facboy

hi all,

i rear-ended somebody at low speed the other day (stupid wet weather and malfunctioning abs), relatively minor, probably around 5 mph or so. so i'm getting the front repainted (was badly stonechipped already, so w000t insurance <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" /> .

anyway, immediately after the accident, i noticed that the car seemed to be a lot more responsive - turbo seems to spool a *lot* quicker, and boost seems to come on much harder. it has been a bit colder the last few days, but the difference is much greater than anything that i've noticed due to weather changes previously. it's almost like i've picked up another couple of psi of boost.

anybody have *any* idea what (if anything) could have been changed by such a minor collision?

special tool

That's an interesting question. Did you have a look at your intercooler?
Also, have a look at the wastegate signal line that goes from your cycle valve down by the firewall to your wastegate - make sure it isn't cracked or dislodged. A failure of this line would cause the sudden exact symptoms you have described.

<img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

facboy

hmm i had a quick look at the intercooler, couldn't see anything obvious. the damage to the car is really minor, i'd be surprised if anything mechanical is actually broken. the left headlight and header panel took most of the force (such as it was), and it was so minor the headlight still pops up and down perfectly.

wouldn't i expect to be overboosting in that case? where is the cycle valve exactly? it's the little round thing near the afm isn't it?

special tool

It is the round tan and brown colored valve that sits below intake runner #4 - 3 quarter inch hose coming from it. The one that goes rearward toward the firewall is the one to check.
Oh, if you have an original 951 wastegate with 105k, the chances of you overboosting with it are slim if it is unshimmed.

Chas

Schweet, you're on to something here.

...I'm gonna go coast into a brick wall, and get my 20+ hp

Talk about free power <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

guardsred951S

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Chas:
Schweet, you're on to something here.

...I'm gonna go coast into a brick wall, and get my 20+ hp

Talk about free power <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" /> </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> Jeez me too.... <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

I think special tool is on to something. Check out that wastegate line to the CV as if it has come loose, your boost can skyrocket to like 25 PSI and roast and blow the head gasket. Fortunatly for me, that's why I got my car with a rebuilt engine

<img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

facboy

no guys, it won't work that way. you need my specialized skills so you get the right approach speed and angle of attack. and it needs to be the right kind of vehicle/inanimate object to. tell you what, have your cars shipped to me and i'll see what i can do .

hmm, regarding the cv, i'll take a look when the car gets back from the panel shop .

facboy

as a follow-up, the car is back from the panel shop and now it is slower again .

i'm theorising now that the crash damage must have either a) opened up more air-flow to the IC (which seems unlikely from what i could see), or b) altered the air-flow characteristics around the IC.

any thoughts?

streckfu's

I'm going SUV hunting on the way to work this morning...

Sami951

I dunno, airflow to the intercooler is set up pretty nice from the factory... I can't really think of any noticeable gains to be had from any changes in the air-flow around the IC.

There has been quite a bit of discussion whether vented nose panels etc modifications help the intercooler or not, search the archives for "vented nose" and you should find opinions on both sides...

facboy

hmm...there wasn't really any significant venting, that's all . the only possible place would have been between the bumper and the header panel, and there wasn't really any gap there that i could see.

Peckster

I doubt a minor IC air flow change would make a noticable difference in power. No idea what it could be.

nine-44

If you have a cone filter and/or MAF that is in that corner near the headlight cover, it may have been getting a little more air. I know a guy that removed the rubber boot under the headlight door and noticed a small difference.

facboy

lol nope, it's basically a stock 951. hmm, i'm going to have a poke around under the header panel .