That's all the 'cat-pipe'.

 

I lost around 3 PSI with a very split rubber pipe between the intercooler and the hard pipes. it was very difficult to spot, suprisingly so when i found it (it was split about a 1/3 round and it was only 6 months old). It also gave me more turbo noise and the BOV was louder.
Tony

 

Ok, thanks Dark.

Tony, but I thought when you unhook the wastegate and take it out, if yo ustill don;t see full boost, that eliminates all the boost lines, pipes, connectors etc. Except for downpipe, and wastegate exhaust, (and the wastegate and turbo)

I do hear some whistling around the AFM and looked, but did not see or feel any leaks.

 

... don't you guys use boost leak testers?

Go spend $20 at a hardware store: http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html

 

[The Leak would have to be between turbo outlet and intake manifold. I would have thought with a good wastegate Disconnecting the signal to the wastgate should make you see lots of boost but it wont eliminate all leaks.
Suppose for instance you discconected the intercooler pipe completely all the boost would be lost. A relatively small leak like 3 psi could be down to a leak.

A major loss of boost like Porsch-O-Phile has (10psi IIRC) is unlikely to be a split hose, because he should be able to see a hole that big.

Tony

 

Yes, Dark, I have seen that tester, but I always thought if you disconnect the wastegate line, that eliminated the need for a leak tester.

Thanks Tony, I was not aware of that.

"Leak would have to be between turbo outlet and intake manifold." This is because I do not have a vac leak only boost leak correct?

 

Todd, I looked at my spare last night and you should be able to get a good idea if you have a problem with a collapsed pipe without taking off the turbo, by disconnecting the exhaust pipe and looking up. It should give you a good enough view of whats going on.

Regards,

 

Well mainly because thats where the boost is, the AFM, J-boot etc. are before the boost is built so air could be sucked in but this wouldn't affect your boost level.

However it was a bit misleading because it could still be the small bore vac/boost lines.

Are you bypassing your cycling valve? If you dissconnected the signal to the wastegate did you plug the end?

Tony

 

Disconnecting the wastegate line is a Darwinistic approach. The tester is meant for when the car is off and preferrably cold so that you can move your hand around every surface of the motor / intercooler / piping / turbo / etc., feeling for a slight breeze. Even small leaks are murder to performance.

 

In regards to the cause of the stock downpipe collapsing, I can tell you all that I have an exhaust temp gauge and while running 18psi on the stock K26/6 I was seeing temps around 1550F for extended boost runs at 12:1 air/fuel mixture. Now, with my TO4E turbo and bigger exhaust housing I can't get past 1300F for extended runs. That little K26/6 was HOT!

 

Ok, Dark, thanks!!

"Are you bypassing your cycling valve? Yes

If you dissconnected the signal to the wastegate did you plug the end?" Yes.

I guess I will be putting the tester together this weekend. Something I should have done a while ago anyway.

"Now, with my TO4E turbo and bigger exhaust housing I can't get past 1300F for extended runs. That little K26/6 was HOT!"

Which is why with bigger intercoolers or water injection, others have been able to get more hp out of that little K26/6. It can make a lot of boost and hp, but it is just out of it's effeciency range in those levels (15psi+) and any more hp that is generated, is nulled by the increased heat.

 

Mike, that is a beast of a set up you have!! With 18psi on that turbo and with the MAP, you should be about 350rwhp and probably close to 400tq. And you could probabably run 20psi all day with that big hot side.

Love to see some dyno numbers on her.

Oh, on your signature, you have Tial 38mm BOV??? Is that supposed to be Wastegate?

 

Ha ha...good point. Tial 38mm Wastegate. No dyno numbers yet because I've got exhaust issues. It runs like a raped ape on boost, but its a little slow to build and I think there's still more power to be had. I noticed that it has a cheap replacement cat and the car must have been hit in the back at one time because the exhaust pipe that goes from the muffler to the tip has been crimped like someone pushed it back into the muffler. Once SFR does their group buy I'll put the new exhaust on and give it a run.

Preliminary testing last night gave my friends M3 a whoopin! :-)

EDIT: My new EGT's with this turbo are in the 1300F range as well.