttle body, and the LICP because i leak tested that before. I havent tested the J-pipe or taken a good look at the sidemount while it was pressurized. The J-pipe has a new gasket with rtv on it so i would imagine it was good. But once the FMIC goes in i will make sure to check for leaks. I just wasnt sure if just a few of those leaks would cause the 1500rpm lag or if it would be somthing else that i overlooked.

I didn't see this thread until this morning, I immediately thought of that stupid cotter pin that connects the wastegate arm to the flapper. When I put my old 14b in I didn't use both bolts to connect the wastegate to the turbo, and that caused the same issue. IRRC I'm on my 2nd year now with a paper clip holding the arm to the flapper.. :D

BTW, I did a few fulls last night as was reaching 22psi at 3478rpm on my Evo316g/2g manny/o2/28x10.5x3.5/stock 2g head & IM. You've got a leak somewhere, go back and tighten everything up.

Well i didnt know whether to start a new thread or just add to this but since it was addressed here i figured id add on to it. Well i just installed the FMIC with the short route piping got everything back together boost leaked it and nothing. Took it out and by 3k i still hit 10psi by 4k it starts to climb and by 5k im at full boost (19 psi) to redline. I did have the mbc t'd off to the bov, so i drilled a hole in the j pipe threaded in a nipple and jb welded the bastard. So know the mbc is hooked up like it should be. Took it for another run and it ran better but still hittin full boost at around 5k, and i will say 5-7k goes by real quick. I know im missin out on a good bit of power by having to wait that long. Exhaust mani turbo o2 housing are all new with all new gaskets, i was sure the new intercooler would fix this problem. With the t25 and prolly a few boost leaks i was hittin 15 psi by 2200rpms. Ive ran out of options now hopefully yall can give me some ideas and point me in the right direction

probably an exhaust leak or a huge boost leak. pressurize the system. The wastegate could also still be slightly open. check the actuator arm again. Hook up some pressure to the wastegate line and see if it opens/closes correctly

Well after a few days of messin around with that thing, i did a boost leak test found a nice leak on the j-pipe to turbo gasket, and then one more on the throttle body which wasnt too bad but i fixed it anyway, took it out and still did the same thing. Then i get the bright idea to crank up the boost. Well that was the problem the whole time. Before it would stop at 10 psi and im guessing it creeped up to 19 which was throwing me off cuz thats where i wanted the boost so i didnt even think to mess with the boost controller after i hooked it up back to the j-pipe. Now in third gear im at full boost (22 psi) at a little over 3k, and a first and second gear pull to redline is a big difference. Does that boost level sound like too much with my mods? The wideband is tellin me im in between 10:1 and 11:1, so im thinkin im ok. Im glad yall talked me into the evo3 instead of the t28 i have a feeling i woulda been disappointed with that.

Well that was the problem the whole time. Before it would stop at 10 psi and im guessing it creeped up to 19 which was throwing me off

Well, now I feel stupid. It never even crossed my mind that you were creeping to 19psi. :disappoin

Be careful running 21+psi. At that pressure, it doesn't take very much knock at all to lift the head if you aren't running ARP's. Which is something that I really need to address with the Spyder. Hell, ARP's and methanol injection and I could be running 25psi on that EVO III. I'm sure if I did that, I would need to get some tires made out of super glue. :naughty:

Would being between a 10:1 and 11:1 a/f ratio from the wideband, and having no timing pulled according to the logger with a FMIC and 93 octane be enough to say that i wasnt getting any knock. I lowered down to 20 psi for the moment. It may be my imagination but i think i notice a difference in power between 20 and 22. I want to get the most out of my setup that i possibly can. Of course if only 2psi lies between keeping the engine or blowing it of course i will stay with the 20. I know the previous owner had a new head, and head gasket put on but since im not sure about the head bolts ill just say that they are still stock. Id be interested in hearing what psi everybody with close to my setup is running.

The 21+ psi I quoted isn't set in stone. I know of one guy that was running 26psi on a rock solid tune and stock headstuds with no problem. Then again, I have seen other people running 20psi that lifted their head. Running with the tune you listed above you should be fine, but you won't know until it's too late.

If you can keep the tune solid, personally, I would push the envelope. I guess I'm only saying that because if I trash the Spyder, I'll just fork over the cash for a new motor. No big deal to me since I have the cash, but the wife might get a little pissed. :)

Take a look at the airflow at 20psi and then tune it for 22psi and see what the airflow difference turns out to be. If it's negligable, then there isn't any reason to run 2psi more. However, if you do see a nice increase in airflow, I would go ahead and crank down on the MBC.

Checking the airflow will also let you know when you start approaching the limits of your injectors. Make sure you back calculate to the actual airflow and not just what the logger says. Then take a look at the tech article I wrote and see where you fall on the scale.

nice car you got going there!

glad to se that everything worked out, i was right along with scottsee the whole time reading the thread! i was thinking the only thing wrong is the boost control... i wonder if he turned it up all the way...

kinda goes along the lines of 'this may sound stupid' problems like ''is it pluged in?'' and ''is there gas in it''

Thanks man. I felt pretty stupid after messing with it for a week and finding out that all i had to do was turn the boost up. But oh well at least i found it. Im headed to the dyno friday, so ill post back with the exact hp and torque that im putting out. My goal is 300 awhp, so hopefully i will be close to it.